The EXP Turbo Coupe came out of the same Ford skunkworks that built the Mustang SVO, part of a 1984 push to chase young, affluent buyers.
Lead trim: EXP Turbo Coupe 1.6 L turbo CVH (120 hp)
Ford EXP Turbo Coupe1984–1985
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Ford EXP Turbo Coupe yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThe EXP Turbo Coupe came out of the same Ford skunkworks that built the Mustang SVO, part of a 1984 push to chase young, affluent buyers.
By 1984 Ford was targeting the youth market with offerings such as the Mustang SVO, the 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, a lower ride height, improved brakes and Michelin TRX tires. The turbocharged 1.6 L CVH engine, also in the Escort, features a high-lift camshaft and EEC-IV electronic controls, with an 8:1 compression ratio and boost up to 8 psi: torque is raised to 120 lb-ft and power to 120 hp, a gain of 35% over the naturally aspirated models. These gave a 0–60 mph time of 9 seconds and a quarter-mile of 16.9 s at 82 mph, which the page calls unimpressive today but good for the era; not even the 1986–88 EXPs with the 1.9 L EFI HO motor (17.5 s at 77 mph) could match it. The Turbo Coupe has a unique front air dam and rear decklid spoiler, a "Turbo" decal on the rear bumper, two-tone paint with a black lower section, a unique C-pillar appliqué with the EXP lettering, black wheel flares and black rocker moldings; the only options were air conditioning and a removable sunroof. The 1985 model year switched from a three-spoke to a two-spoke steering wheel and a one-piece shift knob with a square rubber boot.
Collectors Spotted in the Ford EXP Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Ford EXP yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
One published trim in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXP Turbo Coupe 1.6 L turbo CVH (120 hp) | 1984–1985 | 1.6 L Inline-4 | 120 hp | 120 lb-ft | 9.0 s | FWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
This EXP generation exists because factory line workers built their own upgraded prototype off the clock and showed it to Ford's CEO — who approved it for production exactly as they built it.
The second-gen EXP wasn't born in a design studio — a group of Ford assembly line workers pulled a car off the line, upgraded it with facelifted Escort parts, and showed it to the CEO, who greenlit it for production.
The EXP Turbo Coupe came out of the same Ford skunkworks that built the Mustang SVO, part of a 1984 push to chase young, affluent buyers.
American EXP buyers got a deliberately detuned engine: Ford's 1.6-litre CVH was tuned purely for fuel economy in the US, while the same engine made more power in Europe.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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