A Diesel Escort That Survived New England

Ford's first front-wheel-drive car sold in North America arrived in 1981 as a direct response to imports eating Detroit's lunch. Most were powered by wheezy gasoline fours, but a subset came with something weirder: a 2.0-liter Mazda RF diesel that made roughly 52 horsepower and promised 50+ MPG during the fuel crisis hangover. Nearly all of them rusted into oblivion or were simply used up and discarded. Finding one in 2024 requires either luck or a lifetime spent in diesel forums.

This particular example wears its factory two-tone brown paint with orange accent stripes—a combination that screams 1984 louder than synthesizers and leg warmers. The "New England Edition" tag apparently meant factory rust-proofing and undercoating, which explains how a car from Connecticut still has intact floors and rockers. Inside, those houndstooth seats look legitimately clean in the tan interior, and the seller claims everything works including the AM/FM radio. Window seals and sweeps have been replaced. The body shows honest age but nothing resembling the Swiss cheese these cars usually become.

Who buys a diesel Escort in 2024? Someone who finds joy in explaining to confused onlookers what they're looking at while the glow plugs warm up. The original paperwork, window sticker, and maintenance receipts add documentary weight to this oddity. It runs, drives, and apparently does both well. Whether it's a conversation piece for your collection or a 50-MPG commuter that doubles as performance art, this is the sort of car that makes owning old stuff interesting.