This was my first car back in the 90's (very used) and it was great for a couple years before it flat out died. RIP you weird little car.

@rickjames6867

Жыл бұрын

😂👍

@ericbitzer5247

26 күн бұрын

I could have bought one for $500 that was in excellent condition and a stick shift. Just like when I see a 68 Camaro which I could have got for $1500, I kick myself in the ass for not buying them.

It's a damn shame these never got the Cosworth treatment like the European models.

@jamesclark2630

9 жыл бұрын

Yep,true to form Ford" watered it down " from the Cosworth Sierra and did stupid things like run the Air Conditioner compressor off the WATER PUMP pulley, yet you could get a three slotted crank pulley from a junkyard Mustang to make it all better and it ligned up PERFECTLY with the Air Conditioner compressor. WHY couldn't Ford do that ?

@mundotaku_org

7 жыл бұрын

Even without the Cosworth package, it was light years better than anything at the time. The only issue is that it was pretty unreliable.

@mrdaykurutakuchannel

6 жыл бұрын

For the 80s i'll rather go for this than the mustang or t bird....or go for the sierra xr4i v6 or the cosworth now being 25+ yrs....

@travel734

6 жыл бұрын

I worked through university as an accounting clerk at a Mercury dealer. Great training as I was studying accounting. So when I had enough money saved up I bought an end of year 1986 XR4ti - it was fun, but I wished that it had rear discs and ABS (flat spotted my Pirellis one day) and I will never forgive Jackie Stewart for telling Ford that Americans could not handle the car so they put a suspension in that started soft and then stiffened up. The result was massive body roll. The only positive was that I learned to heel and toe to compensate. When I sold it in 1991 I bought a BMW E30 318i. Every car since has had the roundel.

@jamesryan5436

5 жыл бұрын

We got the cosworth here and the rs500 but they go for big money now

I had one of these I bought it new in 1987. I LOVED the car. I wish I had kept it, but I needed an SUV, and traded it in. I had it modified with an intercooler turbo, and it was probably the car that was the most fun to drive out of all the cars I owned.

@tomhertz1614

7 жыл бұрын

I always thought the car was very cool and almost bought one.

@fernandorocha901

Жыл бұрын

Very nice and beautifull this Mercur XR4

@fernandorocha901

Жыл бұрын

@@tomhertz1614 vice beautifull this car

South Africa had a unique, specail version called the Sierra XR8, in the good old days of South Africa still being a prosperous country. It was fitted with a Mustang Windsor 302 (5L) V8, with a T5 gearbox and Granada rear axle. (SA's petrol didn't have a high enough octane rating at the time, so the Cosworth 2.0L turbo wouln'd work, so another plan had to be made - hence the V8 idea was born) It was one of the fastest cars in 1985 in SA! Only 250 units were made, and all in white. They were homologation specials that had to be sold to the SA public, in order to compete in the Groun N racing series. Sierra XR8's are worth crazy money now!

I lusted after this car as a teenager. I feel it was way ahead of its time though. If they'd only changed it name to FORD instead of MERKUR I think it would have sold better. NOBODY I talked to knew wth kind of car it was...

@Marchant2

8 жыл бұрын

+Patrick Simmons You and I had the same experience. When i was a teenager I was fascinated with this car. I also thought it was ahead of its time. I wished I was old enough to buy one, and no one I talked to had even heard of Merkur

@patricksimmons395

8 жыл бұрын

Marchant2 You had to get one through the Mercury dealers. The only people back then that even walked onto a Mercury lot were retirees lol. Poor marketing killed this car. This car was critical in the still new aero styling along with the 1st gen Taurus. Sadly unappreciated...

@bennygreene7429

6 жыл бұрын

Patrick Simmons. Ford should build a car styled like the mini cooper

@angelgjr1999

4 жыл бұрын

Looks like a budget Foxbody mustang to me. Idk

@hotrodray6802

4 жыл бұрын

Titled as Ford XR4Ti ....not Mercury.

