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Ford was under the impression that corpulent publicans would enjoy the kudos of four-wheel drive, so they took the system they had developed for the capable Sierra XR4x4, added a limited-slip differential and bolted the whole thing onto its luxobarge Granada Ghia Scorpio 4x4: it had so many names they almost ran out of room on the bootlid. Startlingly styled in the hatchback jelly-mould school of Sierra, this was quite a shocking and risque; Granada after the three-box efforts of the '70s that had carried Jack Regan and his associates through countless episodes of The Sweeney.
All 4x4 Granadas were five-speed manuals, powered by 2.8 or 2.9 litre versions of Ford's German V6. Inside, the Scorpio was a barometer of mid '80s World of Leather suburban tastes, with acres of anaemic pleated hide and countless Ghia luxuries that you didn't really need. Tacky as it seems to modern eyes, it was actually a decent drive and quite a favourite as a police patrol car. This generation of Granada had the distinction of being the first car in the world to offer anti-lock brakes as standard across the range, a proud boast.
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