The Ford Sierra is a mid-size car or large family car manufactured and marketed by Ford Europe between 1982 and 1993. The Sierra debuted at the 1982 British International Motor Show in Birmingham, shortly followed by the 1982 Paris Salon de l'Automobile. Sales began on 15 October 1982, replacing the Ford Taunus TC3 (UK: Ford Cortina Mark V).
History of the Ford Sierra
Ford Sierra 3 Doors (1990–1993)
Following the heritage of its predecessor, the Taunus/Cortina lineup, Ford made the Sierra lineup in a few body shapes, including a coupe. But it wasn't a regular one since it featured three doors. Ford introduced the three-door version in the early '80s, and in the beginning, it didn't prove to be very successful until it introduced the Cosworth engine several years later. A car that made high-performance accessible to blue-collar workers who couldn't afford a BMW M3 or a Mercedes-Benz 190 2.3-16v. That brought more attention to the three-door version, which was a good, affordable, roomy vehicle for five and a respectable trunk. For the refreshed 1990 model, the three-door Sierra featured wider headlights with corner-mounted turn signals. That left less room for the grille, which forced the carmaker to install an additional one on the lower side of the wrap-around bumper. Inside, there were other upgrades in terms of comfort, materials used, and instrument panel. It was still the same Sierra with low-mounted front seats and a tall and slim transmission tunnel that crossed the car from the engine to the rear differential. The Sierra received a few engine choices under the hood, including a new 1.8L turbo-diesel, which replaced the older, naturally aspirated oil burner from before. All versions were paired to a 5-speed manual.
Ford Sierra 5 Doors (1990–1993)
The last facelift for the Sierra lineup was the car that marked the end of the rear-wheel-drive mid-size sedans for Ford in Europe. Ford introduced the Sierra in 1982 as a three- and five-door hatchback and a station wagon. In 1990, Ford refreshed the lineup again and improved the car to keep up with the rest of the mid-size segment competitors. The Sierra offered more trunk space in the five-door version, and its hatchback styling was still bold enough for a market that tended to ditch the old-school design with sharp lines and flat panels. At the front, there were new, wider headlights with a grille between them. Ford considered that more air might be good for the new, or improved, engines. Inside, there was a new dashboard design with a distinct area to store tapes for the cassette player. Under the hood, Ford enhanced the engine lineup and introduced a twin-cam two-liter engine that produced up to 120 hp on the XR4i version. A new five-speed manual gearbox enhanced the driving pleasure. On top of that, a 1.8L turbo-diesel engine replaced the older Peugeot 2.3L unit and added more performance and better fuel efficiency to the car.
Ford Sierra Sedan (1990–1993)
It was the last stint for the mid-size, rear-wheel-drive sedan from Ford in Europe. The end of a legendary vehicle that raised the Ford name in Europe: the Sierra. The sedan version appeared in 1987 after the entire lineup was refreshed. In 1990, Ford refreshed the lineup again and improved the car to keep up with the rest of the mid-size segment competitors. At the same time, Ford introduced the 4x4 Cosworth version, which was raced in the World Rally Championship. It won only a race and took several podiums. But it was a great learning platform for Ford, which used the same drivetrain for the Escort Cosworth later on. Ford installed a wide range of engines for the Sierra sedan, including a 1.8L turbodiesel. Other versions were the infamous slow 1.6L with a carburetor and a 2.0L with fuel injection that helped the car get better fuel efficiency.
Price
The price range for a used Ford Sierra varies based on the trim level you choose. Starting at €466 ($500) and going to €150,000 ($161,242) for the latest year the model was manufactured.
Features of the Ford Sierra
Exterior Features
The 1990 Sierra sedan featured an aerodynamic bodywork with flush, horizontal headlights, curved and narrowed on the inside. It featured corner-mounted turn signals with white lenses. Ford installed a small grille above the bumper and a larger one on the lower side to cool the engine.
Interior Features
Inside, there was enough room for four adult passengers. Its dashboard still resembled the early '80s style, with a squared instrument cluster and a tilted toward the driver center stack. Depending on the trim level, the Sierra featured power windows, air-conditioning, and anti-lock brakes.
Specs and Performance of the Ford Sierra
Engines:
- 1294 cc Pinto I4
- 1593 cc Pinto I4
- 1598 cc CVH I4
- 1769 cc CVH I4
- 1796 cc Pinto I4
- 1993 cc Pinto I4
- 1993 cc Cosworth turbo DOHC 16V I4
- 1998 cc N8/N9 DOHC I4
- 1999 cc Cologne OHV V6
- 2293 cc Cologne OHV V6
- 2792 cc Cologne OHV V6
- 2935 cc Cologne OHV V6
- 2993 cc Essex OHV V6 (South Africa)
- 4942 cc 5.0 H.O. OHV V8 (South Africa)
- 1753 cc Lynx TD I4
- 2304 cc Indenor OHV I4
The Ford Sierra's 2.0L engine delivers 118 hp (88 kW) at 5,500 rpm and 126 lb-ft (171 Nm) of torque at 2,500 rpm. Ford marketed the Sierra as a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) vehicle, and it was available with a Ford A4LD 4-speed automatic transmission. Dimension-wise, the Ford Sierra measures 4,531 mm (178.4 in) long, 1,727 mm (68.0 in) wide, and 1,367 mm (53.8 in) high. Its wheelbase measures 2,609 mm (102.7 in) and has a curb weight of 2,403 lbs (1,090 kg).
Release Date
The Ford Sierra was in a production run from 1982 to 1993. It was discontinued in 1993 to make way for the new Ford Mondeo.