I always looked forward to taking my Capri in for a service, because it meant that I got to play with the local Ford dealer’s courtesy Ka. This was 1996, when the Ka had barely broken free of Ford’s umbilical cord and was taking its first tentative steps in the world.
In comparison with my antiquated and lethargic Capri 1.6 Laser, the Ford Ka felt futuristic and otherworldly. Even in its most basic form – Radiant Red, grey bumpers, quaint but brilliant Ford 1000 radio/cassette player – the Ka was my first hint that modern life needn’t be rubbish. I loved the oval clock in the centre of the dash, the two-spoke steering wheel and the circular door panels, but most importantly I loved the way it drove. Lightweight (871kg in base trim), immensely chuckable (a phrase used by some of my former girlfriends), and an absolute riot at any speed (not a phrase used by former girlfriends). Getting into the Capri after a day with the Ka was like stepping back in time.
In the days before the spectre of terminal corrosion reared its ugly head, the Ka had one problem: its 1299cc pushrod 8-valve engine. Push it hard and the Ka could labour to 60mph in 13.8 seconds, if your ears could withstand the tuneless assault of thrash metal. The later Duratec engine, introduced in 2002, improved things in certain areas, but the Ka was crying out for something with added muscle. Our prayers were answered in 2003 with the launch of the Sportka, which used the same 1597cc 8-valve engine as the Streetka. One was endorsed by Kylie Minogue, the other was gifted to Wayne ‘remember the name’ Rooney during his Everton days. Racing Blue for the ‘true blue’, who joined the reds of Manchester in 2004…
With a 94bhp engine under its pigeon-killing bonnet, the Sportka could hit 60mph in 9.5 seconds. Ford knew it had to deliver a sub-10sec time for those important Windows Messenger and MySpace bragging rights. A top speed of 108mph was less impressive, but you’d have more fun getting there than in just about any other junior upstart of the era. It helped that Ford kept the weight down to an impressive 934kg. For context, a MINI One weighed a portly 1140kg, while even the Citroën C2 VTR couldn’t slip below the 1000kg mark.
It also helped that Ford had a brilliant Richard Parry-Jones chassis at its disposal. Modifications designed to stiffen the suspension and sharpen the steering created a car that was perfectly in-tune with Britain’s congested and twisty roads. The two-spoke steering wheel bristled with feedback; you could tell when the ContiSport Contact tyres were about to break free. Hitting peak power at 5500rpm was no bother, thanks to the delightful five-speed gearbox. It may have been seven years too late, but the Sportka was the worth the wait.
Nearly two decades on, we still haven’t forgiven Ford for ditching the centre exhaust in favour of a circular reversing light, but the evil makeover was otherwise successful. Wider arches, a wider track, 16-inch alloys, revised bumpers and a subtle roof spoiler give the Sportka a suitably aggressive and butch stance. If anything, it looks even better today than it did in 2003.
It wasn’t perfect. The interior, while dripping in retro charm today, was cheap and looking very dated, especially towards the end of the car’s life. Fuel economy of 37.2mpg from a 1.6-litre engine seems almost comical in today’s era of ultra-efficient turbocharged engines, while people would be gluing themselves to the asphalt to complain about the Sportka’s 182g/km CO2 emissions. Add the planet and protesters to pigeons and curious cats on the list of things the Ka’s Evil Twin doesn’t give a stuff about.
In many ways, the demise of the Sportka in 2008 was the end of an era. The second-generation Ka – a Fiat 500 without the Italian flair, chic and style – failed to capture the spirit of the original, while doing nothing to further the development of the small car. Ford moved heaven and earth to create the original Ka; it barely moved out of its seat to create the second version.
The Sportka is a bona fide future classic. It boasts proper hot hatch credentials: big wheels, big engine and big arches. It was cheap: £10k in 2003 is the equivalent of the price of a basic Fiesta in 2021. Most of all, it was fun. Grab one before rust takes hold; evil is no match for corrosion. Remember the name: Ford Sportka.
This article first appeared in issue 6 of Classic.Retro.Modern. magazine.
