Merkur Scorpio

Last updated
Merkur Scorpio
Merkur Scorpio 2.9 Ghia (35762979256).jpg
Overview
Manufacturer Ford of Germany (Ford of Europe)
Production1987-1989
Model years 1988-1989
AssemblyWest Germany: Cologne (Cologne Body & Assembly) [1]
Body and chassis
Class Mid-size luxury / Executive car
Body style 5-door hatchback
Layout FR layout
Platform Ford DE-1 platform
Related
Powertrain
Engine 2.9 L Cologne V6
Transmission 5-speed Type 9 manual
4-speed A4LD automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase 108.7 in (2,761 mm) [2]
Length186.4 in (4,735 mm)
Width69.5 in (1,765 mm)
Height54.6 in (1,387 mm)

The Merkur Scorpio is a mid-size luxury car that was marketed by the Lincoln-Mercury division of Ford for the 1988 and 1989 model years through its Merkur sub-brand. Marketed above the Merkur XR4Ti in the model line, the Scorpio served as the brand's flagship. As a captive import from Ford of Europe, selected Lincoln-Mercury dealers marketed the Scorpio in the United States and Canada. [3]

Contents

A near-direct counterpart of the Ford Scorpio Mk I (Ford Granada Mk III in the United Kingdom), the Merkur Scorpio was developed to give Lincoln-Mercury a competitor against European executive cars sold in North America, including the Audi 100, BMW 5-series, Mercedes-Benz 190E, Saab 9000, Sterling 827, and Volvo 740/760. [4]

Following the 1989 model year, Ford ended imports of the Scorpio, closing down the Merkur brand. Lasting only for two model years, the Merkur Scorpio is among the shortest-lived Ford Motor Company nameplates in modern history. Along with unstable pricing due to fluctuating exchange rates and insufficient sales figures, the model line would have required a costly redesign to remain in compliance with upcoming American safety regulations.

The Scorpio was manufactured in Cologne, West Germany by Ford of Germany (Cologne Body & Assembly). In total, 22,010 examples were imported. [5]

Model overview

While offered as a five-door hatchback, the Merkur Scorpio was similar in appearance to the Mercury Sable. In comparison to the first-generation (1986-1991) Mercury Sable, the Scorpio was 4.5 inches shorter in length (2 inches shorter than the Ford Taurus), 1.3 inches narrower, and 2.7 inches longer in wheelbase; the two models were nearly identical in height.

Styled as a fastback, the Merkur Scorpio provided Lincoln-Mercury an opportunity to market a premium alternative to its traditional Lincoln Continental and Lincoln Town Car sedans with (far) better road manners.

Chassis specification

The Merkur Scorpio shares its rear-wheel drive Ford DE-1 chassis with its Ford namesake, configured as a long-wheelbase version of the Ford Sierra (extended from 102.7 inches to 108.7 inches). [6]

In contrast to American-designed rear-wheel drive Ford chassis (i.e. Fox, Panther), the DE-1 platform was fitted with four-wheel independent suspension. In one of the first vehicles sold in North America, the Merkur Scorpio was equipped with standard anti-lock brakes (ABS) and four-wheel disc brakes. [6] Within Ford Motor Company, the latter two features were previously exclusive to the Lincoln Mark VII.

In contrast to the XR4Ti, the Merkur Scorpio was fitted with a specific engine for North America. The model line was fitted exclusively with a 144hp 2.9L V6 (the largest engine of the Ford Scorpio). Shared with the Ford Ranger/Bronco II, the V6 was paired with a standard 5-speed manual transmission; a 4-speed overdrive automatic was offered as an option.

Body

In contrast to many of its European counterparts, the Scorpio was offered solely as a five-door hatchback (a sedan was not introduced until 1990). As with the Mercury Sable sedan, the Scorpio was designed with blacked-out B and C-pillars for a "floating-roof" effect). Closer in style to the Ford Taurus, the front fascia was designed with a minimal front grille opening.

