1990 FORD Scorpio Sedan 2.9i 4AT (194 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Ford introduced the Scorpio as its flagship model for the European market in 1985, but it only made it a hatchback. A mistake which was corrected in 1989 when it launched the first facelift.

Ford seemed to forget that most of the executive cars were sedans and offered the Scorpio as a hatchback only. Soon, it realized the mistake and went back to the drawing board to give the car two more shapes: a sedan and a station wagon. Apart from the bodywork changes, the carmaker tried to improve other parts of the vehicle.

In late 1989, Ford unveiled the facelifted Scorpio sedan. It featured a restyled front fascia with slightly curved headlights and a very small grille above the front bumper since it was a facelift for the range. The designers installed a bigger one on the apron, which helped to cool the engine. Since it was a three-box sedan, the cabin featured a shorter roofline and a sloped rear window. The third row of windows was placed between the C- and the D-pillars, increasing the interior light, especially for the rear seat passengers.

Inside, the Scorpio featured a roomy interior with enough legroom and headroom for all the passengers. Despite having a transmission tunnel, the rear floor was flat enough to offer three real seats on the bench. Unfortunately, Ford didn’t invest too much in the interior improvements, and the instrument cluster and the dashboard remained similar to the 1985 model.

One of the problems with the Scorpio was its engine range, which lacked power. After 1989, it received more powerful versions. Unfortunately, those were very thirsty. With a Peugeot unit under the hood, a diesel version was a better option, but it was slow.