Memory Fast Lane: The 1991 Ford GT (Escort that is)

"Mosqvich" (mosqvich) 08/11/2013 at 16:02 • Filed to: Escort GT, Ford, USAF, first car

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When I graduated from college, way back in 1991, I was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the USAF. Back in the day, we had to wait to enter Active Duty until we trained so we had to wait around for the Air Force to put us to work. My Dad found me an awesome job driving truck for a whopping $19 an hour, that's about $32 per hour in today's economy. I had grand plans of working for around 6 months and buying a Porsche 928.

The phone rang: "Lt Mosqueda, we're putting you on duty immediately." That changed my plans entirely. I no longer had time to save up a bunch of cash (and trust me I knew how to save money at the time). So, I started shopping around. I decided it was time to own a brand new car. I found the best mix of fun, sportiness, and cost was the 1991 Ford Escort GT.

The Escort GT was actually pretty peppy. It featured a Mazda BP 1.8L DOHC engine pumping out 127 hp in the Escort's iteration. The Escort GT actually had a fairly sophisticated suspension (for a cheap 90s econobox) including an independent rear suspension. Looking at some old reviews the car scooted from 0-60 in 8.0 seconds. Again, this is 1991 and fast cars were doing 0-60 in 5.0 seconds, so this is pretty good for an inexpensive hot hatch. Check out the Motor Rend review below. As for me, on one blast through Monument Valley in Utah I hit 127 mph. That's pretty fast for a small car back then.

I started my professional life by driving from Michigan to Arizona for my first assignment with a stop in Colorado Springs for some training. It was an excellent road trip.

I really loved that car. Shortly after I paid it off some idiot decided he didn't need to stop at a red light and t-boned me, completely totaling the car. I was sad. Years later I bought a near exact duplicate of the car for only $600. I put in ceramic coated headers, a cat-back exhaust, and put some gigantic 18" lightweight alloy rims. It looked pretty good and was a bit faster than my first Escort GT. I gave it to my brother and he promptly ruined it.

Early cars are great memories. I'm sure we wax poetic about them. But it truly was fun and I enjoyed it very much.

lautomobile > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 16:11

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I always loved the wacky asymmetrical grill on this car.

Mosqvich > lautomobile 08/11/2013 at 16:13

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It was a plasticky appliqué cornucopia, like a lot of late 80s and early 90s cars, but I always like it. I really was bummed when the guy killed it with his POS.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 16:15

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Nice to see I'm not the only one with a fondness for weird cars that people keep forgetting existed. I knew a guy who autocrossed an escort GT like this one and dear lord that thing could fly. Not the best rust-proofing on these things though......Sadly a lot of these have returned to the earth from whence they came :(

LTIROCKS > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 16:21

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The later Escort GTs compared very favorably in their segment "back in the day."

Back then, 0- 60 MPH in 8.0 seconds and an 85 MPH quarter mile trap speed was pretty damn sound my 4 cylinder (and even many V6) standards. .82 Gs on the skidpad was no mean feat by the standards of the day, either. Even the seats were relatively decent.

The braking system's rotor size was very decent for a 2,500 pound car during that era.

Fixnab > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 16:22

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I had a 1984 Escort Pony that my Brother and I abused and loved. They were great little cars and to this day still feeds my love of hatchbacks for the simple nature of those cars.

Cheesewhiz > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 16:23

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One of the very best cars Ford made in that era, by far... Because Mazda. Under it all I think it was essentially the first Protoge/323 which was itself a gem. Mazda really gave their all to Ford back then. I drove the predecessor Escort GT and this one back-to-back and the leap was enormous.

All nostalgia aside, I really miss the elemental, simple engineering these kinds of cars embodied. After the post featuring a Mk1 Integra the other day (which I once owned), I found myself looking for low-mile survivors to play with and squirrel away. One of these Escort GT's might join my short list.

Mosqvich > Cheesewhiz 08/11/2013 at 16:28

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It was a blast to work on. I worked on it a lot, for good stuff not because it broke. It actually was nearly bullet proof, until my brother came along!!

Cheesewhiz > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 16:36

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Yeah, I had a Mk1 Rabbit GTI back then ('89-92) that *required* work. Still, so easy and fun to do oneself. You just can't do that on many vehicles today.

Matt Hardigree > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 16:38

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My college car was a black '94 Escort Pony. I'd have killed for a GT. At least it was a stick...