170 bhp in the 80s. i loved these. i didnt know they were so powerful

@digitalfootballer9032

5 жыл бұрын

Not bad. That's seriously like 300 in today's terms. I mean 170 hp is still 170 hp, but back then very few cars had that much power outside of exotics. I remember the first car I drove on a regular basis was my dad's '89 Taurus, which had 130 hp, which was actually descent for the day. Most run of the mill cars had about 120 in those days. Even "sporty" models were 140-150 tops.

@rxtuninginc8444

3 жыл бұрын

The later ones had 175

Bought one at auction for 100 bucks. Sold it for 700. Perfect car nobody was interested in at auction. My buyer loved it and said it had a new motor. This was around 2001 and the car was maybe an 1989.

I always liked these. Took in an old one on trade at a dealership I worked for in the 90s. While driving it to the back (junk) lot to await going to auction, I did an absolutely perfect double doughnut in the dirt! A perfect circle! I was so proud.

I love Jim Rome’s stories about his

@chrisjamesr77

4 жыл бұрын

xr4ti crew! lol

Mine was an 89, all black with matching lower black plastic, and single rear spoiler. Great chassis, fantastic interior, coarse cob of an engine although it made fine power. Also being German it fit really large people quite well. ...and then my wife decided it was hers. So I bought an Alfa Romeo GTV6. Kept the XR4ti for 12 years but then bought a Audi A6 due to having a kid. Still have the GTV6. It's rare anymore to see a Merkur XR4Ti on the street these days but when I do I have to be careful on the double-take sighting not to snap my neck too hard with the shock of seeing one ;-)

@Carlito1988

8 жыл бұрын

+Snarge22 I like your car selections- I still have my Alfa GTV-6 as well, had to part with my wife's Audi Cabriolet (replaced by a Saab) but still want another Audi. Have wanted a Merkur since the first time I saw one at a Shopping Mall right after it first came to the States. I know good ones are now hard to find but I still may make the plunge one day for a Merkur. I already mentioned in another post how I like the biplane spoiler which along with engine, is just like my '84 SVO Mustang.

@Snarge22

8 жыл бұрын

Carlito1988 Yeah Carlito1988, you have a fine eclectic taste in cars, and all fun ones (leave the minivans and compact SUV's to the mommyshopers) ;-) Best of luck in finding a fine XR4!

@dannyjaar

8 жыл бұрын

+Snarge22 i have this car now for 30 years 310000km no rust and drive it every day bought new in 1986

@bennygreene7429

6 жыл бұрын

Snarge22 2.3 liter engine, correct? Same as in svo mustang?

@mrdaykurutakuchannel

6 жыл бұрын

Yeah. I like sierras esp the cosworth....

I love this video. MotorWeek was the go to authority back on those days.

@BReal-10EC

3 жыл бұрын

And Motoreeek did normal acceleration tests while the magazines typically destroyed cars trying to get the best numbers (because it might get used in ads).

@xrmerkur

3 жыл бұрын

@@BReal-10EC nowadays the only magazine i flip through is hagerty. i pretty much read all my automotive articles online these days. MotorWeek was TV magazine before MotorTrend entered cable.

@fredaydaybae8450

2 жыл бұрын

Still is my go to authority. They give the goods with no fluff, just solid facts.

@xrmerkur

2 жыл бұрын

@@fredaydaybae8450 no clickbait or false thumbnails, just the goods 👍

@ae747sp5

2 жыл бұрын

Most fun I ever had.

I need this in my life.

I had a neighbor who bought one of these things used in 1993. I believe it was a 1986 model. I went back recently to visit some friends that still live in that neighborhood. He still has it. He also told me it still runs just like it always has. It has nearly 300,000 miles on it, and other than the obvious minor cosmetic wear that a car that old will get, no matter how well you take care of it, it still runs great. He also told me that he had to "semi-retire" it, as in he'll only drive it every now and again, only because his wife forced him to buy a new-ish car a few years back. That Merkur XR4Ti really is something else!

@Len1977gt

7 жыл бұрын

my cousin had a 88 blue gray one! never ran right either lol

@victorialouden1912

5 жыл бұрын

Steven Manning those cars were junk

@SuperBowser87

5 жыл бұрын

Victoria Louden pure junk. I was a mechanic and refused to work on these cars.

