Dominating the Market - A Look at a 1982 Ford Brochure (ft. Fiesta, Escort, Sierra, Capri, Granada)

[@peterthwaites5891]

I remember getting that Ford brochure shortly before buying my first new car in August 1983.. A Fiesta XR2 A441XWJ, complete with optional black paint, factory sun roof, climate control pack & head restraint pads...

[@thomash2806]

I was 9 back then. I used to go to Vosper’s Ford in Plymouth every time a new brochure came out. I believe that was my first one. I loved the magazine format. My Granddad bought a gold T-plate 1978 Capri 2.0 GL new almost exactly like the one in the brochure. I hadn’t realised at the time it was very newly face-lifted. He repeated his gold coupé purchase with an automatic Honda Prelude 1.8 in 1984 which, considering only 6 years separated those purchases, was a world away in terms of modern design; 12-valve Japanese engine, power everything, aluminium double wishbone suspension and front wheel drive. Also a @HubNut detail: a saloon shape with a rear wiper!

[@achaycock]

I can't resist mentioning that my Father had a 1983 Sierra in the late 1980's - a 1.6 L. It looked very futuristic to me as a child, though I will note that by 1984\5 the slatted grill was gone. I will also note that in all of those years, I never once saw a poverty spec Sierra (I was paying close attantion back then as well) and only knew they existed from the brochure. As far as I was aware, in practise the L was the base model. In the late 1990's I was aware of a discussion as to why cars such as the Sierra were not being retained as classics. The contemprary conclusion was that they were just too modern in feel and appearance to truly evoke that sense of nostalgia. I have to agree with that. In the 1990's, cars from the 1970's already looked truly old and archaic - and also cool. My truck is from the late 1990's and still manages to feel modern enough not to be that different to drive. It has probably taken until the 2010's for the Ford Sierra to feel anything close to old enough to evoke that feeling of nostalgia.

[@MrAoldham]

Yes, i thought the same, my dad was a ford dealer and my uncle bought a silver 1.6l sierra from him, I still remember the reg... fdb99y

[@Richard-Bullock]

Absolutely fascinating. I can (and do) spend hours reading old car brochures. This one being one of my most favourites. Brilliantly presented, as always. Videos such as this can be very dry and lack any kind of sparkle, but not this one. Thank you.

[@phisH8350]

Superb attention to detail and production quality. As always, I'm surprised your channel isn't larger!

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

The early Ford Sierra 2.3 V6 Ghia, with all the extras and electric windows x4 even the rare air conditioning. Lots of those features were deleted on later Sierras.

[@sevesellors2831]

Sad the Fiesta is going another car company abandoning the small affordable car this will cost them more market share and the Acosta will now reign supreme.

[@ToffeePeanuts]

As an American owner of a Mk1 Fiesta, Sierra, and a Mk1 Capri, I very much appreciate this wonderful video

[@charlesowen4728]

Over the years, we ran almost all the Fiesta models from a 950 to an XR2 they were all brilliant. I also ran a mk2 escort Giha and two XR3i s and a Turbo. Only problem I ever had was keeping hold of them. People loved to steal them. Thanks as ever for your great work.

[@willswheels283]

Alas a brochure covering a totally different era in car production and of course a different kind of car market.. When “I were a lad” these cars were a common site on uk roads, the Fiesta, Escort being the most common site in various states of repair/disrepair. Thanks for your well researched video Ed, very informative.👍

[@anticat900]

I agree I love looking at these brochures and in particular the very basic models. I like the language used to try and build up these most basic of models to something more than they are. I would love to drive one of these most common at the time but so rare now.

[@CubeCyclone]

I have to thank the Mk1 Fiesta for teaching me about oversteer and understeer both of which it was exemplary at.

[@petedenton9434]

Great video. Though as someone who was around when the Sierra came out I'd assert that the shape put off a huge number of customers. I knew so many people who couldn't stand the look of it (relative to the old Cortina) and who fled in droves to Cavalier land!

[@runoflife87]

Great brochure and great storytelling, thank You. Those early 80's trims made me laugh. But hey, those were the times. Such a shame Ford never produced European twin of the EXP or Sierra-based Coupe. Those could've been nice cars instead of the Capri. In Russia we had a lot of used Sierras, Escorts and Granadas from Germany and Benilux states. The Fiesta was very unpopular though. I even remember pre-facelifted poverty-spec Sierras.

