The Ford Granada Mk2 Is Blue Collar Luxury! (1982 2.8 V6 Ghia Road Test)

After the Mk1 Granada made upmarket luxury attainable for everyman, the Mk2 furthered the appeal with more power, more luxury and more style! Is it a worthy successor to the iconic original? Phil went for a drive around Mallory Park!
Thanks to Mark for loan of his lovely Granada.
Road tests proudly sponsored by Peter Best Insurance - get a quote at: www.peterbestinsurance.co.uk/
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Chapters
0:00 No More Big Fords!
0:40 The Mk1 Granada
1:00 The Mk2 - Bland Design?
1:28 Mechanicals
2:12 Highly Rated
2:34 Driving Impressions
3:44 Interior
4:15 Solid and Dependable
5:22 Peak Granada?
5:50 Memories
6:12 This Example
7:05 Why We Miss The Granada

[@simonhodgetts6530]

A proper ‘guvnor’ car - I’ve always liked the mk2 - probably due to Cowley’s various Ghia models in The Professionals. My favourite model though is the 2.8 Injection estate, with the body coloured grille and white alloys - wonderful!

[@paulcarrick1871]

My dad had a 2.8 injection estate, A969 VCA, grey over blue. Lovely car.

[@stuartdavison4014]

In 1986 I bought a new 2.8i Ghia X. Absolutely loved it. The first car I ever had with heated seats. Undoubtedly one of my favourite vehicles.

[@johnmull59]

The Mk1 and Mk2 Granada's were brilliant. I recall seeing a mk 1 Granada Ghia coupé on my way to school back in the 70s...it oozed class.

[@badbusdriver7160]

My Dad had a MK2 Granada estate, pre-facelift (carb fed) 2.8GL. It wasn't trouble free, but remains his favourite car!

[@wightangel]

MK1 & MK2 Granadas were beautiful cars with a well deserved fanbase. Loved the Ford car range up until the 90's when all affordable cars became to look like each other.

[@project9320]

Ray Charles putting badges on again.

[@Retro_Rich]

Or Craig Charles’ Tarka Dahl.

[@davidlang3625]

I remember my father had a 2.0L MK2 Granada Estate back in the day. It was painfully slow but even in lowly L trim it was supremely comfortable and had good handling. On a motorway run it got 35mpg As you say, very well engineered particularly for a Ford of its time where simplicity was order of the day.

[@thomash2806]

There was a metallic green 2.8 Ghia at the bottom of the North Manchester cul-de-sac we lived on when I was a kid. Loved hearing it start and slur its gear automatic gear changes up the road as Mr McGuinness wafted off to work just before my Mum shouted “porridge is ready” up the stairs. Street furniture indeed. Like the sound of the electric milk float that delivered the milk at 5-ish, too. Next door Mr Broadbent had a Cortina 1.6L, up the road Mr Guider had a Peugeot 604 V6 automatic. Mr Council had a yellow Lada estate, The Wells family a gold Vauxhall Viva estate. There was an MGB GT, too. We lived there from 1973 until 1982. We had a hand-me-down silver 1976 Renault 6TL at one stage that was too old and unreliable for my Grandma to keep. Cars didn’t last as long back then…

[@groupb5420]

I had a burgundy one ( 2.8 ghia ) on a V reg when I was 18 years old , always wanted the ghia x but couldn’t afford one back in the day , it was a comfortable car with a bit of power , the one thing I don’t miss is when it used to cut out in hot weather during traffic , I always carried a drop of petrol to pour into the carb to fire it up again due to the V6 getting to hot which evaporated the fuel before it reached the bore , quite a common ritual back in the day , I traded it in for a 1987 D plate XR2 in mercury grey around 1990 to 91 , as soon as I started driving the XR2 for a week or so I regretted it but the Granada was slowly falling to pieces so it had to go , good ole days 👍

[@AledPritchard]

I adore old Ford’s. And I’m a huge fan of all Granada and Scorpio models, yes, even the frog eyed last version. Love the Ford Probe too, it would be great to have another feature on one. I’ve always promised myself one. Great video again, nice one Phil. Have a great bank holiday 👌🏻

[@dhdove]

We had a mint “frog eye” Scorpio Cosworth. It wasn’t the prettiest thing in the world but from the inside was uber luxurious and boy, did it go!

[@mumwifeteacher]

In America during that time a small car with that nice of a interior would have been mind blowing.

[@user-pt1ow8hx5l]

The GRANADA was BIG for Europe. Especially with 6 cylinders!