@Mortonbmx

5 жыл бұрын

You say they're junk, go look on ebay for a sierra rs500, basically a tuned version of this same car. Good examples going for near 100k...

@Twobarpsi

5 жыл бұрын

What an amazing story!

Everyone thought mine was a Saab!! Never could quite get it across that it wasn't!!

@dolphtrains2

7 жыл бұрын

How the hell could anyone mistake it for a saab? Looks nothing like it

@seankurth4371

7 жыл бұрын

It's a notchback, and while Saabs, Merkurs, and fox body Mustangs all had that bodystyle, the 900 *was* Saab at the time and by far the most iconic notchback. So it's easy to see how someone who knows very little about cars would think every 80s coupe with an aerodynamic front end and a short decklid is a Saab. is a Saab. Saab also regularly did wild factory bodykits for special editions they only made 100-500 each of back when they were still under the wing of Saab AB, which was concerned with increasing publicity for their aircraft and truck businesses rather than actually making money on the cars, and I wouldn't be surprised if there's one somewhere that resembles the Merkur.

@blue88aw11

5 жыл бұрын

I had 2 of these at different times in the 90s. Everyone thought it was a saab , especially at night. Mostly non car people haha

@dominick7917

3 жыл бұрын

I just saw one today and thought it was a Saab until I got closer up

@IVR02

3 жыл бұрын

I mean, I can see a vague resemblance, especially in silhouette. It's like how some people will mistake a 90s Mitsubishi Galant for a BMW from a distance.

I owned one of these cars. No one knew how to pronounce the name and rarely knew what it was. So I would say it’s an XR4ti and then the confusion only continued. Fun car to own and drive.

Beautiful original!

This was on my Most Wanted List as a young guy!! My parents never bought European and I wanted one bad!!

I thought this car was so cool when I was a kid.

I love my xr4ti !

I remember in high school my dad had the same exact car. Same color and style with turbo. Automatic. I loved driving that car. Had overheating issues though. Looking back I wish my dad had kept it. I would have swapped out the motor. I miss that car

I had an 87 model...FANTASTIC driving machine!

I drove mine agressively up Pikes Peak's gravel in 95. Love the turbo.

Rented an '85 XR4Ti in South Beach. That car rocked! Great highway cruising, excellent handling and good acceleration. In fact, if you just stayed in the car, you would'nt mind its weird exterior.

I bought one of these new in 85 right out of college. God, did I love that car!!!! I was obsessed. But, God, was it unreliable!!!!! I know I drove it hard but it was in the shop literally once a month. It was putting me in the poor house. I don't think I got 60k miles out of it. I don't know how ANY of these are still running. Ultimately, it developed an engine problem no mechanic knew how to fix. I sold it broken for $300. I still miss it.

@ryanwolfe911

5 жыл бұрын

Yours is a story many have replicated. You used to not be able to give them away, now they've made a comeback and your $300 car would have sold for over $5000 easily today. I had an '86 that I sold for around the same price, and I kick myself hard every day for doing that. That was WAY back in the day when nobody really knew anything about them and didn't know you could swap in a Mustang T5 to do away with that horribly weak T9 they came with. Mine had a bad transmission and I couldn't find a new one to save my life, so I had to get rid of it. That car was flawless otherwise. Blue with grey cladding. I still cry into my pillow as it's the one that got away.

@tonyrusso58

5 жыл бұрын

I had an all black '86. I loved it, but like Jim Rome said, I was under the hood EVERY weekend fixing something. When I'd go to get parts I'd ask for the part for an 86 Merkur XR4Ti. They never had it. Then I'd ask for the same part for an 85 Mustang SVO. They had it stock almost every time.

@TheOzthewiz

4 жыл бұрын

@Charlie Hein I owned a '73 Capri V6 and also had a lot of problems. I figured this car would be RELIABLE because it was German built. But, I think the "problem" with the Capri was that it was BORN in England, but was built in Germany, something got lost in the translation (lol). Also, the Lincoln-Mercury dealers treated the cars like a side product. Parts were hard to get, therefore expensive! They were fun to drive and MUCH quicker than the competing Opel Manta, the Opel being more reliable.

