query: when was the ford sierra launched in the uk

pos: Ford Sierra Ford Sierra The Ford Sierra is a mid-size car or large family car that was built by Ford Europe from 1982 to 1993. It was designed by Uwe Bahnsen, Robert Lutz and Patrick le Quément. The code used during development was "Project Toni" Its name came from the Spanish word for mountain range. The Ford Sierra was first unveiled on 22 September 1982 at the British International Motor Show hosted at the NEC in Birmingham. with sales beginning on 15 October 1982, replacing the Ford Cortina. Its aerodynamic styling was ahead of its time and as such, many conservative buyers

pos: Ford Sierra Ford Sierra The Ford Sierra is a mid-size car or large family car that was built by Ford Europe from 1982 to 1993. It was designed by Uwe Bahnsen, Robert Lutz and Patrick le Quément. The code used during development was "Project Toni" Its name came from the Spanish word for mountain range. The Ford Sierra was first unveiled on 22 September 1982 at the British International Motor Show hosted at the NEC in Birmingham. with sales beginning on 15 October 1982, replacing the Ford Cortina. Its aerodynamic styling was ahead of its time and as such, many conservative buyers

neg: Ford Sierra of the Sierra. In the UK, this model was called the Ford Sierra Sapphire. This differed from the other Sierra models in having a traditional black grille, which only appeared in right hand drive markets. The 3-door Sierra was dropped in the UK in 1984, although the Cosworth version continued. Production of the 3-door Sierra continued in continental Europe, including after the Sierra range was given a facelift in 1987. The remodelled 3-door was never offered in the UK. A 5-door van based on the estate, known as the Sierra Van, was introduced in 1984, which, unlike similar car-derived vans,

neg: Ford Cortina operations. By 1976, when the revised Taunus was launched, the Cortina was identical. The new Taunus/Cortina used the doors and some panels from the 1970 Taunus. It was replaced in 1982 by the Ford Sierra. In Asia and Australasia, it was replaced by the Mazda 626–based Ford Telstar, though Ford New Zealand did import British-made CKD kits of the Ford Sierra estate for local assembly from 1984. The name was inspired by the name of the Italian ski resort Cortina d'Ampezzo, site of the 1956 Winter Olympics. As a publicity stunt, several Cortinas were driven down the bobsled run at

neg: Ford Sierra the 5 door station wagon (Ranchera). In 1990, a face-lifted version of the Sierra, powered by the 2.9L V6 engine was offered as both a hatchback and a sedan, the latter being known as the Sierra 300 Sapphire. Also launched in Venezuela was the XR6i. In North America, the Ford Sierra and the Ford Scorpio were offered under the now defunct Merkur brand. The Sierra was imported as a three-door only, and called the XR4Ti (similar to sub-model designations in other markets). The Sierra name was not used by Ford in North America; the market had already seen the similar-sounding

neg: Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 6.1 seconds) compared to the original Cosworth. In January 1990 the third generation Sierra RS Cosworth was launched, this time with four wheel drive. As early as 1987, Mike Moreton and Ford Motorsport had been talking about a four wheel drive Sierra RS Cosworth that could make Ford competitive in the World Rally Championship. The Ferguson MT75 gearbox that was considered an essential part of the project wasn’t available until late 1989 however. Ford Motorsport’s desire for a 3-door "Motorsport Special" equivalent to the original Sierra RS Cosworth was not embraced. The more discreet 4-door version was considered to have

neg: Ford Capri with Ford Rallye Sport, Series X, "X Pack" options from the performance oriented RS parts range. Although expensive and slow selling these proved that the press would enthusiastically cover more developed Capris with higher performance. However, the rise in popularity of "hot hatchbacks" and sports saloons during the early 1980s saw demand for affordable sports car fall throughout Europe. Between 1980 and 1983, Ford launched the Fiesta XR2, Escort XR3/XR3i and Sierra XR4i, all of which sold well but their introduction onto the market saw a decline in Capri sales even in the UK. Several of its competitors had already

neg: Ford Sierra more than 200 models being sold in 1994 and at least one example being sold in 1995 (in February as an M-registered model). The Sierra remained a common sight on the roads in the United Kingdom and several other European countries, and a popular second-hand buy, until well into the 21st century. However, just 3,673 Ford Sierras were reported to be taxed and still on UK roads in December 2018; although thousands more are believed to have survived, but currently be out of use. Ford Sierra The Ford Sierra is a mid-size car or large family car that was built

neg: Ford Cortina also offered, and this remained in production after the Cortina was replaced by the Sierra. The Cortina pick-up was exported to the UK, in a lengthened wheelbase form, as the Ford P100 until 1988, when Ford divested from South Africa, and a European built pick-up truck version of the Sierra was introduced in its place. The Mark V model range, introduced in 1980 for the South African market included: 1.3-litre L (1980–1982), 1.6-litre L GL (1980–1983), 2.0-litre GL, Ghia, (1980–1984), 3.0-litre XR6 (1980–1983), 1.6-litre L Estate (1980–1983), 2.0-litre GL Estate (1980–1983), 3.0-litre GLS (1980–1984), 1.6-litre One-Tonner (1980–1985), 3.0-litre One-Tonner (1980–1985).

neg: Ford of Europe Britain's third best-selling car in 1983 – its first full year on sale. It was built in Great Britain and Belgium and sold well just about everywhere it went. Cosworth versions of the Sierra were built from 1986, all of which were capable of . The three-door Sierra hatchback, mostly sold with only a 1.3 petrol engine, was not a popular choice and had been discontinued by the time the Sierra was facelifted in early 1987 when a Sapphire saloon version was launched and the 1.3 engine dropped. The original Sierra Cosworth was the last model in the range to

neg: Ford Sierra in saloon and estate bodystyles but after the switch to the Sierra, combined with the redesign of the Escort to Mark III level in 1980 and the introduction of the Granada Mark III in 1985, Ford had changed its saloon-based line-up into a hatchback-based one. The company launched the Ford Orion in 1983 to fill the gap in the saloon range between the late Cortina and the new Sierra. Ford found that customers were more attached to the idea of a saloon than they had expected, and this was further addressed in 1987 by the production of a saloon version

neg: John Oldfield (engineer) developed for the Mondeo. Ford at Dagenham had lost production of the Sierra in 1989 (moving to Genk), although it still made the Ford Fiesta (third generation) (its 7,000 workers were making around 240,000 a year in the early 1990s). The Sierra would sell 1.3m in the UK. He became head of New Products at Ford of Europe in the early 1990s. Ford in the UK is headquartered at Warley, Essex, off the B186, south of Brentwood. In February 1994 he became Executive Chairman of Aston Martin in Newport Pagnell, then owned by Ford. Under his chairmanship, production of hand-crafted

