XR1

[mk2 mike]

I was watching wheeler dealers this morning with a mk1 XR2. The thought crossed my mind why they started at 2. Obviously they went onto XR3 and XR4 but no XR1. Was there ever an XR1 project that got binned at the prototype stage?

[SmokeEm]

IIRC, South Africa had an XR1 Escort - Don't know anything about it though - could even be an urban myth lol

[grifterkid]

What a great thought...!  I wonder if maybe the Capri Injection was going to be called the XR1 (as it was the first SVE car) but it was decided against...?!

[mk2 mike]

I googled xr1 and saw pics of a mk5 or 6 escort (hard to tell plastics apart )stickered up. Saw nothing dated pre xr2 though

[In The Pit]

A total guess here but possibly as they started with XR3 they chose 3 as it was the MK3 Escort also apparently the RS2000 was at the time often referred to as an RS2 so they didn’t want to be going backwards with numbers.  They chose the letters XR as they thought they sounded and looked good maybe they thought the same with the letter 3.  When  they brought the XR2i and XR4i out it was only natural that they’d pick the numbers either side of 3 for the smaller and larger XR models.

[mk2 mike]

The mk1 fiesta xr2 would have been before the xr3 though?

[Vista]

The mk1 fiesta xr2 would have been before the xr3 though?

Actually, I don't think so. The mk3 XR3 was available from launch in September 1980 whereas the mk1 Fiesta XR2 wasn't introduced until 1981.

[mk2 mike]

Wow well there's summat I didn't know! Every days a school day! Sorry 'in the pit' in that case I make your theory spot on.

[Blimey]

Xr2 followed the super sport ? Think that should have been the xr1 ,Maybe theres already an xr1 car by another manufacturer at the time?

[mk2 mike]

Coincidentally I've just seen in Google that New Zealand calls the mk2 focus ST an XR5.