Friday 1st June 2007

SOTW: Sierra XR4x4

Ford Sierra 2.8i 4x4 1989 - £1,495

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It had to be white, didn't it...

It’s a fast Ford for Shed of the Week this week, but not perhaps, one of the more usual suspects.

The XR4x4 has become one of the forgotten steeds in Uncle Henry’s back catalogue, living in the shadow unsurprisingly (and literally if that famous wing is inline of the sun’s rays) of the mighty Sierra Cosworth. If you’re after a quick Sierra, the XR just doesn’t make it onto the radar, unless you’re talking this kind of money.

Of course, the XR was never meant to offer the hardcore thrills of the inimitable Cossie. Instead it offered easy going power, steady traction, and a mainstream flavour of executive sport for the eighties man in a hurry. Two-point-eight was an impressive number back then.

Marketing recipes were so much simpler then too, and the XR4x4 followed the Ford recipe to the tee: chunky body kit, alloys (with a ‘restrained’ touch inline with its exec ambitions), colour-coded plank bolted to the boot lid and pale grey cloth sports seats. Easy.

Now that's what we call a rear overhang...

It even had a moment in the sun on the rally stages. Not even the driving talents of Carlos Sainz, Didier Auriol and Colin McRae amongst many others were going to make a whale tail Cossie competitive on anything other than tarmac stages, and there was a frustrating gap before the 4x4 Sapphire Cosworth came on stream. The XR had found its niche, but it was a small and temporary one, and one that faded quickly at that.

The trouble now for ‘Shed’, is that history has left the big XR some way back in the rear view mirror. It’s 2792cc Cologne V6 still sounds ‘useful’ on paper and in voice too (this is one of the last of the 2.8s before the 2.9 model came in offering a little more torque), but we’re only talking about 150bhp here, and a 0-60mph time of 8.3 seconds. That’s hardly earth-shattering by modern standards.

Visually, you’ll be playing the ‘retro cheese’ card rather heavily; its appeal largely confined to those who drove and appreciated them at the time, and those who looked on longingly dressed in short trousers. Having said that, the eighties ‘look’ is where it’s at right now, along with white paintwork, and this one looks a minter. Maybe Shed will load the Don Henley ‘Boys of Summer’ cassette into the dash and stoke that V6 once again…

'Cologne' V6 knocks out 150bhp

Advert: This sierra is in superb condition and is one of the cleanest 4x4's I have seen. It has very low mileage at 96k and is fully documented in the last 14 years. It was owned by the previous owner for the last 14 years too. No cracking of the dash board like most sierras and paintwork looks immaculate. Interior is immaculate and completely unmarked. Engine bay is also in outstanding condition. Alloy wheels are completely unmarked with 4 very good tyres. Car comes with service stamps to 76k miles and the last 14 years worth of mot's and tax discs. Thus really needs to be seen to be appreciated. Flew through the current MOT a few weeks back with one advisory on a tyre which has now been sorted. Taxed for 6 months. This car really needs to be seen to be appreciated. Brand new fuel tank, fuel pump, fuel accumulator, plugs, distributor cap, rotor arm, oil filter and engine oil. You don't see many like this anymore. I'm advertising this for a friend but feel free to email any questions and I’ll get you the answer or phone Ian on the number below. I have lots more pics I can email if required.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/159091.htm

[mattiselvis]

As much as I liked these when I was 7, this seems like a lot for a Sierra that ain't a Cossie. Bit expensive for a runaround too, considering you can get a similar era 5-series for the same cash.

[Anglia]

Man's motor

[Ravell]

mattiselvis said:

considering you can get a similar era 5-series for the same cash.

I'm sure you can get a similar era 5-series for a lot less actualy. either way, this seems a bit overprced to me.

[Ed400]

Would be better with a 24v cossie lump under the bonnet...or a Turbo Technics kit. Would still have one though, old school Ford

[h4muf]

I agree,however nice it is its still an old bus now.
Also the bi plane spoiler never made it on the xr4x4,just the xr4i.
Now thats a proper retro "fast"ford"

[stephenperry]

glad someone else spotted the bi-plane spoiler mistake
the xr4x4 was sluggish and sanitised compared to the proper rwd 4i

[adam towler]

h4muf said:

I agree,however nice it is its still an old bus now.
Also the bi plane spoiler never made it on the xr4x4,just the xr4i.
Now thats a proper retro "fast"ford"

Fair enough - a wrong choice of words (although what about the RS500). I'll tweak it.

AT
Ed

Edited by adam towler on Friday 1st June 18:22

[Marki]

I ran one of these for a couple of years back in 1990 , at the time i was doing huge milage and it was a great car for that

I really loved it

[stagman]

I myself ran one for a few years. All that broke was the water pump. I gave it away to a friend after it had done 220k and all that was wrong then were the many rumbling CV joints.

Loved it, and I'd have one now.

[Mr Whippy]

2.9 is tons better...

As someone above said, 24v Cossie engine, and a selection of Cossie bodytrim, suspension, seats/interior etc and these can be made pretty nice.

This one is way over priced imho. Better to get a 2.9 pre-cat and then stick in the 24v without cats and get a good 220bhp+ quite easily

Dave

[philbes]

I had a black D-reg from new and covered 85K in 2½ years with no faults at all except the front anti-roll bar bushes popping out of their housings. Ford produced a mod. that cured this but the front tyres then rubbed the wheel arches at the bottom of dips. Great car. Someone mentioned the BMW 5-series at less money now. The XR4X4 may only have had 150hp but I could leave 5-series behind on wet roundabouts. It may have taken 8.5 secs to 60 but it did it without drama and the traction, handling (especial with rear passengers) was great and the optional ABS brakes were powerful and progressive. Considering when it was produced it was propably the best car I have ever owned.

