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Ford stated that they tried to make their Scorpio 'stick out from the crowd' They wanted the car to be instantly recognisable from thousands of other look-alike designs so that the owner would be able to spot it instantly in a crowded car park.

Well they certainly succeeded. In fact, I quite like it. But it does look better with those 12-spoke alloys and 225/50 16 tyres. And I like the fact that, now almost alone amongst the bigger cars, it is still rear wheel drive.

It is loaded with all the options – the Ultima was the top of the range – and includes

*cost options in 1995

All that and a V6 quad-cam Cosworth 24V engine at 207 BHP and an electronic 4 speed automatic gearbox with Sport, Economy and ICE setting, too!

The headlights are of a new polyellipsoid design. Basically using the principle of the slide-projector, the headlight uses an aperture between the bulb and the lens to form the areas of dark and light required, and this is then projected onto the road. This shape was much derided when it first appeared, but have you seen the new Mercedes and the Lexus? ‘Nuff said.

Rear View

The rear hatch is virtually unchanged from the old Granada, except that the reversing lights have been moved to the central number plate panel. No Cosworth badge, a pity. The two rounds set into the bumper are the sensors for the reversing radar. On the offside you can just spot the sculpted mud flaps which I obtained from Ford. These are very good value, and save the sides and rear of the car from mud splattering from the big tyres.

So what are the actual differences between the Scorpio and the venerated Granada? See Scorpio Development– more than you need to know about the changes.

Passenger View

The leather colour is called pumice, and I prefer it to black (raven), which IMO tends to makes a car interior dark and gloomy. The result of the continued use of Leather Care Cream can be seen here; the leather is spotless. The smell when you first get in is divine; no need of car fresheners in here.

The picture on the right shows the site of a Coke drink spill which had stained the leather. What, you can’t see a stain? Neither can I. See Cleaning the Interior

This car has the (optional in 1995) air bag for the passenger. Both front seats adjust for rake, height, recline and lumbar all by electric buttons on the outsides of each seat (memorised by one of three buttons for the driver).

Drivers View

This is a pretty well faultless cabin. All switches and controls fall easily to hand. Cruise controls are on the leather-covered steering wheel. The switchgear on the steering columns are identical in use to the old Granada, but slightly redesigned in shape. There is a joystick control for the Stereo on the left hand side of the column, beneath the indicator stalk. In the centre console above the excellent radio is the Climate Control panel. The air conditioning defaults to 'On', and the temperature of the passenger and drivers side can be set separately. Left on 'Auto', the system senses the temperature of the cabin and adjusts the airflow through the vents to stabilise the air at the required temperature. One takes this sort of system for granted, but when it ran out of gas (see Running costs) we realised just how good it is!

Three buttons on the face of the gearchange panel offer an Ice setting, plus Sports and Economy mode. Sports mode holds lower gears longer and changes up quicker and is great fun, if a little heavy on petrol, while Ice starts from stationary in 2nd gear and limits engine torque. Beneath the release trigger on the gearlever is the electric overdrive button, which shifts the gearbox smoothly out of overdrive (which is 4th gear) for more torque.

The entire Trip Computer display has been placed in the instrument panel beneath the tacho, and the buttons controlling it are on the fascia, irritatingly just behind the wiper stalk, the only complaint about this design. The odometer reading on the speedometer is electronic, and cannot be fiddled. Knowing the legendary ability of the Granada to be 'clocked' several times in its life, I wonder if this was not the main reason why the Trade hated its successor?

On the leading edge of the drivers side doorbin you can just see the tiny seat memory panel, which contains a set button and three memory buttons. The position of the driving seat and both door mirrors are memorised for three drivers - with 'Personalised' entry. This means that the driving seat and door mirror positions can be memorised to each remote, so that they move to the correct position for each driver. See Multiplex

Rear Passenger View

Yes. Still acres of legroom. The drivers seat is set for 6'2", so you can see that nothing of the excellent Granada comfort has been sacrificed. The comfortable seats and the wonderful smell of the beautiful leather create an ambience of luxury which I have not experienced before. How does it smell? Well, go to a Jaguar showroom, find a new Jaguar, preferably a Daimler saloon, get in and close the door. Take a deep breath through your nose: okay? That’s what my Scorpio Ultima smells like.

It’s going to take an expensive car to beat this!

Cabin

General Motors; see this and weep. Good quality leather on comfortable seats of a new design - not quite the armchairs of the Granada but very comfortable for long journeys - memory positions, too.

Considering all things, the ride, comfort, handling, design, performance and safety, IMHO this is the best big Ford ever made.

Fascia

The Climate Control panel. Left and right are the temperature settings for each side. The fan is set at Auto, which changes the boost according to need. A small UV sensor mounted on top of the fascia on the drivers side measures the amount of sunlight, and other sensors check ambient temperature to decide how much cold or warm air to admit to the interior. The CC computer may need a reset from time to time: see Climate Control Reset. Pollen filters on the system are changed during the yearly service. The round buttons on the right of the C/C panel are switches for the heated windscreen and rear screen but, because the climate control removes excess moisture from the air in the cabin, these are never needed.

ICE consists of the Ford 7000 series radio/tape/CD controller. Beneath the indicator stalk on the steering column the ICE joystick control can just be seen. Unlike the Granada, there is a radio antennae mounted on the roof forward of the electric sunroof. Aside from fixing the rear speakers (see Hi Fi) and the addition of the Pioneer Sub, the system is perfect.

The tenth track of the second CD is playing.

The New Scorpio

Is the Scorpio so controversial now?

Look at the 2 cars below. On the right is the new Scorpio - called the Lexus LS430 - photographed at an air show in 2002.  Why is this shape so familar?  Because the Lexus is the most aerodynamic car in its class, that's why.  Ford broke the new ground with the Scorpio (much as they did with the Sierra in the 80's) and now other marques can capitalise on their result.  Mercedes and BMW now have similar designs for fuel efficiency - but would they have dared if Ford hadn't done it first?

The Scorpio actually looks increasingly modern as the years pass.

EricR