You probably don't think about the 1987 Ford Escort GT very often. Honestly, most people don't. It usually sits in the shadow of the Volkswagen GTI or the Honda Civic Si, those darlings of the eighties sport-compact world that everyone treats like holy relics. But here's the thing: back in '87, if you were looking for a punchy, front-wheel-drive car that didn't cost a fortune, the Escort GT was a legitimate contender. It wasn't just a commuter with a body kit. It was Ford’s attempt to prove they could play the European game on American soil.
It had a weird energy. The 1987 Ford Escort GT arrived right in the middle of the "Aero" era at Ford. Think back to the Taurus or the Thunderbird of that year. Ford was obsessed with melting away sharp edges, and the Escort GT got that same treatment. It looked sleek. It looked fast. Even if it was still fundamentally an Escort underneath, it felt like something more.
The Heart of the 1987 Ford Escort GT: That 1.9L High Output Engine
Under the hood sat a 1.9-liter four-cylinder engine. It featured electronic multi-port fuel injection, which was a big deal at the time because a lot of "cheap" cars were still messing around with carburetors or throttle-body injection. This setup pushed out 115 horsepower.
Now, look. I know what you’re thinking. 115 horsepower sounds like nothing today. My lawnmower probably makes that. But in 1987? That was respectable. The car weighed next to nothing—roughly 2,300 pounds depending on how many options were checked. When you have that little mass, 115 horses can actually move you. It felt zippy. The power delivery was peaky and encouraged you to keep your foot down, which is basically the whole point of a hot hatch.
Ford didn't just slap a "GT" badge on the trunk and call it a day. They actually messed with the internals. The HO (High Output) version of the 1.9L had a more aggressive camshaft and a tuned intake manifold. It breathed better than the standard Escort. You could hear it, too. There was this specific, raspy growl to the exhaust that let everyone in the Kmart parking lot know you weren't driving your grandma’s Pony edition.
Shifting Gears and Breaking Sweats
Most of these came with a five-speed manual transmission. You could get an automatic, but why would you? The manual was where the soul lived. It wasn't the bolt-action precision of a modern Mazda, sure. It was a bit rubbery. A bit vague. But it worked.
The gear ratios were tight. This made the 1987 Ford Escort GT surprisingly quick off the line. It wasn't a highway cruiser; it was a stoplight-to-stoplight brawler. If you were hitting 60 mph in under 10 seconds in the mid-eighties, you were doing alright for a budget car.
The "Aero" Look and Why It Mattered
Walking up to one of these in 1987 felt like looking at the future. It had that wraparound front air dam. It had side skirts. It had that iconic integrated rear spoiler that just screamed "I go to the track on weekends" even if you only went to the grocery store.
Ford spent actual time in the wind tunnel.
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They wanted to lower the drag coefficient. It wasn't just for speed; it was for fuel economy, too. But the side effect was a car that looked cohesive. The 14-inch alloy wheels—which look tiny now—were actually quite stylish back then. They filled out the arches well.
The interior was... well, it was an eighties Ford.
You had those high-back bucket seats with decent side bolsters to keep you from sliding into the passenger door when you took a corner too fast. The dashboard was a blocky, plastic affair, but the GT got a full instrument cluster. You got a tachometer. You got gauges that actually told you what was happening with the engine. It felt like a cockpit, even if the plastics were a little creaky.
Handling the Curves
The suspension was where the 1987 Ford Escort GT really tried to earn its stripes. Ford gave it "Performance Integrated" suspension. This included stiffer springs and specialized struts. It also had front and rear anti-sway bars.
When you threw it into a corner, it stayed relatively flat.
There was feedback. You could feel what the front tires were doing through the steering wheel. It wasn't power-assisted to the point of numbness. It was mechanical. Raw. Sometimes a little harsh over potholes, but that was the trade-off. You wanted a sports car? You got a stiff ride.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 87 GT
There's this myth that these cars were unreliable junk.