[@alangodsman338]

The 82 and 83 model years were the best for the Fiesta. The poverty spec 950 popular was in early 83 £3,249 OTR locally. My Dad bought his Renault 5 then so a car mad teenager had the market priced up in detail. Melvin was luxurious compared to this car. I got one when I was in college. Cardinal Red. You picked up the manual windscreen washer which was part of it’s charm along with the plastic seats. The ride was atrocious, guess that’s why Dad bought the R5. He missed out on the fun factor that was the Fiesta. I still hold very fond memories of this brilliant little car. The Mk 2 for me was a backward step. I never liked it. My 950 pop could overtake a friend who had a Mk 2 1100. I’d love a better spec’d mk1 as my fun car. When the Sierra arrived it was as big a issue in a way only the mk1 Focus has done since. Neighbours had a 1.6GL new on a Y plate. It was futuristic but still RWD. Another fresh review Ed. I love your fresh perspective of what is the cars from my teens. 👍

[@andrewmorton3177]

I grew up with Fords in the 80’s. Dad had 4 mk2 Granada’s including a 2.3GL in crystal green like the one in the brochure & a stunning 2.8i Ghia X with the handling pack, TRX tyres & all. My big brother had a Capri 2.0 Laser & a mk3 Escort 1.6i cabriolet complete with a factory series 1 RS turbo body kit. My big sister had a 1.3 Ghia Fiesta & when I passed my test in the early 90s I got myself a Sierra 2.0i GT which was surprisingly cheap to insure. The 80’s was peak Ford in my opinion, I don’t give them a second thought these days. Excellent video, loved the trip down memory lane.

[@Santor-]

Love your enthusiasm, please do one on the 1982 Mazda 323, I was 10 then, and us kids loved it! Finally a back seat! And a radio! And carpet! What luxury! My dad had us rolling around in a van version of a Renault 16 before it, and that really sucked. To us in Norway, there was only 1 Ford fiesta. Except for the xr2. But the difference between Econoline, L' GL, Ghia was so little hardly anyone noticed. 1.1L didn't excite anyone. Was still a wife's car. Now an escort was much more of a real car.

[@jimd385]

The Focus is going too according to the car magazines. Ford intends to replace all of its European models with new electric cars. This way they can chuck another £10k on top of everything they sell.

[@garygriffiths2911]

I can attest that not all Ford fans rejected modernity back in the early 80's because , despite being a long term Cortina enthusiast, it would be difficult to overstate just how badly I wanted a new Sierra when they were launched. Indeed, if my poor old granny had still been around at the time she may well have found herself being offered up in a part exchange deal for the Sierra 2.3 Ghia (or XR-4 perhaps) of my dreams - a car I might otherwise have been prepared to kill for. As for those God awful base model Sierras with the black grill - yes they were theoretically available for sell but I can only remember seeing a handful of them let loose out on the road. I wonder if a single example survives today? Another highly enjoyable video this.

[@MrAoldham]

Wow, this brought back memories, my dad was a ford dealer and I can remember the countless hours waiting bored in the showroom thumbing through the brochures!

[@grayfool]

Oh boy, this brings back memories. How did you ever make a choice with all those models to pick from? I still love the look of the early Fiesta, shame about the horrible engines. But who doesn''t want a Granada Ghia X estate?

[@TheCounty90]

I remember travelling around in the Sierra as a kid, my dad had around 7 of them. They looked futuristic but felt dated and basic even from a passenger point of view. That said they had lots of room and never let us down. Good cars for a fleet.

[@arrowXY]

In Germany, the Fiesta was mostly the same (Fiesta, Fiesta L, Fiesta Ghia and Fiesta S). But as far as I know, they had headrests in the front from the very beginning in 1976 also for the basic model.

[@campbelltroup2750]

My dad used to change his car every two years and liked to shop around all the different options even though he always bought a Renault. I spent many an hour collecting brochures from the racks in the garages during the 70s and 80s. Still got two huge boxes in the loft.

[@replevideo6096]

I bought my only ever brand new car in 1980, a basic Fiesta. The electric fan did blow all he time as you say.However I was able to buy a conversion kit from a main Ford dealer for about £3. It comprised a new thermostat housing lid, higher doomed and with a drilled and tapped hole to take the sensor, the sensor, and a short wiring loom to enable it to be connected to existing contacts on the main harness.

[@kevingreen8581]

This is a fascinating tour of Ford's 1982 history, very well presented. Well done.

