A Ford Contour that you love is rare, especially in these times.
You’re likely to get one of the following reactions if you mention Ford Contour to someone. Either they share fond memories (or not) of the Contour, or they simply stare blankly. The Ford Contour is not one of the most iconic models in North America. The Mondeo in Europe was a much better success story.
The Contour was sold in North America from 1995 to 2000. Although it wasn’t a complete failure, it sold more than 100,000 units per year at times. The SVT model was introduced later in the model cycle. However, the less popular models are often forgotten. It has been over 20 years since the model was discontinued and there aren’t many cherished examples.
This is why the particular Contour in Bring a Trailer is so appealing. It is a beautiful example of the older model and the specifications are quite interesting. This car is the SE V6 of higher specification. This particular car is the SE V6. Unlike most six-cylinder Contours, which came with an automatic transmission, it has a manual. Ironically, even though the V6 was equipped with a manual transmission, more people wanted the self-shifter.
This sedan isn’t the only thing that is interesting. This car has approximately 4,600 miles. The Bring a Trailer listing shows that this 1996 Contour SE V6 was owned by one owner until it was sold to the seller. This car has only covered 184 miles an year over the past quarter century, according to its average annual mileage.
It’s time to discuss the V6 engine since we already mentioned its specifications. The 2.5-liter engine produces 170 horsepower (130 Kilowatts) as well as 165 pound-feet (228 Newton-meters), of torque. Although those numbers may not be headline-grabbing, the Duratec V6’s development story is worthy of mention. According to Autocar magazine 1994 Ford called Porsche to help develop the Duratec V6. It was also a large part of the engineering work. Although it isn’t Panamera-worthy, it is a fascinating bit of history.
The current top bid is $ 5,100 at the time of writing. Some people think it’s worth spending that much to buy a 25-year-old Contour. A Porsche-engineered car costs just over $ 5,000, which is a good deal.