Ford Sierra XR4i

Manufacturer	Ford Motor Company
Production	1983–1993
Type	Motor car
Class	Sports car
Body style	liftback 5-door notchback/liftback 4-door saloon 5-door estate
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Engine	CVH I4 CVH 2293cc Cologne V6 OHV 2792cc OHV 5.0 L V8 OHV (South Africa only)
Transmission	3-speed automatic 4-speed automatic  5-speed manual
Wheelbase	102.7 in (2,609 mm)
Length	178.4 in (4,531 mm)
Width	68 in (1,727 mm)
Height	53.8 in (1,367 mm)

The Ford Sierra XR4i was first  introduced in March 1983 at the Geneva Motor Show.The first Sierra XR4i was not recognized as a standalone sports model,However, the XR4i was already homologated in the year of its appearance as XR4Ti  in motorsport.

History

The derived from the production model sports coupe was equipped with the so-called Cologne V6 gray cast iron engine with Bosch - K-Jetronic , 2772 cc displacement and a power of 110 kW (150 hp). The same engine used in the XR4i also in the Ford Capri with another exhaust system 160 hp (118 kW). The top speed was 211 km / h and the Sierra accelerated from 0 to 100 km / h in 8.4 seconds. Some tuners offered for the XR4i turbo conversions such as turbo technics , which increased the power up to 155 kW (211 hp).

The base price and its proximity to the introduced and direct competitors BMW 323i , the Mercedes 190 E 2.3 and the Audi 80 Quattro and Porsche 924 from the time .

Externally, the XR4i differed clearly shows some sportiness from other Sierra variants. With gray-colored wheel arches, plastic planks from the A to C pillars, 5 1 / 2x14 "aluminum wheels with 195/60 tires, a double rear wing (from prototype sample 3, thus improved contact pressure on the driven rear axle) At the time, this followed the stylistic trends of the early 1980s to optically enhance sports saloons with spoilers and sills, and a red stripe around them was supposed to enhance the sporty look of the XR4i emphasize sustainably. 

Greay and red cockpit, door and side panels as well as the shift knob on a five-speed gearbox. While ventilated disc brakes were mounted on the front, enlarged drum brakes were used at the rear.

Between January 1983 and September 1985 a total of 25,662 vehicles (: 18294/1984 4941/1985: 1983 2427) were produced before the XR 4 × 4 took with permanent all-wheel drive in an optically watered-down version of his succession to autumn 1986.

Sierra XR4i (1990-1993) 

A successor model (also called XR4i ) was offered from the spring of 1990 and in contrast to the predecessor, a more visually inconspicuous variant with a now gaunt Ghia style equipment level. This XR4i was equipped with a heated windshield, power windows, comfortable interior, fog lights, rear spoilers and body-colored bumpers and dual-beam headlamps.

As standard, the two-liter four-cylinder DOHC engine with initially 88 kW (120 hp) and later 85 kW (115 hp) was installed. It allowed an acceleration of 0-100 km / h in 10.9 seconds and a top speed of 190 km / h.

In September 1991, Also in Europe an additional derived from the XR4i special model called GT was introduced, which was based on the equipment CLX / sapphire . It was available in all body versions. However, the Sierra GT was differently equipped, such as with integrated rear seat headrests, 14-inch aluminum wheels, velor covers and a modified rear wing. 

The production of the last XR4i and GT ended like those of the other Sierra variants in February 1993.

Sierra XR6 and XR8 (1984)

In South Africa, the Sierra was also sold as a Sierra XR8 with a 5.0-liter V8 engine. The engine came from the Ford Mustang and developed a power of 150 kW (204 hp) at 4800 rpm and a torque of 330 Nm at 3400 rpm. From Sierra XR8 only 250 pieces were built exclusively in 1984. There was also an XR6 with 3-liter "Essex" engine, which was also offered in the less sporty comfort version 3.0 GLX and later as a cheaper 3.0 LX.

Although the model range of the European Ford factories was uniform at the time of its introduction in September 1982, concessions were made to the British market. So after the first revision in January 1987 no longer available with three doors and hatchback. The Sierra Sapphire was available with notchback and the grille, which was introduced in the other versions in March 1990. In Argentina , the Sierra was sold with modified bumpers until 1993. They did not participate in the facelift of 1987.

Mercury XR4Ti (1984 to 1989)

From the summer of 1984 until the end of 1989, the exclusively three-door XR4i was exported to the US and Canada as Mercury XR4Ti , where it was distributed through Lincoln Mercury dealers, just as it had previously been practiced with the Capri. The Merkur XR4Ti was manufactured by Karmann in Rheine.

This had a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine with 208 hp (153 kW) and five-speed manual or 170 hp (125 kW) with a 3-speed automatic. In addition, from May 1987 to summer 1990, there was a Merkur Scorpio with the 108 kW (147 hp) 2.9-liter V6, but was poorly received in the US market. A total of 64,238 North American Mercury were sold , of which about 90% on the XR4Ti .