In the UK, the Chevette was a Lotus-engined 200-hp rally champion (150-hp in production trim) that got a hat-full of wins and was the hottest car in Group-4... until the Audi Quarttro came along. In America, GM only built it as a counter-balance to it's thirsty larger models. They did consider making an American version of the 2300 HSE in '82, and even fitted the same 2.8L V-6 with the Camaro's 4-spd into one [using mostly off-the-shelf parts] and shod it with 14x6" wheels... and it out-performed all trim levels of the Camaro/Firebird (Trans-Am included!) in all respects. It's probably where they got motivated to develop the Quad-4 engine with help from Lotus. GM just didn't make it because even with the V-6, it would make the "sexy" models look like bloated, overpriced slobs, costing them millions in unrecuperated development expenses. And with the S-10 pickups & utes 5-spd slated to be shared with it, the fuel economy would've easily been in the low-30's, making even the 4-cyl models look like guzzlers. Plus, if it's production were delayed a couple of years, it would be candidate for the 130-hp 2.8L V-6, which combined with it's 2000-lbs(+/-) curb weight would have it nipping at the heals of the Corvette. So instead, they just claimed it's ubiquitously preferential 6.5" ring-gear differential "...didn't met our torture test goals satisfactorily", despite fact it used the same design rear suspension as the Camaro/Firebird, which itself used a 7.5" differential axle that was widely used on everything from GM's full-size models to their 1/2-ton compact trucks. The Citation took tens years to develop, with it eventually becoming just a reverse-engineered knock-off of the Volkswagen Golf during the fourth year of development.
That suspension, plus a front/rear weight bias even a Porsche 924 would envy, made the Chevette handle like it was on rails. Combined with it's durable unitized construction, it made for a formidable rally car, even with just a lightly-modded 1.6L OHC I-4. The Fiero also used the front suspension... in back... and had a terrible bump-steer issue because of it until the '88 model. It also was slated to receive the DOHC 3.4L V-6, and all the mounting pieces to do so were fully developed... right before Fiero production was cancelled. Note: The Fiero has history going back to the Pontiac X-4 sports/commuter-car concept of '69, and was considered a possible replacement for the Corvette.
I had to look up the UK Chevette, too bad, a little refinement and it might have been cool looking. The Japanese Cars started coming over and the "pocket rockets" really cleaned up on the hatchback category. VW had some great looking smaller cars and they all had ridiculous gas mileage. I remember a guy in Plainwell Michigan, he had a spot off the highway where you could see about 100 Ford Fiestas, I heard he raced them and loved the little cars, any experience with those nickelindimer?
My friend had a 1979 Fiesta Sport, built in Germany and sold in the US. It was much more fun to drive than the Escort. It probably weighed only 1800 lbs or even less. The Escort was a dog in comparison. I know you could get the RS or XR3 versions in Europe, but not in the US.
Only what I read in a '78 issue of Hot Rod Magazine. Gotta have some respect for a car that debuts in a new market with a slew of factory "Hot Parts" available. Other than that, I saw one with the turbo & body kits used in the anime movie "GOLGO-13: The Professional" along with a Ford Capri GT, and a Fox-chassis "coffin-nose" T-Bird. It was reasleased in '83, according to Wiki, but going by the fact the T-Bird was--according to the mechanic that built the Fiesta--"brand new"... and the clothes she wore... I think it was actually released in '79.
Not surprised, really... Again: Many American auto-maker models of foreign origin were brought into to U.S. market in the day just to help them meet CAFE mandates, with [perhaps] the one exception being the Merkur XR4Ti, which was done so to "...compete with BMW". But then, Cadillac said the same about the Cimarron, so... Well, we all know the real reason for it's existence at this point. I wonder how many realized the XR4Ti shared chassis with the Mustang, and swapped-out the 205-hp 2.3L Turbo for a 5.0L F.I. V-8... any Windsor V-8, for that matter?
No need, when with a few mods you could get more power out of that 2.3 than you could from the weak 5.0's of that era (actually 4.9 lol) As for the Cimarron, lol.....basically just a Cavalier with leather seats. And a 3-speed automatic
No Fiesta could ever compete with this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Escort_RS_Cosworth. The problem was that by the time they stopped selling it a years insurance cost more than the car (new). Even if you were a good driver the people who stole them usually weren't.
And a 2.8L V-6, like the Citation...! BTW: In '82, the Mustang once again received a true 5L version of the Windsor V-8. A former friend--whom when it came to cars, belonged on the curb... waiting for a bus--had one that I swapped the drive-axle on for a stronger one from a later-model GT w/limited-slip. Got real lucky finding it... as not only did it have the same gear ratio, but got it quoted for $100 then what they tried to sell at--at the same 'yard!
This is why three-wheeled cars like the Reliant Robin sold in the UK... and we all know what insurance liabilities those were!
I thought it was a shame Ford didn't/couldn't bring the Sierra/XR4Ti here without the BTCC-winning Cosworth engine. If they did that, THEN they'd have something to compete with BMW!
If that is anything to do with Top Gear it was a set up like many of their stunts. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-...ous-reliant-robin-rolling-scene-a6810016.html Two reasons the Reliant Three Wheelers were popular was that you could drive them on a Motorbike licence, and the road tax was significantly less.
I've seen the Black Magic edition, and thought it had little aesthetically over my brother's '85 "sport" in black/red. As for the instrumentation: GM could mimic it entirely (sans tachometer) and kept it all in one spot by just swapping a few wires around on the cluster connector, then installing the one installed in their full-size G-series vans as a direct bolt-in...!
True... and true! That was the only thing that really turned me off about the show: Their willfully "subtle" display of bias towards certain models of cars, like the Morris Minor. I imagine in America, the domestic equivalent would be the Dodge Dart: Mostly thought of as a conservative compact sedan in the likes of the Chevy Nova, but those in the know of what Hurst and the factory did following "Mr. Norm's" presentation, know better...!
Gotta admit though, the XR2 was pimp. 95hp wasn't bad in a lightweight car like this. Love the swiss cheese wheels and the black fender flares!
But what I meant was, 302 ci is only 4.9 liters. They just rounded it up to 5.0 for marketing purposes. I remember in 85 when it finally got some decent power, the magazines went wild, even though it was still only 210 hp and a 14.9 quarter mile.
It later got to 225-hp, but then Ford started averaging the results had from multiple production units, making it fall back a bit.
I had to look up the Ford Fiesta XR2, there's a few old listings on Bring A Trailer https://bringatrailer.com/2015/12/19/sharp-restoration-1987-ford-fiesta-xr2/ I love those little hatchbacks, so much fun to drive. I think emission add-ons killed any hope for bringing them over here. If you did have one and drove it in the winter, they tended to start rusting fairly quickly and didn't last long after that. 200 HP was a pretty big benchmark in the early 80's, gas got cheap again but the powers that be didn't seem to want a return to muscle cars.
Yes... rust was a big problem with many imports back then... and I was about to say the same about engines. As for the muscle-car thing: Doubt it... considering the Buick Grand National and the Hurst/Olds Cutlass 442. But, recalling how both GM & Ford were chasing Chrysler's success by developing FWD replacements for their sports coupes, I won't totally rule it out.
Speaking of hot-hatch FWD compacts, anyone ever hear of the Carroll Shelby-influened Dodge Omni GLH-S? That had a few hot parts available through Chrysler' Direct Connection in-house speed shop, which when [easily] installed and run on 116-octane race gas made 306-hp and ran 12.20s through the 1/4-mile.
