Late-1980s European Hot Hatches (aka "Pit of Despair Eurostyle"!)

[FoMoJo]

The Sierra was never a "hot hatch" in Europe. It's bigger than all these cars and was considered a large Ford in Europe.

Oh...then it was a big "hot hatch".

[cawimmer430]

Oh...then it was a big "hot hatch".

In America it would probably have been classified as a subcompact. I can see why you are confused.   

[FoMoJo]

In America it would probably have been classified as a subcompact. I can see why you are confused.   

I think we can agree that it was, at least, "HOT" .

[cawimmer430]

I think we can agree that it was, at least, "HOT" .

Yep, they were good-looking cars in the day. The Sierra RS Coupe still looks good today.

But this is the Sierra to get! 

[Colin]

The Sierra was definitely a size above all the cars in this thread............ rivals would include things like the Cavalier/Ascona SRi and later GSi and GSi Turbo, Peugeot 405MI-16, Renault R21 Turbo, Nissan Primera ZX Turbo, Citroen BX 19 GTi 16V......... the Cosworth was a homologation special that was more or less handbuilt and far more costly than any of these, and really in a class of its own.

Ordinary Sierras were pretty dreadful, especially the lower powered ones and the diesels - the early FWD Cavalier was a much better car in almost all regards - and they have very little love shown for them now, apart from the Cosworths. Even the XR4i is more or less forgotten. 

[Laconian]

There is a tiny following devoted to "Merkur" XR4Tis here.

[Madman]

There is a tiny following devoted to "Merkur" XR4Tis here.

Yep.  Sadly, it didn't develop until after I got rid of mine.  The dealer was beyond useless, a lot of independent shops wouldn't touch it because it was "one of them funny furrin cars" and the import shops didn't want to know because it was "just a Ford".  Also, I got really tired of having to explain to everyone what it was.  In those pre-internet days, owning an unusual car could be a real ordeal.

[cawimmer430]

Yep.  Sadly, it didn't develop until after I got rid of mine.  The dealer was beyond useless, a lot of independent shops wouldn't touch it because it was "one of them funny furrin cars" and the import shops didn't want to know because it was "just a Ford".  Also, I got really tired of having to explain to everyone what it was.  In those pre-internet days, owning an unusual car could be a real ordeal.

[Morris Minor]

I went with the Renault 11, since I used to own one, just the plain vin ordinaire version: 1.4 litres of pure glory.

(Actually the most disastrous used car purchase of my life. What was I thinking?)

[cawimmer430]

I went with the Renault 11, since I used to own one, just the plain vin ordinaire version: 1.4 litres of pure glory.

(Actually the most disastrous used car purchase of my life. What was I thinking?)