Dick > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 16:40

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I was gonna write something snarky about an Escort, right up til I remembered my romance with a certain '76 Pinto, with no a/c.

Mosqvich > Matt Hardigree 08/11/2013 at 16:41

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I forgot to mention the 5-speed. It was pretty good. I try to always own at least one manual car. I fear that might go away in the near future though.

Mosqvich > Dick 08/11/2013 at 16:41

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That is awesome!!

Matt Hardigree > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 16:44

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I feel the same way.

Dick > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 16:46

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Awful fun times with that damned car, and I never burned alive from the gas tank gremlins, which technically, is a bonus.

Mosqvich > Matt Hardigree 08/11/2013 at 16:47

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I do have my eye on finally getting a Porsche. We're planning on a Cayenne in the next 12 months. When my son is 16, I'm hoping to get a Cayman or maybe a 911. But you know the Cayenne will be an auto and the Cayman will likely be a PDK. It's probably just as well. I was shot in the leg and the nerve damage sometimes hurts when I use a clutch, but not always. Sigh. Getting old.

plak424 > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 16:53

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All brothers do that with cars. I gave my brother my mustang with full exhaust full suspension and actual 2003 cobra special edition rims and he promptly got into an accident curbed the rims to shit and the only time it gets washed when it rains.

sweet escort though

Mosqvich > plak424 08/11/2013 at 16:56

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Amen! It was a great little car. I actually have a Fiesta SE right now. I'm probably moving on from Ford to Porsche next. I have a BMW and I love how solid German cars are made. I don't even let my brother drive my cars. Ever. He's a good guy, but has the worst luck with cars ever!

EGT > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 16:59

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I had a couple of these. A red '94 and a white '95. They.were awesome little cars!

Mosqvich > EGT 08/11/2013 at 17:00

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Both of mine were white. You're right, they are awesome.

evilfacelessturtle (Hooning a Ford is Domestic Abuse) > Cheesewhiz 08/11/2013 at 17:20

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Call it nostalgia but I feel like cars in the '90s were the right mix of technology and simplicity. Easy enough to work on yourself, and not bloated and overweight. They may not have been as safe as a new car, but you were more connected to the road. I feel like kids growing up driving the cars of today will be much more dangerous because they're so isolated from the reality of piloting a 3,000 lb steel missile. Driving a new car is just too easy.

MikeLofquist > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 17:51

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Phenominal little cars. My 91' pony made it through three seasons of traditional asphalt oval track racing, and it still makes the rounds at the track we built on my uncles land. Lightweight, fun, and surprisingly reliable little cars!

Shane Weeks > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 17:57

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Loved my Escort GT!

Rykros the Disdainful - Supposed Petulant Capitulant Junkie > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 18:06

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Came close to buying a '93 GT. Ended up buying a '94 Probe GT instead. Which isn't too much of a stretch.

Really enjoyed how it looked and drove, and it had decent pickup too.

Addison > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 18:08

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When I was in college, I worked for a medical lab in Beaumont, TX as a courier and would drive a 1994 Escort GT every night to Baton Rouge, LA and back. It was a great job back then, good pay, and I worked nights with no supervision. It was the only five speed we had in the fleet of the lab, so I loved it...until the night the timing belt broke between Butte La Rose, LA and Lobdell, LA in the cold dark woods. I miss that little car, it was hell on wheels.

Vizzini > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 18:10

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I feel like I have to spend a lot of time explaining 80s "performance" cars, and the argument usually boils down to something like, "you weren't there, man, you don't know what it was like!" Good call on the Escort GT. For the time, it was definitely a reasonable choice if you needed something small and economical but also wanted something fun.

Like you, my now-wife scored a deal with her dad to get a car after college graduation (1992). I steered her toward the Escort GT, to at least try it out. It was a fun little car, but it paled to the point of invisibility compared to the Integra of the day. The Ford was zippy, but a crude implement compared to the smooth and sophisticated Acura. We would have looked at a Civic, too, but we could not have attracted the interest of a salesman if we had set ourselves on fire. In an era in which Hondas sold out simply by rolling off the transporter, the sales guys took no interest in a couple of 22 year olds sniffing around their precious Civics. In the end, my father-in-law (to be) played the buy-America card and bought a Saturn. It was a perfectly servicable car for the years we had it, but nowhere near as fun as an Escort GT.

