The Merkur XR4Ti

So... I was watching Top Gear (US) last night on the DVR. For those of you who've only ever watch the UK version (the best car show in the world), the US version is similar, but they really only do weekly challenges (and I think the show is failing with the BBC America running of Top Gear UK getting over 2x the ratings)... Anyway... Tanner drove the Merkur XR4Ti (Rutt was driving the Subaru SVX and Adam the Caddy Escalante [YUK]).... I haven't seen a Merkur XR4Ti in quite some time and I realized last night that it's actually a Ford Sierra....

WTF??? Why didn't Ford just bring it over as a FORD SIERRA.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkur_XR4Ti

Discuss...

its...... cheaper....? maybe?

BiggLou55 wrote:So... I was watching Top Gear (US) last night on the DVR. For those of you who've only ever watch the UK version (the best car show in the world), the US version is similar, but they really only do weekly challenges (and I think the show is failing with the BBC America running of Top Gear UK getting over 2x the ratings)... Anyway... Tanner drove the Merkur XR4Ti (Rutt was driving the Subaru SVX and Adam the Caddy Escalante [YUK]).... I haven't seen a Merkur XR4Ti in quite some time and I realized last night that it's actually a Ford Sierra....

WTF??? Why didn't Ford just bring it over as a FORD SIERRA.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkur_XR4Ti

Discuss...

I remember this car well and wondered if it would ever come to Forza4. A good friend of mine bought one. We had the same discussion back then, why on earth give it such a name when it was a Sierra in other places. The only thing that we could come up with at the time was that Ford was looking for the appeal of a European nameplate to potential owners. The 3 series was getting a lot of customers so Ford may have tried to grab that crowd. Evidently, it did not work out well because I think the name plate Merkur only lasted a couple years.

The car however? Was a rocket, I drove it a couple of times and it was a lot of fun. It wouldn't win any beauty contests but man did it ever fly. The other good thing was that insurance companies grouped in same as a Taurus. It definitely was not your Dad's Taurus, unless he has the SHO. Making it cheaper to own for a twenty something male.

Sadly, my friend decided to wrap the car around a tree going over a 100kmh in a 50 zone. Yes, he was stupid and drunk, thankfully him and passenger were able to walk away from the wreckage. But the car was a total write off. We still talk about that car the odd time, some good memories.