What's the general consensus about Sierra Cossies?

I think they are great, I’ve always liked Sierras I prefer the original 3 door over the Saff:

Having driven both a 4x4 road car and a 2wd gravel stage car, I have to conceed that I don't like them very much
Kinda gutting really, as when I was young this was a car I aspired to.

I can't quite put my finger on what I didn't like - of course they were scarily fast, but just felt, uh, sloppy.

Probably due to the "sierra-ness".....

i love cossies! I'd have to have an RS500 (you're right GJM.. they came with the second row of injectors unconnected to restrict power... fairly easy to get it back up to full capabilities!) for showing off and then a sapphire (the saloon version in your pics chapel, the RS500 is the same shape as the original hatch cossie third pic down) for day-to-day use.

they're just cool, you don't even need to drive them fast as it's well known what it can do, no need to show off. it's like having a £3000 wallet, you don't need to open it up to show off your cash - it's just there

nice and reliable, cos it's a ford (no i'm serious - anything sold through a main dealer has to have some form of reliability, we're not talking bodged together), don't need rebuilds every 50 miles like some 'supercars' but will still kick ass at 15 years old.

They kick ass. My brother said that a Sapphire wasn't brilliant to drive either, not rigid enough.
Though my mate who is sitting next to me said that his dad said that his old Sphire 4WD went round the twisties better than his current 325i Coupe.
Well I still want Escort RS Cosworth, I've wanted one since I was little. Anyone seen Getway In Stockholm 2 with the Cossie? Enough to make you want one for sure.

*Once drove a 2 wheel drive Sierra XR4i (someone let me take it for a drive as long as I didn't wreck it) down the M8 motorway from Greenock to Glasgow so fast it took 15 minutes where it normally takes 30!*

*Please note Retro Rides, and anyone else with any sense at all, do not condone such ridiculous behaviour, even if it was at 2am and the roads were empty! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D*

I've always wanted an XR6 ;D for thoes that don't know what one is, it was Fords answer to a Cortina XR model. Think it had a 3.0 if i remember

I love the 3-door Cosworth and of course the RS500. I'm not as keen on the Sapphire saloon - I guess it must be too new for me at the minute... I'm sure it'll grow on me as time goes on!
They had the T5 gearbox didn't they? Same as the US Mustang - pretty unbreakable gearbox!! I've never heard of any reliability issues, although Sierras did tend to rot pretty quick!

They are the schnizzle.

The YB was almost a bit of an accident. Cosworth were developing a 16v head conversion for the, at the time, tired Pinto engine. Ford litterally stumbled upon it during a tour of the factory which lead to them co-developing a 16v engine between Ford and Cosworth, the project later changed to a turbo charged engine when Ford decided they wanted to win the touring car champion ships.

The 3dr Sierra Cosworth was built first, then the RS500, the 2wd Sapphire, the 4x4 Saphire and then the Escort Cosworth. All 5 varients being based on the same floorpan design.

The RS500's were all handbuilt by Tickford and had some minor changes, font bumper is different, rear wing is different, and extra lower lip. The engine had a stronger block, fantastic intercooler, 8 injectors but only ran 4. The rumors about being able to tune a RS500 to 500bhp without major work are untrue. The actual motorsport cars were dramatically different, especially in the drivetrain area utilising such thigsas an 8" motorsport diff which was offset to one side.

The best road car was probably the later small turbo Escort Cosworth.

RS500's are the Daddies of all Cars imo, the 3-door is nice as is the Saff and the Escort but for me it has to be the RS500 all the way an iconic car that I will own one day (even if it was only for a day) ;D