If you're now thinking Porsche, give a thought to a lightly used 911. The markup on these things, as I'm sure you know, is astonishing, but give it just two or three years and you can have what is truly one of the best cars ever produced for a price that approaches something that could be called reasonable. Plus, there is much to like in the 997 over the 991, as fabulous as the new model is. If you haven't been there already (and I'm sure you will get there eventually), forums like Rennlist and Pelican are essential reading for the prospective buyer. Enjoy the hunt.

Bozi Tatarevic > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 18:21

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The Escort GT is an interesting car and sharing the BP engine with the Miata there are plenty of go fast parts that can be retro-fitted

insanityphr33k > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 18:26

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There she is...miss...America.
Okay so before the merkur, I had this. its a 1977 Chevrolet Malibu. it originally had a 305 V8 on it with a stank ass 2 barrel carb. And since the engine was down a cylinder, my dad and I eventually built an engine for it. A a 350, with a 1975 corvette block, and 1970 camelhump heads. With a nice ol 4 barrel holley on it, it was great fun to daily drive to and from work (no it wasn't). It got great mpg (it got horrid mpg), and my goodness did it handle well (it didn't). But at that time of having it, it felt like the best thing on earth.
also a single leg rear end because my dad didn't trust me to have that much power to go to work with (good idea).

I will say though, going to any car show about st. petersburg would prompt alot of stares from old gents who probably had t-buckets and most likely thought i was butting in on there fun.

But some people would just come to me for no reason and say hello, ask about the car.

It is now in pieces in my fathers garage, being sold bit by bit to other 1973-77 chevelle fans.

Oh and it had a 1974 laguna front end.

f86sabre > MikeLofquist 08/11/2013 at 18:43

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We have a 91 Escort Pony Lemons car. 7 races so far and still kicking. Only weak links are the clutch and fuel pickup after 1/2 tank mg rear car.

plak424 > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 18:49

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Same here since the incidents my brother's had with the mustang. Which porsche are you looking into. I've been obsessing over 944's for a while now, but I'm pretty sure my next car will be an NA Miata.

Mosqvich > plak424 08/11/2013 at 18:59

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Either a 911 or a Cayman. I'm leaning towards a Cayman, the engine is in the right location after all.

Reborn Pyrrhic > plak424 08/11/2013 at 19:02

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When I joined the Army I gave my brother my 1977 Mercedes Benz 300D, and he totaled it. It was in great mechanical shape, minus broken a/c, but had some rust on the underside. I miss that car so much!

Reborn Pyrrhic > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 19:05

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Quick and sweet, well written article. I always liked the Ford Escort GT. When I was in the NCO Academy in Ford Eustis, VA I dated an Air Force nurse from Langley AFB. She had one in the same color as yours, white. I drove that car plenty of times, always enjoyed it!

Iamopenlyjudgingyou > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 19:10

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The difficult part is try to explain to the youngins how these were good little cars way back when. Young ones who either have no experience with these cars or had to deal with used and abuse examples still putting around.

It was a fun little car. You could also get them cheap. Probably best bang for the buck in its class (OTD price...between haggling and incentives). In the early 90's the car to get was the Nissan Sentra SE-R but if someone couldn't swing the MSRP and the insurance the Escort GT would put the same smile on your face once you hit some nice roads. Just had to get past the "girls car" stigma.

DanielS > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 19:19

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In Australia, these were badged as the Ford Laser TX3. My friend had the equivalent of your Escort GT. It was a great little car, and quite zippy too. I have fond memories of the AWD turbo version that I owned as my first car. Awesome little cars, even though the AWD used to chew through gearboxes like they were going out of fashion. I had mine up to 163HP at all 4 wheels on the stock turbo with just a GTI-R intercooler and higher boost.

go4broke360 > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 19:43

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I had a 88 GT I used to drive as the families spair car. Started out as my dad's then became my older sister's until she bent the frame. The car was a 5 speed black with a red stripe just like my dad's 88 GT Mustang. The Escort was great around town and I don't think we ever had any problems with it. Only thing I didn't like about it was in the summer when it was really hot the interior smelled really bad. Really wish I had bought it off my sister, she ended up selling it when the clutch went out.

EndlessSummerAz > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 19:48

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I have so much love for the Escort GT/Laser TX3.

My first car was an Aussie spec '90 Laser TX3, very similar to Dan's second car (1.8 twin cam with extractors and exhaust). It was cheap to run, easy to repair and more fun to drive than it had any right to be. Plus, being my first car, the sense of freedom it gave me was profound...

