Ford Escort Mk3 (1980–1986) Price Guide

The Escort Mk III of 1980 to 1986 switched to front-wheel drive on the Erika platform. This was a fundamental change that improved interior space, fuel economy, and practicality at the cost of the rear-wheel-drive handling that had defined the earlier Escorts. The XR3 and XR3i hot hatch variants became the defining cars of 1980s British car culture; every young driver wanted one, insurance companies despaired, and the XR3i became as much a cultural marker as a car.

The Car

The Mk III used the CVH (Compound Valve Hemispherical) engine in 1,117cc to 1,597cc forms. The XR3 used the 1,597cc CVH with 96bhp and the Aeroback three-door body. The XR3i added fuel injection for 105bhp from 1983. The RS1600i used a revised CVH with 115bhp and competition-derived upgrades. The cabriolet by Karmann provided open-top motoring. The RS Turbo of 1984 used a turbocharged CVH for 132bhp.

Buying

The RS Turbo is the investment specification. The XR3i is the most popular performance Mk III. Standard 1.3 and 1.6 cars are increasingly rare given their modest collectibility until recently.