[@stevenclarke5606]

In 1982 I was working at a Ford dealership in the parts department, there was a simple and inexpensive kit for the engine fan, a new thermostat housing, with thermostat and gasket and a thermostatic sensor and wiring loom.

[@stevechambers500V8]

This is like a look back at my car history, having owned a mark 1 Fiesta 1.1L, a mark 2 Granada 2.8 Ghia saloon and 2.8 GL estate and a 2.8i Capri!

[@LesterLovesWatches]

In 1987 I had a 5-year old Fiesta 1.0 and my GF had the same year Golf Mk 1. Going from the Fiesta to the Golf was like stepping from Economy to Business Class. Faster, smoother, quieter.

[@scottweeks4852]

That’s so mad- the top of pages 22/23 were taken in the obscurity of the local town centre where I grew up in Essex!

[@MakerfieldConsort]

We could probably fill the comments with reminiscences (those of us of a certain age, that is), but hey, I'll add mine. The MK1 Fiesta was the first car I remember in our family - it was in Terracotta. I even remember the registration - DCW 817W.

[@peterlee44]

Great video brings back memories from the era

[@adebrade172]

In the 80s I used to go to motor shows and collect all Ford brochures, loved perusing through them

[@johnhuggins1394]

I remember reading a Ford brochure from 1982 From the basic Fiesta Popular to the luxurious Granada Ghia X My sister got her first car from Dagenham Motors that same year A brand new Y reg Fiesta L with grey interior Sunburst Red

[@royyoung3104]

Excellent,clear and well presented. You are getting so professional in your videos. Keep it up and thanks.

[@sameyers2670]

My favourite Ford tagline is Everything We Do is Driven by You from the early to mid 90s

[@mattw8332]

Always enjoyed these thick Ford brochures I used to procure at motor shows. I sold mine off via eBay when I was getting short of storage space.

[@Pat_RickX]

Well done, Ed. Very interesting. Range here in Germany was nearly the same, little differences at the trim levels. Ford had big problems in Germany in the 70s, but Escort MkIII and Sierra brought' em back.

[@jrbs]

I would love an early example of a basic Ford Fiest ❤

[@davidbarbarino8139]

It's strange seeing a Cortina called a Granada, here is Australia they were optioned with a straight 6 cyl from the Falcon, geez they were fast !!

[@MakerfieldConsort]

The Cortina and Granada were separate models, although the Granada does look like an overgrown Cortina. By the time this brochure was published, the Cortina had been replaced by the Sierra, but its big brother continued for another three years or so.

[@sporkfindus4777]

Kudos for the classic F1 knowledge

[@TwinCam]

Classic F1 is something I can just ramble about for hours. I’m rather good at remembering useless facts and events in grands prix from way before I was born 🤣 Just yesterday, I was watching highlights of Hockenheim ‘93, where Senna spun on lap 1, Prost jumped the Östkurve chicane, Hill’s tyre burst, and Prost went on to win his 51st and last Grand Prix.

[@BEGGARWOOD1]

The main difference between a salon and a hatchback in Europe is that opening a hatchback exposes the passengers to the elements

[@benday1218]

I remember the Granny Taxi was still in the brochure even in MK3 form.

[@drevo50]

Fabulous video! My Dad hs a 1st gen Sierra GL - happy memories!

[@antjeeismann4684]

24:31 Now i remember another old green ford Limousine... The lime green Taunus out of the German movie Bang Boom Bang.

[@pauljeffries]

I used to collect these brochures from my local ford dealer, ( sad I know 😄) another great video Ed 👍

[@SB-vb8ch]

1100 was a Valencia engine not a Kent by Fiesta days, early Mk3 Escorts actually used a 1.1 version of the CVH rather than the OHV. I think the 1.1 fairly quickly dissappeared from the Escort & CVH ran through unitil the 1.3 was replaced by the facelifted Valencia knkwn as the HCS. At least that's how I remember it!

[@martyn6792]

I'd like to see Ford do a sporty modern Capri, always liked that car

[@simonbanks3112]

Brilliant video! :) Pretty certain I had that brochure in my collection as a kid...

[@timnetherton727]

Fantastically informative video - thanks very much 😊

[@neilmustow368]

Still have the original 1982 Sierra and 1983 Sierra XR4i launch brochures still has the County Garage Carlisle dealer sticker on they were local Ford dealers in West Cumbria now long gone

[@nigellamaccini6091]

Love these brochure videos

[@barryrathbone]

I’m old now and have a great selection of these all model brochures but anyone now of the age I was when I got them will have absolutely nothing to look as in 40 years time as every brochure is now online!