I still run the TX3 at dirt Autocross events (see pic below) and it's picked me up a few class championships in the last couple of years. It's definitely not pristine any more (bearing in mind it's now 23 years old, with about six seasons of Autocross and 300,000km on the clock), but mechanically it's still a gem. Understand your love Dan, these were a great car...

justagigilo85 > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 20:23

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As a former Zx2 owner, I'm enjoying all the escort love in this post.

Here's mine:

I credit a totalled 94 escort GT for the 21mm rear sway bar that fit perfectly (save for bushings) on this car.

Ahh.... those were the days...

LandofMinos: ...sent down to strike the unroadworthy! > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 20:59

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Giving something away often means the recipient doesn't appreciate what they were given as much as if they had to pay for it.

May I ask, how did your brother ruin it?

birddog73 > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 21:13

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I'm not sure how to take this. You make it sound like $19/hr was crap in 1991. I was happy with $8/hr back then and was lucky to get it..
Great choice in vehicles though.

Adam Roberts > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 21:15

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I also had the pleasure of owning a 1995 Escort GT. Awesome little cars! I had eibach springs + newer ZX2 shocks, basic 4-point roll cage & some minor cylinder head work. I put that car through the stresses of being owned by a 16 year old and it never skipped a beat. Great times were had in that car...

ICantStandNewJalopnik > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 21:38

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This is a great post! I remember being a highschooler with my first car. It was a new, '93 Probe GT V6 (The brand new version of the last body style.) My sister had a '92, white Escort GT just like your picture. It had the 4 speed auto with quite a tall first gear. I had more fun driving that Escort GT than I did in that Probe.

Supposedly, the Probe's 0-60 was 7.1 with a 15.8 quarter at 88 MPH. That's not far off the Escort. The handling was .86 vs the Escort's .82. That Escort was quite the little machine.

Don't forget the best part though. Please tell me you remember the sound of the exhaust in the Escort GT. Probably my favorite sounding, stock 4-cylinder I've ever heard besides the 500 Abarth. Thanks though, for bringing me back through memory lane. It once again proves you don't need the best performance to have the most fun in a car. I loved the original spoiler on the Escort GT as well compared to the second iteration. I wonder why they would've toned it down. It looked great! And the cool grille.

Mosqvich > ICantStandNewJalopnik 08/11/2013 at 21:42

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The sound was nice. When I put on a cat-back system and headers on my second car, it was incredible. And I definitely agree on the spoiler.

Iamopenlyjudgingyou > Iamopenlyjudgingyou 08/11/2013 at 21:43

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Crap...after some thought I feel like I'm required to mention that these were still 91 Fords. At around 80K things started to go wrong and at 120K they were headaches.

Up until that 79,999 mile mark...these things rocked.

Mosqvich > birddog73 08/11/2013 at 21:44

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Heck no, it was a ton of money. Had I done that for 6 months I would have had a ton of money put away. My initial AF pay was less, but that didn't last for long.

slowertraffickeepright > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 22:10

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The first car I purchased was a Black 1994 Escort GT, nothing but great memories....It was manual
This car proved to all of my friends that ford can make indestructible cars. From skidoo trails, the Humber bump(Toronto drivers will know this) and ripping all over York Region in the winter. There was no where that car couldn't go. So much fun to drive! Also drove a white one. So many tickets in these cars...so many good times...I remember racing an XR4Ti down the 404 (truth be told, I did have Merkur envy),four cop cars pulled us over, reckless, racing and 65 over the limit(we were going much faster than that)....massive tickets and a court date right there on the side of the road. I miss those cars

AxelTrap > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 22:34

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I was 13 in 91 and convinced my mom to get a Mercury Tracer LTS, an Escort GT with 4 doors. Was a fun car to learn how to drive in, tho it had an automatic. If you nailed it at 45ish MPH it would kick down to first gear, be around 6200 and rev to 6700 before shifting to second.

boxrocket > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 22:39

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Love the Arch photos. It's only a few miles from my house but it's always nice seeing it.

Escorts are fun little cars, much owing to their Mazda roots. If it were a choice between an Escort and the similarly-spec 323/Protege I'd probably go for the Mazda, just for personal preference.

Mosqvich > boxrocket 08/11/2013 at 22:47

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2 things:

1. The Arch represented me moving West from being a lifelong Midwesterner. It really spoke volumes to me. A new chapter in life to say the least!