neg: Morgan 4/4 by November 1985. Introduced in March 1982 with a Ford 1597 cc CVH engine and Ford four-speed gearbox until 1984, then a Ford five-speed gearbox from Ford Sierra. From 1986 steering was changed from the original cam and peg to a Gemmer recirculating ball system. 1652 were built by November 1991. From November 1991 a Ford 1597 cc CVH engine with electronic fuel injection was used. 187 were built by January 1993, when the 1800 version was introduced. Starting in April 1993 the Morgan 4/4 used a Ford 1,796 cc 16-valve Zetec R engine. In 2003 Morgan launched a new

neg: Ford P100 1996. In late 1987, for the 1988 model year, the P100 was re-bodied with a new Ford Sierra-based cab. Engine choices were originally the Sierra's 2.0 litre "Pinto" carburetted petrol engine, with a 1.8 L turbo-diesel following soon thereafter. The range was now built in Portugal for the European market, to a design set out by Ford UK. It proved a strong seller, particularly on the UK market. The later P100's petrol engine, while a 2.0 L Pinto engine, differed from the units in the passenger Sierra and Granada models in that it was a low compression version of the

neg: Ford Mondeo (first generation) yet decided whether the Sierra name would continue or be replaced, with some subsequent reports even hinting that the Cortina name could make a comeback, having being axed in 1982 when replaced by the Sierra. Several prototypes were tested that year, but the launch of the Nissan Primera in 1990 prompted Ford to made a number of major alterations to the final product, as it saw the new competitor from Nissan to be the benchmark car in this sector, having previously identified the Honda Accord as the class leader. The car was launched in the midst of turbulent times at

neg: Ford Sierra an optional. The station wagon was called the Sierra Rural. Ford had previously used the name "Rural" for station wagons in Argentina, such as the Taunus, in a similar way to "Turnier" in Germany. The GL model was the base model replaced by the LX with the same equipment. The XR4 was eventually complemented by the five-door Ghia S/SX. In Venezuela the locally assembled Ford Sierra was launched in 1985, the 2.8L V6 engine being standard on versions sold there, including the 5 door hatchback (280 LS and 280ES) and 3 door hatchback (280 LS and 280GT) as well as

neg: Ford Probe the Capri seven years earlier. The Capri had regularly been one of Britain's 10 best selling cars throughout the 1970s, but its popularity declined in the early 1980s as Ford launched high performance versions of the Fiesta, Escort and Sierra hatchbacks. Such was the falling demand for this type of car that by 1986, when the end of Capri production was announced, Ford decided against launching a direct replacement. The second-generation Probe was designed by a team led by Mimi Vandermolen, who led the interior design of the 1986 Ford Taurus. In 1987, Vandermolen became the first female designer to

neg: Ford Sierra along with an extra set of injectors, so instead of the standard four injectors it was built with eight, although in road trim these extra injectors did not function. These modifications produced in road trim and around in race trim. They were very successful in motorsport and are highly tunable road cars with a very large following. In 1987, Ford introduced a four-door saloon (marketed in the UK as the Sierra Sapphire), which was sold alongside the hatchback and estate until the Sierra was replaced by the Mondeo in early 1993. The last Sierra rolled off the production line in

neg: Ford Taurus (first generation) Ford Taurus (first generation) The first-generation Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable are automobiles that were produced by Ford as the first of six generations of the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable Launched on December 26, 1985 as a 1986 model, the front-wheel drive Taurus was a very influential design that is credited with saving Ford from bankruptcy, bringing many innovations to the marketplace and starting the trend towards aerodynamic design for the American automakers in the North American market. Ford of Europe had launched the 1980s move to aerodynamic design for the company with the 1982 Ford Sierra. Development for

neg: Ford Sierra RS Cosworth to the Sierra three-door Cosworth was the uprated Cosworth's competition engine. Its new features were: The RS500 also had minor external cosmetic differences to its parent the Sierra three-door Cosworth: Exactly 500 RS500s were produced, all of them RHD for sale in the UK only - the biggest market for this kind of Ford car. It was originally intended that all 500 would be black, but in actuality 56 white and 52 moonstone blue cars were produced. Some European tuners, missing a LHD RS500 version, have set up some elaborate versions of the Sierra RS Cosworth for private customers, replicating

neg: Ford Sierra GLX, the Ghia trim level was not available for the South African market except on the Ford Sapphire, the sedan version. As the 2.8/2.9 Cologne was never launched in South Africa, the venerable and popular Essex V6 remained the best normal production engine fitted to the Sierra. At the top of the range, the 2.3 GLS quickly gave way to a 3.0 GLX flagship model (producing less power but more torque than the XR6) and that was the end of the Cologne in South Africa, even the station wagon receiving the 3.0 V6 Essex. By 1985, the Sierra had become

neg: Ford Sierra simply as the "Ford Sapphire". Versions sold in South Africa were available with the 1.6 (Kent) and 2.0 (Pinto) four-cylinders, 2.3 V6 (Cologne) or 3.0-litre V6 (Essex) petrol engines. While the Cortina MkV in South Africa had retained the old 3.0 V6 Essex engine, the Sierra was initially given the new 2.3 V6 Cologne motor, this being fitted to the top of the line model only. However, owing to the low cost of petrol, and the popularity of the old Cortina XR6, a Sierra XR6 was later launched, featuring the old Essex, initially producing . Versions were LX, GL and

neg: Ford Sierra on account of its status as a popular fleet car in Britain. Sales were slow at first - the situation being exacerbated by heavy discounting by Ford dealers of surplus Cortina stock from the autumn of 1982 onwards, with more than 11,000 new Cortinas being registered in 1983, although the Sierra still managed nearly 160,000 sales in Britain that year, outsold only by the smaller Escort. Ford had also launched the Escort-based Orion saloon that year, which also found favour with buyers who would normally have bought a Cortina or another similarly sized family saloon. In West Germany, it was

neg: Ford Sierra RS Cosworth took the British Rally Championship in a Sierra in 1987 and 1988, whilst Carlos Sainz won the Spanish Championship in the same years. The Cosworth was popular with spectators because it was visually dramatic, with its flame-spitting exhaust and tail-sliding, rear-drive handling; and it was popular with amateur drivers because it was competitive, robust and relatively cheap. To this day it is a fairly common sight at lower-level events. The second generation four-door Sierra Sapphire Cosworth was assembled in Genk, Belgium, with the UK-built Ford-Cosworth YBB engine. Cylinder heads on this car were early spec two wheel drive heads and

neg: Ford Cortina Europe in the Azambuja plant in Portugal. This vehicle was available in both RHD and LHD forms. Ironically, the MK5 Cortina-based P100 was launched in 1982, the year that the standard Cortina was being replaced by the Sierra. However, it remained a popular choice with pick-up truck buyers until the Sierra-based P100 was launched in 1988; this version lasted until the end of Sierra production in early 1993. In South Africa, the Cortina range included V6 "Essex"-engined variants, in both 2.5-litre and 3.0-litre forms. From July 1971, a locally designed pick-up truck version (known in Afrikaans as a "bakkie") was

