The Ford Orion was a small family car produced by Ford of Europe from 1983 until 1993, and a total of 3,534,239 were sold in its ten-year life. It was based on the Escort but had a separate boot instead of the hatchback, making it a four-door saloon with a longer rear overhang.
Ford Orion at a glance
| Maker | Ford of Europe |
|---|---|
| Production | 1983–1993 |
| Total sold | 3,534,239 |
| Codename | Apollo |
| Launched | September 1983 |
| Based on | Ford Escort |
| Bodies | four-door saloon |
| Launch trims | GL and Ghia |
| Launch engines | 1.3 and 1.6 CVH, carburettor or injection |
| Lower trim | L added in 1984 |
| Diesel | 1.6 diesel on L and GL from 1984 |
| Name from | the constellation Orion |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only.
History of the Ford Orion
Why a saloon?
In the early 1980s Ford’s range was changing as front-wheel drive and hatchbacks took over from traditional saloons and estates. The Escort Mk III of 1980 was a hatchback, and the Sierra had replaced the Cortina as a hatchback and estate in 1982, leaving buyers who wanted a conventional four-door saloon with a boot without an Escort-sized Ford. The Orion, developed under the codename Apollo, was launched in September 1983 to fill that gap, a concept similar to the Volkswagen Jetta, the saloon version of the Golf.
An Escort with a boot
The Orion looked much like a contemporary Escort at the front apart from a different grille, but behind the cabin it had a long flat boot that made it a proper three-box saloon rather than a hatchback or estate. Although its length was close to the Sierra of the time, it offered more rear legroom and a larger boot. Ford initially offered only GL and Ghia trims, without the lower specifications available on the Escort and without the basic 1,100 cc engine: at launch there were only 1,300 cc and 1,600 cc CVH engines, the 1.6 Ghia available with a carburettor or fuel injection. A lower L model came in 1984, along with a 1.6 diesel for the L and GL.
Ten years and a name
The Orion was named after the constellation, itself named after a Greek hunter, and it stayed in production until 1993, when the Escort range was renewed. In ten years 3,534,239 cars were sold, a figure that shows how much demand there still was in Europe for a conventional small saloon.
Design and features
- Escort underneath: the same platform and engines as the Mk III Escort.
- Separate boot: a three-box saloon for buyers who wanted one.
- More space than a Sierra: better rear legroom and a larger boot.
- Ghia trim: the best-equipped version at launch.
Ford Orion versions
- Orion GL (1983): the mid-range launch car.
- Orion Ghia (1983): the top trim, with a carburettor or injection 1.6.
- Orion L (1984): the lower specification added a year later.
- Orion 1.6 diesel (1984): the diesel option on L and GL.
The Orion was the saloon version of the Escort and sat below the Sierra in the European range. More Ford vehicles are in the Ford collection.
Sources
- Ford Orion, English Wikipedia: origins, launch, engines, trims, production
.jpg){kind=link}