Why Was The Ford Scorpio The END Of Big Fords? (1997 2.9 V6 Ultima Road Test)

[@Phil-go8rf]

The reason they stopped making a large saloon with a Ford badge was because they bought Aston Martin, Volvo and Jaguar with the idea of creating a premium brand sector and didn’t see the point in developing a replacement that would directly compete with Volvo and the medeium sized Jaguar.

[@V8Operator]

I bought one early last year for nearly no money at all. Bodywise it was fine except for a few small spots on the rear sill area and rear wheel arches. Big problem with these old Fords is the wiring loom in the engine bay. That goes for all models! The covering of the wires stars to brittle away causing shot cuts and fire in the engine compartment is a possible result. I fitted a remanufactured wiring loom which was a major job as you have to dismantle the whole air intake, the injection components as well as water hoses. No spares from Ford at all!!! The new loom was nicely made but two connectors were not correctly wired up causing hours of searching and comparing with a donor car, which was still running with the old loom. It was one of my biggest efforts to get a car running again in 30 years... Now everything is fine and I have to admit that it is an extremely comfortable and very silent car considerung it´s age! The ride comofort comes near to a Jaguar XJ or in some ways even to a big Citroen. The engine is fine, not as refined as a BMW or Jaguar inline six. But it gives a nice aggressive and sporty sound under hard acceleration. The gerabox is the biggest issue as it seems to be an old 3 speed auto box fitted with an overdrive. On hills a permanent down and upshift is the annoying result as the engine does not deliver masses of torque. One of the very few cars (the other one is my XJ12 X300) that imposes a non aggressive driving mode even to me... very relaxing indeed.

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

The XJ40 2.9 was long gone when this Scorpio came out. In fact, the then new X300 was out at this time and had the 3.2 litre engine, which was far more smoother and superior to this.

[@edword7195]

They did not even show the the Xj40 but a 1985 XJ6 model which I would much rather have even if its true that a 10 year older Jag had a worse engine which may or may not be the case

[@cbrboy76]

"Gopping" was how james may described the styling at the front. But it has aged very well.

[@steve5772]

I had a none-Ultima Scorpio Cosworth for a bit. I think they look great from every side except the front, and they do drive well. As I said at the time - You can't see that when you're driving it, so as long as you park nose in, it's everyone else's problem. 😁 I sold it to a lad who was putting the engine in a Capri.

[@dungareesareforfools]

I think that the design has aged really well. In the early 2000s Mercedes were making cars that looked strikingly similar, and no one was offended by them.

[@alseeineye]

park one of these anywhere in britain a banger driver will have it so keep it garaged - used to service these on my school work experience part of a motor project thibg at the time - i am banger fanatic so like them from presective - granadas always celebrated in banger circles

[@billyhunt]

I drove a 2lt 1996 Scorpio 2010 - 2014..One of the best cars I've ever had.

[@DolleHengst]

Fun fact: if you look close enough at the fake wood, you can actually see the printing dot pattern.

[@DJWerkz]

Had one of these, a Cosworth estate. Amazing ride comfort and way better than the previous Granada (which I have also owned). Only problem was the Cosworth engine, namely the timing chain issue and the effort involved in keeping these engines running at their best. Too many mechanics thought it was 'just another Granada but with stupid looks mate'...but that Cosworth engine was not just another Granada and they need someone who understands that engine. In my own experience I had one shop attempt to replace the timing chains and over torqued bolts in the aluminum heads and everything ripped out on the first drive!!!

[@richarddriscoll5201]

At the time I thought like everyone else this car was ugly…. 30 years later i think it actually looks stunning, like many fine wines they get better with time 😊

[@ivanfernyhough3851]

Allways loved the big fords including these.that one looks a beautie.great colour to.

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

It sure is!

[@pb5x5]

A lot of new cars are far uglier than the Scorpio, just look at the new BMW 7 Series......