neg: Ford Sierra new front grille was added, together with fuel injection as standard, 15-inch wheels and rear disc brakes. A further revision to the dashboard which saw a new instrument binnacle (similar in style to the 1990 Escort/Orion) along with colour and trim upgrades for the 1992 model year was the final change. UK production of the Sierra ceased, with right hand drive production moving to Belgium. By 1989, Ford had confirmed that the successor to the Sierra (due by 1993) would feature front-wheel drive, and a number of concept cars were shown in the motoring press, hinting at what the new

neg: Sam Toy Fitzwilliam College. After his retirement, he lived in Hampshire. Sam Toy Sam Toy OBE (August 21, 1923 in Mabe, Cornwall – March 24, 2008) was an industrialist who was chair of Ford Motor Company UK from 1980 until 1986. He presided over Ford at a time it faced competition from British Leyland, and saw Ford make their last Cortina. Toy also led Ford UK through the difficult introduction of the Sierra in 1982, the MK3 Granada and the Orion. After schooling at Falmouth Grammar School, he went to Selwyn College, Cambridge, to read Geography, but his studies were interrupted by

neg: Sam Toy Sam Toy Sam Toy OBE (August 21, 1923 in Mabe, Cornwall – March 24, 2008) was an industrialist who was chair of Ford Motor Company UK from 1980 until 1986. He presided over Ford at a time it faced competition from British Leyland, and saw Ford make their last Cortina. Toy also led Ford UK through the difficult introduction of the Sierra in 1982, the MK3 Granada and the Orion. After schooling at Falmouth Grammar School, he went to Selwyn College, Cambridge, to read Geography, but his studies were interrupted by the war. He later returned to Cambridge, transferring to

neg: Ford Sierra Cavalier. Nevertheless, it comfortably outsold its second key rival, the Austin Montego, which was launched in April 1984. Between 1985 and 1988, the Sierra faced fresh competition in Europe from the likes of the Renault 21 and Peugeot 405, while Japanese carmaker Nissan was producing its Bluebird model in Britain from 1986. Early versions suffered from crosswind stability problems, which were addressed in 1985 with the addition of "strakes" (small spoilers), on the rear edge of the rubber seals of the rear-most side windows. These shortcomings saw a lot of press attention, and contributed to early slow sales, when it

neg: Ford Telstar Ford Telstar The Ford Telstar is an automobile that was sold by Ford in Asia, Australasia and Africa, comparable in size to the European Ford Sierra and the North American Ford Tempo. It was progressively replaced by the Ford Mondeo. It was named after the Telstar satellite. Like the smaller Ford Laser, the Telstar was based on a model produced by Mazda in Japan. It shared its platform with the Mazda Capella/626, the differences being confined to some styling, engine sizes, and specification. The first model was launched in Japan in 1982. The Australian launch occurred in 1983, replacing the

neg: Ford Sierra by the Mondeo in 1998. Whereas British buyers rued the absence of a saloon version of the Sierra, in New Zealand, it was the absence of an estate (a "station wagon" there) that customers missed, when Ford New Zealand replaced the Cortina with the Ford Telstar range. In order to fill the gap in the market, Ford introduced the Sierra wagon in 1984, in spite of opposition at Ford Asia Pacific and from the Detroit headquarters. This was assembled locally from imported CKD ("completely knocked down") kits. The wagon was offered in 1.6- (base) and 2.0-litre "L" and "Ghia" models

neg: Ford Sierra engines had been added. The most notable changes came at the start of 1987, with a major facelift and the addition of a 4-door saloon (UK: Sapphire). As other manufacturers adopted similar aerodynamic styling, the Sierra looked more normal. At its peak, it was Britain's second best selling car in 1983, 1988 and 1989, and was still Britain's fifth best selling car in 1992. Its best year was 1989, when more than 175,000 were sold. However, it was outsold by the Vauxhall Cavalier in MK2 form during 1984 and 1985, and then from 1990 until its demise by the MK3

neg: Ford Sierra now based on the newly introduced saloon bodystyle and featured another style of front bumper as well as the black grille which was only found on UK versions of the saloon bodystyle. The RS Cosworth received more power and four-wheel drive from January 1990. In addition, a roller cam engine was added in 1987 to prevent excessive wear to the cam. From 1988 a pickup called the P100 was produced in Portugal using the Sierra-cab and engines, replacing the previous Cortina/Taunus-related model. The Sierra was Ford's answer to the success of the General Motors "J-car" (Vauxhall Cavalier in the UK),

neg: Ford Sierra 1989. In Argentina the non-injected XR4 model was equipped with the Taunus 2.3 engine and was produced between 1986 and 1991. In this market the most direct rival was the Renault Fuego 2.2. In July 1986, a special version called the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth was launched, using the 2.0 OHC bottom end with a 16V DOHC cylinder head specially developed by Cosworth. With the Cosworth Garret T3 turbocharger and intercooler setup the engine produced . It was designed by Ford's Special Vehicle Engineering (SVE) group and made in Ford's Genk factory in Belgium for use in group A. It

neg: Ford Sierra Sierra Sapphire on the UK market. The front end was completely revised, with the biggest difference seeing the indicators now positioned above the bumper and to the side of a new headlight design. While the grille again remained blanked-off, UK, Irish and South African versions of the newly introduced saloon bodystyle, featured a unique shallow black grille between the headlights. That apart, all specifications of the Sierra now shared a common front end, compared to the car's original styling. The side windows were made slightly larger with the corners made sharper to increase outward vision. The rear lights were replaced

neg: Dutton Cars of the Phaeton were based on Ford Escort components and were produced until 1989. These were also available as fully built-up cars, in which case they received a 1.6 litre Ford Crossflow engine with . In 1979 Dutton launched the Dutton Sierra, an Escort-based estate car with off-road looks. Three years later the Ford Motor Company decided to use the Sierra name on their Cortina/Taunus replacement and served Dutton with a legal writ demanding that they stop using the name. But at a case in the High Court in London, Dutton won the right to continue with the name on

neg: Ford Sierra RS Cosworth As an example, the car was only offered in three exterior colours (black, white and moonstone blue) and one interior colour (grey). There were also just two equipment options: with or without central locking and electric window lifts. The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth was first presented to the public at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1985, with plans to release it for sale in September and closing production of the 5,000 cars in the summer of 1986. In practice, it was launched in July 1986, and 5545 were manufactured in total of which 500 were sent to Tickford for

neg: Ford Popular Ford Popular The Ford Popular, often called the Ford Pop, is a car from Ford UK that was built in England between 1953 and 1962. When launched, it was Britain's lowest priced car. The name Popular was also used by Ford to describe its 1930s Y Type model. The Popular name was also later used on basic models of the Escort and Fiesta cars. Electrics were 6 volts, a provided starting handle often necessary. Rod operated drum brakes, synchromesh only on 2nd and top gear. The boot accessed with a coach key, no heater or demister, semaphore indicators, pull-wire starter,

