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The Ford Orion is a 4-door sedan automobile model introduced by Ford's European division in 1983.The Orion was initially intended to be a more upmarket, sedan derivative of the third generation Escort aimed at company buyers. In order not to spoil the Orion's upmarket pretentions, Ford deliberately only offered the Orion in GL and Ghia trim levels initially.
Eventually though, people saw the Orion for what it was, an Escort sedan, and it became an ordinary family car when Ford eventually relented and produced derivatives in basic trim specification. The rattly diesel version became synonymous with private taxi firms through the 1980s and '90s.
In 1986 the Orion received the same facelift as the rest of the Escort range, and the second generation Orion debuted in 1990, to the same media condemnation as the rest of its fourth-generation Escort siblings. As with the Escort, the arrival of the Zetec engines in 1992 transformed the Orion's dynamic qualities markedly.
In 1993, Ford dropped the Orion trademark (although it continued in use in Argentina) and simply used the Escort trademark for all body styles. The Escort sedan was discontinued in 1998.
Orion
Front wheel drive vehicles