[@michaelbacon561]

Yes, but this Scorpio was the first ugly mug to appear; BMWs and many other makes became hideous afterwards so that seeing this Scorpio again, it doesn't look quite so bad. Ford's styling has never been so on the button as the days of the MK3 Escort, MK4 Cortina and MK2 Granada.

[@adzy166]

Well said. Some absolute shockers around today. Makes even the Lancia Thesis look like a coherent piece of automotive art

[@tcvicesquad]

Look at the new BMW anything!

[@stevedickson5853]

BMWs also have has a problem with the engines going bang

[@ashtondimovski7074]

Or as Jeremy Clarkson once said “the BMW…range.”

[@alexjones3103]

Without a doubt the comfiest front seats I’ve ever sat in.

[@charlybeagrie1119]

Someone told me that the Scorpio had the most comfortable seat that her husband, who had bad back, had ever driven.

[@poppyneese1811]

I remember reading car magazines in my junior high library, Aston’s, Lambo’s, Ferrari’s,Jags, Porches Mercedes and BMW’s were so exotic looking compared to what we had in the USA, this Ford’s styling just smacked you in the face, but I thought as ugly as it is being European it’s got to be a good driving car! Apparently I was pretty much right according to this gentleman.

[@fasthracing]

A very VERY strange styling exercise by Ford.

[@ruk2023--]

Not when you look at contemporary American cars.

[@chappy2121]

I think it was for something sold in Europe. But Ford have done some clangers in the past, the Probe and the original Taurus they sold in the US, spring to mind

[@damilolaakanni]

​@chappy2121 the original Taurus wasn't bad looking, it was the "third generation" (in quotes because the second generation was more of a refresh of the first than a complete redesign) that was the ugly one. They were trying to go all in on the round styling trend of the late 90's and that didn't end well for them.

[@clivet3252]

I guess they had a bit of a dilemma. They needed to smooth out the styling to make it more contemporary but they didn't want it to just look like a bigger Mondeo. It made it more unique and exclusive even if it was just because no one wanted to buy it because it was so ugly.

[@TechTronic9000]

This was one of Ford pinnacle vehicles for EU, yet poor marketing and lack of supply chain for spare parts has rendered this car to have a limited production and sales. At the time of the release it was extremely way ahead the competition when it came to features and confort. I had one for years and I loved it but I was plagued by Ford with incompetence when it came even to basic service.

[@dave-si1vq]

Had a mk3 2.9i Granada scorpio and absolutely loved it! Just couldn't accept the mk4 ... it was so ugly!

[@dungareesareforfools]

The mk3 is a very handsome car.

[@mickapps3153]

Having owned and driven 100s of cars this drove so well.

[@a.m.9357]

Man, you should have showed a bit more of the interior and discussed those. I actually always liked this car. The designs and looks, I dare say, is nice in the sense that it's like absolutely nothing else on the road. Something different.

[@robertp.wainman4094]

Too many brand concious snobs nowadays!

[@abc33944]

It was an interesting era … the Capri, mk4 xr3i and xr2 Had just finished the glory days Then this monstrosity of the revised version of the Granada came out And the party was over

[@frankhilgers3811]

Do you consider the Mondeo a small car?

[@Dongfloppy]

The scorpio had a face like a fart in a tin can

[@Agrajak]

If only it looked as good as it drove.

[@Braddaz-ke5jz]

I know this car. Lovely on the top but the underside is like a teabag 🤣

[@MatthewSimon-ri6xp]

Not now put sills on it car was solid apart from the years of shit repairs on the sills

[@shiftfocus1]

For what it’s worth, the oval styling theme didn’t work for Ford in North America either. Though no example was as hideous as this.

[@jarlrise]

Oh yes, look at the Ford Taurus (third generation), from 1996 to 1998, it was even more hideous than the last Scorpio! I had 2 of the last generation Scorpios, both estates, the 2.0 and the 2.3, great cars, but there were some reliability problems. Mine were company cars, so I did not have to pay for the repairs :)

[@shiftfocus1]

@@jarlrise maybe familiarity helps. I didn’t get to see an example of the 2nd gen Scorpio until a trip to Europe in 1998…and I was horrified. It didn’t help that I first saw it from behind.

