|
Cab foward, not Jelly mould...
|
|
|
If one solitary thing was certain, it was that Sierra replacement would satisfy the need of every market it sold in - in other words restrained. Ford was still hurting from the Sierra launch four years earlier (though partially through its own Cortina stockpiling it must be concurred) so the Detroit top table would be keeping a tight reign in the design studios this time round.
|
Ford’s own four design offices (California, Cologne, Dearborn and Torino) were given the design brief from Manfred Lampe, in what he later described as the biggest single project undertaken by the company. From autumn 1986 until February 1992, Lampe chaired the CDW27 project. From the four proposals initially prepared (by each design office) a reference was created from which each design studio crafted its own interpretation.
From the easy going sun basked Californians, a design whose frontal aspect and glass house aped the then new Scorpio, (with effectively only A pillars present) but with a boot. Curiously it appears surprisingly reminiscent of Bertone styled 1990 Daewoo Espero.
|
|
Daewoo Espero anybody ?
Though a German perspective, Cologne’s design had an almost Japanese feel to it mainly in the lighting. However the rear pillars differing belt line (side and rear glass levels) also a oriental styling cue (and also found on the Montego). Ultimately though it would emerge the victor of the four proposals, its sculptured sill design still visible on the final production design.
|
|
Colognes Mazda-esq. Styling.
The motor city produced the most “up-market” design of the four with its kicked up rear flanks and a stylised full width rear light eating into the boot lid. It too had the favoured sculptured sills.
|
|
|
From the Motor city.
Finally from the Ghia studio’s in Turin (Ford’s “ideas pool”) came the design from under the direction of Filippo Sapino. Whilst in no way displeasing, and considered “inoffensive” by the panel present, its design in all fairness was middle of the road for the late 80’s let alone the 90’s.
|
|
Ghia’s offering - disappointing.
All four presentations were compared in march 1987 at the annual worldwide design conference, held in Cologne. Though the Cologne proposal was deemed the basis for the next step of the styling process, it was agreed the rear end and kicked up belt line were to dominant a feature to progress. At the same time the internal facia (dash board) proposals were being considered. Due to the “cab forward” styling of the racked windscreen, ways to disguise the depth of the dash top were required.
That spring Andy Jacobson (successor to Sierra “father” Uwe Bahnsen as design director) gave John Doughty’s European Merkenich (Cologne) studios the go ahead for the finalised CDW27. The internal and external stature was finalised, the mechanical packaging finalised to suit these proportions.
|
|
.jpg)