[@richardprice7763]

Hardly a small car even by US standards

[@kieranwhite6647]

One of my dream cars, I get funny looks when I say that...

[@andrewmorton3177]

Love these, grew up with them through the late 70’s until the early 90’s. My old man had 2 pre facelift 2.3 GL’s then a 2.8 Ghia & finally a 2.8i Ghia X. Great, great memories ❤

[@paulelverstone8677]

If you are of a certain age, it's almost impossible to see this car and not think of The Professionals - much like if you saw a Capri 3.0S. As for market share, I think you say it in your title - it was a blue collar luxury car but it wasn't a prestigious marque, despite its rear 3/4 view giving a heavy nod towards Mercedes. And that was why Ford dropped its executive line and bought Jaguar and Aston Martin instead. All imho....

[@67tomcat]

I wish sedans/saloons still looked like this. Beautiful Granada.

[@MarkHiggins-hq1st]

I had a 12 month old 2.3 L with 20k miles just started a business which led to a 170k miles on the clock in 3 years up and down the country. Servicing was every 6k and it never let me down once I still remember the reg LMB 184Y in 2007 I was it again in Bedford with some builders inside and a wheelbarrow in the boot tied down with string I wanted to stop them and buy it back. A great range of cars.

[@andypreston1524]

Lovely cars.....my brother had 3 of them, last one being a silver & grey 2.8i Ghia X Executive with grey leather......reg was A200 MJK, gorgeous car 👍👍👍

[@user-gf9du4tp4g]

I’ve had 2 Granadas, a V plated 2.8GL, and a A plated 2.8 Ghia, both were black. I loved both of them, they were great cars.

[@kawarps]

The Ford Granada was a blue collar aspirational car. It reminds us of time when Ford and to extent General Motors in the United Kingdom built cars people wanted.

[@4WDIESEL1]

i use to own a s reg 2.3L Granada, realy loved that car never ever broke down.

[@michaelgoode9555]

The MK2 facelift Granny was my absolute favourite. I'd love an estate for absolute practicality.

[@See_more....]

My absolute favourite Ford of all time, the Mk2 facelift Granada. I'm fortunate enough to own a low mileage 2.8 Ghia X in wonderful condition and I always look forward to taking it for a waft. I find the Granny is often forgotten as people concentrate on RS's and XR's so thanks for this video. As a side note, some may already know but the Mk2 estate body was basically a Mk1 estate with a Mk2 nose.

[@patrickmorgan1495]

Was it the same with mk1 and 2 Escort estates if memory serves me correctly?

[@michaelgoode9555]

​@@patrickmorgan1495 Yes.

[@See_more....]

@@patrickmorgan1495 You are correct sir.

[@johnwright3075]

Best era for cars in my opinion my dad worked at ford halewood plant love the classic fords from the seventies and eighties

[@stephenhumberstone7636]

I had one with a Daimler Benz diesel engine put in by its taxi driver previous owner very slow but I absolutely loved it

[@davidarter9670]

In Australia we had a sister car which was called a Falcon. A handsome car, Ford Australia did what Ford UK did snd basically put a new body on old mechanicals from the previous models. Ford Australia solved the problems of sluggishness the European versions suffered simply by installing a 351 Cleveland V8. This solved the problem rather well: it went like hell!!!

[@jb7591]

pity ford aust couldn't get the door handles right 😀

[@runoflife87]

Nope, it wasn't sister car at all (unlike Holden and Opel cars).

[@davidarter9670]

@@jb7591 HAHAHA! Very true!

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

The Falcon was massive compared to the Granada, which looked similar.

[@peterread239]

The XD Falcon's design was based on the Granada but it was a totally different car under the skin and much bigger.

[@GarryMcGovern]

Ooooof, proper old bruiser - absolutely love it!!!

[@PeterMcDonald-sl9rt]

When I first visited England, as a child, in 1976,, our cousin picked-us-up from Gatwick in a new white Granda Ghia coupe. Wite with black leather interior, and a black vinyl roof. Our U.S built Granadas were never this elegant, or sporty. Why weren't these cars exported? We eventually got the big Scorpio sedans sold as Mercurs, a seperate division of Lincoln Mercury. A good car, but a sales dud. There was also the strange Mercury Capri, an Australian assembled, Ghia designed, Mazda engined 2-seater convertible. It was suppose to be competition for the Mazda Miata, it was NOT. Were those ever sold in the U.K.?

[@bftdr]

looks better than the granada ford sold in the US.