2. I just sold our 1999 Protege for $3k. Seriously. $3k. It sold in less than 24 hours. It did look new, but that's just crazy. It was a great car.

boxrocket > ICantStandNewJalopnik 08/11/2013 at 22:52

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Both are Mazda-engineered. The Probe is the same platform as the MX-6 and 626, just as the Escort is the same as the 323/Protégé.

I had two 626s, a '97 with that sweetheart V6 but automatic tranny, and an '89 with a miserly I4, stick shift, and averaged 42mpg. Both were loads of fun, but the extra oomph from the V6 really tied that car together, and I do miss it (although it had quite an appetite for CV boots, and, by extension, the CV axles. Excepting that and some other maintenance items (I got her just before 100K), I really loved that car.

JasonStern911 > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 22:57

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I had a non-GT 1996 1.9L Escort when I was in college. The build quality was god-awful. At 99k, an exhaust seat deteriorated taking out a piston, which was a common problem. What modern, mass produced economy car can't make it to 100k miles these days? After fixing that, one of the rear springs snapped in half. Luckily, Ford knew about this design weakness and had some super thick rubber-like material that they placed over the part of the spring where it snapped to hold the broken spring pieces together. That did give me an excuse to fit Ford Racing ZX2 struts and springs on, as well as upgrade the sway bars. Afterwards, the car handled quite well although the ride quality suffered. But, shortly after, an unemployed woman with no insurance plowed into the side of the car on a snowy day, leaving me to fail horribly at trying to bondo a car and then sell the car at a significant loss. So, basically, I don't have the fond memories of the Escort you do. Although I do reflect kindly on the Mazda B-powered Ford Festiva...

boxrocket > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 23:01

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Really like the Escort love going on, highly unappreciated/overlooked on the used market, since so many seek alternatives like civics, corollas, foci, etc.

ICantStandNewJalopnik > boxrocket 08/11/2013 at 23:12

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Not only did that 1.8L sound nice, as you know, so did that 2.5! It was a smooth V6. I had a 370Z that sounded like the engine was going to fall out at higher RPM. The Probe and Escort, MX-6, 626 and 323 were all fun cars.

boxrocket > justagigilo85 08/11/2013 at 23:15

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I have a lot of experience with that body style. Very hoonable, but tiny mirrors and cost-cutting interior (endemic of all Fords of the era) made them a pass for me personally, especially when the Focus came along. The last years' Sport trim had some of the best-looking four-lug wheels I've yet encountered (though I have a personal preference for 5-lugs on most wheels, as my personal preference is to have five spokes as well).

boxrocket > ICantStandNewJalopnik 08/11/2013 at 23:57

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Oh my, yes. That V6 is in my top-five list of favorite engines yet made, up there with the McLaren 3.8L V8 and Ford 5.0L "Coyote" V8 (and its derivatives).

I got rear-ended in the '97, and the body shop my parents recommended I go to put a too-small high-restriction (but still dual-outlet) muffler and tailpipe on it, and it just killed the sound and created a significantly different engine character. Of course, the poor thing only lasted a few months after that as she ate a curb for me saving my ass on a slippery poorly-lit road in Arkansas, but she limped all the way back home to St. Louis (too young, scared, and poor to have her fixed, let alone where I was at) where she was declared too expensive to fix. I wish I had the knowledge and ability then to buy the car from the insurance company.

Detroit 9000 > Mosqvich 08/11/2013 at 23:59

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My 1995 Escort GT just rolled 38k miles three years ago. I have put 20 miles on it in two years driving through the neighborhood.

The "NEW" tires (BF Goodrich Euro T/A) are almost 11 years old with 7000 miles.

I ordered it on 1/24/95. It was delivered 2/24/95, the night before a high school mid winter break. Perfect timing since I had $5k worth of audio goods to install...MB Quart, Kenwood, Alpine, Rockford...

I started it three weeks ago. Felt like a new car cruising the neighborhood.

truebeliever > Mosqvich 08/12/2013 at 00:06

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hate to admit it, but I like this car. Always did. Haven't seen an escort on the road in ten years yet alone a GT.

DayWooTang > Mosqvich 08/12/2013 at 00:30

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How did you know you were doing 127 when the speedo reads up to 120? ;)

Mosqvich > DayWooTang 08/12/2013 at 00:39

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Simple math. Distance divided by time.