[@geoffclarke3796]

A car with decent dynamics and a pretty good engine but my god is it ugly.

[@sr20trx]

One of the few cars to make the original AU Falcon look..well..ok.

[@peterstevensons1181]

Stop with the ugly weird styling rubbish. This car had a great style that was simply panned by the press for being different. If you want weird styling look at the Volvo 900 series, straight lines originating in the 70s. So give it a rest, just accept different as different and not weird.

[@ngshinong9812]

Landsail tyres lol

[@mfitzy100]

Was just never a fan of these. They were dreadful. The previous models were solid and conservative

[@nigelbond4056]

It does seem that BMW has been able to get away with ugly designs for a fair few years but Ford have never really been able to. Mind, the Scorpio did have a clown face and a more than ample bottom 🫣

[@adriandeb2710]

Worst looking car ever made, the fake wood looks terrible, the one before was so nice

[@brentfairlie9159]

Probably THE ugliest saloon ever produced in the UK. Come back ADO 17, all is forgiven

[@clivebrackstone1896]

The old 2.9 ohv that powerd the sierra xr4 with 150 +.bhp had a total make over for the scorpio..BY COSWORTH.. OUT WENT THE OHV FOR A TWIN CAM SET UP.. NEW CAM, PISTONS, A 24 VAVLE CYLINDER HEAD AND OTHER BITS AND BOBS TAKEN THE OLD UNIT TO A MUCH BETTER MODERN SET UP WITH 210 BHP AT 7000 RPM.. AND IT WAS NEVER EVER USED IN ANY OTHER CAR... BE GREAT AS A DONNER ENGINE FOR A CAPRI... JUST DNT USE THE AWFUL 4 SPEED SLUSH AUTO BOX THAT SAPS THE POWER ❤

[@RW-bi2rp]

The funny thing is that now in todays age it's actually a good looking car! it's aged like a fine wine!

[@jaromor8808]

if this was meant as a joke then yh, it was kinda funny the front end is kinda stomachable, the rear end is just BAD

[@alextoft9199]

I have to say that in today's context as a retro, I really like it. The oddball looks give it character and make it a talking point. Love the refinement and ride comfortable. I'd happily drive it.

[@davidkmatthews]

I always felt that had Ford of Europe been allowed to merely change the design of the headlamps to something closer to that of the Mondeo, the Scorpio may well have been more successful.

[@manduri1434]

I own two of these and daily them!! A 2.0 16 1994 and the ex police 1996 Cossie! Beautiful cars. And those r my first two cars

[@robsawalker]

I had a dark metallic red one with black leather interior and it was a brilliant car

[@andrewnorth4857]

Whilst, personally, I don't have a problem with the styling, it does make me wonder why Ford thought they could pitch such an odd-looking car to the European market. It's almost as though they were looking for an excuse to stop making it.

[@PiggyWiggyO]

They were looking for an excuse to stop making it..😞

[@Kevin-v8b3d]

Apart from the styling the biggest problem was that Ford was not a prestige marque like BMW, Audi or Mercedes even though the car was built in Germany.

[@dungareesareforfools]

That was never a problem until people started becoming entitled.

[@nigelheath7048]

A hugely underrated car. Yes it was fairly ugly,and the smaller engine ones a little under powered but not terrible. But they drove extremely well. When I was trading cars in the early 2000's the trade hated them and I bought dozens of them from auctions and main dealers for a song and they always flew away as they were such good value. The 24v Cosworth was definitely the one to have but everyone I was going to keep for myself I ended up selling as thats what I did.

[@vestelmobile5255]

Absolute beautiful car..

[@chrispenn715]

There was no excuse for this - Ford ruined a good car with hideous looks

[@abc33944]

Designers missed there Spec savers appointment with this one

[@ivanfernyhough3851]

​@@abc33944nope,great looking car,just very different.the over bloated junk on the roads today is properly ugly compared to this.

