1982 Ford Escort vs Chevrolet Cavalier Manufacturer Promo
If you were looking for a small, fuel-efficient FoMoCo car and you wanted a door for each passenger, then look no further than the Escort 5-door hatchback, new in Ford’s domestic lineup for 1981. The 5-door completed Ford’s small fwd lineup in 1982, with 3-door, wagon and sporty car already on the streets. And it was a practical package, with a little more interior room than its competitors and good ingress/egress to and from its rear seat.
The entire Escort/EXP line profited from subtle refinements, a couple of which offered benefits far out weighing their cost. As a running change in the model year, there was an optional close ratio 4-speed gearbox that was seen as the first step to a proper 5-speed. This change of ratios improved the flexibility of the car’s 1.6-liter inline-4. Road & Track called it “Ford’s 20-bhp gearbox.” The 1st and 2nd cogs were identical, but 3rd and 4th were a bit shorter than before, with 3000 rpm giving 37 and 57 mph, respectively compared to the previous 42, and 67 mph. This had a tradeoff in highway cruising, of course, but one that most folks gladly accepted to mitigate the holes inherent in the previous 4-speed.
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