Double-decker - Ford Sierra XR4i
01/11/2018
Was the photographer aware of the parallel he was creating between the foreground and background? The new Ford Sierra XR4i with the double rear spoiler in front, the Space Shuttle on the Boeing 747 behind, also a double-decker in principle.
On the back of the converted aircraft, the orbiter took off on its first free flight in 1977. After the piggyback launch, the space shuttle was then able to float to the ground as if after a space flight. In 1981, the space shuttle took off independently (vertically) for the first time and returned to earth after two days.
The Sierra had much simpler tasks to fulfill; as the top model in the series, it had to be fast above all. And the double wing helped with this, as Automobil Revue reported in 1983 :
"According to our observations, the rear end with its sweeping double-deck spoilers was met with either enthusiastic admiration or outright rejection. But there is no doubt that it fulfills its purpose: with these aerodynamic aids, the already excellent drag coefficient (cd) of the sedan could be reduced from 0.34 to 0.32."
A few more data (AR) on the Sierra XR4i from 1983: 0 to 100 km/h in 8.9 seconds, top speed 208 km/h, test consumption 11.3 liters per 100 km, length 446 cm, width 173 cm, weight 1240 kg. Price DM 28,350 or CHF 26,100. Yes, those were different times ...
