The Ford Orion is a small family car (C-segment in Europe) that was produced by Ford Europe from 1983 until 1993. A total of 3,534,239 units were sold during the car's ten-year production life.
The Ford Orion was based on the Ford Escort, but instead of the Escort's hatchback, the Orion had a separate boot, making it a four-door saloon. Visually, the Ford Orion's notchback rear end and greater rear overhang made it readily distinguishable from the Escort.
The nameplate Orion is derived from the constellation, named after a Greek hunter.
History
Orion Mark I (1983–1986)
thumb|left|Ford Orion GL Mark I
thumb|left|Ford Orion GL Mark I rear
In the early-1980s, Ford's model line-up and image was changing, reflecting shifting patterns in the new car market across Western Europe at this time, as front-wheel drive gradually became more popular than rear-wheel drive and hatchbacks began to eclipse traditional saloons and estates. The company's older saloon line-up was replaced mainly by hatchbacks, starting with the Escort MK3 in 1980 and the new Sierra which replaced the Cortina in 1982. By 1985, even the executive-class Granada would offer a hatchback bodystyle, with the saloon and estate models not being released until 1990 and 1992 respectively, while a saloon version of the Sierra, called the Sapphire, was finally launched in 1987.
The Orion was developed under the codename "Apollo." As with the Escort, the arrival of the 1.6 and 1.8 litre Zetec 16 valve engines and suspension changes in late 1991 and late 1992 improved the Orion's dynamic qualities.
This incarnation of the Orion was considerably less popular than the pre-1990 versions, just missing out on a place in the top 10 best-selling cars in Britain in 1991 and 1992.
thumb|Brazilian built 1994 Ford Verona/Orion.
Trim levels were:
- L (1992–1993), 1.8 diesel
- LX (1990–1993), 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 16v petrol, 1.8 diesel
- GLX (1990–1991), 1.3, 1.4, 1.6 petrol (dropped after 1991)
- Ghia (1990–1993), 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 16v petrol, 1.8 diesel
- Ghia Si (1992–1993), 1.8 16v petrol
On 19 September 1993, 10 years after its launch, Ford retired the Orion nameplate, and the Escort nameplate was used on all bodystyles. This was a move that Vauxhall had previously taken with the Belmont name back in September 1991. Sales of the Escort badged saloon were not as strong as those achieved by the Orion, as saloons of this size continued to fall in popularity throughout the 1990s. The slow-selling Escort saloon was eventually discontinued in October 1998, along with the convertible model after the launch of the Focus saloon, although the 5-door hatchback and estate versions lasted until July 2000 and the van lasted until 2002.