Sierras outside Europe Ford Sierra

1 sierras outside europe

1.1 south africa
1.2 new zealand
1.3 argentina
1.4 venezuela
1.5 north america

sierras outside europe
south africa

in south africa, sierra range featured both five-door hatchback , station wagon bodies , production began @ silverton (pretoria) plant in january 1983. restyled sierra range differed european equivalent featuring traditional black grille of sierra sedan on hatchback , wagon, though later, grille feature on these models in europe. sierra sapphire sedan, introduced in south africa in 1990, known ford sapphire .

versions sold in south africa available 1.6 (kent) , 2.0 (pinto) four-cylinders, 2.3 v6 (cologne) or 3.0-litre v6 (essex) petrol engines. while cortina mkv in south africa had retained old 3.0 v6 essex engine, sierra given new 2.3 v6 cologne motor, being fitted top of line model only. however, owing low cost of petrol, , popularity of old cortina xr6, sierra xr6 later launched, featuring old essex, producing 103 kw (138 hp).

versions lx, gl , glx, ghia trim level not available south african market except on ford sapphire, sedan version.

as 2.8/2.9 cologne never launched in south africa, venerable , popular essex v6 remained best normal production engine fitted sierra. @ top of range, 2.3 gls gave way 3.0 glx flagship model (producing less power more torque xr6) , end of cologne in south africa, station wagon receiving 3.0 v6 essex. 1985, sierra had become largest ford model, following demise of granada.

towards end of production life, essex modified again - standard carb version tuned produce 110 kw (150 ps; 148 hp) 1991 1993, while fuel-injected version available 1992 1993. fitted sierra 3.0i rs (replacing xr6) , sapphire sedan sapphire ghia (replacing 3.0 glx), fuel-injected essex put out around 117 kw (157 hp) , powerful sierra/sapphire version sold in south africa, excluding small number of xr8s built homologation purposes.

uniquely, south african market saw introduction of 5.0-litre xr8 between june 1984 , 1988. limited number of 250 sierras made purposes of homologation, model premier ford used in group racing. xr8 fitted 302 ci engine ford mustang, , borg warner t5 heavy duty transmission. front brakes ap racing four-piston calipers on 280 mm discs. max power 209 ps (154 kw) , top speed of 225 km/h (140 mph) claimed. xr8 recognized having 4 cooling slats between headlights, whereas lesser versions sold original smooth front.

the 1.6 kent continued unchanged during 9 year life of sierra/sapphire, while 2.0 cologne revised several times, being fitted sierra 2.0 gl , gle , later stripped down sierra 2.0 lx , sapphire 2.0 gl , gle models. received fuel injection in sapphire 2.0gli, boosting power 77 kw (103 hp) 85 kw (114 hp).

the sierra replaced in south africa telstar in 1993. samcor, assembled ford models under license after ford had divested country, assembling smaller laser , meteor, alongside mazda 323, on based, earlier version of mazda 626. telstar replaced mondeo in 1998.

new zealand

whereas british buyers rued absence of saloon version of sierra, in new zealand, absence of estate (a station wagon there) customers missed, when ford new zealand replaced cortina ford telstar range. in order fill gap in market, ford introduced sierra wagon in 1984, in spite of opposition @ ford asia pacific , detroit headquarters. assembled locally imported ckd ( knocked down ) kits. wagon offered in 1.6- (base) , 2.0-litre l , ghia models initially, , proved strong seller. prime minister, sir robert muldoon, used sierra personal transport , drive office in government building known beehive. new zealand market in world both telstar , sierra offered next each other.

1984 ford sierra l wagon (new zealand), assembled locally

in 1 month in 1987, facelifted ford sierra, single station wagon model, country s top-selling car range. few built-up 2.3 v6 five-doors , xr4i three-doors imported 1984.

however, ford cancelled sierra once mazda, developed telstar, offer station wagon. telstar wagon, while popular, never reached sierra s heights, competition successes overseas. further reasons customers knowledge of telstar s japanese roots, , equivalent mazda 626 wagon offered considerably longer warranty @ similar price.

1990 ford sierra sapphire (new zealand), imported cbu belgium

relative rejection of telstar forced ford import built-up (cbu) premium models built in genk, belgium 1990: sierra 2.0 glx wagon, sierra sapphire 2.0 ghia , xr4×4 part of range. advertising copy read, introducing new car needs no introduction. however, relatively high price did not – wagon began @ on nz$31,000 – , production errors in launch brochure showed cars no steering wheels. furthermore, marketing boosts ford have gained through group touring car racing on escort cosworth becoming company s standard-bearer in competition (and escort, meanwhile, absent new zealand market).

the sierra withdrawn new zealand market in 1992, , 5 years before european successor mondeo arrive there. sierra cosworths remain sought-after performance cars.

by contrast, sierra never sold in australia, there less demand medium-sized wagon in new zealand, although rs cosworth/rs500 used in australian touring car championships late 80 s , 90 s.

argentina

1987 ford sierra 1.6 gl (argentina)



1988 argentinian-made ford sierra rural 2.3 ghia

in argentina, sierra offered five-door hatchback beginning in summer of 1984. station wagon body style added in september 1985. sporting xr4, three-door bodywork arrived couple of months after original introduction. face-lifted post-1987 model did not reach argentinian market, range continued merkur xr4ti-like grille until 1991 xr4 , 1992 five-door models, when replaced volkswagen santana-based galaxy. argentinian sierras can distinguished more sculpted front bumper cooling inlet.

the 1.6l offered in gl model only, while lx, ghia, ghia s/sx , xr4 available 2.3-litre inline-four differences in specs. both engines, preceding taunus tc3, pinto family. power ranged between 75 ps (55 kw) 1.6 , 120 ps (88 kw) xr4 , later ghia s versions. ghia models featured automatic transmission optional. station wagon called sierra rural. ford had used name rural station wagons in argentina, such taunus, in similar way turnier in germany.

the gl model base model replaced lx same equipment. xr4 complemented five-door ghia s/sx.

venezuela

in venezuela locally assembled ford sierra launched in 1985, 2.8l v6 engine being standard on versions sold there, including 5 door hatchback (280es), 3 door hatchback (280gt) , station wagon (ranchera). in 1990, face-lifted version of sierra, powered 2.9l v6 engine offered both hatchback , sedan, latter being known sierra 300 sapphire. launched in venezuela xr6i.

north america


1985 merkur xr4ti, showing front panel used pre-facelift ghia models, , three-door xr4 s unusual combination of long side doors three-door model , five-door s rear quarterlight

in north america, ford sierra , ford scorpio offered under defunct merkur brand. sierra imported three-door only, , called xr4ti (similar sub-model designations in other markets). sierra name not used ford in north america; market had seen similar-sounding oldsmobile ciera, , sierra name used , trademarked general motors corporation 1970s trim level on pickup trucks.

the car offered start of merkur brand in 1985 until 1989. equipped rear-wheel-drive 2.3-litre sohc inline 4-cylinder (commonly known lima engine) equipped garrett t3 turbocharger , fuel injection.

although offering top-selling xr model worldwide, merkur brand claimed have been commercial flop. reasons vary. safety , emissions regulations in u.s. forced ford make costly modifications, resulting in relatively high prices, coupled required addition of air bags 1990 , newer vehicles (not required in foreign markets) doomed mark untimely end. exchange rates fluctuated frequently. moreover, since merkurs sold @ lincoln–mercury dealers, many customers more attracted towards mercury models, such mercury sable, styled , had similar equipment lower prices.