@carwrtr1

4 жыл бұрын

These were great driving cars, but they were known for electrical issues. This Merkur drove better than the Mustang, and it looked better, too. I drove one (it had a manual transmission) that looked like the blue car in this video, and it was a great road car to drive; I didn’t realize I was going 70 MPH in a 55 zone! If I were to own one, an automatic transmission is required. Short lived car, but what a fun car to drive!

My brother had this car, really enjoyed it when you felt the turbo "kick in".... unfortunately his was a money pit. I am glad to see other people on here had better reliability with theirs.

Will never forget my big brother picking me up in a blue'funny looking' escort from high school. Everybody laughed... until he hit the gas. Damn that car was fun. I took it for a run myself when he went to prison. Just knew I was going to inherit it. Instead I get a Sterling and he sells the merkur for appeal money.

I love the old capris...

@jdub4622

3 жыл бұрын

A Capri was shown at the beginning.

My friend had a Mercury Capri from the mid 70s. It was a really cool looking little car.

officer, I couldn't have been going faster than 85mph!

The XR4iis hugely collectible now. Great cars on both sides of The Pond 😍👌🏼

In Australia we raced these at Bathurst. They were the sierra cosworth turbos. With the turbo disconnected on a dyno they put out 80-90 hp. With the turbo connected they had 600+hp.

I almost bought one of these . Loved the name and so different looking

Those alloy wheels look so cool! Used to have similar style wheels in my '89 Ford Fiesta. 80's Fords were great! Nice blue interior on this one. If only they used better rust proofing in the 80's.

I had a 1986 5 speed as my company car. Superb vehicle. Rock solid at triple digit speeds, excellent handling and ride comfort and very quick. Had a top speed of 137 mph (which I saw many times) and still got over 30 mpg on the highway (when driven at more sane speeds).

I had one of these, and it was a blast to drive. When going to a salvage yard to pick up parts for a project I was working on, I noticed a tow truck bring in an '86 Ford SVO Mustang. I managed to get the MAF unit and computer, and swapped it into my Merkur. The difference in power was amazing, I had no trouble playing with the 5.0 Mustang guys in our car club. The only odd thing about the Merkur was that it smelled like an old VW Beetle.

I would love to find one of these in mint condition. I would totally drive it. These are so cool.

I'd kill to have another one. I'll take a completely stock 5-speed and re-live some great teenyear drives.

I wish I get a time machine,then I will travel to the 80s

@JohnJohnson-fr5cx

2 жыл бұрын

Hell yeah me too I’m down 😎

We had a Capri in that same color. It could have been a nice car but dad bought it with a 4 banger and an automatic transmission. My brother said a cement truck beat him from a light when he had the pedal to the floor. It did 0-60 in the 18-19 second range.

this was one of my dream cars back in the day! I would have updated to the body-colored cladding on the later models but kept the bi-plane rear wing. Anyway, since Merkur didn't happen overnight, and I'm sure it was no big secret what Ford was doing, I wonder if this didn't serve as some of the inspiration for Acura, Lexus, and Infiniti? Again, thanks for uploading these =)

@gregorywills2231

9 жыл бұрын

Me, too. I always had a soft spot in my heart for this car. Loved the look. Very cool and unique.

@fredaydaybae8450

2 жыл бұрын

Agree. This was the FIRST luxury import ala Acura abs Lexus.

Drove one and it was fun. Looking for one in Craigslist. another motorweek retro gem!

I remember the print ads for this titled "Bavarian scream"

My mom had this car when i was a kid and we thought it was the coolest thing ever!! Haha

It's a wonderful car. I often drove the european version with the 2.3 diesel engine. I think one of the best cars I ever used.

I have ALWAYS wanted one of these ..

This car is a beauty !

It must've been something else back in those times to be a part of a time when aero cars started to get introduced.

I had an '86. 3sp. Electric blue. Loved that car. Great handling great in the snow too. Had an '85 Mustang GT prior and the Merkur was a different and better. Should have never sold it, but I was young and curious. Bought a '62 T-Bird.

I was in middle school when this car came to the states. I still remember the day when we first seen one in person. ....a friend of mine said "Hey look, there is one of those *Zerratis'* "

@gavinvalentino6002

3 жыл бұрын

Must've been basic English class you weren't paying attention in, since you "seen" the car. Idiot.

