Hot hatches: they’re an established part of the motoring landscape, blending real-world practicality with sports car pace. Ford has been at the forefront of hot hatches in the UK for decades, but the most recent RS and ST-badged Focuses and Fiestas owe their existence to one car, the Escort XR3, which celebrated its 40th birthday last year.
No one really knows where the XR badge came from, although it first appeared on the Mercury Cougar XR7 from Ford’s US brand in the late sixties. In Europe, at least, bosses were in consensus that Ford should move away from its clichéd ‘S’ brand in the wake of the launch of the Volkswagen Golf GTI.
We think it’s fair to say that 2020 has been something of a global ‘annus horribilis’, bringing huge challenges and restricting everyone s opportunity to get out and about.
However, our staffers here at Auto Express are a dynamic, creative bunch, and it’s safe to say there’s never a dull moment. So, despite its meddling with our carefully drawn up plans, this year has still managed to provide some great experiences for the whole team.
From bagging the latest news scoop, to testing the mettle of the new Land Rover Defender in the harsh Namibian desert, and even finding the time to launch an all-new website, we’ve covered the lot this year - and enjoyed every minute.