While less extensive than the redevelopment of the XR4Ti, several changes were made to distinguish the Merkur Scorpio from its Ford counterpart. The rear fascia is unique to Merkur, styled with a full-width taillamp lens (similar to the Mercury Sable). With the exception of divisional badging, the front fascia was largely unchanged; Merkurs are fitted with modified foglamps and headlamps (in compliance with American lighting regulations). Along with standard two-tone lower body trim, the Merkur Scorpio received its own model-specific alloy wheels.

Sharing much of its interior with the Ford Scorpio, the Merkur Scorpio was solely offered in a five-passenger configuration. [7] In contrast to the Sable (or the Lincoln Continental or Town Car), the Scorpio was offered with power-reclining rear seats and a tilt-telescope steering column. [8]

Pricing

At its launch, the Merkur Scorpio was sold with a base price of $23,390 (equivalent to $62,700in 2023). Options included automatic transmission, power moonroof and Touring Package. Most North American Scorpios were sold with automatic transmission and the Touring Package which raised the sticker price to $26,405 (equivalent to $70,800in 2023). Although smaller in size, the Scorpio rivaled the Lincoln Town Car in price. [7]

To attract customers to the model line, Lincoln-Mercury offered potential Scorpio customers a Guaranteed Resale Value Program, matching the resale value of the Scorpio to the Mercedes-Benz 190E. [4]

Discontinuation

On October 20, 1989, Ford announced it was ending imports of the Scorpio to the United States. As the XR4Ti had ended sales earlier in the year, the decision effectively closed Merkur; lasting only two model years longer than Edsel, it is among the shortest-lived American car brands in postwar history.

Coinciding with lower than anticipated sales (Ford had sought 15,000 sales a year for the brand [9] ), Merkur fell victim to unstable exchange rates between the dollar and German mark, leading to increases in price. As passive safety regulations were to be adopted in 1990, the Scorpio was required to adopt automatic seatbelts or airbag(s). The Ford Scorpio was developed with neither feature and passive safety compliance proved too expensive to justify the conversion cost of redeveloping the slow-selling model line for North American sale.

Following the discontinuation of the Merkur Scorpio, Ford of Europe expanded the Granada/Scorpio range by introducing a sedan model at the beginning of 1990 and a wagon model two years later. The Scorpio MkI was produced until 1994.

Sales

Calendar YearAmerican Sales
19875,178
19889,516
1989/19907,316

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercury (automobile)</span> Automobile marque of the Ford Motor Company

Mercury was a brand of mid-priced automobiles produced by American manufacturer Ford Motor Company between 1938 and 2011 with 1939 being the first model year. It stood as its own line within Ford until 1945, and thereafter formed half of Ford's Lincoln-Mercury Division. The brand was created by Edsel Ford in 1938 to bridge the gap between the Ford and Lincoln model lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Scorpio</span> Executive car produced by Ford (1985-1998)

The Ford Scorpio is an executive car that was produced by Ford Germany from 1985 to 1998. It was the replacement for the European Ford Granada line. Like its predecessor, the Scorpio was targeted at the executive car market. A variant known as the Merkur Scorpio was sold briefly on the North American market during the late 1980s. While Ford's Taurus was of a similar size, Ford maintained the need for two parallel cars – while Scorpio buyers valued high-speed stability, a tight turning radius, and a sizable rear seat, American buyers had other requirements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Country Squire</span> Motor vehicle

The Ford Country Squire is a series of full-size station wagons that were assembled by American automaker Ford. Positioned as the top-level station wagon of the Ford division, the Country Squire was distinguished by woodgrain bodyside trim. From 1950 through the 1991 model years, eight generations of the Country Squire were produced. Following the discontinuation of Edsel Bermuda, Mercury marketed the Mercury Colony Park as a divisional counterpart of the Country Squire, sharing bodywork and trim while the Mercury was not available with a six cylinder engine and was more expensive due to the optional equipment on the Ford that was standard on the Mercury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercury Cougar</span> Ford Motor Company car model