@rxtuninginc8444

3 жыл бұрын

@@gavinvalentino6002 lol roasted.

@ImmortanDan

3 жыл бұрын

@@gavinvalentino6002 Somebody’s way too proud of their A in JH English

This brings back memories. I had a ’85 metallic Silver one with leather interior. I only kept it for about a little over a year. I remember that it is quite roomy compared to the Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT that it replaced. The engine while is quite strong but it had some turbo lag. The ride is quite good, the damping is much better than the BMW in the same era. I was never too comfortable in pushing it hard on corners as it leaned a lot. This is the only car that I kept for so short a time. I thought I was getting an American version of a Ford Cosworth Rally car but it was more of a family sedan. I replaced the Merkur with a ’87 MBZ 190 2.3-16 which was head and shoulders better than the Merkur.

@noseefood1943

6 жыл бұрын

I had '86 xr4ti blue/gray leather. liked the futuristic style but reliability was shit. crapped out at 90k w/ blown turbo wastegate. ps, I used the wings as a food tray.

Owned one of these. Bought it from a guy who collected them and convinced him to part with it. Long story short, if I could ever find a 1985 in good condition I would buy it. Loved that car

Just cant get a cooky, cool, odd, fun looking car like that today. That 'bi plane wing', and the pop out side windows are SO 1980's! But a 'pinto engine' with a turbo? Bummer. Might have been fun to own.

I once rode in one of these back in 1987 and it was comfortable in the back.

That Ford V-6 was like a small block V-8 in Europe. They did not have American-style emissions yet! Imagine driving that V-6 in this smooth car.

I loved the body style and of course, has the same biplane spoiler as my SVO Mustang.

I've actually got one of these currently. It's in a sad state, largely due to neglect from the previous owner, but it is driveable. I can see why they complain about the body roll. Make a sudden move left or right and you get good feedback through the wheel, but it takes about half a second for the body to catch up. It's very unnerving. That said, its still the coolest car I've ever owned. I love taking it places and seeing peoples reaction to it. Oh, and blasting Motley Crue out of the rattly dash on my way to work just feels so right in this thing.

@hotrodray9884

5 жыл бұрын

Only cost $50 to cure that back 25 yrs ago. Biggest handling problems was people put shit cheap tires on them. Perelli P600s were THE BEST. Tires make a massive difference in handling.

Looks like a RWD ripper with the right mods.. I'd love to have one

@scdevon

3 жыл бұрын

Except for that 2.3 engine, the supply of Merkur-only parts dried up really fast in America.

@rxtuninginc8444

3 жыл бұрын

They are rippers. Put a DOHC Volvo head on it, bigger turbo and get an intercooler and they make some good power. Parts are more scarce but can be found. BAT (British American Transfer) can get alot of stuff if they still around and there's a few other places that specialize in Fords. Problem is finding a decent example of an XR4Ti to start with. In Ontario Canada where I live, rust due to the winter salt they use on the roads has all but made finding a clean one impossible.

Drove one and loved it. Great road car with rear drive, and it can get away from you. Shame they had electrical issues, for they were sweet machines.

The Leather seats in this car where amazing!

Friend of mine in high school had this car, shut off when it got hot. ... Guaranteed to be stranded in this thing.

@TheOzthewiz

4 жыл бұрын

Vapor lock was very common with carbureted engines back then.

@Dr_Reason

2 күн бұрын

​@@TheOzthewizNo card on this one.

@Dr_Reason

2 күн бұрын

The plastic pressurized overflow tank would crack and the would overheat without coolant pressure.

The Ford Sierra is in my view the most beautiful design ever inside and out. Unfortunately they seem to have vanished from the roads pretty quickly in spite of the fact that it was a best seller in Europe. Apparently they were not very durable.

@ragimundvonwallat8961

6 жыл бұрын

it won european championship

@jamesryan5436

5 жыл бұрын

No they were not and had rust issues too but a lot of the higher end ones were crashed a friend of mine had a 93 4×4 saloon cosworth it was gorgeous he sold it cheap at the time and now good ones are crazy money a a lot of them were modified also and tracked and abused by younger drivers Ireland was full of them at one point but I've not seen a good one in years

I had a1986 XR4TI and loved it. Put 65,000 on mine the first year. No maintenance issues at all.

