No XR4i or RS Cosworth but just S
Four decades after the arrival of the revolutionary Ford Sierra, the XR4i and the Cosworth appeal to the imagination, but a Sierra was also available as an S. That was a more sporty Sierra, but without the enormous wings on the back of the really heavy versions. and a lot less power. Still nice to go out with a 2.0i S from 1986.
When introduced in 1982, the Ford Sierra was truly a cutting-edge car. The inveterate Taunus rider did not know what he saw. The design was created under the leadership of Uwe Bahnsen, who was active at Ford for almost his entire working life. Quite special when you consider that this man designed the Taunus P3 in the late 1950s, the Fiesta and the Granada in the 1970s, and the Sierra and the first Scorpio in the 1980s. Someone who understood the spirit of the times well. Yet the Sierra’s smooth body (Cw 0.34) hides outdated technology. The engines that drive the rear wheels were taken almost unchanged from the Taunus, with a meager 1.3 at the base. The interior was quite revolutionary for the time, with a center console oriented towards the driver and buttons and switches placed directly within reach. We hit the road with a copy from 1986, which has a slightly different nose than the first series. It has larger headlights, there is no grille in between. What makes this Sierra extra interesting is the version: it is an S. The lower part of the flanks is black with a red stripe above it, there is a modest spoiler on the tailgate and the steel wheels are equipped with hubcaps that are initially on alloy wheels look. A sliding/tilting roof only adds to the festive spirit.
The interior is equipped with sports seats and a beautiful three-spoke steering wheel. The large number of storage compartments in and around the dashboard is remarkable, especially compared to today’s cars. Under the hood is Ford’s well-known OHV, but equipped with injection. As a result, it runs a lot nicer than the carburetor version and the responses to the accelerator pedal are excellent. Actually, there is little wrong with such an old eight-valve 2.0-liter engine. It sounds good, picks up nicely and offers good performance. The driving behavior, on the other hand, is less sporty, although a lot tighter than a Taunus. The gearbox shifts smoothly, the steering is a bit woolly and the rear-wheel drive retains its grip well, but it does lean quite a bit. But what a rare appearance it is now, such a Sierra! With only 133,000 on the clock, this 2.0i S is still wonderfully fresh.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl