The Ford EXP (also called the Ford Escort EXP) is a sport compact coupe that was manufactured and marketed by the Ford Motor Company from 1982 to 1988, across two generations. The first two-seat Ford since the original Ford Thunderbird, the EXP was sold exclusively in North America. For 1982 and 1983, Mercury marketed a badge engineered variant called the LN7.
The EXP was derived from the American Ford Escort, and shared its powertrain and chassis with that car. It received model-specific front and rear fascia styling, and a new, lower coupe roofline. What would have been the rear seat area in an Escort was converted to additional cargo space. The EXP received a minor face lift during model year 1985.
After model year 1988, the EXP was discontinued.
Development The OPEC oil embargo of October 17, 1973–1974 triggered a 70% increase in oil prices, skyrocketing prices for gasoline, and long lines at filling stations. A second energy crisis and a renewed recession followed from 1979 to 1982. Automobile manufacturers rushed to develop new small, fuel efficient cars in response.
Ford began development of the front-wheel-drive Escort in the late 1970s. While originally intended to be a "world car", the North American version shared little aside from its powertrain and name with its European counterpart.
At the same time, Ford also produced a series of sporty small-car concepts, many of which were built by their Italian design studio at Carrozzeria Ghia. One such exercise is the Ghia EXP-II. Unveiled in 1981, the EXP-II was built on an Escort platform with a smooth, streamlined fastback shape. Meant to foreshadow a new class of Ford cars, the EXP-II also allowed the designers to experiment with novel surface treatments and arrangements of body features, and included some asymmetrical elements. The influence of the EXP-II is said to be visible in the EXP.
The impetus for developing the EXP came from the company's marketing research. The growing number of one- and two-person households, combined with younger buyers' desire for small sporty cars, led Ford to conclude that Americans wanted a "lively little car that is dependable, efficient, and good-looking".
Comparing the EXP to the original 1955–1957 Thunderbird, Ford Division, general manager Louis E. Latalf said, "we're introducing another two-seater with the same flair, but the EXP will be a very affordable, very fuel efficient car matched to the lifestyles of the eighties."
Development took place in Ford's St. Thomas Assembly plant in Ontario, where the majority of the EXPs and LN7s were produced, including all of both models for the 1982 and 1983 model years. This was also where ongoing experiments and further engineering took place as new technologies became available. The plant produced EXPs from February 16, 1981, to August 5, 1983, and LN7s from February 16, 1981, to June 30, 1983, ending in the 1983 model year for both cars and leaving the American plants to produce all EXPs from 1984 to 1988.
Name origin According to an article published in Popular Mechanics, the letters EXP stand for Erika Project Personal, where project cars are designated X. "Erika" was the code-name from the European Escort.
1980–1981 EXP sales model
A few pre-production EXPs were made for conceptual design and advertisement. These rare EXPs included many features that would be available in every EXP or LN7. They were all two-tone, with vibrant colors with black painted above the door bumper-lines and black below, and had a round silver badge where Ford's blue oval would be in 1982. These models were distinguished from production models by dual vents towards the front of the hood instead of the vents later seen on the front bumper clips, an absence of bumper strips on the doors, and rear taillights that were completely red where production EXPs had black around the reverse lights. An SS package and bubbleback hatches like that of the LN7 and second generation EXPs were optional, along with black paint around the door windows as seen on second generation EXPs, aluminum oval-spoke wheels, and "1.6 L" badges on the front fenders. At least ten were built in Canada and were all featured in a rare catalog featuring only those cars.
The first production EXP and LN7 were assembled on February 16, 1981, and the first EXP was driven off the line by then Ontario Premier Bill Davis.
Ford expected to build and sell 200,000 EXPs and 70,000 LN7s in the 1982 model year, with approximately half that number making production.
First generation (1982–1985)
The EXP shares its unibody construction, wheelbase, front-wheel drive, and four-wheel independent suspension with the Escort. At tall and long, the EXP is longer and lower than the North American Escort.
Performance is unremarkable, since the EXP weighs about more than the contemporary Escort but has the same 1.6 L CVH engine rated at and a standard 4-speed MTX-I manual transaxle. Originally, two engine options were planned; a 1.3 L CVH and a 1.6 L CVH, but ultimately only the larger version was offered. In Europe several CVH variants were produced, but only the 1.6 L and later 1.9 L CVH engines were used in the EXP. The engine was specifically tuned for fuel efficiency in the North American market, while European models of these engines made more power. The March 1981 issue of Car and Driver reported that an EXP with a manual transmission attained on the highway.
The suspension shares nearly every part with 1980s North American Escorts.
The EXP has a sharply sloped windshield, wheel arches with prominent lips, and wide body side moldings placed just below the top of the wheel well. Its minimalist grille consists of two horizontal slots on the sloped front panel. In back, the EXP has a dog-leg hatch with flat glass similar to that on the Mustang. The body's coefficient of drag () is 0.37.