It’s not entirely fair. While the Escort did have a reputation for being a "disposable" car, the GT was built a bit better. The fuel injection system was actually quite robust for its time. The main enemy of these cars wasn't mechanical failure—it was rust. In the Salt Belt, these things disappeared faster than a paycheck on Friday night.
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People also assume it was just a rebadged Mazda. While the later Escorts (the early 90s models) were heavily based on the Mazda 323, the 1987 model was still very much a "World Car" evolution of the original North American Escort platform. It had its own personality. It felt American in its torque delivery but European in its dimensions.
Comparison: Escort GT vs. The World
If you walked into a dealership in 1987, you had options.
- Volkswagen GTI: The gold standard. Better interior, but more expensive.
- Honda Civic Si: More refined, revved higher, but felt a bit "thin" compared to the Ford.
- Dodge Shadow ES: Turbocharged power, but handled like a boat.
The 1987 Ford Escort GT occupied this middle ground. It was the blue-collar hero. You could get it serviced at any Ford dealer in any tiny town in America. Parts were cheap. It was the "everyman" performance car.
The Reality of Owning One Today
Finding a 1987 Ford Escort GT in 2026 is like finding a needle in a haystack made of needles. Most were driven into the ground. They were cheap, so people didn't preserve them. They were used as winter beaters. They were crashed by teenagers.
If you do find one, check the shock towers. Check the floor pans. If those are solid, you have a gem.
The aftermarket support isn't what it is for a Mustang, obviously. You’re going to be hunting for parts on eBay and specialized forums. But that’s part of the charm. You won't see another one at the local Cars and Coffee. You'll be the person with the "weird Ford" that everyone remembers their older brother owning.
Performance Specs at a Glance
For those who need the hard numbers to win an argument at the bar:
The 1.9L EFI HO engine produced 115 hp at 5,200 rpm. Torque was rated at 114 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm. It used a MacPherson strut front suspension and a Quadralink independent rear setup. Yes, independent rear suspension on a budget hatch in 1987. That’s something even some modern cars try to cheap out on.
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Why It Still Matters
The 1987 Ford Escort GT represents a moment when American manufacturers stopped being lazy. They realized that small cars didn't have to be depressing. They realized that "economy" didn't have to mean "boring."
It paved the way for the Escort GTs of the 90s, and eventually the Focus SVT and the Focus RS. It was a stepping stone in the lineage of Ford performance. Without the lessons learned from the 87 GT, we might never have gotten the ST models that enthusiasts love today.
It was a scrappy, loud, plastic-heavy box of fun.
Actionable Steps for Enthusiasts
If you are looking to buy or restore a 1987 Ford Escort GT, here is your roadmap.
First, verify the VIN. Plenty of people slapped GT bumpers on base models. A real GT will have the specific engine code and interior trim.
Second, join the "Ford Escort Owners" groups. These niche communities are the only places you'll find reliable advice on cross-referencing parts. Many components from the Mercury Lynx or even the Tempo might fit, but you need the experts to tell you which ones.
Third, prioritize the cooling system. These 1.9L engines are generally tough, but they do not like to overheat. If you buy one, replace the radiator, water pump, and every single rubber hose immediately. It's cheap insurance against a blown head gasket.
Fourth, look for "New Old Stock" (NOS) trim pieces. The mechanical stuff is easy to fix. The GT-specific plastic trim? That's the hard part. If you see a spoiler or a side skirt on a forum, buy it. You'll need it eventually.
Finally, don't over-restore it. This isn't a Shelby Cobra. It’s meant to be driven. Keep it clean, keep it running, and enjoy the looks of confusion and nostalgia from people who haven't seen one in thirty years.
The 1987 Ford Escort GT isn't the fastest car Ford ever made. It isn't the most beautiful. But it has a soul that's hard to find in modern, electronically dampened hatchbacks. It’s a reminder that fun is usually just a light chassis and a rev-happy engine away.