The Mercury Cougar is a series of automobiles that was sold by Mercury from 1967 to 2002. The model line is a diverse series of vehicles; though the Cougar nameplate is most commonly associated with two-door coupes, at various stages in its production, the model also was offered as a convertible and a hatchback. During its production as the mid-size Mercury line, the Cougar was also offered as a four-door sedan and five-door station wagon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln Continental</span> American luxury car

The Lincoln Continental is a series of mid-sized and full-sized luxury cars produced between 1939 and 2020 by Lincoln, a division of the American automaker Ford Motor Company. The model line was introduced following the construction of a personal vehicle for Edsel Ford, who commissioned a coachbuilt 1939 Lincoln-Zephyr convertible, developed as a vacation vehicle to attract potential Lincoln buyers. In what would give the model line its name, the exterior was given European "continental" styling elements, including a rear-mounted spare tire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merkur</span> Defunct automobile brand of the Ford Motor Company

Merkur is a defunct automobile brand that was marketed by the Lincoln-Mercury division of Ford Motor Company from 1985 to 1989. Drawing its name from the German word for Mercury, Merkur was targeted at buyers of European executive cars in North America, selling captive imports produced by the German division of Ford of Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Fairmont</span> Motor vehicle

The Ford Fairmont is a model line of compact cars that was manufactured by Ford from the 1978 to 1983 model years. The successor of the Ford Maverick, the Fairmont marked the third generation of compact sedans sold by Ford in North America. Initially slotted between the Pinto and Granada within the Ford line, the Fairmont was later marketed between the Ford Escort and Ford LTD. In contrast to its predecessor, the model line was offered as a two-door notchback sedan, two-door coupe, four-door sedan, and five-door station wagon. Though never sold as a Lincoln, Mercury sold a divisional counterpart of the Fairmont as the Mercury Zephyr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercury Grand Marquis</span> Motor vehicle

The Mercury Grand Marquis is an automobile that was produced by Mercury from the 1975 until 2011 model years. Introduced as the flagship sub-model of the Mercury Marquis in 1975, the Grand Marquis became a stand-alone model line in 1983, serving as the largest Mercury sedan. The model line served as the sedan counterpart of the Mercury Colony Park station wagon up to 1991. The fourth generation was the basis of the 2003 and 2004 Mercury Marauder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercury Sable</span> Motor vehicle

The Mercury Sable is a range of automobiles manufactured and marketed by the Mercury brand of Ford Motor Company. Introduced on December 26, 1985, as the replacement for the Mercury Marquis, the Sable marked the transition of the mid-size Mercury product range to front-wheel drive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercury Capri</span> Motor vehicle

Capri is a nameplate marketed by the Lincoln-Mercury division of Ford Motor Company over three generations between 1970 and 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford LTD (Americas)</span> Model range of Ford automobiles (1965-1986)

The Ford LTD is a range of automobiles manufactured by Ford for the 1965 to 1986 model years. Introduced as the highest trim level of the full-size Ford model range, the LTD moved the Ford range upmarket, offering options and features previously reserved for Mercury and Lincoln vehicles. For much of its production life, the LTD competed against the Chevrolet Caprice ; the Mercury Marquis served as its divisional counterpart from 1967 until 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merkur XR4Ti</span> Motor vehicle

The Merkur XR4Ti is a performance-oriented 3-door hatchback sold in North America from 1985 to 1989. A product of the Ford Motor Company, the car was a version of the European Ford Sierra adapted to U.S. regulations. The XR4Ti project was championed by Ford vice president Bob Lutz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercury Colony Park</span> Motor vehicle

The Mercury Colony Park is an American luxury full-size station wagon that was marketed by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company between 1957 and 1991. Distinguished by its simulated wood-grain paneling, the Colony Park was marketed as either the premium-trim or the sole full-size station wagon offering of the division. Following the 1960 demise of Edsel, full-size Mercury vehicles shared bodywork with Ford; the Colony Park served as the counterpart of the Ford Country Squire through 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Escort (North America)</span> Car model

