This luxury American Ford cost more than most high-end European cars, and for a good reason
- The American luxury Ford Granada Scorpio 4×4 was groundbreaking
- It was the most expensive in its class at just over $25,000 in 1986
- However, it just wasn’t powerful or classy enough for the money
Published on May 17, 2025 at 5:25 AM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on May 21, 2025 at 8:38 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
In 1986, this American luxury Ford Granada Scorpio 4×4 was the most expensive in its class at just over $25,000, despite packing just 150HP.
In fact, at the time of production from 1985 to 1994, it cost more than Mercedes, BMW, and SAAB.
Sadly, it lacked the prestige of those luxury European brands.
However, when you take a closer look, the reason behind its elevated price tag soon becomes clear.
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So what was behind the identity crisis of the Ford Granada Scorpio 4×4?
According to automotive enthusiast and YouTuber behind the Number27 channel, the car’s conservative chassis used a stretched Sierra platform with MacPherson struts and trailing arms, which was decent but not sporty.
However, step inside the cabin, and its spacious interior offered significantly more rear legroom and boot space than its German rivals, making for a comfortable and elevated driver and passenger experience.
The cherry on top was the fact that the high-end Ford was loaded with unexpected luxury features, including electric seats, heated windscreen, ABS, cruise control, graphic equalizer, and more.
The problem was that it was all about style over substance: packing in the tech rather than focusing on all-important engineering finesse or brand value.
It may have been comfortable and quiet on long drives, but it was an uninspiring drive.
Sadly for Ford, consumers saw more value in similarly priced, more powerful, and better-respected German options.
While its hatchback styling aged better than expected, later facelifted iterations, including the Ford Scorpio Ultima, had a reputation as being both ugly and off-putting.
The later Cosworth Edition was the Highlight, with the 2.9L V6 version offering nearly 195HP and decent performance.
In fact, it was considered something of a technological pioneer as it was the first car to have ABS as standard across all trims.
Sadly, the lofty ambitions of the luxury Ford Granada Scorpio 4×4 fell short due to pricing, brand perception, and market expectations, and like this popular Ford model, it was discontinued.
For more, check out this Ford that cost more than a Lamborghini and took the company into another dimension.
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London-based Amelia cut her journalistic teeth covering all things lifestyle, wellness, and luxury in the UK capital. Fast-forward a decade and the senior content writer and editor has put pen to paper for glossy magazines, busy newsrooms, and coveted brands. When her OOO is on from writing about cars and heading up on-site SEO you can find her spending quality time with her young family, in the gym, or exploring the city she loves.
