XE Fairmont Ghia

Ford’s golden era started with the top-selling XE. At last coil springs replaced the ancient leaf springs on the sedan, while a new nose (with added driving lights in the Ghia’s headlights), fluted tail-lights, improved engines, more refinement, greater dynamics, a revised dash, better seating and a bigger boot helped woo buyers.

The 3.3L I6 option disappeared, the base 4.1L I6 now produced 105kW/310Nm, and in late '82 the Aussie-made V8s died, replaced by a fuel-injected 111kW/325Nm 4.1L I6 three months later.

New standard features: rear head restraints, driver’s seat lumbar support, power mirrors.

Engine options: 111kW 4.1L EFI I6 (from Feb ‘93), 140kW/344Nm 4.9L V8, 194kW/415Nm 5.8L V8. V8s were discontinued in December 1982.

Special edition:· Mar 82 – Ghia ESP: four-speed manual transmission option, cloth sports seats, colour-keyed grille, sports suspension, Globe alloy wheels, black trim, front spoiler, sports instrumentation.