This Stylish but Short-Lived Brand Was Ford’s Answer to German Sports Cars of the 1980s

We recently brought you the story about how the Ford Mustang took on a new identity in order to be imported to Germany, but something similar also happened with a German-designed and assembled sports car brought to America some 40 years ago under a pseudonym. Along with a new brand, Merkur (pronounced MARE-koor, the name was German for Mercury), Ford created “a bold alternative to the European establishment” in its effort to claim a portion of the luxury sports car segment. 

The XR4Ti was a modified version of the high-performance Sierra XR4i sold in Europe, where the Sierra was the fourth best-selling car. In the U.S., it was equipped with a turbocharged 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine similar to those already powering Mustangs and Thunderbirds in the Ford lineup. The five-passenger, rear-wheel-drive hatchback sedan actually exceeded its European sibling in terms of power output, acceleration, and noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH).  

Nearly 700,000 Sierras had been produced worldwide when the XR4Ti’s introduction was announced, and sales of as many as 20,000 annual units of the XR4Ti had been forecasted for the States. The move came at a time when Ford was entering the second phase of a multibillion dollar “worldwide product revolution” that also included a transformation of the company.  

Designed for drivers  

Each vehicle in the limited production Merkur lineup was promised to include “leading- edge aerodynamic exterior design and ergonomically sound, driver-centered interior design,” though the XR4Ti, which marked the brand’s debut, was likely to be the most performance-oriented of the bunch. 

The car was designed and engineered by Ford of Germany, which predates the establishment of its sports car competitors, and imported for the North American market as part of what was then the Lincoln-Mercury division and some 800 of its dealers. 

Multiple print advertisements from the time announced the arrival of the XR4Ti – and the company’s ambition for overtaking its European counterparts, projecting in all capital letters: “Its objective is not to compete with the likes of BMW, Saab, Volvo and Audi. But frankly, to surpass them.” 

Critical acclaim from the media also heralded the car’s arrival into a crowded upscale sports sedan market, and the car was named one of Car and Driver’s 10Best Cars for 1985. Also, owners rated it higher in customer satisfaction than some of its upscale competitors. 

The Merkur XR4Ti was also a force in motorsports, capturing 21 wins, two drivers’ championships, and three manufacturers’ championships between 1986 and 1989. Famed driver and Ford ambassador Sir Jackie Stewart was also involved in promoting the car and the new brand. 

Scorpio signs on 

Ford added a second Merkur to the lineup in 1987: the Scorpio, another five-passenger sedan that had won numerous awards, including European Car of the Year in 1986. It was also aimed directly at competitors in the luxury sports segment, namely Mercedes-Benz and BMW, but it would be the last car added to the brand, which discontinued production after the 1989 model year. 

Despite being short-lived, the Merkur brand represents global collaboration in an ambitious attempt to conquer the luxury sports car segment in the U.S. The result was a critically acclaimed car that customers loved, and which still has passionate enthusiasts today. 

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