1988 Ford Escort XR3i

Description

• Unsold at Auction April 2024 
• Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to arrange a viewing
• Three door hatchback
• Photographic record of comprehensive refurb
• Over £18K spent
• New mechanical parts
• Tons of originality
• New MOT

The most famous fast Ford needs no introduction. They’re practical, stylish, easy to own and lovely to drive. For many they are part of our national heritage.

You’ll have conversations at every petrol station and other drivers will let you out in traffic. Best of all, if you find a good one, you’ll want to hang onto it.

History

• First registered 1 August 1988
• With our vendor since 2021
• Approx £18,000 spent on comprehensive makeover
• Various previous MOTs
• Service stamps
• MOT until March 2025

Outside

The Escort XR3i is an iconic car that’s instantly recognisable. The distinctive styling of the XR3i draws attention wherever it goes and for all the right reasons. People will want to reminisce about the ones they had or wish they had. The ultimate 90s hooligan car is now a subtle, useable modern classic. The biggest enemy of these cars was corrosion. Good clean examples are hard to come by.

• Mercury Grey
• Red decals
• Correct matt black finishing
• Full strip down
• Panels renewed or repaired where needed
• Glass out, doors off, boot and bonnet off
• A stage-by-stage photographic record is in the Gallery
• Five original dog-leg alloys

Our vendor told us “The XR3i has had a full respray. I’ve spent over £18K in total on the car. The rust has been cut out and replaced mainly behind the front bumper. I’ve kept the still original paint under the bonnet. The escort has had a replacement windscreen”.

The end result is revealed in the images.

Mechanicals

The early XR3s ran with a twin choke weber and overall were a pretty unremarkable car.

In the mid 80s Ford’s Specialist Vehicle Engineering (SVE) department grabbed the initiative and turned the XR3 into the car it should have been. They boosted power, improved the ride and handling, creating the XR3i. Incremental improvements, not least of which being the Bosch K-Jetronic system, were made to the later cars. The late 80s XR3i’s are considered to be the best.

• 1.6 litre 4 Cylinder CVH engine with hydraulic lifters
• 108bhp
• 101lbft
• 120mph
• 0-60 in 8.8sec
• Five speed gearbox
• Part of the overhaul included several mechanical items:
• Cambelt replaced
• New water pump
• Clutch replaced
• 5 new Avon tyres

Inside

The interior of the XR3i was class leading in its day. Nowadays, many can be very careworn with cigarette burned seats, cracked dashes and misshapen door cards.

With the work this one has seen; you won’t be surprised to see how good this XR3i is inside. One thing to note though is that the blanking plugs are missing from both the offside and nearside door trims.

• Grey and Red Daytona trim
• Original parcel shelf
• Driver’s seat refurbed
• Dove grey carpet in good condition
• Perforated light grey headlining looks original
• Electric windows
• Sunroof
• Electric mirrors

There is a second parcel shelf with speakers that will come with the car.

Summary

The Ford Escort XR3i, with its package of energetic performance, practicality, individual looks and Ford reliability, it was the choice of thousands of drivers. Arguably it was the defining car of the era.

Many have been crashed, bashed or trashed – that’s if they have survived the tin-worm. Credible sources report there were around 95,000 on the road in the early 90s. That has plummeted to just over 400 in 2023! Who knew.

Although this one has had approaching twenty grand spent on it, our vendor knows the market and is a sensible realist.

A 90s hot hatch. A fast Ford. A classic that someone else has done all the hard work on. A hat trick of happiness for one lucky bidder.

Fast Fords always attract a great deal of interest on our website. Don’t bid at the last minute or you might find yourself missing out.

Vehicle Location: Conwy, Wales LL30 – it’s the responsibility of the winning bidder to make collection / transportation arrangements directly with the vendor.

Would like to arrange a viewing or have a question about this Ford Escort XR3i? Please contact us at team@evoke-classics.com and we will speak to the vendor on your behalf.

Guide Prices?

We’re different. But you know that. And we’re always honest. In a sector where no two classics are same, how does anyone put a ‘guide’.

Well, everyone knows the broad value of classic, let’s all be honest. So, we don’t need to tell you what you already know, do we.

The ‘market’ decides and the old cliché that ‘it’s worth what someone wants to pay’ is no less true. So why kid everyone!

But, because we are different, if it really does matter to you, that’s fine, we want you to be happy. Just drop us a line at team@evoke-classics.com and one of us will be delighted to ring you back and discuss, it’s what we do.

Tedious but it’s vital you read this, please.

We will always strive to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available. However, we can’t claim to be perfect. Your own analysis is very important, and we are here to help and answer any and all queries you may have prior to purchase.

We offer and positively encourage buyers to view or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding.

If we do take a physical, as opposed to a remote, look at any of the vehicles on our platform, they are not those of a qualified vehicle inspector or other professional. Nor do they include a test drive unless expressly stated.

As with all vehicles of a certain age, localised paint repairs are common. This specifically applies with classics.

So, please, unless we state explicitly to the contrary, please assume that classic vehicles on our platform could have had remedial bodywork of any kind at some point in its life.

Two final comments on images and photos.

The vast majority are supplied by vendors. Camera technology has and continues to improve significantly, but please note and understand that image and sound quality does vary. If you would like vendors to provide more images, please ask us and we will contact the vendor for you.

If you are at all unsure, just ask us. It is what we are here for.

Finally, finally, finally. Please note that vehicles are sold as seen and a returns policy is not applicable. This is the norm for used items acquired at auction.

Our Terms and Conditions are here and our FAQS can be found here or contact us: team@evoke-classics.com

Got one you’d like to sell? Please feel free to get in touch to have a no obligation chat with us: Contact The Evoke Team

Guide Prices?

We’re different. But you know that. And we’re always honest. In a sector where no two classics are same, how does anyone put a ‘guide’.

Well, everyone knows the broad value of classic, let’s all be honest. So, we don’t need to tell you what you already know, do we.

The ‘market’ decides and the old cliché that ‘it’s worth what someone wants to pay’ is no less true. So why kid everyone!

But, because we are different, if it really does matter to you, that’s fine, we want you to be happy. Just drop us a line at team@evoke-classics.com and one of us will be delighted to get back to you, it’s what we do.

Tedious but it’s vital you read this, please.

We will always strive to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available. However, we can’t claim to be perfect. Your own analysis is very important, and we are here to help and answer any and all queries you may have prior to purchase.

We positively encourage buyers to view or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding.

If we do take a physical, as opposed to a remote, look at any of the vehicles on our platform, they are not those of a qualified vehicle inspector or other professional. Nor do they include a test drive unless expressly stated.

As with all vehicles of a certain age, localised paint repairs are common. This specifically applies with classics.

So, please, unless we state explicitly to the contrary, please assume that classic vehicles on our platform could have had remedial bodywork of any kind at some point in its life.

Two final comments on images and photos.

The vast majority are supplied by vendors. Camera technology has and continues to improve significantly, but please note and understand that image and sound quality does vary. If you would like vendors to provide more images, please ask us and we will contact the vendor for you.

If you are at all unsure, just ask us. It is what we are here for.

Finally, please note that vehicles are sold as seen and a returns policy is not applicable. This is the norm for used items acquired at auction.

Our Terms and Conditions are here and our FAQS can be found here or contact us: team@evoke-classics.com

Got one you’d like to sell? Please feel free to get in touch to have a no obligation chat with us: Contact The Evoke Team