Ford’s unsung compact that foreshadowed the fury of the Focus ST

The turn of the millennium was an interesting time for cars. The buzz around the dreaded millennium bug had people worried that the world would end at the stroke of midnight. The first ‘Fast and the Furious’ film was still a year away. Still, that didn’t stop Ford from releasing a pretty fascinating piece of tuner car history for the 1999 and 2000 model years.

It was the Ford Escort ZX2 S/R, a blisteringly spicy version of the Escort ZX2 with a higher than average number of Scoville units. But it wasn’t just Ford tinkering with a rather boring car to make it remarkable. No, this was an experiment in aftermarket applicability. A coming together of OEM and faster brands such as Roush, Borla, Eibach, B&M and Tokico from Japan. Interestingly enough, it was also a product of the years of collaboration between Ford and Mazda. And if that wasn’t enough, the Escort ZX2 S/R served as a precursor to the fast Fords of the future, such as the Ford Focus ST and Focus RS.

The Ford Escort ZX2 S/R paved the way for the Focus ST

The oil crisis of the early 1970s hit the car industry hard. Really difficult. The impact caused enough damage to Mazda’s bottom line that the Japanese car brand needed help from outside sources. Enter the Ford Motor Company. FoMoCo acquired a seven percent stake in the company in 1979. Over the years, Ford’s share in Mazda grew and the two brands collaborated on many projects. One of those projects was the front-wheel drive Ford Escort ZX2, a mechanical brother of the Mazda Protégé.

Both cars were (and remain) a case study in the motorized everyday. However, the Escort ZX2 and by extension the Protégé were agile. This is largely due to the graceful weight of both cars and the independent suspension all around. Then Ford continued. The Blue Oval tasked Ford Racing and the brand’s Small Vehicle Center Product Development team with taking the ZX2 to the top. Thus the Ford Escort ZX2 S/R was born. It was a high-performance, limited-edition version of the Escort ZX2 and an interesting chapter in the book of fast Fords.

Before the Focus ST, or even the SVT Focus

Years before the Ford Motor Company rolled out the first Ford Focus ST, the Ford-Mazda era gave us the Escort ZX2 S/R. It was running, driving, tunable proof that Ford could put together an everyday usable performance sleeper before the days of the swivel-eye Focus ST, SVT Focus or AWD Focus RS. Granted, the 1999 Ford Escort ZX2 isn’t the first compact, sporty version of a front-wheel-drive passenger car to launch at the Blue Oval. Actually not even the first of that time.

Don’t believe us? For example, take a look at the Ford SVT Contour. FoMoCo took the relatively boring Contour sedan and gave it the Ford Special Vehicles Team treatment with 195 horsepower. Add to that a stiffer suspension and stickier Goodyear Eagle rubber, and the SVT Contour demonstrated the Mr. Hyde approach that Ford could add to the Dr. Jekylls from the typical Blue Oval range. Just like the brightly colored fever dream that is the Escort ZX2 S/R.

Aftermarket this, aftermarket that

The Ford Escort ZX2 S/R’s fame doesn’t lie in its raw performance data. No, it’s in the way Ford put together the Escort ZX2 S/R. In concrete terms, the Picante compact Ford is an experiment in collaboration between OEM and aftermarket. Under the hood, Ford installed a Roush intake system on the Escort ZX2 S/R’s naturally aspirated 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine. Combine that with a reconfigured ECU and a Borla exhaust system, and the Escort’s power increased by 10 percent over stock figures.

Ford Escort ZX2 S/R specs

Outside of the engine compartment, the Escort ZX2 S/R received a Centerforce performance clutch and a B&M short-throw shifter for a more engaging (and precise) ride. Then we have the adjustments aimed at operation. Ford Racing and company installed Eibach Pro Kit springs, Tokico shocks and struts, Energy polyurethane bushings and disc brakes all around. Add some beefier 205mm Goodyear Eagle F1 tires, and the little ZX2 S/R amped up the already surprisingly athletic Escort fun factor.

An affordable, special Ford Performance Coupé

As you might imagine, the Blue Oval did not mass produce the thoroughly aftermarket Ford Escort ZX2 S/R. Ford only offered the hotter version of the Escort ZX2 for two model years: 1999 and 2000. Ford only built 100 units of the 1999 model, making it exceptionally rare. Perhaps for the sake of symmetry, Ford built 2,000 units in 2000. As for paint options, Ford stuck with the “Cobra Kai” color palette. Buyers could choose an almost neon zinc yellow, a subdued black or red. Not exactly a Skittles scenario. But if you’re looking for an affordable, dedicated Ford, the Escort ZX2 S/R is the way to go.

Average Ford Escort ZX2 S/R Prices

It goes without saying that a Ford Escort ZX2 is not an expensive car. Frankly, it’s on the cheaper side. According to Kelley Blue Bookthe fair market range for a 2000 Ford Escort ZX2 is $1,075 to $1,325. Of course, that depends on factors such as mileage, condition, title status and location. That said, the typical price for the 2000 Ford Escort ZX2 is closer to $1,550. But we’re not talking about the typical Ford Escort ZX2, are we? We are talking about the special parts bin with five alarms, namely the Escort ZX2 S/R.

Interested car hunters can expect a clean example of an Escort ZX2 S/R to fetch a little more than the more pedestrian Escort ZX2. More recently, a Zinc Yellow example with a clean title was offered for sale in Arkansas for $3,995. Even with an ‘economically executed’ paint scheme, the small yellow Escort S/R habanero pepper was sold to an enthusiast who reportedly already had one in red.

Born from collaborations with Ford, Mazda and Ford Racing, among others

You’ve heard it takes a village to raise a child. Or take a village to blah, blah, blah. In this case, it took a village to create a remarkable version of Ford’s relatively unremarkable compact passenger car. Ford assigned its motorsports performance division, Ford Racing, to this task. Add in Ford’s Small Vehicle Center Product Development team and an arsenal of aftermarket parts, and the Escort ZX2 S/R became a reality. Better yet, it paved the way for future fast Fords like the Focus ST.

Sources: Ford Motor Company, Kelley Blue Book