Eddie Jordan's Choice: Sportka v Jordan F1
Published: 19th July 2003
As the Jordan Ford F1 team prepares to do battle at Silverstone the Ford Sportka paid the team a visit. The dynamic Sportka was the subject of much interest. Team Principal Eddie Jordan commented, "It's a tasty little car that's for sure. I can see why some of the team have their eyes on it".
The Jordan F1 car is a staggering eight times faster than the Ford Sportka with 800+ horsepower against the Sportka's 95 PS, but the engine alone costs £200,000! The Ford Sportka on the other hand is available now at £9,995 on the road.
You could drive your Sportka for 150,000 miles yet the Jordan F1 car has to have a new engine after clocking up a mere 300 miles. During that time British hopeful Ralph Firman will also have had to change his tyres four times and his oil once at a cost of £14,400.
Choose to cruise in a Sportka however and it will be 12,000 miles before you even think about a changing either the oil or tyres.
Sportka is available now in unique ‘Imperial Blue’ paintwork as well as five other sporty colours from the standard Ka range. The distinctive interior sees sports seats trimmed in blue 'key Line' fabric that harks back to Ford's traditional motorsport blue.
But if you do see yourself in a Jordan Ford F1 car be aware it
is only available in yellow and you will need to have a seat specially
made. Once you are in you had better be comfortable because changing
your position will take 15 minutes!
Appropriately all the exertion that goes into the engine for the
Jordan Ford F1 team is translated back when Ford develop a sporty
road car. Engineering efforts to optimize surface compatibility
and the hardness of components subjected to friction were directly
influenced by technology used in Formula 1 engines when developing
the Sportka.