[@owensteele1645]

I'm sure this is the first-ever Ford brochure to feature cars with 5 speed gearboxes. Even the September 1982-registered Capri Injection you had earlier on your channel was a 4 speed.

[@simonhendy199]

Great video! 👍👌😊

[@SB-vb8ch]

Sierra rear end wasn't carried over from the Granada...that was a unique setup which dated back to the Mk1. It was the other way around - the Mk3 Granada inherited the Sierra back end with a minor increase in rear track to (almost) suit the wider body..not that they did

[@psrfpsrf]

Only an remark to the V6 Cosworth Formula 1 Engine. The last world championship for a driver with this engine was the 1. Championship (of 7) of Michael Schumacher 1994 on the Benetton Ford.

[@ElTio.45-70]

My Mk1 Fiesta was exactly a 1982 model, white 1.1 L, bought it second hand. Nice little car, only thing I did not like was the placement of the reverse gear to up left. How many times I had reverse on instead of 1st gear. Luckily never reversed to anyone.

[@markymark2819]

I remember that! Push the lever down and then into what would normally be 1st position.

[@fhwolthuis]

Great video! Weird there wasn't a 5 door Escort estate in the UK, it was available on the mainland 😁

[@BungleBare]

There were 5 door mark 3 Escorts in the UK - a neighbour had one when I was a kid, on an A-plate (so ‘83ish). I’d guess they hit the UK market just after this brochure was printed. By the time of the ‘86 facelift (generally called the Mk4 - though there’s some debate about that) the 5 door Escort estates were far more common, but the three door stayed in production as well. Mk4 Escort estates were often found in lurid yellow in the UK - both BT (British Telecom) and British Rail bought them pre-painted in their corporate colours, and they were auctioned off to private buyers just before their MOT test was due at three years old, with the livery stickers removed. BT’s Escort estates seemed to be roughly L spec, rather than base models though, and always had the L’s wheel trims. They were generally high mileage, but well maintained, and seem as a good buy at the time for anyone wanting a relatively new estate car on the cheap. My local Ford dealer hoovered up a lot of them at auction and did good business selling them on with a fresh MOT and six months warranty. BT did continue to buy Mk5 Escort estates, but had them painted in a light grey at that point (their new corporate colour), which looked like primer with clear coat on it. That sort of paint is popular now, but back then they were a much harder sell than the yellow estates they used to send to auction. They eventually gave up on the corporate colours and livery on their cars - presumably to keep their retail value higher.

[@SB-vb8ch]

The engine strategies were separated by longitudinal & transverse....bear in mind FWD was a new concept to Ford back then! Their strategy & model cycle was very regimented & they purposely avoided a major vehicle & powertrain change being coincident. That wasn't by chance

[@lucythemoggy1970]

i had an A reg 2.8i capri in Caspian blue for 3 months... the insurance was expensive, and in the wet the back tried to catch up with the front.

[@antjeeismann4684]

I am a simple freakazoid, i see sierra in the title and i click.

[@paulkerdot]

I lusted after the 3 fins and could spot all trim levels in the real world. I was 8 😂

[@darrenwilson8042]

I think the R5 of this era had a longitudinal engine driving the front wheels with the 'box in front of the engine. The R5 only went transverse with the advent of the SuperCinq in about 1985?

[@TwinCam]

Indeed it did.

[@109-w7v]

I had the Mk1 XR2.

[@markellis4229]

The super spot looks the best out the lot of them

[@anmarvanwyk2043]

That brochure was only applicable to the UK and Europe ....here in SA we had different configurations like no XR2 . No XR4 and no Cosswurths.. no diesels .lots of Essex v6 models and XR8

[@BomberFletch31]

Thank you for this video. It's great looking back at sales brochures of older cars. It's really noticeable how much technical information there was in sales brochures of the past, unlike today. Couple of questions, though, I notice that "Reversing Lamp" wasn't available on the Fiesta Popular, and optional on the Popular Plus. I would assume that's the white light that came on at the back of the car when reverse gear is engaged. Was that not a legal requirement at the time? Also, was air conditioning available at all? I didn't notice it on the options list or the standard equipment list, even for the Ghia. I may just have missed it, though. It also brings back memories for me, although I've never owned any of these cars. My first car was a 1982 Ford Laser Ghia, and was similarly very basic. Some markets in Asia and Australia went with the Mazda-derived Laser instead of the European Ford range. Despite being the top spec Ghia, the only extras it offered was velour seat trim, different door cards with grab handles, a tachometer, four spoke steering wheel, alloy wheels, some extra chrome, and an AM/FM stereo with a cassette player. Oh, and the coveted Ghia badge. It even had a manual choke, but air conditioning was at least an option that was fitted to my car. And as for the Ghia being priced the same as the XR2? I think I know which one you'd have, but I'd go with the Ghia, personally 😛 I've always fancied luxury more than performance, although I can definitely see the attraction of the XR2.

[@markymark2819]

My dad had a last of the line 1983 Fiesta Popular which, in order to shift remaining stock when the Mk2 came out, was fitted with a rear fog light and reverse (white) light under the rear bumper. These were none standard and (i believe) not required by law but had been fitted to sell the last few remaining MK1 Populars.

[@spitfiretrading]

They did do a mk3 5 door estate available from 1984...

[@TwinCam]

Ah, you learn something new everyday! I thought they only brought in the 5 door estate for the Mk4 in ‘86.

[@oliverdewen1632]

All v6 mk2 granadas had power steering regardless of trim level.

[@paullacey2999]

Ford did brochures monthly,I collected a years worth one time....Shame cars makers cant be bothered these days to produce them anymore....

[@markc1921]

The Focus will end production in 2025 according to a press release by Ford.

[@sameyers2670]

It must have cost Ford more to produce a different front end for the base Sierra

[@The-Tall-Photographer]

I don’t believe there was a Mk5 Cortina. Wasn’t it a Mk4 face lift?

[@simonhodgetts6530]

I remember this brochure well. That Sierra base model is ghastly - I don’t know what Ford were thinking when they introduced it. Imagine taking delivery of one, and justifying to the neighbours why you’d bought such an ugly car! Mind you they are now as rare as unicorn poop - I did see one identical to the brochure car featured on some Ford forums a while ago, still being used as a daily driver in London - I hope it’s still going - what a rare 80s curio! Still have my Corgi Sierra Ghia model - one of their best late toys!

[@owensteele1645]

The red Sierra Base Saloon GVG510Y now lives with an enthusiast on the Autoshite forum. He made it very tidy and stayed faithful to its standard spec, yet he managed to keep it in good working order too. He bought in 2016 I think.

[@SB-vb8ch]

Nothing ancient about the Mk2 Granada.....unequal legth front wishbones on the front with coils, steering rack rather than box & independent trailing arms on The rear with coils. It was still more modern than a lot of others by '82 (SD1, Vaux big saloons/coupes, BMWs etc). The comments are a bit wide of the mark at times. Easy to folllw the "inherited wisdom" that has developed over the elapsed decades, much of which is more about badge snobbery than actual fact, the Capri comments are a great example of this.

[@christiankolinski1563]

Hm, telling us that the Fiesta pop had no temp sensor for the engine fan just as the specification for an "thermostatically controlled engine fan" scrolls by is a bit.. peculiar. Maybe one of the minor upgrades to the baseline spec over the years since launch? "As Ford gives you more" also applied year to year. Like just below in the spec sheet, now with fancy silver wheel nuts! Pure decadence on the baseline spec...

[@davidrumming4734]

The Ford focus has gone too btw. The smallest new Ford will be the Puma. All remaining Fords will go fully electric (not hybrid) by 2033. Small cars like the fiesta-if a modern fiesta can be called small….don’t make much profit, in part because they have become so upmarket and technologically advanced. If u want a budget small hatchback now, you buy a Dacia Sandero Mk3. -now add in a recession, a worldwide one…..manufacturers of everything from cars to laptops will force you by changing their range into buying a more expensive model…to max out the profit, because they are selling less numbers. -now add in the move to electric…very costly to implement. Battery that offers decent range, needs to be big….easier to do on a bigger model of car. And going fully electric adds maybe £10,000 to the price of each car. …..we are in big trouble. Back on topic, I just about remember the Mk1 jelly mould and the Mk1 metro with their “sunken” headlights. Very odd. Cortina 5 also overlapped jelly mould production, tho in reduced numbers because at the start, nobody wanted the jelly car. Very odd how Ford had so many different engine types too.

[@David_S1985]

Sadly more and more people want horrible SUVs and Crossovers.

[@MrNegativecreep07]

I'm sure those base models only existed so people could be upsold to the L

[@pureboxofscartcables]

I have no opinion.