Shot on the same day and on the same parking lot as the excellent Volvo P1800, this Euro Granada is somewhat more worn. It too is a future classic, if it already isn’t one; I think Ford guys are scrambling to salvage all restorable Granadas and fixing them up as nondescript but classy drivers.

No, this one hasn’t got a Koenigsegg engine under the hood. Or if it does, it’s even more of a sleeper than the Zzz Zzz project car.

The 1985-registered car is one of the last ones sold before Ford ditched the Granada nameplate for Scorpio. The name did carry on on the British Isles, on the more aerodynamic Scorpio, as management there thought it would make for a more convincing case – even if the newer car looked completely different. The old Granada (introduced in 1977, but heavily based on the 1972 body) couldn’t have been more traditional in comparison.

The traditional approach continues inside, with the boxy, well laid-out dashboard. Isn’t that the same steering wheel as on the Tempo, by the way?

I’m also convinced that like with various old Opels and their Holden cousins, this Granada shared a lot of DNA with the Australian developments.

This Granada is powered by the 2.0-litre Pinto family OHC engine with little more than 100hp. You could get a V6 back then, but you could get a wheezy 2.3-litre diesel as well. While the older model was offered with a 5.0-litre V8 in South Africa, the 1977-on car only stood out by the lavish Connolly leather editions by Ford of Britain. Meanwhile, here, we got what looks like velour.

There’s some welding to be done on the Granada. It’s far from a lost cause and seems complete and original, but from the bumpers down it’ll need some doing, as well as on the wheelarches. It’s not a beater, but probably owned by an older guy for a longer time now and it serves him just fine the way it is – as long as it passes inspection.

 

[Images: Copyright 2012 Hooniverse/Antti Kautonen]