neg: Ford Popular epic journeys, the Norrises (Michael Palin as Brian Norris and Graham Chapman in drag as Betty Norris) set out to see if the journey from Surbiton to Hounslow was possible; they were thwarted by the Thames and had to finish the trek by rail. Between 1992 and 1997, two black Ford Populars (8253 PU and VXL 794) were used in "Heartbeat" as Oscar Blaketon's car. Ford Popular The Ford Popular, often called the Ford Pop, is a car from Ford UK that was built in England between 1953 and 1962. When launched, it was Britain's lowest priced car. The name

neg: Ford Sierra RS Cosworth a better market potential. It was therefore decided that the new car should be a natural development of the second generation, to be launched in conjunction with the face lift scheduled for the entire Sierra line in 1990. The waiting time gave Ford Motorsport a good opportunity to conduct extensive testing and demand improvements. One example was the return of the bonnet louvers. According to Ford’s own publicity material, 80% of the engine parts were also modified. The improved engine was designated YBG for cars with a catalytic converter and YBJ for cars without. The former had the red valve

neg: Ford Dagenham the Sierra for the European market had its right-hand drive models made at Dagenham and the left-hand drive models in Belgium; in 1990, though, all Sierra production was concentrated in Belgium, leaving the Fiesta as the only model being built at Dagenham. The Sierra's successor, the Mondeo (launched in early 1993), was also built in Belgium. However, Dagenham did become a two-model plant again in January 1996 with the introduction of the Mazda 121 - essentially a badge-engineered Fiesta - as part as a venture with Mazda until its demise four years later. By 2000, the only Ford produced at

neg: Ford Sierra with two pillars rear of the door, looking very much like a modified 5-door frame, as used on the high-performance XR4i; and a one-pillar design used on standard-performance 3-door hatchbacks and also at the other end of the scale as the basis for the very high-performance RS Cosworth. At the time of the car's launch, both styles were already envisaged, and a demonstration model with one style on either side was displayed at a Sierra design exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. However, the one-pillar design was not launched until 1984. The Ford Cortina had been manufactured

neg: Ford Orion Europe at this time, as front-wheel drive gradually became more popular than rear-wheel drive and hatchbacks began to eclipse traditional saloons and estates. The company's older saloon line-up was replaced mainly by hatchbacks, starting with the Escort MK3 in 1980 and the new Sierra (which replaced the Cortina) in 1982. By 1985, even the top-of-the-range Granada would offer a hatchback bodystyle, with the saloon and estate models not being released until the early-1990s, while a booted version of the Sierra was finally launched in 1987. Launched in September 1983, the Orion was designed to fill the market demand for a

neg: Ford Escort (China) sold between 1980 and 2003. In 2013, Ford announced its intention to resurrect the "Escort" nameplate on the Chinese market in 2014, with a compact executive car based on the then-current Ford Focus Classic, itself a version of the second generation of Ford Focus. The Chinese Escort was intended to be the technical successor of the Focus Classic and positioned under the current third generation Ford Focus. When launched, the first generation Ford Focus had itself been the replacement for both the European and the North American Escort lines in their respective markets. The UK magazine and website "Autocar" gave

neg: Laurence Bristow in a Ford Sierra. He is now director of Bristow Helicopters, following in his father's footsteps. Laurence Bristow Laurence Bristow (born 18 July 1952), was a British racing driver and businessman, best known for his time in the British Touring Car Championship. He is son of helicopter magnate Alan Bristow. He first started racing in 1985 when he entered the MG Metro Challenge. In 1987 he raced in the Uniroyal Production Car Championship driving a Ford Sierra RS500 where he finished second in class. A year later he stepped up to the BTCC, again driving a class A Ford Sierra

neg: Ford Motor Company as well as Germany. The Ford Sierra replaced the Taunus and Cortina in 1982, drawing criticism for its radical aerodynamic styling, which was soon given nicknames, the "Jellymould" and "The Salesman's Spaceship." In February 2002, Ford ended car production in the UK. It was the first time in 90 years that Ford cars had not been made in Britain, although production of the Transit van continued at the company's Southampton facility until mid-2013, engines at Bridgend and Dagenham, and transmissions at Halewood. Development of European Ford is broadly split between Dunton in Essex (powertrain, Fiesta/Ka, and commercial vehicles) and Cologne

neg: Ford Sierra RS Cosworth Ford Sierra RS Cosworth The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth is a high-performance version of the Ford Sierra that was built by Ford Europe from 1986 to 1992. It was the result of a Ford Motorsport project with the purpose of producing an outright winner for Group A racing in Europe. The project was defined by Stuart Turner in the spring of 1983. He had recently been appointed head of Ford Motorsport in Europe, and he realised right away that Ford was no longer competitive in this area. Turner got in touch with Walter Hayes, at the time the vice-president of

neg: Ford I4 DOHC engine was widely regarded as the top hot hatch engine of the time. With the discontinuation of the Sierra in 1993 and the RS2000 in 1996, the I4 engine continued in more workaday applications, appearing in the Ford Galaxy MPV launched in 1995. By this time, a longer-stroked 2.3 litre 16-valve version of the engine was available alongside the original 2.0 which was still available in both 8-valve and 16-valve versions. This 2.3 litre unit also appeared in the Ford Scorpio and the Ford Transit van. The I4 remained the main petrol unit for the original Galaxy until its 2006 redesign.

neg: Economy car sized mainstay models of the; UK Ford Cortina, German Ford Taunus, the Ford Sierra, and the Ford Granada amongst others. By 1970, Nissan released their first front-wheel-drive car that was originally developed by Prince Motor Company which had merged with Nissan in 1966. This was introduced in 1970 as the Datsun/Nissan Cherry. In 1973, the Energy Crisis started, which made small fuel efficient cars more desirable, and the North American driver began exchanging their large cars for the smaller, imported compacts that cost less to fill up and were inexpensive to maintain. The Toyota Corona, the Datsun 510, the Mitsubishi

neg: Ford Orion name "Strada" in the UK), although the Regata was aimed further upmarket at cars like the Ford Sierra. The Orion was a strong seller in the UK, peaking as the seventh-best-selling car in 1987 and 1988 with over 70,000 sales each time. March 1986 saw the Orion getting the same facelift as the rest of the Escort range. The Mark II brought the option of anti-lock-brakes (ABS) and a heated front windscreen to the range. The CVH engines were upgraded and were now "lean burn units" and various models in the range could run on unleaded fuel without modifications to

neg: Ford Granada (Europe) Sierra and the Escort Mk III in changing from the angular saloon styling of their predecessors to an advanced aerodynamic hatchback body style. The Ford Granada Mk III was the last car to bear the iconic Granada badge in the UK and Ireland, being replaced in 1994 with the Pan-European Scorpio. The Scorpio shared its platform doors and roof with the Mk III Granada and these elements of the cars design were unremarkable. The styling of the nose and tail sections suffered from the application of the Ford Ovoid design school being used across the Ford range in the 1990s.

