Today’s Escort is a Mad Lad of a car, set apart from other Ford econoboxes by its turbocharged engine and Subaru STi-esque hood scoop. As crazy as it is, could the price actually prove to be the sanest thing about it?

The many factors to mull when considering what type of classic car you want to buy can make the experience daunting. There is, of course, the personal appeal. Then there’s the careful balance between rarity and parts availability. Many more questions come into play, and what it all adds up to is their weight against the asking price.

We went through that entire process yesterday in consideration of a . Based on a number of boxes it checked, that Volvo proved to be the perfect classic for many of you. And, at $12,500 Canadian, (about $9,850 U.S.) an impressive number of you were willing to sign on the hypothetical bottom line, giving the car a solid 70 percent Nice Price win.

There was a time, many years after that 122S left the factory, that Volvo had a dalliance with the Ford Motor Company. Ford owned the Swedish carmaker from 1999 through 2010, and both companies made the most of the relationship by sharing platforms across car lines like the Ford Focus and Volvo C30.

The we’re looking at today was the result of a cross-corporate partnership with yet another of Ford’s holdings at the time, Mazda. The second generation of American Escort shunned the European Escort’s update for a platform originally developed by Mazda for the 323. The hot Escort GT also used Mazda’s DOHC 1.8-liter four-cylinder in place of Ford’s 1.9-liter filling-shaker four.

This heavily modded and turbo’d GT adds yet another Japanese manufacturer into the mix, as it sports an intercooler from a Subaru as well as an STi-aping hood scoop. The Turbo is a Garret GT28 that the seller says is backed by “all the supporting modifications needed.” Quite comically, the turbo’s blow-off valve has its own exhaust pipe which exits through a hole in the hood. The hood scoop is substantial, however it doesn’t feed the air-to-air intercooler as expected. That heat exchanger is mounted at the front of the car, cow-catcher fashion, a position made obvious by the car’s lack of a front bumper.

Other mods include wide fender flares around Diamond Racing Pro Street wheels thatappear to be offset for a RWD car and not the Escort’s FWD layout. Regardless, they do look pretty badass. The rest of the bodywork presents in stock fashion, with the GT’s big wrap-around wing in back.

There are more mods to be had inside the cabin, including a Corbeau seat for the driver and four-point harnesses for both driver and front passenger. A tall shifter works the Mazda-sourced five-speed manual, while steering is handled by the stock two-spoke wheel.

According to the ad, the odometer reads a mere 125,000 miles and goes on to state emphatically that the car has “NO ISSUES.” That’s backed up by the claim that “this car works” and the notation that it has a clean title.

That’s about it for the car’s description, although the seller does offer to “disclose details on how the whole car is setup and works to serious buyers.” Hey, we’re pretty serious. I mean, obviously not about the whole buying thing, but we do like to deliberate and debate over prices. That’s kind of our jam, and I will never stop trying to make it happen.

In the case of this custom Escort, the price for those serious buyers is $4,500. The seller will also entertain the trade of non-working diesel trucks or snowmobiles, but because I’m not aware of any sort of standardized exchange rate for those we’ll stick to cash.

What do you think, is this turbocharged and bumper-free Escort worth that $4,500 asking? Or, does that price make you just want to go it alone?

You decide!

Seattle, or go if the ad disappears.

H/T to Nightowle for the hookup!

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