Autocar, 40 years of the Ford Sierra

[Dirty Epic]

Found a nice little article/slideshow from Autocar of the Ford Sierra at 40. Like it or loathe (Cortina) it, it certainly is old enough now to be considered a classic these days.

www.autocar.co.uk/slideshow/40-years-ford-sierra-0#19

[Cartman]

Like the Black Panther film currently being discussed, the Sierra is another thing I've never been able to get into!

Being a massive Cortina fan doesn't help, admittedly, but I struggle a bit with 80s stuff and classic status, it's probably an age thing I suppose. My wife's cousin had one of the early Y regd Sierras and I remember a couple of trips in it and I thought it was cheap and nasty looking, flimsy looking plastic everywhere inside and I've always thought they are ugly.

To me, this was the point when Ford lost its way and Vauxhall took over as the go to saloon with the Cavalier

[Palmer]

40 years... Holy $h!t...!!!!!!

That car was born the same year as I was (but I have a couple more months of youth left!) so it's odd to see something I always thought looked modern start to age.

I've had a couple of Sierras (a 2.0i GLX estate that was exceptionally rapid and a 2.0i Sapphire Ghia) and I've enjoyed them even though they weren't cars I was planning to drive at a much younger time of my life!!

I remember seeing a very (very, very, VERY) rare 1982 base model for sale on an East London side street about 10 years ago and I know I should have purchased it but I dismissed it as it looked really rather quite tatty.

For me, a 2.8i XR4x4 would be my ultimate Sierra...  I know everyone waxes lyrical about the Cosworth variants (and who can blame them?!) but that V6 song will always win for me.

Happy 40th Sierra!!!!!

[D.C. Burtonshaw]

Many thanks for that DE! Sheesh where's the time gone?? The first Sierras I saw in the flesh were during August 1982 when the School Summer holidays were on, nd we drove past Fords at Dagenham. We used to pass the factory on the way to my Grandparents who lived in Kent and this was before the M25 was completed. I'd heard a Cortina replacement was on the way and a whole line up of them were visible from the road in the distance, in the pound parked outside, with wheelcovers missing.

So that's how early production had started! To me I thought it look like a "Big Escort" with the profile (MK3 at the time). Eventually the following month, the BBC news showed it on it's official launch and I thought it looked odd and will take time to get used to. And it did for a lot of buyers for the 12-18 months, and Ford did indeed loose sales for a year or so to Vauxhall, as the former Cortina fleet buyers went over to MK2 Cavalier saloons, which looked more traditional.

Took them over 4 years to address the lack of a booted saloon, although the MK1 Orion stood in as stop gap for some former Cortina buyers, although a smaller Escort based car.

I remember though, travelling in a white A plate 2.0 Ghia with the wheelcovers (pre alloy wheel model) which a friend of my dads drove as a company car; Although as Cartman says it was quite plasticky, but very comfortable and being the Ghia was nice and sumptious.

Interestingly though, dad's friend retired a couple of years later and was allowed to keep the Sierra as a leaving present, but he didn't keep it long and in 1985 traded it in for one of the last made, (registered late - so sitting at a dealer's stock for a while), a C registered MK2 Granada 2.3L also in white which he much preferred with less equipment. Apparently the Sierra gave him a bit of trouble with niggly electrical faults, so a more basic spec car appealed to him more. I'm sure he kept the Granada for nearly 10 years too.

Agree with Palmer about the XR4X4, although a 3 door Cosworth in light metallic blue is also a winner for me! I also thought the Ghia versions with the pepperpot alloys looked smarter than with wheelcovers. Another rarely seen model now is the Series 2.0iS, a sporty themed 5 door model with alloys and black trim and a rear spoiler, and with more sensible running costs. It recalled the days of the old MK4 Cortina 2.0S I thought.

[Cartman]

I've driven one once, in late 85, the firm I worked at at the time had one, a B regd estate version and I got the job of taking some exhibition stands from Manchester to Birmingham in it. It was ok ish I suppose but unmemorable. 

[Palmer]

Jun 30, 2022 18:09:44 GMT D.C. Burtonshaw said:

Another rarely seen model now is the Series 2.0iS, a sporty themed 5 door model with alloys and black trim and a rear spoiler, and with more sensible running costs. It recalled the days of the old MK4 Cortina 2.0S I thought.

Deceptively, the 2.0iS sported pepper pot style wheel covers over wider steel wheels (anything to save a few pounds for Ford)!!! They were very similar to the Sierra Ghia alloy but had a slightly flatter surface and were in a more 'pearly' silver...

They are indeed very rare nowadays!!

[D.C. Burtonshaw]

Jul 1, 2022 10:50:14 GMT Palmer said:

Jun 30, 2022 18:09:44 GMT D.C. Burtonshaw said:

Another rarely seen model now is the Series 2.0iS, a sporty themed 5 door model with alloys and black trim and a rear spoiler, and with more sensible running costs. It recalled the days of the old MK4 Cortina 2.0S I thought.

Deceptively, the 2.0iS sported pepper pot style wheel covers over wider steel wheels (anything to save a few pounds for Ford)!!! They were very similar to the Sierra Ghia alloy but had a slightly flatter surface and were in a more 'pearly' silver...

They are indeed very rare nowadays!!

Ah yes - thanks for the correction Palmer - that was it! I'm sure the alloys were optional too.