neg: Ford of Europe but was aimed more upmarket car than the Escort with no 1.1 litre engined version and initially only GL and Ghia trim levels. It was almost as long as a Sierra, and many saw it as a true replacement for the traditional Cortina. Ford launched another ground-breaking new car in May 1985 with the Granada-replacing Ford Scorpio – although the Granada name was retained in the United Kingdom and Ireland – "Scorpio" being used as a sub-brand for the highest specification models. It was based on a stretched version of Sierra's rear-wheel-drive chassis and was far more modern looking than

neg: Ford of Europe styling, revised engine options, and an all-new interior. Production of the Capri coupé ended in December 1986 after 18 years and there was no replacement, as sporting coupés were less popular at this time following the rise in popularity of fast hatchbacks such as the Ford Escort XR3i, Vauxhall Astra GTE, Peugeot 309 GTI and Volkswagen Golf GTI. Ford had proved successful in this sector with faster versions of the Fiesta, Escort, and Sierra. The third generation Fiesta was launched in March 1989, and the main news of the launch was the long-awaited availability of a five-door version – something

neg: Ford P100 wheelbase and long wheelbase variants. The P100 was released to Europe in Mk5 form, just as the parent Cortina MkV was being replaced by the Sierra. Ford had considered selling a rebadged Mazda pickup, which would have been lower priced, but rejected this on political grounds as there was a lot of fear over Japanese imports at this time. Ford UK considered being made in Apartheid South Africa as less of a liability than being made in Japan, and also managed to achieve 35 percent local parts content. Country of origin and outdated styling proved to be no effect on

neg: Ford Sierra RS Cosworth Ford nevertheless accepted the conditions. The extra 10,000 engines would later become one of the reasons Ford also chose to develop a four-door, second generation, Sierra RS Cosworth. To find a suitable gearbox proved more challenging. The Borg-Warner T5, also used in the Ford Mustang, was chosen, but the higher revving nature of the Sierra caused some problems. Eventually Borg-Warner had to set up a dedicated production line for the gearboxes to be used in the Sierra RS Cosworth. Many of the suspension differences between the standard Sierra and the Cosworth attributed their development to what was learned from racing

neg: Ford Sierra RS Cosworth brought its World Championship career to a close with fifth place on that Lombard RAC Rally. By then technical development of the Sierra had ceased, and most of the team's effort was directed towards the upcoming Escort Cosworth, which promised to be a much more competitive prospect. Like the rear-drive car, the Cosworth 4x4 was popular at lower levels of rallying and a consistent winner at national championship level, and it remains a popular car among amateur rally drivers. Ford Sierra RS Cosworth The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth is a high-performance version of the Ford Sierra that was built by

neg: Cosworth has a different cylinder head. Both engines are built by Cosworth in Torrance, California, under the guidance of newly appointed technical designer Wayne Merry (formerly of Cosworth in Worcester UK). Best known in Europe for its relationship with Ford – in particular because of the Cosworth name in the vehicle title on the high-performance Ford Sierra RS Cosworth and Ford Escort RS Cosworth, but also in the creation of other Ford models; the Escort RS1600, Escort RS1800, RS200, and Scorpio 2.9i 24V. In the US, the name has also appeared in the title of a road car (well before it

neg: Ford Sierra was outsold by its key rival the Vauxhall Cavalier in 1984 and 1985. Other rumours that the car hid major crash damage (in part true, as the new bumper design sprung back after minor impact and couldn't be "read" to interpret major damage) also harmed the car's reputation. This reached near-hysterical heights in its early months on sale, with UK press making a report that Ford would reintroduce the previous Cortina model out of desperation. These reports were swiftly denied by Ford. However, sales began to rise during 1983, and it finished as Britain's second best selling car behind the

neg: Ford Taunus life serving as a starting point for the first Hyundai Stellar which succeeded the Cortina line in South Korea, handing over some major technical components such as the steering rack and the transmission propelling shaft to the otherwise non-Ford successor. In 1982 production of the Taunus ceased in Europe; it was replaced by the Ford Sierra. The Sierra carried over the Cortina/Taunus OHC Pinto Engines and RWD configuration but was otherwise an all new car with independent suspension all round. The Taunus was produced in Argentina from 1974 up until the end of 1984, when the production assembly was sold

neg: Ford Motor Company to the UK. In the mid-1980s, Ford merged with a rival company, owned by Anglo American, to form the South African Motor Corporation (Samcor). Following international condemnation of apartheid, Ford divested from South Africa in 1988, and sold its stake in Samcor, although it licensed the use of its brand name to the company. Samcor began to assemble Mazdas as well, which affected its product line-up and saw the European Fords like the Escort and Sierra replaced by the Mazda-based Laser and Telstar. Ford bought a 45 per cent stake in Samcor following the demise of apartheid in 1994, and

neg: Simca 1307 the UK and many other export markets. Whilst very many units were sold in France, the Chrysler Alpine did not fulfill its potential in the UK, initially losing out to contemporaries such as the Ford Cortina/Sierra and the Vauxhall Cavalier primarily due to the lack of larger engines (Ford and Vauxhall offered 2.0L engines in their products, whilst the Alpine/Solara range topped out at a 1.6L unit). The Alpine's OHV Simca engines were particularly "tappety" and unrefined compared to the more modern overhead camshaft units of its rivals with further dented its appeal. In later life, due to corrosion problems

neg: Ford Sierra RS Cosworth the turbocharged Jack Roush IMSA Merkur XR4Ti in America and Andy Rouse's successful campaign of the 1985 British Saloon Car Championship. Much of Ford's external documentation for customer race preparation indicated "developed for the XR4Ti" when describing parts that were Sierra Cosworth specific. Roush's suspension and aerodynamics engineering for the IMSA cars was excellent feedback for Ford. Some production parts from the XR4Ti made their way into the Cosworth such as the speedometer with integral boost gauge and the motorsport 909 chassis stiffening plates. In April 1983, Turner’s team decided on the Sierra as a basis for their project. The

neg: Dax Cars most American V8 and Jaguar engines including the V12. Automatic or manual transmission can be used and power steering is another option. A leather trimmed interior kit is available. The company also produce the Rush, a Lotus 7 type car. The main kit is based on the Ford Sierra and can even use the four-wheel drive system from the Sierra 4x4. For extreme performance large V8 engines can also be fitted. The Rush MC is a lightweight version designed to accept motorcycle engines. Launched in 1985, the Californian was a Porsche 356 lookalike with VW Beetle components. The Nevada was

neg: Rover Group Longbridge-built Honda Concerto, which offered a higher level of equipment but only achieved a fraction of its sales. At the beginning of 1990, Rover launched the Rover 400 range. The 400 was essentially a four-door version of the 200 hatchback, but was slightly longer and offered more stowage space. It was sold as an alternative to the likes of the Ford Sierra and Vauxhall Cavalier, but was never able to match the success of these cars. An estate version of the 400 was launched in 1994, and continued alongside the all-new Honda Civic-based model that was launched the following year.

