Ford : Sierra

Model Introduction

The Ford Sierra arrived in 1982 with aerodynamic styling that broke away from the boxy norm, earning it the nickname “jellymould.” Designed by Uwe Bahnsen, it featured rear-wheel drive and a wide range of engines, eventually including the turbocharged Cosworth.

Magazine Articles

  • Car cover

    Scooping the saloons... How Ford will shape the really new Cortina

    Pictures from a clinic

    Car · October 1979
  • Car cover

    Scoop : Radical new Cortina gets the green light

    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

    Car · November 1980
  • Car cover

    Probe - The 1982 Cortina and beyond

    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

    Car · October 1981
  • Car cover

    Sierra Revealed!

    Car · June 1982
  • Car cover

    '90s Breakthrough : Ford Sierra

    The Flogging of the Sierra : Can Ford's Sierra, so clearly superior to their hugely popular Cortina, follow the old car's winning act?

    Car · October 1982
  • Car cover

    Oracle : Britain

    Within two weeks of the lauch of the Sierra the cars started to appear at auctions.

    Car · January 1983
  • Car cover

    First Drive : XR4i, King Sierra

    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

    Car · May 1983
  • Car cover

    Giant Test

    Alfa Romeo GTV6 v Audi Coupe Fi v Ford XR4i

    Car · July 1983
  • Car cover

    Long Term Test : Part Harmony

    Crosswinds it did not like, but our Sierra 1.6L was cheap to run and never let us down

    Car · November 1983
  • Fast Lane cover

    Merking about

    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

    Fast Lane · August 1985
  • Motor Sport cover

    Road Test

    First impressions of the Ford Sierra XR4x4

    Motor Sport · August 1985
  • CCC cover

    Less soggy Sierra

    On the heels of its stiffened-up 2.0iS, Ford has added a sporting suspension package to lesser models in the Sierra range.

    CCC · May 1986
  • CCC cover

    The rise of a repmobile

    Gerard Sauer concludes Project Sierra with a number of attractive and cost-effective body modifications

    CCC · May 1986
  • Performance Car cover

    Sierra RS Cosworth vs BMW M3

    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?

    Performance Car · September 1986
  • Performance Car cover

    Breaking the mould

    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.

    Performance Car · March 1987
  • Fast Lane cover

    'Super' Cosworths soon

    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.

    Fast Lane · May 1987
  • Performance Car cover

    Design awards

    The new Sapphire-based Sierra Cosworth has won one of the 22 1988 British Design Awards

    Performance Car · March 1988
  • Fast Lane cover

    Super-Rep

    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.

    Fast Lane · March 1988
  • Performance Car cover

    Impressions : Sierra RS Cosworth

    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

    Performance Car · March 1988
  • Performance Car cover

    All-wheel drive club

    Audi Quattro v Mazda 323 Turbo 4x4 v BMW 325iX v Lancia Delta HF Turbo 4WD v Ford Sierra XR4x4

    Performance Car · March 1988
  • Performance Car cover

    Impressions

    Sierra RS500 Cosworth

    Performance Car · April 1988
  • Performance Car cover

    I did it my way

    Ford's announcement of the Sierra Cosworth Supercar in 1986 caused quite a stir. Never before had it been possible to buy 150mph for only £15,000. Now there's the mainstream production version complete with a Sapphire bodyshell and added refinement.

    Performance Car · April 1988

Images