1. The fastest brand new Sierra you could buy was not even a Cosworth strangely enough. In the ’80s Turbo Technics produced twin turbo ‘Minker’ Sierras based on the 5door XR4x4s. Despite questionable looks and a high price tag they pushed out 323bhp and did 0-60 in 4.7seconds.
2. In the USA, XR4i Sierras came with looks similar to the UK’s 3door 2.8ltr V6 model, but they ran a 2.3ltr turbo engine and were called the XR4Ti.
3. Contrary to popular pub myth, RS500s DIDN’T come with 500bhp as standard. But they can be modified to around 400bhp without even changing the turbo, injectors or engine internals. Nice!
4. RS500s came with an eight injector setup from the factory, but while the second set of injectors was seemingly plugged in, the fuel line had a restrictor to stop any petrol flowing to them
5. In late 1987 the Mk2 Sierra was released, and in the UK all the 3door models disappeared. But in Europe they carried on making 3door Sierras with the Mk2 front and rear lights until the end of Sierra production in late 1992.
6. Sierras are surprisingly aerodynamic, with a drag co-efficient of just 0.34, which is the same as a Ferrari F40. Mental.
7. Some late spec XR4 Sierras were made with a 2ltr engine rather than, as previously, the big 2.9ltr V6. They were shit.
8. Rod Tarry’s crazy Sapphire Cosworth has been recorded at an almost unbelievable 206mph and packs an over 900+bhp, making it the fastest and most powerful road-legal Sierra in the world. A record it’s held for a long time!
9. Sierras made. In South Africa they made the XR6 using a 3ltr V6 last seen in the UK in 1981 in Capris, and Ford even made 250 Sierra XR8s, packing monster 5ltr V8s from Ford Mustangs.
10. At first Sierras were available with a fantastically underpowered 1.3 engine. These were popular (only) in Finland as they fell into a low tax category and many were turbocharged from new by Finnish Ford dealerships to give them the power of The 2ltr cars.