Priced considerably higher than the Escort, the EXP had an extensive list of standard equipment that included power brakes, full instrumentation, full carpeting, map lighting (non-sunroof), electric rear window defroster, power hatchback release, a digital clock, a cargo area security shade, and wider rims than those on the Escort. Models with a manual transmission had a sport-tuned exhaust. Automatic models had a wide-open throttle cutout switch for the optional air conditioning compressor clutch. Other options include floor vents and power steering or air conditioning and manual steering, AM/FM radio, cruise control, roof luggage rack, rear window wiper, various seat styles and fabrics, removable sunroof, right hand mirror, TRX tires and suspension, child seat, and a wide variety of interior and exterior colors along with various pinstripes and decals.
As the full 1982 model year began, Ford offered an optional 4.05:1 final drive at no extra cost for better performance. A close-ratio version of the four-speed transmission with 3.59:1 final drive ratio appeared later for the same reason. Ford also offered an rear brake drum set over the rear brake drums of other EXPs and Escorts. Over time many different rim options became available but the color choices became more limited.
In March 1982, an "High Output" (H.O.) version of the CVH engine became available. It had higher (9.0:1) compression, a dual-inlet air cleaner, lower-restriction exhaust, a bifurcated four-into-two-into-one exhaust manifold, larger carburetor venturis (a 32 mm primary and a 34 mm secondary compared to the 32 mm of both venturis in the non-HO engine), and a higher-lift (0.289 mm) camshaft.
In the last week of September 1982, Ford Canada, in co-operation with Bosch, produced the first electronic multi-port fuel-injected (EFI) 1.6 L for the EXP GT and LN7, giving it the distinction of being the first Ford model offered with that option for the US market. The original engine was no longer available. Fuel injection managed by Ford's EEC-IV control module was added on to the existing H.O. CVH engine, producing at 5,400 rpm and of torque in a 9.5:1 compression ratio, naturally aspirated configuration giving it an affinity for higher octane fuel. For buyers in regions of higher elevation the 1.6 L EFI option was replaced with the 1.6 L HO motor, making the 1.6 L EFI even more rare. Also new was a five-speed manual transmission option.
New for the 1983 model year were base seats with knitted rather than solid vinyl, and optional "Recaro-style" sport seats with mesh headrests. As was the case for the regular Escort/Lynx, the shifter was moved rearwards while the automatic shifter dropped the unusual dogleg pattern in favor of a more common straight-line arrangement. The gas tank was enlarged to . There were no notable changes to the exterior aside from new wheel options.
Mercury LN7 The Mercury division of Ford marketed a version of the EXP as the Mercury LN7. The differences are limited to badging, trim, and a few unique body parts. As with the 1983–1986 Mercury Capri, the LN7 has a rear hatch with a convex-curved "bubbleback" glass backlite. Its taillights are tinted black, and the grille has ten slats instead of the two of the EXP. The LN7's coefficient of drag () is 0.36. Engine and transmission developments tracked the changes to the EXP.
In 1983, in addition to the changes made to the EXP, the woodgrain on the LN7's dash was replaced with black plastic, and the instrument graphics were revised.
The LN7 sold far under sales projections and was discontinued after the 1983 model year after approximately 40,000 were sold; compared to the rest of the Lincoln-Mercury model line, a two-seat compact sports coupe was relatively out of place.
TR Performance Package A major option for 1982 was the TR package, which was offered in all model years of both cars. The TR package featured Michelin TRX metric tires on diameter wheels. For 1983, TRX tires became available mounted on steel rims.McCraw, p. 73
TRX tires were made with an extremely soft rubber compound that resulted in good cornering performance, but that also made them prone to rapid wear. TRX tires were mainly produced by Michelin, and have not been manufactured since the 1990s, and so cannot be replaced. Even perfectly stored TRX tires typically exhibit severe rotting and/or checking. Since the metric-dimension TRX wheels cannot mount tires sized in inches, TRX wheels are now obsolete.
The TR Performance Package also included: Stiffer valving for the struts (Turbo models had red Konis) Higher rate front springs (160 lb/in vs standard 120 lb/in) Larger front anti-roll bar (26 mm vs standard 24 mm, Turbo models are 27 mm) Stiffer suspension bushings Higher rate progressive rear springs (320-548 lb/in vs standard 195 lb/in continuous rate)
EXP Turbo Coupe
By 1984, Ford was targeting the youth market, especially the affluent young motorist, with offerings such as the Mustang SVO, Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, and the new EXP Turbo Coupe also built by Ford's Special Vehicle Operations (SVO). It shared many parts with the McLaren ASC EXP, including a turbocharged engine, Koni shocks, stiffer springs, lower ride height, improved brakes, and Michelin TRX tires.
The EXP's initial development plan called for fuel injection and a turbocharger to increase power output, but there was not enough time to get them into the first two production years. The turbocharged 1.6 L CVH engine offered in the Escort and Turbo EXP features a high-lift camshaft and EEC-IV electronic controls. With an 8:1 compression ratio and boost pressure up to , torque is increased to and power raised to , a gain of 35% over the naturally aspirated models.