Picture Of XR2 Cars

For the first three and a half years of Fiesta production, the term hot hatch passed the blue oval's "super mini" by. While other manufacturers were trying desperately to catch up with the groundbreaking Golf GTi, Fiesta buyers could only potter around in an S version of the car, which proved that go faster stripes and deck chair-patterned upholstery on an otherwise granny mobile do not make a Sports model. Changes began in October 1980 with the Kent-engined 1300 Supersport, and the company finally hit the right spot with the introduction of the Dunton Special Vehicle Engineering group's 1600ccXR2 Cars, just over a year later.

The long wait was certainly worth it though, and the XR2 Mk1 Cars was, and still is, one of the best examples of the hot hatch genre's halcyon days. It had 84 bhp performance, and handling and braking far in excess of the base models in the range - so good in fact that an aftermarket turbo version tested by Autocar in 1982 needed no uprating in any way, apart from fitment of the blower.