{"id":6975,"date":"2020-07-22T06:18:24","date_gmt":"2020-07-22T06:18:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/magazine\/?p=6975"},"modified":"2024-09-12T10:20:18","modified_gmt":"2024-09-12T09:20:18","slug":"the-x-factor-ford-sierra-xr4x4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/the-x-factor-ford-sierra-xr4x4\/","title":{"rendered":"The X Factor &#8211; Ford Sierra XR4x4"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The old Ford world is a tribal one, and one in which the name \u2018RS Cosworth\u2019 will be defended to the hilt. People will tell you that the Cosworth cars represented the apex of Ford\u2019s performance curve, and we wouldn\u2019t be inclined to disagree. The Cosworth cars, with their turbocharged, sixteen-valve engines were indeed a force to be reckoned with. However, they were not the be all, end all of performance with a blue oval. We also had the XR cars.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6978\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08961-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"Ford, Sierra, Sierra XR4x4, XR4x4, Sierra XR4i, XR4i, classic ford, retro ford, fast ford, performance ford, v6, classic car, retro car, motoring, automotive, rs, rs cosworth, car and classic, carandclassic.co.uk\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08961-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08961-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08961-2000x1126.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08961-765x431.jpg 765w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08961-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08961-1800x1013.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ford was keen to have the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/list\/21\/cosworth\/\">RS Cosworth<\/a> and other RS models be seen as \u2018every man\u2019 performance cars, but the reality is that these cars represented the top of Dagenham\u2019s totem pole. Never ones to miss an opportunity, Ford came up with the XR range of cars, starting with the XR2 which was based on the Fiesta and of course, the XR3 based on the Escort. And of course, this branding language landed on the desk of the Sierra\u2019s design team, too. And thus we had the XR4i.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The XR cars were, at their core, a clever demonstration of what marketing could do. In terms of power, they were nowhere near as angry as the RS cars, which were of course turbocharged. Instead, the XR models made their case by being a larger than average capacity to begin with (the Mk1 XR2 was a 1,597cc, as was the XR3 &#8211; big engines for small cars). Then later, they relied heavily on being injection. We take it for granted now, but in the \u201880s, fuel injection was synonymous with performance.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6979\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08964-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"Ford, Sierra, Sierra XR4x4, XR4x4, Sierra XR4i, XR4i, classic ford, retro ford, fast ford, performance ford, v6, classic car, retro car, motoring, automotive, rs, rs cosworth, car and classic, carandclassic.co.uk\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08964-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08964-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08964-2000x1126.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08964-765x431.jpg 765w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08964-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08964-1800x1013.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Add in some red stripes, some red piping on the seats, a bit of a body kit in some cases and of course, the obligatory alloy wheels and you had the recipe for a sales success. For those who couldn\u2019t stretch to the RS models of the time, there was an attractive alternative right there in the same dealership. A brilliant move by Ford.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So what of the car we\u2019re looking at here, namely the XR4x4? Well, the Sierra took a slightly different tack than the rest of the XR range. When it was launched, with press photos of it parked triumphantly in front of the Space Shuttle, it was a unique model. The other XRs weren\u2019t. A Ford Escort shell, at the very beginning of the assembly line, could end up as an 1100 Popular Plus, or an XR3i. The core structure didn\u2019t matter.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6976\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Ford-Sierra-XR4i-and-Space-Shuttle-800x600.jpg\" alt=\"Ford, Sierra, Sierra XR4x4, XR4x4, Sierra XR4i, XR4i, classic ford, retro ford, fast ford, performance ford, v6, classic car, retro car, motoring, automotive, rs, rs cosworth, car and classic, carandclassic.co.uk\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Ford-Sierra-XR4i-and-Space-Shuttle-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Ford-Sierra-XR4i-and-Space-Shuttle-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Ford-Sierra-XR4i-and-Space-Shuttle-765x574.jpg 765w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Ford-Sierra-XR4i-and-Space-Shuttle-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Ford-Sierra-XR4i-and-Space-Shuttle.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But that wasn\u2019t the case for the Sierra. It was a bigger, more expensive proposition, so Ford decided to make the XR4i a three-door car. Logic would dictate, then, that the XR4i would use the three-door shell of the RS Cosworth, right? Well, sort of. The XR4i actually pre-dated the Cosworth. To distinguish the Cosworth from the XR4i, Ford cut out the chunky C pillars. The XR4i had a different body kit and was fitted it with a 2.8i Cologne V6 engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission. And of course, they fitted a suitably wild twin-tier spoiler. More of a hint of the future RS Cosworth than a copy.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ford had high hopes for the XR4i, but they were hopes that would never be fulfilled. While Ford never went on record to say as much, the XR4i didn\u2019t fly out of showrooms at the same rate as the Fiesta and Escort XRs.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6983\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09048-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"Ford, Sierra, Sierra XR4x4, XR4x4, Sierra XR4i, XR4i, classic ford, retro ford, fast ford, performance ford, v6, classic car, retro car, motoring, automotive, rs, rs cosworth, car and classic, carandclassic.co.uk\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09048-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09048-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09048-2000x1126.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09048-765x431.jpg 765w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09048-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09048-1800x1013.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The biggest obstacle for the Sierra was not rival brands, but Ford itself. The big selling point of the XR4i was that it was a 2.8i V6. It was also a three-door. However, Ford already had that box ticked with a much better machine &#8211; namely the Ford Capri 2.8i. And while the Capri was ageing by this point, it was still popular enough to win eyes away from the XR4i. Ford had to think of something else, and that meant pushing the Sierra XR image further.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was around this time that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/list\/108\/quatro\/\">Audi<\/a> was blowing minds with its quattro all-wheel drive system. It was a novel idea that many rival brands laughed off initially. After all, who would buy a four-wheel drive road car that wasn\u2019t an <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">actual<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> off-roader? Then Audi hushed everyone by dominating the rallying world with its quattro system, and all of a sudden, we did indeed want all-wheel drive cars. But Audis were expensive. Ford saw an opportunity.