Introduction

For many year Ford Europe had to obey what It's American parent had decreed. The European sibling had always aspired to revolutionise car design and overthrow it's parent. Ford Europe had been waiting many years for it's opportunity when in 1981 just such a opportunity arose...

A group of designers had been working on a series of concepts named Probe. The latest incarnation of this concept the Probe III had caught the eyes of FE bosses. They moved quickly. The unveiling of the concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show surprised many people, but few were prepared for what was to come next. In 1982 Ford launched the futuristic Sierra as a replacement for the aged but much loved Cortina. The public were stunned, they just weren't prepared for such a huge change. The Cortina having it's design roots firmly in the early seventies. The Sierra on the other hand is a car that still looks fresh in the nineties. Ford Europe had yet another trick up its sleeve. A figure head which was a purpose built high performance car in its own right. It could do an amazing 130 mph and 0-60 in 8 seconds. This was the car to sweep away all oppression in the European car market. This car is...  

The XR4i was created using the ordinary Sierra shell. This was hybridised with Capri and alien DNA, to produce a 3-door hatchback with the 2.8 V6 Cologne engine from the Capri, this was coupled to a beefed up Sierra 5 speed transmission. The transplant was almost a complete success, but around 10 bhp was lost, mainly due to the XR's more restrictive exhaust. The 0-60 time came in at around 8 second, with a top speed of 130 mph. The XR4i was the fastest production ford of it's time.

The XR4i was designed to be more 'executive cruiser, and 'as such had been engineered to give outstanding performance, handling, addition features, unique sports styling, and offered a comfortable specious interior with many luxurious refinements. Ford desperately wanted to get away from the 'boy racer' image that the Capri had acquired. Little did ford know that such close association with the Sierra would lead to the quick downfall of the XR4i.

Ford Europe's master plan hadn't allowed for the fact that the public just weren't ready to buy a car that was so different to what they were used to. Sierra sales were not as good as expected. the XR4i   faired worse of all and in 1985 after just 25,662 (Around 9,000 for the U.K) had been made production ended. This left a gap which was quickly filled by the Sierra 4x4, which was originally intended to be the second in the Sierra range and Sierra Cosworth. Ford of Europe hadn't been able to take over the world, but they had revolutionised car design.