[@northseawolf]

Easy credit and finance on cars killed the executive motors from 'non premium' brands like Ford. All of a sudden people could drive cars they can't afford. I balk when junior colleagues at work tell me they drove £70k cars for a monthly sum approaching half their net wage. Each to their own I guess

[@paulc9588]

Quite like these despite the strange styling . . . you got a lot of actually very capable car for a remarkably favourable price. Thanks to the premiumisation of the market the end for big Fords would have come anyway. By the 1990s executive/luxury car buyers wanted a premium brand and no matter how good the Scorpio had been it would not have been enough to overcome the handicap of a mainstream badge. Which is why Toyota came up with Lexus and big Vauxhalls, Rovers, Citroens etc. all disappeared from the market at around the same time.

[@seancooke7332]

I loved the Scorpio especially in Ultima trim. The Granada before it was a great drive so any improvement on that met my approval. Let's face it, most Manufacturers released an ugly duckling at some point, though it would be childish to name names, Dodge Calibre. That car didn't handle in any way, shape or form.

[@lesklower7281]

The Ford Scorpio looks OK coming but not the best going that rear end is terrible but apart from the styling the Scorpio looks like a very good car as for the dash board magnificent the front end was similar to the Subaru Impezza but park it next to a Nissan Juke then it wouldn't look so ugly and we never got them in Australia

[@nigel.w]

I drove a Granada for an afternoon on a nice summer's day in 1994. It was positively memorable. If not for ULEZ I'd be driving either a Granada or an X300 XJ6. IMO, the early 1990s was the heyday of the motorcar.

[@craigjarvis9489]

These we were great cars, i had an S reg, last of the line, 24v Cosworth estate. It had everything on it, for a 1998 car. Comfortable, powerful and smooth. I also had loads of Mk 2 and 3 Granadas. Inc 3 mk3 Cosworths. Loved all of them.

[@ruk2023--]

Ford was not the problem with sales. We're a nation of snobs especially when it comes to car brands and the late 90's / 00's brought along a raft of financing options that allowed more people to get into a prestige badge instead of a blue oval. That's really what killed the big Fords, Citroens, Vauxhalls etc.

[@Treviscoe]

Yes I agree.

[@paulelverstone8677]

If Ford 30yrs ago wanted to build a luxury car then they could've done a lot worse than to take a leaf out of Toyota's book and introduced a marque that separated it from the blue oval. I believe that a lot of it was badge snobbery. And Ford weren't alone. The Carlton GSI3000 24v was reputedly (by some magazines) a better car than the E34 M5, The Rover 800 coupe equal to the W124 CE. Ford bought Aston and Jaguar. Effectively they had their 'brand' and ISTR that it was Ford's money that gave us the X300/308 so I don't have so much sympathy for the Ford cars...

[@lewis72]

They did. Ford launched the Merkur brand in the US for the Granada Scorpio but it didn't last long. As Ford had bought Jaguar and Volvo, I guess there was no need for a premium Ford.

[@ruk2023--]

Lincoln here. Reporting for duty.

[@Nakkisampyla]

Mercury

[@DrMikeOxgreen]

Love the overall silhouette, the rear end and interior design. Even the front is good looking compared to modern cars

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Yes, true!

[@CurtF94]

You know what,now it’s old I quite like it

[@AledPritchard]

I’ve always had a liking for the bug eyed Scorpio. I find its ‘ugly’ looks pretty. The dark front lights in Ultima spec of later models being particularly nicer.

[@markeastwood74]

Agreed. The mild facelift definitely helped improve the looks. One for those who like an underdog (and a bargain).

[@See_more....]

The basic models look can a bit gawky but the Ultima spec with the nicer wheels etc looks good to me.

[@AledPritchard]

@@markeastwood74 I think so too, especially when considering that this review was very favourable with regards to how it drives etc. I’m a fan of the Probe too.

[@AledPritchard]

@@See_more.... It really does, I agree. And for those seeking more practicality, there’s the estate model that has a huge boot.