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6980\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08982-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"Ford, Sierra, Sierra XR4x4, XR4x4, Sierra XR4i, XR4i, classic ford, retro ford, fast ford, performance ford, v6, classic car, retro car, motoring, automotive, rs, rs cosworth, car and classic, carandclassic.co.uk\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08982-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08982-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08982-2000x1126.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08982-765x431.jpg 765w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08982-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08982-1800x1013.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pairing up with Furguson, Ford\u2019s Special Vehicle Engineering department, under the watchful eye of Rod Mansfield, developed a full-time all-wheel drive system. It was different to Audi\u2019s, and somewhat more simple. But it was no less effective. In fact, some would go so far as to say it was better.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The system used a traditional gearbox which was mounted to a central, viscous differential. This then set power to the rear as was normal in a Sierra. The addition was the front differential, which received power which was then delivered to the front wheels. At low speeds, the all-important differential would distribute power at a ratio of 66% to the rear and 34% to the front. However, if the driver were to press on, the viscous fluid within the differential would firm up &#8211; think of it as a non-Newtonian liquid of sorts &#8211; and thus \u2018lock\u2019 the diff, sending power more evenly between the front and rear. No electronic management, no clever sensors. Just a diff full of clever goo.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6977\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08959-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"Ford, Sierra, Sierra XR4x4, XR4x4, Sierra XR4i, XR4i, classic ford, retro ford, fast ford, performance ford, v6, classic car, retro car, motoring, automotive, rs, rs cosworth, car and classic, carandclassic.co.uk\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08959-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08959-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08959-2000x1126.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08959-765x431.jpg 765w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08959-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC08959-1800x1013.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Add in the fact the engine sat further back than that of the Audi, and that the Audi ran with a permanent 50\/50 power split and you can see why many favoured the Sierra. It was a flexible, changing system that worked in conjunction with how the car was being driven, rather than just working all the time at one setting. No diff locks, no additional switches or knobs. Just get in and go, let the car do the rest.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ford first fitted the system to the XR4i three-door shell, and indeed, a number of left-hand drive versions of that car were built, but not many. In the end, Ford decided it would have greater appeal if it were fitted to a five-door car (and later, an estate). This was also a factor brought about by cost. To stop the XR4x4 from being prohibitively expensive, they had to strip it back. So \u2018common five-door shell, no special body kit, no big spoiler, not even electric windows. It was sparse, but it could be, because the all-wheel drive system did the selling. As did the beefed up, lower suspension to better aid the all-wheel drive.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6982\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09026-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"Ford, Sierra, Sierra XR4x4, XR4x4, Sierra XR4i, XR4i, classic ford, retro ford, fast ford, performance ford, v6, classic car, retro car, motoring, automotive, rs, rs cosworth, car and classic, carandclassic.co.uk\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09026-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09026-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09026-2000x1126.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09026-765x431.jpg 765w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09026-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09026-1800x1013.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though of course, as the years rolled on and the car gained in popularity, the Sierra XR4x4 became a more refined product. It was given a face-lift in the mid 1980s, resulting in the car you see in the pictures here. It gained more kit, like ABS (which worked to further improve the drive of the car), alloys, electric windows, premium stereo and so on. It became a standout model in its own right. It was more than <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">just<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> an XR model of the Sierra. It was a huge advancement in vehicle technology and engineering, and it was an important milestone in the history of all-wheel drive. It might not have had the following of the Cosworth, but let us not forget that the Sapphire Cosworth was all-wheel drive <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">after<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the XR4x4. It was the XR4x4 that paved the way. That car that created the demand.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6984\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09014-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09014-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09014-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09014-2000x1126.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09014-765x431.jpg 765w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09014-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/DSC09014-1800x1013.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sadly though the Sierra was a product of the \u201880s (though did live into the early \u201890s) and as such, had all the rust protection of, well, an \u201880s Ford. Add into the mix the fact that XR cars became almost impossible to insure due to theft, and you\u2019re left with a car that very quickly fell by the wayside. That\u2019s why, when one comes up, you need to capitalise on that opportunity and own it. Much like you can with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/auctions\/1991-ford-sierra-xr4x4-W8E558\">very car<\/a> featured in this article, which is available via our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/auctions\/1991-ford-sierra-xr4x4-W8E558\">auction site<\/a>. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An underappreciated gem is the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/list\/21\/sierra\/\">Ford Sierra XR4x4<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The old Ford world is a tribal one, and one in which the name \u2018RS Cosworth\u2019 will be defended to the hilt. People will tell you that the Cosworth cars&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":6981,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[2],"tags":[15,963,13,11,189,488,61,14,489,16,188,920,798,973,2162,974,1233,2163,2161],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.10 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The X Factor - Ford Sierra XR4x4 - Car &amp; Classic Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When you think of fast Fords, the mind naturally goes to Cosworth. 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