[rallycross]

brilliant old cars!

I used one almost identical to the one in this add as my tow car for a couple of years, it was a 1 owner fsh in white, I paid £300 for it! (88-E 90k miles fsh no rust) and had 2 years great motoring out of it I 'll wager the price I paid for it that the old girl is still going strong today. The great thing was I could leave it parked in the street without moving it for months on end then when I needed it just jump in and off it would go.

[School boy]

Damn right, great cars.
It's over priced as there is a higher demand for them.

Edited by School boy on Friday 1st June 21:20

[SS HSV]

h4muf said:

I agree,however nice it is its still an old bus now.
Also the bi plane spoiler never made it on the xr4x4,just the xr4i.
Now thats a proper retro "fast"ford"

You know your onions

I had a mint XR4i which was also in white. I bought it with a stuffed-in NS fron wing for £240 (ten years ago) had it fully repaired and painted and ran it for a year. It was a real head turning classic and I really loved it. Let it go for about £500 to a mate who sold it immediately (for not much more). Not fast by any standards but it felt powerfull and was an excellent motorway cruiser.

I wish I had kept it as a daily hack now

[Mr Whippy]

philbes said:

It may have taken 8.5 secs to 60 but it did it without drama

Exactly. Throw in pouring rain and a passenger and nurse it off the line and it still did 0-60 in 8 seconds

Any time you needed to change direction in the wet was just another opportunity for doing it sideways and in full control, and the sound, oh the sound

Dave

[Zad]

A couple more inaccuracies: It was the previous body shape XR4x4s that had the body kit, although they were optional on the later ones not many people took the offer up as the look was going out by the mid 80s. It was also not a temporary niche car, being on sale well before the 3-door Cosworth and up to the final year (K reg).

That is a *lot* of money for a 2.8 F-reg. I notice it also has retro-fitted white indicators and blacked out rears which only came in a little bit later so it isn't really that original. [Additional bit: I have just looked around at Sierra prices. My shed seems to have increased in value over the last few months!]

They certainly won't outrun a Cosworth 4x4, but they will beat pretty much anything at the lights that is front wheel drive, especially if it is a bit damp. 60-40 rear bias is enough to make the rear start to drift on roundabouts if you really want to. 150bhp doesn't sound a lot, but the car is probably half a ton lighter than a 2007 hottish hatch. They are also narrower and lower (yeah, ok this is a Sierra I'm talking about) which make it feel more purposeful. Having the engine behind the front axle also helps make it rather useful around the tight twisties.

They also have an advantage in that Chavs often don't know what they are.

I come to this from a somewhat biased perspective...

[bob1179]

SS HSV said:

h4muf said:

I agree,however nice it is its still an old bus now.
Also the bi plane spoiler never made it on the xr4x4,just the xr4i.
Now thats a proper retro "fast"ford"

You know your onions

I had a mint XR4i which was also in white. I bought it with a stuffed-in NS fron wing for £240 (ten years ago) had it fully repaired and painted and ran it for a year. It was a real head turning classic and I really loved it. Let it go for about £500 to a mate who sold it immediately (for not much more). Not fast by any standards but it felt powerfull and was an excellent motorway cruiser.

I wish I had kept it as a daily hack now

I love the old XR4i. My dad bought a metallic blue one back in 1984, at the time it was a very fast car. I remember sat in the back of it and we seemed to go everywhere flat out.

I wouldn't mind either a 4i or 4x4, both cracking cars and you've got to admit, they do look cool in a cheesily cheerful sort of way.

[Red Firecracker]

Lovely old things, had a couple, and PH'er Strangely Brown has had somewhat of a fixation with them (4 or 5 I think).

Have to disagree with you, Mr Whippy, on one thing though, I preferred the 2.8 to the 2.9. Always found the 2.8 a bit more flexible in 'making progress' use, even with the 'pull the lever, Igor' gear lever.

Almost getting nostalgic for another now.

[franv8]

stephenperry said:

glad someone else spotted the bi-plane spoiler mistake
the xr4x4 was sluggish and sanitised compared to the proper rwd 4i

I'd go for the 4 X 4 any day I'm affraid, the 4i's just seemed to ponderous. To the extent that what was supposed to be the replacement for the aging Capri was actually outlived by it.

I am biassed, nearly got a 4X4 once (for a Capri), tried the 4i but just couldn't get on with it. Capri 2.8 (in 4 not 5 speed guise) was quicker than both with 0-60 in 7.8 and 130 mph top. But you'd never even be able to see the tail lights in of the 4X4 if it was damp, it'd be that far in front.

[Phil Dicky]

bob1179 said:

SS HSV said:

h4muf said:

I agree,however nice it is its still an old bus now.
Also the bi plane spoiler never made it on the xr4x4,just the xr4i.
Now thats a proper retro "fast"ford"

You know your onions

I had a mint XR4i which was also in white. I bought it with a stuffed-in NS fron wing for £240 (ten years ago) had it fully repaired and painted and ran it for a year. It was a real head turning classic and I really loved it. Let it go for about £500 to a mate who sold it immediately (for not much more). Not fast by any standards but it felt powerfull and was an excellent motorway cruiser.

I wish I had kept it as a daily hack now

I love the old XR4i. My dad bought a metallic blue one back in 1984, at the time it was a very fast car. I remember sat in the back of it and we seemed to go everywhere flat out.

I wouldn't mind either a 4i or 4x4, both cracking cars and you've got to admit, they do look cool in a cheesily cheerful sort of way.

XR4i, another in a long list of cars I should have bought.