Is This Rare?

"turbokitten" (turbokitten)
12/07/2014 at 15:51 • Filed to: None

Never heard of this Merkur, only the XR4TI

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DISCUSSION (18)

Will with a W8 races an E30 > turbokitten
12/07/2014 at 15:57

Moderately? They aren't worth a whole lot - I think they had a reputation for reliability issues.

I'm fairly confident you wouldn't have to do much bribing to run it in LeMons, if that's what your asking - and I don't think there are many people who would get upset if you did.

PanchoVilleneuve ST > turbokitten
12/07/2014 at 16:00

I once saw one of these parked next to a Sterling 825. It blew my mind.

Klaus Schmoll > turbokitten
12/07/2014 at 16:00

It was sold in Europe as a Ford Scorpio and together with the XR4ti (Ford Sierra) was intended to jumpstart the Merkur brand. They didn't sell too well in the US but are a dime a dozen in Europe. If that makes it rare is for you to decide.

They were actually pretty decent cars. RWD, and in V6 plus manual form quite fun to drive. My buddy's little brother drove one through a wooden hut at the country fair (I never bought the story he told us afterwards.) and the car survived with only a few scratches.

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > Klaus Schmoll
12/07/2014 at 16:06

The Cosworth cars were where it was at, despite the lack of a manual.

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > PanchoVilleneuve ST
12/07/2014 at 16:06

Quite the combo.

MultiplaOrgasms > Klaus Schmoll
12/07/2014 at 16:06

Needs moar Cosworth.

Schaefft > turbokitten
12/07/2014 at 16:15

Just read an article last week or so where they were listed as nearly extinct in the US. It was Fords half-assed attempt to offer a European sports sedan in their Mercury/Lincoln dealerships but they were underpowered with the automatic and too expensive considering nobody knew about them before. I actually like Scorpios (yeah even the second gen) and wouldn't mind owning a fully loaded Cosworth one.

E. Julius > turbokitten
12/07/2014 at 16:22

My parents had one of these back in the day. They got rid of it before my time, but apparently they had power reclining seats in the back and a front lumbar support adjusted with a rubber bulb like a sphygmomanometer. Weird stuff for an 80s Ford.

Birddog > turbokitten
12/07/2014 at 16:38

It was a bit heavy for the 2.9 but it's not a bad car overall.

Cé hé sin > Klaus Schmoll
12/07/2014 at 16:56

"They didn't sell too well in the US but are a dime a dozen in Europe"

Where? I haven't seen one in many years. As I recall they were so expensive to run (big engines, big fuel bills) that they disappeared almost as soon as production stopped.

Klaus Schmoll > Cé hé sin
12/07/2014 at 17:07

http://suchen.mobile.de/auto/ford-scor…

http://fahrzeuge.autoscout24.de/?atype=C&mmvmk…

GhostZ > turbokitten
12/07/2014 at 17:34

It's about as rare as the XR4Ti, but less notable.

Cé hé sin > Klaus Schmoll
12/07/2014 at 17:39

You must be very keen on old cars in Germany. Here in Ireland you rarely see anything over about 15 years and then only small cars. Big ones vanish very early.

Klaus Schmoll > Cé hé sin
12/07/2014 at 17:47

Might this be due to a punitive road tax for old "stinkers" with big engines?

Cé hé sin > Klaus Schmoll
12/07/2014 at 17:56

Yes, in a way. Our road tax at the time was capacity based (it's now CO2 based). In addition to the road tax you have higher insurance and fuel costs. The kind of person buying an older car is likely to be younger and to have less money so the last thing (s)he wants is a big car. Instead you want a Fiesta or something.

Amoore100 > PanchoVilleneuve ST
12/07/2014 at 19:19

Wow. USA, or elsewhere?

PanchoVilleneuve ST > Amoore100
12/07/2014 at 19:29

In the lot of a ShopRite in Norwalk, Connecticut on a weekday afternoon.

CaptDale - is secretly British > turbokitten
12/08/2014 at 16:24

My roommate has one. Its kinda cool.