My dad had a Ford Sierra XR8 during the 90's in South Africa, we didn't get the Cosworth but we dropped a 5.0 V8 in there.

I loved this car when I was a kid. Loved the alphanumeric name (sounded high tech and futuristic back then) but disliked the Merkur marque. They should've called it Mercury or Ford.

Thumbs up if you heard at least one person refer to one of these as an "Exaratti"

@scowley86

6 жыл бұрын

As a kid, I always mistook the 4 for an 'A'. The Merkur Xarat is what I would cheerfully call it.

@granvillefriel1877

6 жыл бұрын

John-Del lol That's what i called them

@robinatkins1292

5 жыл бұрын

Yep John-Del. I came here to make just that comment but you beat me to it.

@rashan296

5 жыл бұрын

I had one and I painted it lime green lol

@Commander76

4 жыл бұрын

I still do brother, lol

These were a real oddity here in the states. In the 90s when I worked for GoodYear, we had trouble getting parts for the few that trickled into our shop. We even had trouble mounting tires on it, as the cars we saw had the Euro spec tire #s on it, and we had the P metric spec #s. 1 of our customers was from England and imported the car here. We had a devil of a time getting parts for it, and it seemed to break down once a month.That 1 had the V6. Believe it or not, she traded it in on a new Cavalier coupe. ( a 92)

In Argentina this car was named Sierra and the XR4 was equipped to 2.3 litres engine of the argentinian Ford Taunus (with some modifications). The Sierra was the competitor of the Renault Fuego (GTX and GTA) in the argentinian market and TC2000 category racing.

Brazil had the 2.3 OHC engine, but, without turbo.

I remember seeing these now and then in the 80’s. Hideous looking car.

One of my favorite cars of the 80’s! The XR4ti and the Scorpio seemed SO exotic back in the day. The gorgeous Scorpio still looks fresh and contemporary even in 2023!

@aamirqz

Жыл бұрын

I hope MW uploads a Retro Review of the Scorpio someday.

Me, American: I drive an Escort Brits: AYYYE MATE! NICE! ME: It's like a Ford Laser Brits: .......

@CardboardSliver

4 жыл бұрын

Yeah, you guys got shafted on the Escort. Though, I do like the later 80s GT. Almost looks like our Cossie!

Ah the jellymold ford sierra as we knew it in Britain, remember my friend had one & such a comfy car

My dad used to point these out and ask if it was "XR4-Tee-Eye" or "XR-forty" then he'd try to race them... Good times, the 80s.

Haha i love these retro reviews.. i never owned one of these but its just the car i would have bought as a kid,.. first car was a dodge omni..

I always liked the XR4TI. I would've loved to have owned one.

OMG those CRAKS in that test track

I think the last time I saw one of these was at least one if not two decades ago.

Who didn't love the commercials for this car back then.... MERKUR.....XR ....4 TI. Thank you MotorWeek for putting out all these Retro Reviews! Any Chance of 80's Dodge Daytona, Toyota MR2, Pontiac Fiero???

@rxtuninginc8444

3 жыл бұрын

The XR4TI Mitsubishi's Starion! Chrysler Conquest TSi (Starion) There were so many cooler cars then.

In Argentina was sold as a Ford Sierra and I gotta say it is a car that ages very well!

Back in the 1980s I Always Wanted This Car.

Very fast car, everytime uou change gears the way the turbo wound kick in with every shift, awesome car.

cd of .32 was about 30% less than the cortina mark IV it replaced in 1982 in the UK.

@phil955i

6 жыл бұрын

Mark V you mean

I had an 89. My Mom got it for me after someone hit my 93 Celica gt in front of my house and drive off. I loved this car. It was red, with grey leather. Power everything and I loved the fun sound of that turbo when I was accelerating. I had a lot of fun with that car my

bottom breather before Taurus. Fine driving car when I rented on in Seattle, turbo was fun.

