Roshake has posted a number of his latest finds in Budapest at the Cohort. These two caught my eye, as there’s an obvious family resemblance. Ford Sierra at top; 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis at the bottom, in case it wasn’t obvious.
Cohort Pic(k) of the Day: RWD Ford Sedans, American And European Versions
– Posted on March 11, 2023
The Mercury doesn’t look any more modern than the Sierra, even if it would be about 20 years younger!
That’s because the body is exactly the same as it was in 1992!
I see. But even in 1992 it wasn’t exactly cutting edge…
But eons ahead of the previous model year (1991), with a body that debuted for the 1979 model year.
And as for cutting edge, if you take a look at the best selling sedans from the Japanese makes for 1992, you’ll notice a similarity to the Crown Vic/Grand Marquis in form (if not size); after all, these are sedans designed for mass market appeal. Even Chevy went this route for 1993 after the 1991 Caprice’s somewhat radical design didn’t sell all that well.
Photo credit goes to Chris, from his COAL that appeared on this site.
And the Sierra sedan was a 1987 update of a 1982 hatchback design.
Yeah, it’s less about it being “cutting edge” than it is being a contemporary design of the times, Ford across the board pretty much ran with this look up to 95. Ford’s next phase of cutting edge design after the aero look was the ovoid look, which we can thank our lucky stars we never got a Panther version of that!
@ Bernard, just like the Scorpio/Granada sedan was introduced almost 5 years later than the initial 1985 hatchback.
Fits perfectly between the Sierra and the Grand Marquis, size-wise…
@XR7Matt — In the US, no, but the aptly-named AU generation of Falcon in Australia was certainly curvy, if not ovoid, and was also RWD-based.
The Sierra may have better rear legroom than the Grand Marquis.
Without having sat in a Grand Marquis I wouldn’t be sure, but I know my Sierra’s rear legroom isn’t amazing – although being a wagon the seat base is a lot lower than the sedan so that the backs fold flat on it for a low flat load floor.
Funnily enough, the 1992 Crown Vic looked much more 90s cutting edge than the formal-roof Grand Marquis. Eventually, they both had the Marquis roof treatment to cut costs. This Sierra sedan looks more like the formal Marquis, while the additional side window of the 92 Crown Vic looks more akin to the Sierra 5-door in profile. Various years of Sierra and pre-1998 Crown Vic also had grille-less front ends. All very 1980s Ford aero styling.
Have owned numerous RWD FMC full size automobiles and feel they are the creme de le cream . Particular favorites are 89 Town Car Signature, 89 Crown Victoria 👑 LX(with optional formal roof). Have owned 2007 GRAND MARQUIS and current 2007 beautiful low mileage Town Car Signature Limited. All great cars, but do prefer 80s more formal traditional luxury car look.
Admittedly at the time, I found the six-window treatment on the 1984 Ford Tempo (and earlier Sierras) more fresh, attractive, and modern than the concurrent Mercury Topaz roof treatment. I thought it would be more reflective of future Ford design. As the Topaz later also adopted a six-window treatment during its 1988 design refresh. While the Sierra Sapphire sedan introduced in 1987, adopted a roof style similar to the design, formerly used by the Topaz. Similar to the style later seen on the Grand Marquis. The original Topaz roof style ultimately working well, on late ’80s and ’90s Ford design, lending a greater sense of luxury.
At the time, I felt the design of the 1987 Chrysler LeBaron (and Chrysler P-cars) was heavily influenced by Ford aero design in general. And the Thunderbird and Topaz, in particular. See how close the rear profile of the LeBaron is, to the Topaz.
And why the ’87 LeBaron bears a resemblance to this 2008 Grand Marquis. As the Mercury has more modern, softer edges.
The facelifted Sierra and the Ford Falcon EA had a close family resemblance but this would have only been apparent in New Zealand’s Ford model range at the time.
And that’s another Ford sedan down equator: Ford Verona 89′, made under the Euro Escort Mk3.
And then there was the European/American hybrid, which was the DEW98 platform, co-engineered by Jaguar and Ford. The LS and Thunderbird were the only American cars on that platform, but they had a host of canceled products that were supposed to be on it, including a Lincoln Mark IX, a full-size sedan that would be a Panther successor (and that wasn’t the Volvo-derived Five Hundred), and the S197 Mustang. Well, the S197’s D2C platform was a heavily cost-cut version of DEW98, but…still. Meanwhile, Jaguar got a ton of use out of the platform.
The American version of the Sierra was the Merkur XR4 Ti.