[@FleetAdmiral215]

That is the 2:8i Ghia 'X ' Executive pack = Leather upgrade , Looks gorgeous, but I'd have kept the wheels original to complete the image

[@RustyPetterson]

Yeah... those additional stickers, the chrome on the grille, and the wrong period V6 badges in the wrong places look terrible. The owner needs to realise that less is more sometimes. This is a handsome car and it would look even better as standard as possible. I know you're reading this, Mr Owner lol. Do it.

[@martynlloyd3657]

My dad once borrowed the previous model and took us to Brecon. Although it was a fairly low spec model we felt very special in it 😊

[@poppyneese1811]

Man we got burned in the States, our Granada was hideous, that is actually a pretty good looking 4 door automobile. I’m on my second F150, 4WD sits 6 2.7 Ecoboost, for a large pickup 21 mpg which isn’t to bad, comfortable seats and 400 ft. Lbs. Torque so plenty of grunt. Both Fords have been so far flawless and other than a set of rear brakes in the old one not the first problem.

[@Treviscoe]

Good points at 7:05 about the demise of the big Fords but Ford wasn't the only car company thus affected; all the non-premium makes selling cars in Europe had the same problem. Almost nobody wanted them when they could have an Audi, BMW, Jaguar etc. instead. The excellent Opel Vauxhall / Senator went as well, as did the Renault Safrane, the Citroen XM and the big Fiats and Lancias amongst others.

[@user-zj5ec5jl4l]

My first car was an early Mk2 2.8i Ghia - S registered. It had been pretty neglected and I was stitched up by the Arthur Daley that sold it to me - dodgy alternator, TRXs on the back and imperials on the front, dull paintwork on the bonnet and a lot of rust underneath. It didn't like starting much from either hot or cold, unless you'd left it for at least 3 days when the first cold start would be perfect. Never got to the bottom of that. Sometimes it wouldn't go at all, but when it did it would blow the doors off all the XR3s and GTIs. If I could find a really good one now I'd be very tempted...

[@chrisstephens6194]

I owned two 2.8s. Actually preferred the carburettor model. Paris Blue VBL 90Y.

[@stevealexR1]

The first car I bought at age 18 (in 1984) was a Diamond White ‘79 2.8 Ghia Auto (FPU 606T) followed by a Cardinal Red ‘81 2.8 Injection (VRK 282X). I loved both but, with hindsight, I now think I prefer the cleaner lines and smaller bumpers of the first phase of Mark 2s.

[@Bod8998]

Lose them wheels stick the Ghia back on

[@siraff4461]

I remember being gutted when the Scorpio came out because I was expecting (hoping for) something Crown Vic based and instead we just got a blob on old parts. The V6 would have done but considering diesels were on the up at the time and they cared less about weight I think something CV based with a large-ish diesel in it would have been great. Possibly a bit large for UK tastes back then but it wouldn't have taken much engineering and there wasn't much about over here back then which could have offered that level of space and comfort unless you were paying big money.

[@COMA69BAND]

you said,at 1.40 and I quote "the carburettor and the top spec models had bosh k Jetronic fuel injection" which doesn't make sense....

[@geoffclarke3796]

Cool car especially a manual version.

[@theelvington]

Can't remember if it was a Granada or a scorpio but I'm sure Ford main dealers ran a promotion offering a free fiesta when you bought the top spec model

[@bruce6014]

I had a 2.8 Ghia - a 1981 model bought when it was about ten years old, with plenty of chrome and fogs etc like the one featured here. My girlfriend (now wife) hated it - she called it my Pimpmobile and to be fair it did have a unsuccessful gangster vibe about it. Which I sadly quite enjoyed.

[@djscottfree2008]

Yeah yeah, my dad owned one, I grew up these, I had one of these .

[@pb5x5]

Why does that one weigh over 2.5 ton? Which is over 1000kg more than a normal one. The ex service car explains the weight gain.

[@stevealexR1]

It was an ex-MOD car and has armour plating and bullet proof glass installed.

[@chucky2316]

Ford still made premuim cars until recently, you need to drive a mk4 mondeo titanium x. I have a buisness edition and its up there with a 3 series bmw. Bigger boot than a 3 series aswell.and may i add also a mk4 apeared in bond film with bond behind the wheel

[@M123OCT]

I grew up with these cars, at the time when Ford was the default in the UK. Stated with a Mk1 2.0 Consul, then a Mk 1 2.0 Granada GL in gold with vinyl roof, then a Mk 1 3.0 Ghia Coupe (wonderful), and finally a Mk 2 2.8 Ghia. Honestly, if they brought them out again I'd buy one. I hate cars these days with screens and sh*t.

