With its hatchback body, ‘jellymould’ aerodynamic styling and dispersal of the Cortina name that had been a mainstay since 1962, the Sierra marked a massive change for its manufacturer. But it could have been very different.
In 1976, when Ford set out to create the brief for the fourth-generation all-new 1980 Cortina, all it had to do was scale up the Mk3 Escort that was already in the design studio to create its new big brother, codenamed Project Linda. Attractive but conservative, Linda would have appealed to UK sales reps. But that wasn’t enough for Ford of Europe’s new boss, Bob Lutz, who wanted something more cutting edge to challenge the f resh-looking machines being served up by competitors. He loathed the staid-looking Cortina and, in early 1978, called a halt to Linda and requested Ford’s hottest young designers to come up with a design that could move two steps forward.
The reason behind Lutz’s request was simple. Up-and-coming engineer Richard Parry-Jones had made a clear case to Bob why the new car should be f ront-wheel drive; perceived modernity, better wet-road handling for the average buyer and greater space efficiency. Bob agreed, but Ford’s finance people insisted on retaining the old Cortina’s rearwheel drive engines and gearboxes. Although Bob’s hands were tied, he could push the designers to make the new car, codenamed Project Toni, look f resh and different. “I figured that the most premium cars still retained rear drive,” he recalled. “So, I said, ‘Here’s what we need to do – make Toni a better car than VW’s or Opel’s offerings. We can beat them if it handles well like a driver’s car and looked far more modern.’ That was fine… if the styling boys could find a new direction.”
FRESH DESIGN
Design boss Uwe Bahnsen oversaw the two teams in Germany and at Dunton in Britain. He selected three up-and-coming designers,Harm Lagaay, Helmuth Shrader and Gert Hohenester to submit their ideas. Lagaay – later the designer of the Sierra Cosworth and BMW Z1 before becoming Porsche design boss – came up with something that looked like a Group 4 racer. Helmuth Schrader would eventually lead Ford Design in Germany and his sleeklooking machine exuded all the class of an Audi. But the one that stood out was by Gert Hohenester. His idea for Toni was extraordinary – fluid in surface treatment and f resh in shape – but would it sell? There was only
