Ford Scorpio

The Ford Scorpio is a 1998 built by the Ford plants in Cologne between spring 1985 and summer cars of the upper middle class with rear-wheel drive. At times, even with all-wheel drive versions on offer.

The Scorpio, Car of the Year in 1986, was initially built only with hatchback ( "Aero Tail "). The end of 1989 came the saloon and in the spring of 1992, the combined " tournament" added.

• 3.1 trim levels
• 3.2 engines

History

The Scorpio 1985 was the first mass-produced car in Europe, which was offered as standard with anti -lock braking system (ABS). Until then, there was ABS by various manufacturers only as an expensive, liable to surcharge extra equipment. From model year 1994, also driver and passenger airbags as standard, as of spring 1998, with side airbags. The available space was (especially in the rear ) than average for this vehicle segment.

As motorization were - depending on the model and year - petrol engines from 1.8 to 2.9 liters capacity available, in addition diesel engines with 2.5 liters (initially from Peugeot, supplied in 1993 by VM Motori ). The 1992 throttled for a favorable classification in the motor liability to 85 kW - - particularly the often introduced in 1989 DOHC engine with 88 kW (120 hp) and were the 2.9 -liter V6 with 107 kW ( 145 hp ) sold.

Despite the positive market starts, good reviews of the trade press and numerous facelift of the total sales fell short of expectations, which was also due to the saloon and estate models offered too late.

From Scorpio 850,000 copies were produced and sold - the equivalent of about half of the produced in a comparable period models Ford Consul / Granada ( 1.6 million cars 1972-1985 ).

In Britain, the name of its predecessor, Granada was further extended (up to model update in 1994 ), as the product name was very well established. The Aero rear of the new model came but especially in the conservative British clientele this vehicle class to no good.

Scorpio '85 ( 1985-1994 )

Ford Scorpio Hatchback (1985-1989)

In March 1985, the Scorpio was, which was originally called " Lugano " hot, as the successor of the Ford Granada and was initially only available as a hatchback ( with the so-called aero - tail ). In the spring of 1986, the Scorpio was presented with 4 × 4 all-wheel drive and 2.8 -liter V6 engine.

In December 1989 came - along with some detail changes - the classic notchback sedan on the market.

From autumn 1991, the top engine was available with a 2.9 -liter 24V engine with the engine manufacturer Cosworth. This engine with 143 kW ( 195 hp ) ( 1991-1994) and 152 kW ( 207 hp) (1994-1998) was only available with automatic transmission. The Scorpio 24V was positioned as a comfortable touring sedan, so popped the name Cosworth in the model designation does not occur.

According to KBA were January 1, 2010 nor 390 vehicles (101 hatchback, 267 saloon, 22 tournament ) of the Scorpio 24V ( 1991-1994) approved in Germany. According to KBA were on 1 January 2012 nor 260 vehicles (69 hatchback, 177 saloon, 14 tournament ) of the Scorpio 24V ( 1991-1994) approved in Germany. Thus, the stock has reduced within two years by 1/3.

Ford Scorpio Saloon (1989-1992)

Rear view

Ford Scorpio Hatchback (1989-1992)

Scorpio '92

In March 1992, the Scorpio was provided with a facelift. Now he was as a station wagon - offered - traditionally called at Ford tournament.

In the British Isles the Scorpio kept up to model update in autumn 1994, the name of Granada, only the top version was sold under the name of Granada Scorpio.

Ford Scorpio in the sedan

Ford Scorpio Tournament

Motors

From 1985:

From 1987:

• 2.4-liter V6 direct injection engine with regulated catalytic converter (92 kW/125 hp);
• 2.4-liter V6 direct injection engine without catalyst (96 kW/130 hp);
• 2.9 -liter V6 direct injection engine with regulated catalytic converter (107 kW/145 hp);
• 2.9 -liter V6 direct injection engine without catalytic converter (110 kW/150 hp);
• 2.5-liter Peugeot turbo diesel (68 kW/92 hp)

From 1989:

• 2.0 - liter DOHC fuel injection engine with regulated catalytic converter (88 kW/120 hp)

From 1991:

• 2.9 i- 24V Cosworth BOA- injection engine with regulated catalytic converter (143 kW/195 hp)

From 1993:

• 2.5-liter VM turbodiesel (86 kW/115 hp)

Specifications ( example)

• CL - tilt steering wheel, ABS, rear center armrest, two from the inside manually adjustable mirrors ( until about 1987 was extended the CL range of equipment: now also power steering, central locking, height- adjustable driver's seat were standard, which had previously only been available in the CL surcharge);

• GL - additional front power windows, tachometer, front center armrest, tinted windows, power mirrors, wheel covers other;

• Ghia - also electrically adjustable rear seats, cashmere velor upholstery fabrics, extra lighting package, rear power windows, large bumper guards outside the doors, optional radio control and headphone jacks rear gray bumpers, alloy wheels, fog lights, trip computer.

Facelift For 1992, the trim CL CLX and the GL was renamed the GLX. Only the name Ghia remained.

• Saphir (1991-1992) - The basis is the CL, but standard refined with wood look - trim on the dashboard, special fabric upholstery, painted in body color rear trim panel, aluminum wheels and some comfort features like electric front windows.

• Topaz (1993-1994) - The basis is the CLX. Here exterior mirrors, side moldings and door handles were also painted in body color. There were special alloy wheels and upholstery, darker wood decor inside. For more comfort, standard power windows front and make the front center armrest.