[@markeastwood74]

@@AledPritchard I had the pre-facelift estate version after having had a few mk3 Granadas. It was every bit as good on the inside, but you had to wear an 'I know something you don't know' look on your face when talking to people.

[@anthonyperkins7556]

It went wrong for Ford with the final Scorpio. The bug eyed lights and American styled rear end didn't get many customers, and it was a hotbed of reliability issues with power steering problems, electrical maladies, gearbox issues etc.

[@billyhunt]

I loved the American styled rear end, one of my favourite aspects of the Scorpio.

[@shakedlevi5686]

I love this car’s styling

[@ibs5080]

Ah yes I remember those. Reminds me of another Ford model back in my other homeland of Vancouver Canada, as well as across the border in the USA. Namely the Ford Taurus, which for certain model years had what was referred to as a "jelly mould" shape. Here in the Uk we had the "jelly mould" Sierra. Seems that Ford had a whole "jelly mould" era on both sides of the Atlantic.

[@andreschavarro798]

ABOVE ALL GREETINGS FROM SPAIN! Concerning this car in my opinion a great understood car.. great engines especially the 2.9i COSWORTH…same thing for the CITROEN XM!!!great comfy realiable car…not obviously a MERC E CLASS or BMW 5 Series or a VOLVO S70…but (how JERK SAY) there s a but…you can got it for a full equipment and for a low budget

[@andybowie8590]

Think you knew as soon as you said it but the jag v12 and the 2.9 aj6 engine weren't related in any way. I think what killed the big ford's, and the vauxhall/opel senator too was the narrowing gap in price between them and what were perceived as better "luxury" brands like bmw mercedes and jaguar, the way most people thought, and still do is that you'd be better spending your money on a bmw than a ford. Whether we admit it or not image matters to a lot of car buyers, especially at the executive saloon level. The fact that the scorpio is butt ugly by any measure definitely didn't help.

[@MP-po6fj]

It did age well the design wasn't perceived well when it came out.. Fits in now with all the same slopped designs.

[@andreschavarro798]

More technological than the minor sister mk2 mondeo!!!by the way why the press at the launch of this car criticized his front!!!they didn t do the same with the MK2 95 MERCEDES E CLASS’ front with double circles lamps

[@CortinasAndClassics]

why does the it sound like you are in a tunnel? I never liked this cars styling apart from the tail lights, those I do like.

[@271chrissy]

I think its a really smart car....love the long body.Remember when Ford changed their game with the Puma..Ka...and the new Focus.

[@cheyennedogsoldiers]

Back in the 98 the company I worked for had one of these in its fleet and I loved driving it, but, that styling was hard to live with especially when compared to other Ford of the period and of course the Germans. But, looking at it with modern eyes and honestly it's kinda grown on me.

[@snoopy10411]

BMW seem to be repeating these styling mistakes which are quirky and probably loved by die hard fans but just don't appeal to the mass market who just think they look gawky, which usually leads to poor sales. Most of the current range of BMW seem to be going for the buck teeth look with huge grilles including their electric cars like the i3 and iX being particularly ugly. Not sure why car brands do it? Maybe trying to push boundaries so they don't seem boring or to be copying everyone else but Surely they know what works and what doesn't from a sales perspective. I can't even remember the last time I saw an i3 but think they would have sold like hotcakes if they didn't look so weird.

[@andreschavarro798]

A good choice if you had a VW PASSAT BUDGET AND YOU WANTED A UPMARKET AND POWERFUL CAR

[@thetruth7633]

When I got my drivers license in 1995 my dad owned a 1987 2.9 Ghia, it was a joy to drive, a bit thirsty for a 18 year old male his right foot 😀 The new model.. the wagon version was ok, the sedan.............

[@jonathanhindson4580]

The brand. Why spend the same on a big Ford as you would on a Merc. Same with Vauxhall, Fiat, and ANY French brand

[@richardwaldron1684]

I thought it was an ugly car back then, and it's an ugly car now. The previous version was a beauty, this looks like an April 1st joke

[@garydavis1528]

Was a great comfortable car, only the US styling let it down. Maybe the US wanted to kill it off as Ford had premium brands that didn’t want it to compete with.