neg: Ford of Europe when the Escort switched to front-wheel drive and a hatchback from the traditional rear-wheel drive saloon. 20 years of Cortina production came to an end in October 1982 with the launch of the new Ford Sierra. The new car retained the traditional rear-wheel-drive chassis, perhaps surprisingly at the time when a front-wheel drive system was becoming almost exclusive in this sector of car. But in place of its predecessor's conventional, square styling was Sierra's ultramodern aerodynamic styling that was way ahead of its time compared to the competition. Initial sales were disappointing, but demand soon increased and the Sierra was

neg: Ford Sierra alloy wheels. The four-wheel drive allowed for an extra margin of security on slick or snowy roads, while retaining the car's rear-wheel drive comportment. The XR4x4 originally came equipped with the 2.8 litre Cologne V6 engine using the same Bosch K-Jetronic mechanical injection system used since 1977 in the Granada, and since 1981 in the Capri, but it was replaced in 1989 by the new more efficient 2.9 litre Cologne V6 engine, with Electronic fuel injection. In February 1987, a restyled Sierra was launched and a four-door saloon version was added to the range - this was marketed as the

neg: Colin Bond a Ford Sierra RS500. And in 1985 Bond and former motorcycle racer Gregg Hansford won their class and finished 7th outright at Bathurst in an Alfa Romeo GTV. He was also third in the 1981 and 1988 Australian Touring Car Championships, 1981 in a Ford Capri Mk.II for the Masterton Homes team and 1988 in a Ford Sierra RS500 in what was his first ATCC in an outright car since 1978. Bond drove a great variety of machinery during this period including the Ford Capri , Chevrolet Camaro Z28, Triumph TR8, Alfa Romeo GTV, Alfa Romeo 75, Ford Sierra RS500,

neg: GM J platform accolade by the Renault 9. The Vauxhall Cavalier version was particularly successful in Britain, where it was the second best selling car in 1984 and 1985 and managed around 800,000 sales across a seven-year production run. At the time, it set new standards for performance and economy in this size of car in Europe; for instance, the 1.6 petrol engined Cavalier for the British market had a top speed of 105 mph, compared to the 101 mph top speed of the 2.0 petrol engined Ford Cortina – its key competitor for a year until the Ford Sierra was launched in

neg: Fiat Tipo drive Ford Sierra, but in a car that was of a similar size to the smaller Ford Escort. This type of design was comparable to the smaller Fiat Uno, which was launched five years before the Tipo. For 1989, the Tipo won the European Car of the Year award and 1989 Semperit Irish Car of the Year in Ireland. The car has been extremely popular in Brazil. It outsold the Volkswagen Gol, which had been the best selling Brazilian car for over twenty years. Only the Tipo, the Fiat Uno Mille, and Fiat Palio have also ever outsold the Gol.

neg: Ford Sierra which had been launched in 1981 with front-wheel drive and a hatchback bodystyle to complement the saloon. Unusually in its sector by that time, the Sierra was still rear-wheel drive. It was also a strong competitor for other rivals of the early 1980s, including the Talbot Alpine, Peugeot 505 and Morris Ital and the Citroën BX, but by 1988, it was competing with a host of new rivals, including the third generation Vauxhall Cavalier (Opel Vectra), Rover Montego, Peugeot 405, Renault 21 and Nissan Bluebird. During the life of the car, two different styles of 3-door body were used; one

neg: Ford Type 9 transmission Ford Type 9 transmission Type 9 (also, Type N, T9, or T-9) is a gearbox from Ford that was used in Ford Capri 1.6, 2.0 1984 onwards, Capri 2.8 1983 onwards, Ford Sierra 1.6, 1.8, 2.0, Sierra XR4i,Sierra XR4x4 2.8 and the Scorpio 4x4 as well as the US market Merkur XR4Ti and Merkur Scorpio. The Type 9 was Ford's first five-speed, rear-wheel-drive gearbox, and it is based on the four-speed Type E gearbox. The fifth, or overdrive gear, was added to the four-speed gearbox by placing it in the extension housing or tailshaft housing. This made production easier and

neg: Ford Consul Classic Mark V with a boot/trunk - as the "Ford Classic". Consul 315 and Consul Capri Parts List 1961/4, Ford Motor Company Ltd. (March 1965) Ford Consul Classic The Ford Consul Classic is a mid-sized car that was launched in May 1961 and built by Ford UK from 1961 to 1963. It was available in two or four door saloon form, in Standard or De Luxe versions, and with floor or column gearshift. The name Ford Consul 315 was used for export markets. The Ford Consul Capri was a 2-door coupé version of the Classic, and was available from 1961 until

neg: Ford Endura-D engine Ford Endura-D engine The Ford Endura-D engine is a 1,753cc inline-4 diesel power unit used in a variety of vehicles made by the Ford Motor Company, including the Ford Escort (Europe), Ford Focus, Ford Fiesta, Ford Mondeo, Ford Orion, Ford Sierra, Ford Transit Connect and Ford Ikon. Originally branded Lynx it had... 1.8 DIESEL stamped on its rocker cover, it is an engine which has featured in the Ford range since the late 1980s in models such as the Mk 3 Fiesta, Mk 4 Ford Escort (Europe), Ford Sierra, and Mk 1 Ford Mondeo. The 1.8 itself was a development

neg: Ford Sierra of the Cosworth were highly successful in European and World Touring Car racing throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, and the RS500 helped Ford to win the manufacturer's title in the 1987 World Touring Car Championship. Ford was forced to fall back on the Sierra for rallying from 1987, after the banning of the Group B formula. With only rear-drive, the Sierra struggled to compete on looser surfaces but was very quick on asphalt, Didier Auriol winning his first World Championship rally in a Sierra in Corsica, 1988. It was replaced by the 4x4 Sapphire version from 1990, which

neg: Ford Sierra RS Cosworth conversion to the Sierra three-door RS500 Cosworth. The vehicles were manufactured in right hand drive (RHD) only, and were made in Ford's Genk factory in Belgium. The following number of vehicles were registered in the UK: As published in the 1986 RS catalog: Mike Moreton was head of the team that planned to develop an evolution edition aimed at making the car unbeatable on the race tracks. In March 1987, Aston Martin Tickford was signed for the job of converting the 500 cars. The Cosworth RS500 was announced in July 1987, and was homologated in August 1987. The main difference

neg: 1989 in motoring windows and the option of anti-lock brakes. Rover Group plc launched a new 200 Series, which unlike the previous four-door saloon car, was a hatchback available with three or five doors. The Rover 400 Series saloon was planned for sale in 1990. The 200 Series was powered by a range of new K-Series petrol engines ranging from 1.4 to 2.0 litres. There was also a 1.8 turbo-diesel. The hatchback was marketed as a Ford Escort rival, but the slightly larger saloon was competing against cars such as the Ford Sierra and Vauxhall Cavalier. Following the launch of these new model

