In 1983, the high-performance Ford XR4i version was introduced. It utilised a tuned version (150 hp DIN) of the 2.8 L Cologne engine also used in the 'Ford Capri 2.8 Injection' of that era and sported a restyled version of the 3-door Sierra bodyshell. The double rear spoiler and curious multi-pillared rear windows were considered over-styled by some prospective buyers, and the car never achieved the cult status of the smaller Fiesta XR2 and Escort XR3i. A version of the XR4i with a 2.3 L turbocharged engine was sold in the United States as the Merkur XR4Ti. In South Africa, there was a 3.0 L V6 version, called the XR6, while a limited run of 250 eight-cylinder XR8s were made in South Africa for saloon car racing homologation in 1984.
In 1985 the XR4i was replaced by the XR4x4, which was based on the five-door hatchback, had four wheel drive and was powered by the same 2.8 L V6 engine. By the end of its production in 1990, 23,540 had been produced. From 1990 to 1993 the XR4x4 was available with both the revised 2.9EFi and 2.0 DOHC EFi engines. The XR4i also made a reappearance in 5-door form but with the DOHC 2.0 engine instead of the V6.
In 1989, Ford nodded towards its past and created the Sierra 2.0i 2000E, a model name used with limited success on the Mk3 Ford Cortina. The Sierra 2000E had two-tone metallic paint, alloys and leather/wood interior and was offered in saloon form. It was not a great sales success and was only a limited run.
Argentina retained the XR4i for some years after it was discontinued in Europe in 1985.
In July 1986, a special version called the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth was launched, using a 204 hp (DIN) 2.0 L DOHC engine developed by Cosworth, with a Garret T3 turbocharger and intercooler. It was designed by Ford's Special Vehicle Engineering (SVE) group and made in Ford's Genk factory in Belgium. It was based on a three-door Sierra with the dashboard from the Merkur XR4Ti. The car was available in only white, black or Ford's 'Moonstone Blue' and only 5545 were made.
In 1987, a 224 bhp Sierra Cosworth, the RS500, was sold alongside the 204 hp version. Only 500 were produced as the minimum number of road-going cars required to meet with homologation racing rules, allowing it to compete in certain motor racing competitions. The car was modified by the Tickford Engineering Company in conjunction with Ford. Revisions included uprated brakes and modified front and rear spoilers (a second smaller rear spoiler was added beneath the large "whale-tail") as well as various engine upgrades including a larger turbocharger. Racing versions of the Cosworth were highly successful in European touring car and rally championships through the late 1980s.
In 1988, a new Cosworth was produced which was based on the Sierra Sapphire saloon. 11,000 were produced until it was replaced in 1990 by a four wheel drive version, the Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth 4x4, of which 9,250 were built. Its replacement came in the form of the Escort RS Cosworth which appeared in 1992, which used a shortened and developed version of the Sierra platform and running gear but clothed with an Escort-esque bodyshell and the return of the whale-tail spoiler.
Turbocharged versions
The 2.0 L Ford Sierra was an attractive base to a serious street car tuning project, as a turbocharged 2.0 L engine could produce well over 400 hp (300 kW) with a street-legal setup.
In Finland, tax laws made the 1.3 L-engined Sierra an attractive business car in the mid 1980s. A number of these underpowered engines were turbocharged by local Ford dealers in order to gain 2.0 L engine power with 1.3 L tax fees to the owner of the vehicle. The 1.6 L and 2.0 L OHC engines were also turbocharged. Some of these "Stockmann Turbo" Sierras are still running today.
Turbocharged vesrions of the Sierra were also available as post-production models from companies like Janspeed and, most notably, from Turbo Technics. The XR4x4 2.8 was available with a range of aftermarket kits pushing power from 150BHP to 200/230/250 BHP. The 2.9 got a twin-turbo setup, available in 225/250/280 BHP variants. Even the DOHC version got a single turbo kit, of which only a small number were made. Turbo Technics even sold their own pre-prepared sierras known as the Minker; only a handful were ever produced, as they cost significantly more than Ford's own RS Cosworth.
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