There are beaters...and then there are cars that love to be beaten. Some cars will tolerate being bangshifted and put away wet -- and other cars thrive on a severe drive cycle. I'm thinking this next car will fall nicely into that latter category and the price is throw-me-away-if-something-breaks cheap. Find this 2002 Ford Escort ZX2 S/R Clone offered for $500 in Ann Arbor, MI via craiglist. Tip from Nicholas.
What we have here is not a homologation-required road car or even a performance-division special like the SVT Focus or AMG R63. Nope, it's Ford's "me-too" answer to the Sentra SE-R and Civic Si and others. And while it was never popular enough for a role (or even a mention) in the Fast and Furious franchise, it makes for a rousing and economical daily driver today. Find this 2000 Ford ZX2 S/R for $1,350 in Little Rock, AR. Words by DT contributor slowcarSLOW-MPGlol.
The North American Escort was Ford's compact replacement to the Pinto, predecessor to the Focus, and has long since been forgotten by anyone who doesn't have wheels on his home. The European Escort is a fantastic car and earned the praises of pundits and drivers...the American Escort...not so much. However, in response to the sport compact fads in the late 1990s, Ford Racing teamed up with the Ford Small Vehicles Group to created a limited edition of the Escort ZX2, called the S/R. Find this 2000 Ford Escort ZX2 S/R for sale in Fairmont, WV for $2,500.