Merkur XR4Ti
The
Merkur XR4Ti was a
short-lived United
States
and Canada
-market
version of the European Ford Sierra XR4i. It was the brainchild
of then Ford Vice President
Bob Lutz. It
was sold in the US from 1985 to 1989. It was the first vehicle of
Ford's Merkur range, followed in
1988 by the
Merkur Scorpio. Ford had
hopes of importing its top European models under this brand,
including the
Sierra Sapphire but the
venture was ultimately unsuccessful due to branding issues,
increasing
Deutsche Mark exchange
rates, general poor marketing tactics and the introduction in 1990
of new safety requirements such as
airbags
that would have increased retooling and production costs.
History
The cars
were hand assembled and built entirely by Karmann
Coachwerks
in Rheine
, Germany
.
The XR4Ti was distinguished mechanically by its
turbocharged Ford Lima 2.3 L
4-cylinder SOHC engine and independent rear
suspension, and stylistically by its large bi-plane spoiler
(replaced in later years with a single rear spoiler). It came with
either the
C3 3-speed
automatic transmission or the Ford
Type 9, 5-speed
manual transmission. Many felt it
resembled the
Ford Escort RS at
the time, although the two were built on different platforms.
Mechanically, it differed from the European
Ford Sierra XR4i,
which had a 2.8l Ford Cologne
V6.
The XR4Ti was on
Car and
Driver's Ten Best
list for 1985. In 2009 however,
Car and Driver staff
apologized for including the XR4Ti in their 1985 "Ten Best" list,
and effectively recanted the award, citing that in hindsight it did
not meet the criteria.
[99176]
It has been suggested that Ford had planned to import
South American-made Sierras to supplement its
range before the cancellation of the Merkur brand in 1989, but this
was not realized, nor the proposed plan actually confirmed. Many
attribute airbag legislation for the 1990 model years and weak
sales as the cause for the Merkur range to be discontinued.
The XR4Ti sold for approx. US$18,750.00 and the Scorpio for just a
little over US$27,250.00
In 2009 Car and Driver declared it one of the worst cars it had
ever named "Best" owning to its peculiarity and low consumer
appeal.
Engines
The XR4Ti came with one engine, the 2.3 liter turbocharged,
in-line, fuel injected 'Lima' four cylinder using an EEC-IV
computer. The 4-cylinder engine was generally rated at when mated
with an automatic transmission (8 to 10
lbf/in² [55 to 70
kPa]
boost), and when matched with the 5-speed manual transmission (12
to . boost). This engine weighs a surprising in full (turbo) trim.
This engine is basically the same as that found in the SVO Mustang
and the Thunderbird Turbo Coupe of the time, though the SVO Mustang
and Thunderbird Turbo Coupe differed by having an intercooler and
better EECIV programming.
Options
The XR4Ti options included heated seats, leather seats, power
windows, power door locks and a moonroof (retractable, tinted
glass), with heated power mirrors coming equipped as a standard
item. Some were sold with crank windows (very few, in actuality)
and a solid roof but most came with everything but the leather
seats.
Performance
The top speed of the manual transmission XR4Ti 1985-87 was . The
bi-plane rear spoiler was changed to a single spoiler for the
1988-1989 cars; it actually increased the drag coefficient compared
to the bi-plane spoiler of the earlier cars.
Car & Driver tests for the
XR4Ti reported 0-60 mph times from 7 seconds flat and as high 7.9
seconds and 1/4 mile times at around 15.7 seconds. Later tests by
Car & Driver showed 7.8 seconds for the 0-60mph times and they
mentioned the press car might have been a ringer which was common
at the time. In their test data, they initially stated the car came
with a limited slip differential which was a misprint, at the time
there were no LSD's available in either the American Merkur XR4Ti
or its sister car the Europe-only XR4i. It wasn't until the
introduction of the European only XR4x4 and Cosworth Sierra that a
LSD was offered from the factory.
Motorsport
Despite the XR4Ti never being sold outside the United States and
Canada, in 1985,
Andy Rouse used one to
compete in the
British
Saloon Car Championship. He took the overall title for that
year and the class title for the following year with 14 race
victories altogether.
Eggenberger
Motorsport was among the few to use an XR4Ti to compete in the
ETCC and the
DTM (German
Touring Car Championship) with positive results. Ford would use the
car's technical feedback from the teams to develop the super car
version of the Sierra in 1986, the
Sierra Cosworth, shortly superseded
by the RS500. Some of the body panels used to stiffen the Sierra
chassis and create the Merkur shell were subsequently branded 909
Motorsport parts for later adaptation to a Sierra shell. Many see
the successes and failures of the XR4Ti as being the blueprint for
success of the dominant
Sierra
Cosworth.
Between 1986 and 1987,
Wally
Dallenbach, Jr. and
Scott Pruett
campaigned the Roush prepped XR4Ti, although of a
tubeframe construction like that of a
NASCAR racer, to take the
Trans-Am Series title.
See also
References
-
http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/846/dishonorable-mention-the-10-most-embarrassing-award-winners-in-automotive-history
Car and Driver's dishonerable mention
- BTCC Pages - Drivers - Andy Rouse
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