[@milehighclassics]

Love the show car but why THE BADGES on the boot are TO HIGH

[@arthurdardalis]

Had a MK2 2.8i Ghia S, I’m an ex-Ford employee & can say with all honesty that the MK2 Granada was the best car Ford has ever produced, akin to the W126 being the best Mercedes ever built Had a W123 280E at the same time, believe it that the Granada was a better car overall. Ford should be ashamed of their status today, an also ran in the sales charts, instead of massive market leader. The person responsible,is of course & I stand by my comment, that moron Jim Farley. Old Henry is looking down hoping for his reincarnation to come sooner rather than later…

[@markhayleybeadon]

Aussie Cortina was based off this with a 250 ci straight 6

[@Coastmac2001]

Gees still a great looking car for its age & the fact it's got less than 160,000km on it is pretty amazing . Someone should be able to easily enjoy it for another 20yrs +

[@stevenschulte1475]

In Australia it was called cortina and had a 2 ltr four or a 4 ltr straight six

[@sr20trx]

No it wasn't the Granada never came to Australia, the XD Falcon looks similar but shares nothing in common. Cortina in Australia was essentially the same as Cortina in the UK except for the local 3.3 and 4.1 engines.

[@stevenschulte1475]

@@sr20trx ok looks the same except for front and rear styling, also 2 ltr four, not the xd no that's bigger. Cortina, primitive by today's standards but it worked. My mate had one, I had a Nissan bluebird. I think Chrysler had the Centura at the time.

[@Nakkisampyla]

Mk1 Scorpio 1985

[@justinlinnane8043]

The chrome detailing is a bit much on this one , but the design has aged far far better than the seven series .

[@adampowell5376]

I think Ford pulled out of the prestige sector when they acquired Jaguar.

[@SEANPOL203]

2.8i Ghia X , head turner

[@garethhanna9173]

Proper no no nonsense motors these.

[@ericmiddleton8367]

For gods sake sort out the wonky grill!

[@davidkmatthews]

At 06:17 I'm intrigued by the "Greta Likes This" script on the bootlid!?! I assume - and hope - it's meant as sarcasm.

[@ivanfernyhough3851]

Mk 2 was much better looking than the mk1but tge mk3 was the best looking of all,especially in top spec granada scorpio specification.great cars tho,all of them

[@thetruth7633]

My dad used to own a 2 liter Ghia with 4 speed manual, back then I did not like the model, unlike the 1987 Scorpio (Granada in UK) 2.9 Ghia heb bought as successor. I really am starting to like the old Fords, just because of the simplicity. I think it is better Ford does not make any big saloons anymore.. nobody wants a big car and an unreliable undersized Ecop00p engine in it. No, give me that early 1980s Granada instead, good times.

[@JD-eq4dp]

Fond memories of these as my Dad had a couple.. Not so sure about all the chrome and black wheels on this example. 🤔

[@arthurdardalis]

Question to @Ford, how do you feel,today not being the default choice for customers?? Methinks your overpaid executives need to be shown the door asap.

[@touraneindanke]

“Blue Collar luxury “ At the time like the previous generation it was the motorized luxury transport from the Royal family in the Netherlands. After that the Scorpio did get a go. Sooo….

[@rustybearden1800]

As an American who is still somewhat baffled by the differences in British/European Fords and US models, this looks distinctively Toyota-ish in it's shape and exterior trim. And that is by no means a derogatory comment. I sometimes wish that we could have had these models in the States - the "bar of soap" shapes from Ford became rather tiresome and bland.

[@jimclarke1108]

Cortina

[@zaphodbeeblebrox6627]

The reason Ford ceased production of their 'Executive' Scorpio/Granada is because they purchased Jaguar. They didn't want to compete with their new acquisition. To be fair, the Mk11 Granada was a much nicer car in pretty much every way than that jelly mould pile of poo that followed it, and what the hell were thy thinking about when they face lifted the last Scorpio ? It looked like a short sighted catfish.

[@markhayleybeadon]

Never say the 2.8 in Oz

[@chiefrocka8604]

Presenter looks like he should be in a Danny Dyer film about football hooliganism Shaaaaaat Yaaaaa Maaaaaaaarff 🇬🇧👍

[@webspaghetti]

No offence meant to the owner, afterall he can do what he wants to his own car but couldn't you find a standard one to review? How can you give an accurate review when you're driving an armour plated one with a Sierra engine and aftermarket wheels?

[@TG-pd3ft]

Sorry but that is a disgusting example which has been butchered and is no way 'Classic'