neg: Ford Sierra retained its side windows. The back seat was removed and the metal cargo floor was extended towards the front seats. A diesel engine and a limited choice of petrol engines were available for the Van. This variant was never sold in the UK. although some were produced in right hand drive for the Irish market. During its career, the Sierra was available with a wide range of petrol engines: Two diesel engines were available: 1300, 1600 and 2000 engines all have a 4-speed manual gearbox; a 5-speed manual gearbox was optional with 1600 and 2000 engines, and standard with the

neg: Kia Motors expanded in the spring of 1994 when Kia began importing the larger Mentor, a range of medium-sized hatchbacks and sedans which were marketed as inexpensive and well-equipped alternatives to the likes of the Ford Escort and the Vauxhall/Opel Astra. A facelift in 1999 saw the Mentor name retained for the saloon (sedan), but the hatchback was renamed Shuma. These models remained on sale until 2004, when the newer Cerato was launched and gave Kia one of its first serious competitors against mainstream brands.The Clarus saloon and Sedona MPV were also launched onto the UK market during 1999, helping Kia begin

neg: Ford Sierra fitted to the Sierra 2.0 GL and GLE and later to the stripped down Sierra 2.0 LX and Sapphire 2.0 GL and GLE models. It eventually even received fuel injection in the Sapphire 2.0GLi, boosting the power from to . The Sierra was eventually replaced in South Africa by the Telstar in 1993. Samcor, which assembled Ford models under license after Ford had divested from the country, was already assembling the smaller Laser and Meteor, alongside the Mazda 323, on which they were based, as well as a facelifted earlier version of the Mazda 626. The Telstar was finally replaced

neg: Merkur (and was still capable of over if driven gently). The Sierra XR range and the Cosworth models, however, are not viewed as sales flops in Europe, despite individual models selling fewer cars than the XR4Ti. Like the Sierra, the Scorpio was also introduced to replace another popular model, the Ford Granada. In the UK and Ireland, the "Granada" name was still used, with the "Scorpio" name reserved for the top of the range Granada models. The Scorpio started as a five-door hatchback, and it later became available as a four-door sedan and a five-door wagon. An "executive express" in the

neg: Ford Type 9 transmission T-9 is an excellent transmission for vehicles with lower power levels and lighter weight. However, in applications that require more power, the T-9 is frequently replaced with the stronger Borg-Warner T-5 transmission. Ford Type 9 transmission Type 9 (also, Type N, T9, or T-9) is a gearbox from Ford that was used in Ford Capri 1.6, 2.0 1984 onwards, Capri 2.8 1983 onwards, Ford Sierra 1.6, 1.8, 2.0, Sierra XR4i,Sierra XR4x4 2.8 and the Scorpio 4x4 as well as the US market Merkur XR4Ti and Merkur Scorpio. The Type 9 was Ford's first five-speed, rear-wheel-drive gearbox, and it is based

neg: Ford Escort (Europe) with the whale-tail spoiler as an option. The Escort Cosworth ceased production in 1996, but it has already achieved classic status and has a huge following. However, the car wasn't mechanically an Escort, being based on the four-wheel drive Sierra floorpan and mechanicals, including its longitudinally mounted engine, and was merely clothed in body panels to resemble a Mark V. The fifth generation Escort was launched in South America in December 1992, being manufactured in Brazil and Argentina by AutoLatina, a joint-venture between Volkswagen and Ford. A result of this collaboration was that these Escorts were equipped with a VW

neg: Ford I4 DOHC engine also employed the engine in the front-wheel drive Galaxy and the Escort RS 2000 16v. The engine was originally designed to replace the 2.0 L OHC Pinto engine, derivatives of which had powered most of Ford's four-cylinder rear-wheel drive cars since the early 1970s, and which was by that time lagging behind the competition in terms of power output, efficiency and refinement. Equipped with a newly designed twin-cam cylinder head but still only 8 valves, and a "square" 86x86mm bore and stroke, the new I4 was launched in the Ford Sierra and Scorpio, mated to either the also new all-synchromesh

neg: Ford Sierra (including company car drivers) did not take fondly to the Ford Cortina's replacement. It was mainly manufactured in Germany, Belgium, and the United Kingdom, although Sierras were also assembled in Ireland, Argentina, Venezuela, South Africa and New Zealand. Assembly for the Ford Sierra in Ireland was located at the Marina in Cork City, which became the first European vehicle plant for Ford Motor Company outside of the United States in 1932. After an investment in the plant of £10 million in 1982 to upgrade it for KD kit assembly of the Sierra, it briefly had a relatively small production output

neg: Stock car racing in the United Kingdom formula is limited to the 850cc Reliant engine with other prescribed budget components, making it an ideal starter or "last chance" formula! Rebels are a one-make purpose built formula also using the 850cc reliant engine in slightly modified form, in steel chassis with "retro" plastic panels designed to give the look of a scaled down post-war Ford Popular. Another form of UK stock car racing is 2 Litre National Saloon Stock Cars, regulated by the Saloon Stock Car Association. This formula is based on heavily armoured Ford Sierra, Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Vectra cars purposely reconstructed for this full contact

neg: Merkur the Ford Mustang hatchback, the XR4Ti was a slightly rebodied version of the Ford Sierra XR4i, the mid-range sporting model of the Sierra. The XR4Ti name was chosen by Merkur as General Motors used the GMC Sierra and the Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera nameplates. To comply with American emissions regulations, the 148 hp 2.8L V6 of the XR4i was replaced by a 2.3L turbocharged inline-4. Shared with the Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, Mercury Cougar XR7, and Ford Mustang SVO, the engine made 145 hp with an automatic transmission (175 hp with a manual transmission). The body of the XR4Ti was shared

neg: Stock car racing October and won by 151 Nick Smith. The 2012 World Championship was again held at Ipswich and won by Scot 177 Stuart Gilchrist. The 2013 World Championship will be held at Lochgelly in Fife, Scotland, with the date tbc. Another form of UK stock car racing is Saloon Stock Cars, regulated by the Saloon Stock Car Association. This formula is based on heavily armoured Ford Sierra, Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Vectra cars purposely reconstructed for this full contact class. The 2011 World Championship was held at Skegness in August with 677 Eddie Darby the winner of the Gold Roof for the

neg: Marlin (car) choice. Fitted with the two-litre inline-six from a late Triumph Vitesse, a top speed of was achievable. The Berlinetta was launched in 1983 version using Ford Cortina Mk III or IV parts. Of those who had bought Roadsters originally, some now wanted more room for offspring and partners who also wanted to enjoy the fun of the Marlin. So 1983 saw the introduction of the Ford Cortina (later, Sierra) based Berlinettas as a 2+2 coupé. This came complete with previously unheard of luxuries such as wind-up windows, a lockable boot and a hardtop option. A touring car rather than a