Merkur Scorpio

At times, the Scorpio was in 1985 created especially for the import of European Ford models premium brand Mercury in the U.S. sold through selected dealers the Lincoln Mercury Division. The Scorpio was offered ( upon availability of the 2.9 i V6 engine with a regulated catalytic converter ) in the model years 1988 and 1989 there, but the Mercury brand in 1989 was due to problems of acceptance set ( difficulty of brand differentiation brand Mercury ). In addition to the Scorpio and the Sierra XR4 Ti was offered with a 2.3 -liter four- cylinder turbo engine, built in this version at the company Karmann in Rheine.

Scorpio '95 (1994-1998)

Ford Scorpio (1994-1997)

In October 1994, the body of the Scorpio was again revised. The design of the second facelift was based on American sedans. Ford had also decided to take the hatchback version of the program, as they progressively worse sold, also because they represented a rather unusual phenomenon in the upper middle class. Now there were only sedan and wagon offer.

Among the well-known engines like the 2.0- liter with 85 kW and the 2.9 - V6 also more modern 16-valve units came as the 100 kW 2.0-liter, 16-valve, a 2.9 liter, which carried 150 kW and two overhead camshafts possessed.

Mid-1996, yet was followed by a erstarkter 2.5 -liter turbo diesel, which is now brought it instead of 85 to 92 kW.

Despite all these modernization measures of sales success was compared to its predecessor far behind the expectations of what was due not least to get used to the front. In addition, in Europe, was observed outside the premium segment, a general decline of classic limousines. Only the tournament called combination brought it to reasonably satisfactory quantities.

Ford Scorpio Tournament

In September 1997, the Scorpio was therefore the last time slightly revised. As part of the facelift, the sedan has now received a new rear light unit, recognizable by the changed color of the glasses as well as the elimination of the previously running over, continuous chrome strip. The wide chrome surrounds both models accounted for on the radiator grille, the grille surround was now held in body color with a narrow chrome strip. The headlights were dropped off dark, and in the front bumper were now left and right sides of the flashing and fog lamps glasses small air intakes.

However, this version was only barely a year on offer before the production of the Scorpio was finally stopped in June 1998. Probably for this reason, the revised versions still less common than the original versions of the Scorpio '95.

Ford Scorpio Tournament

Equipment variants

• Scorpio - including electric front windows, two electrically adjustable exterior mirrors, electrically adjustable driver's seat, Fahrer-/Beifahrerairbag, ABS, Rear headrests, servo assistance, central locking, heat insulated glass, wood grain imitation in the cockpit;

• Scorpio Ghia - in addition to the basic model: front center armrest, climate control, lighting package, power windows front and rear, electrically adjustable driver's seat with three memory functions, on-board computer, interior rear-view mirror with auto dip. The right-hand exterior mirror waved when reverse gear down.

Motors

From 1994:

• 2.0 - liter DOHC 8V - injection engine with regulated catalytic converter (86 kW/115 hp)
• 2.0 - liter DOHC 16V fuel injection engine with regulated catalytic converter (100 kW/136 hp);
• 2.9 -liter V6 direct injection engine with regulated catalytic converter (110 kW/150 hp) (only a few months);
• 2.9 i- 24V Cosworth BOB - injection engine with regulated catalytic converter (152 kW/207 hp);
• 2.5-liter VM turbodiesel (86 kW/115 hp);

From 1996:

• 2.3-liter DOHC 16V fuel injection engine with regulated catalytic converter (108 kW/147 hp);
• 2.5-liter VM turbodiesel (92 kW/125 hp), meets Euro 2 emissions standard

End of series

The reasons for the unsatisfactory sales success of the Scorpio are complex. On the one hand was too much on the production of " rising stars " of different brands from the middle class. On the other hand, the existing customers of the Ford Granada and the upper middle class of other brands has not been addressed by the initially equipped exclusively with the ambitious "Aero- tail " model. Only in December 1989, more conventional notchback sedan was alternatively offered.

The target group of the station wagon driver in the upper market segment has been neglected since Ford first no Combined model in the upper market segment offered for the first time since 1957 with the Scorpio more. It was only in March 1992 Ford corrected this decision with the launch of the Scorpio tournament. In the transitional period, some Ford dealers imported the estate version of the U.S. sister model, the Ford Taurus, but that was not qualitatively comparable and therefore was unsuccessful in Germany.

Launched in October 1994, new design with a strong American-inspired, very individual front and rear end also did not meet the prevailing taste in this class. In addition, the offer was simultaneously reduced to equipment and engine variants. In an overall decline in emerging market segment of the upper middle class, the Scorpio could not prevail in the sequence.

The setting of the series had already been decided at the time of presentation of the Scorpio '95, since one from 1999 a successor from the USA ( the Lincoln LS series) and wanted to import the global center of excellence in the upper segment at Ford USA should be placed. From Group- political considerations (among other things in order to avoid overlap with the new Jaguar S-Type in terms of marketing ) but no successor appeared on the European market. Thus, the Ford brand moved with the completion of the Scorpio- production in the summer of 1998 from the upper middle class back.

The core Ford brand has been integrated on the setting of Scorpio in a multi-brand strategy of the Ford group, in which the " upper segment " in Europe by the then Group Volvo and Jaguar PAG ( Premier Automotive Group ) was covered. Jaguar S-Type, and the Volvo S80 were from former group's perspective as an indirect successor to the Scorpio. In the buyers favor the position of Scorpio in the dimensions now has grown considerably Ford Mondeo takes, but which can not be regarded as the successor of the Scorpio as a model of the middle class.