One thing that still puzzles me after a year owning my GTi is that they were sold as 115bhp (mine's more like 15bhp) and i've learnt that earlier models such as the Mk5 Si were sold as 130bhp.

Must have been some advantage to Ford and their customers to do this, anyone know what that might.

On the plus side, I shouldn't grumble as I get over 350 miles per tank and that's with almost 150k on the clock.

 

Insurance at a guess

 

they should still be nippy stan as the 115ps engine is not a bad one but as you mention the 130ps Si version was way better, perhaps yours needs a going through maybe a decent sports cat throttle body clean out etc as my gti estates were all very lively for what they were

 

I always thought both of mine were shit, way underpowered. The zetecs are lazy revvers which don't help, if you compare to a Vauxhall 1.8 or another make they were sluggish. A decat did help a little bit but they still were slow. A shame really as the mk6 escort could be made to look lovely

 

Thanks guys, not expecting a screamer. I drive slow these days anyway as there's a camera van on every corner.

When I see what people do with Zetecs in conversions, with bike carbs, turbos etc. I know they have potential. And I also read that if looked after they have a long life which suits me. But still would be nice not to have 1 litre Peugeots burn me off at the lights.

 

there are cost effective ways to at least grab the ponies that are sleeping in the engine, as 115ps zetecs are are ok lump, you just got to go through it, with a few checks first like getting the block compression tested and inspect for cam wear and if alls well fit a decent flowing exhaust & panel filter also some cats strangle the life out of them 1.8s too, clean the throttle body and good full quality service does wonders

 

All the 130 escorts came with a proper gearbox, I'd imagine the gti was detuned to save the shit gearbox from shitting itself.
130bhp from a 2.0 is terrible too, everyone else managed 150 at the time. Ford engines are generally underpowered

 

130ps had the mtx75 and the 115ps had the ib5, the gti was a after thought anyway as the first examples had no leather bodykit or even electric windows and a 1.4 engine, then once the rs2000 was finished ford used all the spare bodyparts creating the gti fords only ever one and the only things unique for the model was the half leathers and 15" 5 spokes

 

Yes exactly the point I made above

 

They're just tuned to what the marketing guys wanted

It was mainly due to insurance costs at that time.

If you think ford couldnt have made it as powerful as other companies you are coco loco