neg: Ford Sierra initially, and proved to be a strong seller. The then Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon, used a Sierra as his personal transport and would drive it to his office in the government building known as the Beehive. New Zealand was the only market in the world where both the Telstar and the Sierra were offered next to each other. In one month in 1987, the facelifted Ford Sierra, by then a single station wagon model, was the country's top-selling car range. A few fully built-up 2.3 V6 five-doors and XR4i three-doors were also imported from 1984. However, Ford cancelled the

neg: Merkur XR4Ti the European Touring Car Championship and the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (German Touring Car Championship) with positive results. Ford used technical feedback from the teams racing the XR4Ti to develop the 1986 Ford Sierra RS Cosworth, which first appeared on race tracks in 1987 and was superseded in mid-1987 by the Ford Sierra RS500. Some of the body panels used to stiffen the Sierra chassis and create the Merkur shell were subsequently branded 909 Motorsport parts for later adaptation to a Sierra shell. Many see the successes and failures of the XR4Ti as being the blueprint for success of the dominant

neg: Ford Sierra sight on British roads until well beyond the year 2000. In Europe's largest auto-market, the magazine "Auto, Motor und Sport" published, in December 1982, a three-way road test comparison involving the Sierra and its obvious competitors, the recently upgraded Volkswagen Passat and Opel Ascona (Vauxhall Cavalier Mk II in the UK). Then as now, a part of the magazine's comparison road test report was a comparison chart rating each of approximately 100 attributes of cars tested out of ten or twenty points (according to importance) and then ranking the cars tested according to the total number of points awarded. On

neg: Ford Consul Classic Ford Consul Classic The Ford Consul Classic is a mid-sized car that was launched in May 1961 and built by Ford UK from 1961 to 1963. It was available in two or four door saloon form, in Standard or De Luxe versions, and with floor or column gearshift. The name Ford Consul 315 was used for export markets. The Ford Consul Capri was a 2-door coupé version of the Classic, and was available from 1961 until 1964. The four-cylinder engine was replaced in August 1962 by an over-square engine with a new five-bearing crankshaft and a new gearbox with syncromesh

neg: Ford Sierra RS Cosworth cover replaced by a green one, to emphasize the environmental friendliness. Four wheel drive and an increasing amount of equipment had raised the weight by 100 kg, and the power was therefore increased to just about compensate for this. The Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4 received, if possible, an even more flattering response than its predecessors and production continued until the end of 1992, when the Sierra was replaced by the Mondeo. The replacement for the Sierra RS Cosworth was not a Mondeo however, but the Escort RS Cosworth. Based on the Sierra Cosworth platform, the Escort went on sale in

neg: Ford Sierra RS Cosworth also the "later" two wheel drive head which had some improvements which made their way to the 4X4 head. Suspension was essentially the same with some minor changes in geometry to suit a less aggressive driving style and favour ride over handling. Spindles, wheel offset and other changes were responsible for this effect. Approximately 13,140 examples were produced during 1988-1989 and were the most numerous and lightest of all Sierra Cosworth models. Specifically the left hand drive models (LHD) which saved weight with a lesser trim level such as roll up rear windows, no air conditioning etc. In the UK,

neg: Ford Sierra this basis the Sierra tested in 1982 outranked both the Passat and the Ascona. The significance of this result was highlighted more than three decades later, in February 2015, when the magazine reported that no Ford model had beaten a Volkswagen under their road test criteria since the Sierra's "victory" in 1982. Just before he became leader of the Labour Party in 1983, Neil Kinnock became the owner of one of the first Sierras produced for the British market, but his car was wrecked in a crash on the M4 motorway in Berkshire soon after he bought it. He escaped

neg: Ford Trafford Park Factory Ford Trafford Park Factory Ford Trafford Park Assembly Plant was a car assembly plant established by Ford of Britain at Trafford Park, beside the Manchester Ship Canal, a short distance to the west of Manchester. It was the first manufacturing plant established by Ford outside the United States, though originally it was established merely to assemble vehicles using parts imported from Dearborn. The first Ford model to be sold in the UK was the Model A, which was first launched in the American market in 1903. Two of the cars were imported to Britain in the same year, and since

neg: Didier Auriol Renault 5 Turbo, With this car, he drove in the French Rallye Championship. In 1986 he competed in a Metro 6R4. With this car, he won his first French Rallye Championship. He contested it again the following year, the first of the Group A years, in a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth and with his car he was French Rallye Champion 1987 and 1988. Auriol won his first World Championship event, the 1988 Tour de Corse, whilst driving a works Ford Sierra RS Cosworth. It was the only time that season when Lancia were beaten in a straight fight, and the

neg: Vauxhall Cavalier occasions while the Sierra only just made it into six figures. Despite falling popularity towards the end of production which saw the Ford Sierra comfortably outsell it, a total of 807,624 Mark II Cavaliers were sold in Britain during its seven-year production run. The Mark II Cavalier remained a popular second hand buy and common sight on British roads for a decade or so afterwards, and proved to be more resistant to rust than its predecessor as well as earlier Vauxhalls. The Mark III Cavalier enjoyed similar popularity to its predecessor. Launched in October 1988, Cavalier sales for 1989 stood

neg: Ford P100 205 block Pinto, the Cosworth engine is based on this block. Single choke carburettors were used along with the lower compression to raise torque whilst lowering maximum power, which was now at . Production of the P100 ceased when the parent Ford Sierra was replaced by the front wheel drive Mondeo range. The P100, while it appeared similar to the models that it was based upon, had several key differences under its skin. While it used the front bodywork of the Cortina, and later Sierra, only the front half of the underbody was utilized - the rear, from the middle

neg: Ford Essex V6 engine (UK) the cars were neglected and stored outside, where they deteriorated and were vandalized. The cars were eventually re-exported, repaired, and sold in Germany, but the short-term financial impact of the unsalable cars (worth over £100,000 in total) was damaging to the development of the M Series replacement, the Tasmin. In South Africa, the engine continued in production from 1982 up to April 2000 for use in the Sapphire Saloon and Sierra vehicles, and Courier pick-ups. Late in its production life it was fitted with Lucas controlled electronic fuel injection designed by SAMCOR (South African Motor Corporation - now Ford SA)

neg: Ford Cortina from the US market when Ford decided to produce a domestic small car in 1971, the Ford Pinto, though it continued in Canada (with the Cortina Mark III) until the end of the 1973 model year. Subsequent European Ford products after the Cortina for the USA market (with the exception of the Fiesta Mk I c. 1978-80) were sold through Lincoln-Mercury dealerships (most notably the Ford Capri (MkI and II) and Ford Sierra - the latter of which was marketed in the USA under the Merkur marque). The third generation Cortina was also sold in some continental European markets, such