ICantStandNewJalopnik > boxrocket 08/12/2013 at 01:09

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Don't you wonder how some of those exhaust systems are even on the market? How hard would it be to just scan the OEM part and just make a duplicate? If they're worried about patent infringement, just make a kink a little different or something. I LOVED the sound of my Probe V6. My favorite sounding car until I got this XK-R 5.0L. I pulled fuse 19 and she roars all the time. If you haven't heard one in person, it'll probably make your list. Burble burble roar pop pop burble pop. All stock.

boxrocket > ICantStandNewJalopnik 08/12/2013 at 01:14

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I have heard a few in person. There's a dealership near me that sold Jags and Aston Martins before it shuttered its doors (I miss the daily car porn :,( ) and I got friendly with a few of the sales persons, and on slow nights (which there are quite a few of at such an establishment, which is why they're closed now) I'd visit and they'd let me drive some of the Jags around (including an XKR-RS) and sit in the Astons and rev the engine, but a salesperson would always be in the passenger seat making sure it didn't move. That 5.0L is a beast. Can't wait to hear the F-Types' engines in person.

ICantStandNewJalopnik > boxrocket 08/12/2013 at 02:03

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I forgot to say that. That new V6 in the F-Type with that active exhaust switch sounds like, what you said, car porn. I'm glad you've had the chance to get into a few of those cars. I'm going to hold on to the XK-R because of its size for now. It's still a beautiful car. I'll probably trade it in for an MX-6 and Escort GT here shortly. (I kid.) I'm actually going to get a Fiesta ST for track use. I like it better than the Focus ST and I'm not sure why. I shouldn't, but I do. Thoughts? Fiesta or Focus?

boxrocket > ICantStandNewJalopnik 08/12/2013 at 02:51

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I personally prefer the Fiesta as well. Gas tank is on the correct side, it's a tad smaller but not uncomfortably so with not-too-much less cargo space, and it lifts the wheel on hard turns. More smiles per mile, IMHO, plus it looks better.

I really hope Mazda makes a Mazdaspeed version of the 2, which currently shares the Fiesta's platform (I don't recall if it's the current or previous version) to give the Fiesta ST some competition.
Of course, while I'm wishing for that, I wish that Suzuki could stay in the US, bring over the Swift, Swift Sport, Splash, and next-gen SX4 (the current SX4, if it can still be called that, is on my short list of cars I could justify buying new per the wife, since I drive relatively little and it leaves financial room for future children), and that Ford could/would bring over the Ka and all its variants, and the Falcon and Ranger and all its variants.

Shiftright > Mosqvich 08/12/2013 at 04:25

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I drove a friend's quite a bit in college. It was quick, handled / shifted well and was a blast to drive.

sflash868 > Mosqvich 08/12/2013 at 09:41

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My team just one the 24 hours of Lemons this weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park (class C) in a an Escort LX.

Ya can't kill the thing.. just keeps on going

philaDLJ > Mosqvich 08/12/2013 at 10:15

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That asymmetrical grille really was the bees knees.

MajorStang > Mosqvich 08/12/2013 at 11:37

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Oh why do I love this article...because I did exactly the opposite and my gf took care of getting T-boned. First car was an '88 'scort WAGON complete with amp'ed up living room speakers in the back. Second car was a '90 Escort GT. It was in mint condition with 150k on it before it got T-boned. That's when I said "gotta have it" and purchased a black 1987 928 S4 (this was in '97). Drove that for four years and loved every minute of it. Now I'm waiting for my new 'Stang to arrive from Ford. Thanks to the author for serving our country! Did you ever drive a 928? Nothing like it in the world...

Mosqvich > MajorStang 08/12/2013 at 11:47

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I haven't driven one. I still think they're hot.

sounbwoy > Mosqvich 08/12/2013 at 12:48

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I had the American version of the GT. I remember being so depressed when the '91 came out because it was so much better than mine right out of the box.. but I loved mine still. I wrecked mine at an HPDE later on... I still miss it.

Mosqvich > sounbwoy 08/12/2013 at 13:19

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It was quite a jump in performance and technology from its immediate predecessor for sure.

sounbwoy > Mosqvich 08/12/2013 at 14:13

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I'll say. The American based cars (even the GT) came from the factory with up to 2 degrees POSITIVE camber. After my first track event at Road Atlanta (when it was a REAL track with the Dip), suspension was the very first thing I changed..lol - poly bushings, springs and shocks, all from BAT which at the time was the Escort tuning company.. what a difference it was, and for the better.. my only other real complaint on that car was that the gearing was not great at all.