For much of its life the Ford Escort was associated with bringing affordable performance to the people. Tasked with that duty in its second generation was the 1600 Sport, tested here for the July 1979 issue.
As its name suggests, this Escort was powered by a 1,6-litre four-cylinder “Kent” engine that it shared with another model in the Escort model range. What set this example apart was the fitment of a free-flow exhaust system. The 1600 Sport sent 62 kW and 125 N.m of torque to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. It sprinted to 100 km/h from rest in 12,7 seconds and managed a 157 km/h top speed.
The 1600 Sport was visually distinguishable by its halogen spotlights, mounted just between the headlamps, model-specific stripes, and slightly wider wheels. Inside, the 1600 Sport got special seat covers, a tachometer, three-spoke steering wheel and RS-style gearknob.