The Ford ZX2, documented
Model history, specs, paint, paperwork and the special editions, collected from period brochures, owner's manuals, road tests and owners. Each claim is tagged by how well it's sourced.
Model history
Year-by-year history of the Ford Escort ZX2 coupe, from its spring 1997 launch through the 2003 facelift and the end of production.
Read →Trims and packages
Every Ford ZX2 trim level, equipment package and option group by model year, from Cool and Hot to Standard, Deluxe and Premium, with prices.
Read →Specifications
Ford ZX2 dimensions, interior space, weight, engine, drivetrain, chassis, tires, fuel economy and towing, from Ford's brochures with sources for each figure.
Read →Engine and drivetrain
The Ford ZX2's 2.0L Zetec DOHC with variable cam timing, its G5M manual and F-4EAT automatic transmissions, gear ratios, and how it differs from the Focus Zetec.
Read →Paint and interiors
Every Ford ZX2 exterior paint color and interior trim by model year, 1998–2003, from Ford's brochures, with paint codes.
Read →VIN decoder
How to read a Ford ZX2's 17-character VIN for model year, engine and assembly plant, with an in-browser checker.
Read →Road tests
Period magazine road tests and reviews of the Ford Escort ZX2 and ZX2 S/R, with measured 0–60, quarter mile, skidpad and braking figures.
Read →Racing and show cars
The Ford ZX2 in NHRA Pro Stock, SCCA autocross and club racing, SEMA show cars, and film appearances.
Read →Fluids and capacities
Ford ZX2 engine oil, transmission fluid, coolant and brake fluid specs, Motorcraft part numbers, spark plug gap, bulb numbers, towing limits and Ford's maintenance schedule.
Read →Known issues
Common Ford ZX2 problems, factory recalls with NHTSA campaign numbers, technical service bulletins and crash test ratings, with how well each is sourced.
Read →Buyer's guide
What to check before buying a used Ford ZX2 today, from recalls and the automatic transmission to idle surge, cooling leaks, mounts and rust.
Read →S/R overview
The 1999–2000 Ford Escort ZX2 S/R, documented. History, specs, how to identify one, photos and an owner registry.
Read →S/R history
How Ford Racing and the Small Vehicle Center built about 2,110 Escort ZX2 S/Rs across the 1999 and 2000 model years.
Read →S/R specs
Every change the S/R package made, side by side with a standard 1999–2000 Ford Escort ZX2, with sourcing for each claim.
Read →Identify an S/R
How to tell a real Ford Escort ZX2 S/R from a base ZX2, with a physical checklist and a VIN reader.
Read →S/R gallery
Owner photos of Ford Escort ZX2 S/Rs in yellow, red and black, plus identifying details and original paperwork.
Read →S/R registry
A public registry of surviving Ford Escort ZX2 S/Rs by year, color, region and condition.
Read →Brochures
Ford Escort ZX2 factory sales brochures, catalogs, color charts, accessory books and press releases from 1997 to 2003, as full PDFs.
Read →Sources
The Ford brochures, press releases, service data, government records, articles and references behind the ZX2 Motorsports wiki, including the S/R archive.
Read →All releases
Ford Motor Company press releases about the Escort ZX2 and ZX2 S/R, reproduced in full.
Read →First-year sales
More than 60,000 ZX2s sold in the coupe's first year, who bought them, the October 1997 price cuts and the "Built to Last" ad campaign.
Read →S/R debut
Ford Motor Company's announcement of the ZX2 S/R at SEMA's International Auto Salon, the first product developed jointly by Ford Racing Technology and the Small Vehicle Center.
Read →Tooner Focus (2000 SEMA)
Ford's 2000 SEMA International Auto Salon show car, and its look back at the ZX2 S/R as "a successful niche vehicle".
Read →How this wiki works
Facts carry a confidence tag. Confirmed means two or more independent sources agree. Reported means one source or one owner. Disputed means sources conflict. Every source is listed on Sources.
Have a brochure, window sticker or dealer document we don’t? Scans are the most useful thing you can send. Post them in the forum or email admin@zx2ms.com.