Ford Sierra
Scooping the saloons... How Ford will shape the really new Cortina
October 1979 – Car
Pictures from a clinic
Scoop : Radical new Cortina gets the green light
November 1980 – Car
The new Ford Cortina - to be unveiled at the next Birmingham Motor Show in 1982 - will be a dramatically styled hatchback. But underneath its advanced body will lurk conventional rear wheel drive mechanicals
Probe - The 1982 Cortina and beyond
October 1981 – Car
Ford's startling new show car is far more than pretty sheetmetal and a fascinating cabin. Its basic shape is that of the dramatic new hatchback Cortina that Ford will release next year. It also embodies revolutionary aerodynamic techniques that will transform the efficiency and appeal of all other production Fords by the end of the decade
'90s Breakthrough : Ford Sierra
October 1982 – Car
The Flogging of the Sierra : Can Ford's Sierra, so clearly superior to their hugely popular Cortina, follow the old car's winning act?
Oracle : Britain
January 1983 – Car
Within two weeks of the lauch of the Sierra the cars started to appear at auctions.
First Drive : XR4i, King Sierra
May 1983 – Car
This impressive £10,000, 130mph Ford Sierra XR4i has much more to do than merely look good and go fast. It must breathe more life into the whole jaded Sierra sales scene
Long Term Test : Part Harmony
November 1983 – Car
Crosswinds it did not like, but our Sierra 1.6L was cheap to run and never let us down
Merking about
August 1985 – Fast Lane
Having flopped with the XR4 on one side of the Atlantic, Ford are trying it out on the other side with a new name - Merkur XR4Ti - and a home-grown power train
Less soggy Sierra
May 1986 – CCC
On the heels of its stiffened-up 2.0iS, Ford has added a sporting suspension package to lesser models in the Sierra range.
The rise of a repmobile
May 1986 – CCC
Gerard Sauer concludes Project Sierra with a number of attractive and cost-effective body modifications — Gerard Sauer
Sierra RS Cosworth vs BMW M3
September 1986 – Performance Car
Ford and BMW both have serious European Championship saloon car racing aspirations for 1987. The Sierra RS Cosworth and the BMW M3 are the weapons they will use. What kind of car does the customer get?
Breaking the mould
March 1987 – Performance Car
Not even Ford would deny nowadays that the original Sierra had a shaky start, but by keeping faith with the whole Sierra concept, Ford created a market leader. Now, with the attractive Sierra Sapphire, the next phase is beginning.
'Super' Cosworths soon
May 1987 – Fast Lane
A new 'super' Sierra RS Cosworth goes into production in June, fitted with a larger turbocharger and - to match its greater performance potential - larger brakes.
Design awards
May 1988 – Performance Car
The new Sapphire-based Sierra Cosworth has won one of the 22 1988 British Design Awards
Super-Rep
March 1988 – Fast Lane
Go-faster execs who need a conservative four-doors-and-a-boot image but who can't persuade the company to stump up BMW or Mercedes-Benz money will not be able to resist the new Sierra Cosworth, complete with its handy-for-samples boot.
Impressions : Sierra RS Cosworth
March 1988 – Performance Car
The first Sierra RS Cosworth mixed rapid performance and comfort well, but was not without its imperfections. Now there's a respectable booted version, costing £19,000, and in mainstream production
All-wheel drive club
March 1988 – Performance Car
Audi Quattro v Mazda 323 Turbo 4x4 v BMW 325iX v Lancia Delta HF Turbo 4WD v Ford Sierra XR4x4