[@LOTPOR0402]

Back end looks like an airbus beluga

[@elelegidosf9707]

My God that thing is hideous.

[@Treviscoe]

I always liked the styling of the Scorpio, though I accept I'm in a minority in that.

[@willswheels283]

Great review, if you can look past the front end looks and the overall American styling these cars were nice, lovely interiors and good engines. Ford won’t be doing anymore luxury saloons(sedans) as they’r too wrapped up in building EV’s and SUV’s.

[@artfulbodger..2143]

Very underrated cars.. I owned 2 ultima's both R reg one pre face-lift and one face-lift.. super super smooth and ultra comfy.. seats like armchairs..

[@Dan_druft]

Yeah its always been pig ugly after the magnificent mk2 2.8i Ghia X

[@andrewmeadows2596]

Mk 4 and 5 mondeos were as big 20yrs later. That Scorpio was not the end at all.

[@yeoldegamer5112]

My 2 cents not backed up by any research ;) The time when some manufacturers went for Americanese (amreican/Japanese) styling aka "organic" Plenty of people don't care much for how a car looks unless it raises questions like "why does it look so weird?" or "what is that?" The European market Toyota Corolla (E110) of that era went blobby and probably lost a few sales because of it. The weird thing is the US market Corollas had more traditional front ends and looked better for it.

[@snbala]

Ford have a tendency to do something wild like this and then go back to reality with something normal. Whoever signed this one off needs sitting down and questioning. Though with the current crop of ugly modern cars, this isn’t that bad as it once was. What I don’t understand is why didn’t Ford completely change the styling with the facelift like fiat did with the facelifted multipla.

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

I genuinely can't understand why Ford gave the new Ford Scorpio, 4 studs on the hubs when the previous generation had 5, it limited the range of alloys wheels you could use.

[@ruk2023--]

Not really a big problem really.

[@dungareesareforfools]

Eh? They didn't!

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

@dungareesareforfools Yes they did

[@dungareesareforfools]

@paulie-Gualtieri. apologies, you're correct it seems... well I learnt something new! That's bizarre after nearly 30 years of Zephyrs and Granadas with that 5 stud pattern. I wonder whether it's because they'd made 4 stud wheels for e.g. the Mondeo, which were suitable for heavier cars, by that point?

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

​@dungareesareforfools It's strange I heard it was something to do with the Sierra too, probably never know as to why.

[@heckmacbuff]

How could such a ridiculous looking car ever have got further than the drawing board?

[@andreschavarro798]

AUDI A6 as well had a rear back not very handsome😁😁

[@colindowd9756]

I think personally that the Scorpio has aged well ❤

[@richardmurphy9006]

The Probe was no looker it was the nineties a lot of metrosexual looks about

[@ajames8237]

Looks good from a distance. A quarter of a mile car.

[@petrichor649]

It was so ugly, no one wanted one, they were all Rep cars.

[@kieranwhite6647]

Still the comfiest seats I've ever sat in, like armchairs

[@Seminal_Ideas]

A major styling error leaving a well engineered car looking goofy. This would i imagine have lead to rather heated management discussions similar to Fords Edsel debacle. Rather than Scorpio, it could've been named the Edsel 2.

[@Mook303]

Looked awful then. Looks awful now.

[@davidvanhansen]

A rhetorical question...😂

[@WeveGotBush]

Best rear legroom the Scorpio had.

[@fontana6394]

I quite liked it at the time and still do 👍👍

[@rickjames6867]

Camry from an alternate universe.

[@carfella7994]

I think its a nice looking car.

[@paulrreed5235]

I had one and I loved it even the look?

[@robertusga]

Had 2.8 Granada, then similar Scorpio. Moved to the States and have been driving 4.6 V8 Lincoln Town Car ever since 😃 Ford knows its comfy cruiser stuff.