The North American version of the Ford Escort is a range of cars that were sold by Ford from the 1981 to 2003 model years. The direct successor of the Ford Pinto, the Escort also largely overtook the role of the European-imported Ford Fiesta as the smallest vehicle in the Ford model line in North America. Produced across three generations, the first generation was a subcompact; the latter two generations were compact cars. Becoming highly successful in the marketplace, the Escort became the best-selling car in the United States after 1982, a position it would hold for much of the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercury Marquis</span> Motor vehicle

The Mercury Marquis is a model line of automobiles marketed by Mercury from 1967 to 1986. Deriving its name from a title of French nobility, the Marquis was introduced as the divisional counterpart of the Ford LTD; four generations of the two model lines were paired through rebranding. Initially slotted as the flagship Mercury full-size range, the Marquis would serve as the basis for the later Mercury Grand Marquis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford LTD Crown Victoria</span> Motor vehicle

The Ford LTD Crown Victoria is a line of full-size cars that was manufactured and marketed by Ford from the 1980 to 1991 model years. Deriving its name from the Ford Fairlane coupe of 1955–1956, the LTD Crown Victoria served as the flagship of the Ford LTD model range in North America. Serving as the Ford counterpart of the Mercury Grand Marquis, the model line was offered as a two-door and a four-door sedan and a five-door station wagon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln Mark series</span> Motor vehicle

The Continental Mark series is a series of personal luxury cars that was produced by Ford Motor Company. The nomenclature came into use with the Continental Mark II for 1956, which was a successor to the Lincoln Continental of 1939–1948. Following the discontinuation of the Mark II, Ford continued the use of the Mark series on Continental-branded vehicles from 1958 to 1960.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercury Monterey</span> Motor vehicle

The Mercury Monterey is a series of full-size cars that were manufactured and marketed by the Mercury division of Ford from 1950 to 1974. Deriving its name from Monterey Bay, the initial Mercury Monterey served as the top-of-the-line two-door sedan model for 1950 and 1951 to compete with the hardtop models of Oldsmobile and Buick. It came with a vinyl roof covering, upgraded upholstery, and other features. The hardtop was introduced for 1952. During its production, the Monterey would be offered in multiple body styles, ranging from coupes, convertibles, sedans, hardtops, and station wagons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercury Voyager</span> Motor vehicle

The Mercury Voyager is a station wagon that was sold by the Mercury division of Ford for the 1957 and 1958 model years. For the 1957 model year, Mercury created a model range of station wagons distinct from sedans, following Ford. The Voyager served as the mid-range offering, slotted above the base-trim Mercury Commuter, with the woodgrained Colony Park serving as the top-range offering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Granada (North America)</span> North American model of Ford Granada (1975-1982)

The North American version of the Ford Granada is a range of sedans that was manufactured and marketed by Ford over two generations (1975–1982). Developed as the original successor for the Ford Maverick, the Granada shares its name with Ford of Europe's flagship sedan. The model line was marketed as a luxury compact vehicle, expanding the segment in the United States.

References

  1. "Facilities | Ford Motor Company Newsroom". Archived from the original on 2010-09-02. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
  2. "Ford Scorpio Merkur"
  3. "1988 Merkur Brochure". oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved 2019-05-11.
  4. 1 2 "History_4_Scorpio". www.merkurclub.net. Retrieved 2019-05-11.
  5. "History_5_Facts". www.merkurclub.net. Retrieved 2019-05-11.
  6. 1 2 "1988 Merkur Brochure". oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved 2019-05-11.
  7. 1 2 Koblenz, Jay (November 1988). "1989 Auto Guide". Black Enterprise. Earl G. Graves Publishing Co. Inc. p. 102.
  8. "1988 Merkur Brochure". oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved 2019-05-11.
  9. "History_2_intro". www.merkurclub.net. Retrieved 2019-05-11.