Is it a real S/R?
The S/R was an option package, so most of the proof is on the car and in its paperwork. Parts get swapped, so look for several of these together.
Model year 1999 or 2000
No S/R was built in any other year. A 1999 car should be yellow.
S/R badge on the trunk Confirmed
A small S/R decal under the ZX2 badge. Red cars got a silver one; yellow and black cars got red.
150-mph speedometer Confirmed
With a gray gauge surround.
Rear disc brakes Confirmed
Look through the rear wheels. Standard Escorts of the era have drums.
Blue valve cover 2000 cars
Easy to fake with paint, so treat it as a supporting clue.
B&M shifter, S/R knob and boot Confirmed
Short throw feel and the S/R branded knob.
Borla muffler, Eibach springs Confirmed
Check part stamps under the car and on the coils.
Window sticker or build sheet Best proof
The S/R package appears as a line item. One owner's sticker also shows the codes SVC-PTSE and PROGRAM PVP.
Reading a ZX2 VIN
Built in Mexico, Ford passenger car
Engine code for the 2.0L Zetec DOHC
X is 1999, Y is 2000
Assembly plant code (Hermosillo)
The VIN shows a 1999–2000 ZX2 with the right engine, but it does not record the S/R package. Use the physical checklist and paperwork to confirm. VIN decode based on standard Ford coding; to be checked against a decoder