I owned both the XR4Ti manual with 175 HP turbo and the Scorpio with a V6. I got rid of the XR4tI because around 30K miles the A/C was having many issues and often the car would just not want to run. You would be going down the interstate at 70 or 80 than the car would just pull down and all you could do was 45-50, after 15 to 20 miles it would start to run again. It never stranded me but got rid of it. So traded for the Scorpio which was a much better car, had it for about 120K miles, never any problems and comfy comfy comfy, even the rear reclining back seats.

I once asked a mechanic i went to exclusively at the time what the most troublesome or annoying cars he ever had to work on were. He said the Ford Contour/Mercury Mystique was pretty spectacularly bad but that the Merkurs took the cake... He said they would often be stuck with the cars

@SkysurvCoNz

6 жыл бұрын

MRT did you actually own one of these? Surprises me because I owned a Sierra Cosworth and no expense was spared on those. I'd be surprised if they were cheaply made.

@iamstd2

5 жыл бұрын

I do know they had many electrical issues, and the manual transmission was pretty garbage. The chassis was amazing though.

@hotrodray9884

5 жыл бұрын

Geez mine was great!! I cant think of one problem I ever had. Except I wanted 250 hp. Looking for one now Feb 2019 to put a '90 pushrod 5.0 fuelie into it.

@donsolaris8477

3 жыл бұрын

@@SkysurvCoNz The ones for North America were actually assembled by a German Ford sub contract company....not the same as yours...

@michaelloughlin1597

Жыл бұрын

I had a Contour with the V6 5sp combo and it was absolutely a fantastic car. Put 186k on the car with the only problem being a cracked alternator which the dealer said was probably a casting defect. Sat on the dealers lot because they said it was equipped with a manual and nobody wanted a new car with a stick! Still don't get that??

I wish they made cars like this even today

My uncle used to have this thing back in the day

Fomoco flowing fender movement Baby Love the interior design of this test car

Hard to believe this was 35 years ago. Watching these retro videos, I feel Mfrs put a lot more into their cars back then. Cars are so mundane now everyone wants a screen and nav system versus performa performance at a good price and electrics are going to be the norm. I buy used cars though and wonder, how that’s going to work out with degraded charge capability for used electric cars?

Geek question - how come on 'aero' designs like these they used to set the headlamps into the bodywork? I'd have thought that flush would be better..

Wow. I'm from the UK and had no idea that the Sierra was sold in the US in any form.

My 85 was GREAT. Never a problem.

I remember this car ride was nice

In subsequent years, did they ever upgrade the rear brakes to disc?

Nice helmet Ben!

I had an '86, biggest mistake I ever made getting rid of it, however, now I'm in in a position to buy a Sierra Cosworth, and I will be adding it to my collection of european Fords.

I had one with heated seats. The turbo sounded really good when you sped up. The women loved it

@rxtuninginc8444

3 жыл бұрын

They all had heated seats.

@draftwood

2 жыл бұрын

@@rxtuninginc8444 Heated seats and cruise control were options on the latter year cars.

@rxtuninginc8444

2 жыл бұрын

@@draftwood I had two 86s and two 87s. The only year they couldn't have come with that is 85.

@draftwood

2 жыл бұрын

@@rxtuninginc8444Interesting. Where are you from? Must be regional port of entry related? I had an 86' used, and an 87' brand new while living in the South East. No heated seats. BTW, Only local delivery colors I remember were black, white, silver and Red. When ever I would spot the other colors, browns and blues, they had North East state license plates. Looked at a number of other local XR4s and no heated seats. I do remember looking at an 89' that had cruise control option. I really liked my Merkurs.

@rxtuninginc8444

2 жыл бұрын

@@draftwood I live in the Northeast. Toronto, Ontario Canada to be exact. Maybe because of the winter weather we get they all came with heated seats. Just like some cars sold in the south don't have rear window defrosters. My brother bought a foxbody mustang a few years ago and the seller said that it was a southern car it's whole life since bought new and it didn't have a rear window defroster in it.

man fords test track was more like a test crack! damn, how do you test a car on that

I wanted one of these when I was a kid so bad. It used a ford pinto motor with a turbo😂😂