Talk:Merkur XR4Ti

message: The following was with the article.  I have copied it here as I am not sure whether or not it should be included.
      Subject: Ford Merkur XRTi
      Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2000 15:13:03 +0100
       
      Dear Sir,
       
      Thank you for your request and your interest in our company. As you certainly
      know the Merkur XR4Ti was built at our facility at Karmann-Rheine from 1984 til
      1988. In total 45,368 vehicles left the assembly lines in Rheine.
       
      Wilhelm Karmann GmbH had been building a wide variety of high quality car and
      truck bodies for decades for many prestigious European customers. We also built
      over 200,000 units of the two versions of the Ford Escort Convertible from 1981
      til 1997.
       
      Karmann built the entire car at Rheine, tooling and building a great many new
      parts. The Ford facility at Genk, Belgium supplied parts and other parts were
      shipped directly to Rheine from a pan-european array of Ford facilities and
      Ford suppliers. Prototypes for testing in Dearborn, at the Kingman, Arizona desert
      proving ground, and at the European proving ground at Lommel in Belgium, were
      Karmann´s responsibility, as were prototypes for impact testing, which were
      carried out in Dearborn.
       
      Ultimately there were nearly 850 newly parts required or modified for the
      Merkur. Due to strict U.S. safety issues a large range of modifications were
      demanded. The European bumper systems were improved by the inclusion of U.S.
      -style polygel mitigators. The fuel tank was changed and an unleaded fuel
      filling system adapted. The side doors and the door latches were modified and
      reinforced to U.S. specifications by including steel beams. Additional strength
      was placed in the body through the use of a new floor pan stamping, two new
      longitudinal members running full length under the car, new inner and outer
      fender designs and a reinforced firewall area.
       
       
      If we can supply you with any further help, please let us know.
       
      Best regards,
       
      Wilhelm Karmann GmbH
       
      - Historical Archive -
       
      i.A. Karin Schlesiger
What does XR4Ti stand for?
    * XR was a prefix name for several pseudo-performance/race cars that Ford sold around the world, including the XR2 XR3 and the 'Made in Africa' XR6 and XR8.
    * 4 = four cylinder or fourth model, depending on which version of history you wish to believe
    * T = turbocharged
    * i = fuel injected 
What original colors did the Merkur come in?
1985:
0A...Black
0B...Diamond White
0R...Rosso Red
04...Regency Red Metallic
0V...Strato Silver Metallic
07...Nimbus Gray Metallic
03...Paris Blue Metallic
05...Mineral Blue Metallic
 
1986:
Exactly the same as 1985 with 2 mid-year additions:
0T...Azure Blue Metallic
0O...Regal Red Metallic
 
1987:
Deleted were:
07...Nimbus Gray Metallic
03...Paris Blue Metallic
05...Mineral Blue Metallic
0O...Regal Red Metallic
 
Added in 1987:
0Q...Blue-Gray Metallic
0U...Crystal Blue Metallic
 
1987 SCORPIO COLORS:
From XR4Ti:
Diamond White
Black
Crystal Blue Metallic
Blue-Gray Metallic
Strato Silver Metallic
Regency Red Metallic
 
EXCLUSIVE SCORPIO COLORS:
0E...Burgundy Red
0H...Ivory
0S...Sand Gold Metallic
0J...Chestnut Metallic
09...Raven Metallic
 
1988:
S=Scorpio & X=Merkur
0A...Black S & X
0B...Diamond White  		S & X
0E...Burgundy Red   		S ONLY
0S...Sand Gold Metallic 	S & X
0J...Chestnut       		S & X
0U...Crystal Blue Metallic  	S & X
A5...Brabazon Metallic    	S ONLY
0Q...Blue-Gray Metallic   	S ONLY
0V...Strato Silver Metallic  	S & X
04...Regency Red Metallic    	S ONLY
01...Magenta Red Metallic    	S & X
03...Biscay Blue Metallic    	X ONLY
 
1989:
AT...Nautilus-Gray Metallic   	S ONLY
0A...Black			S & X
0G...Antique Bronze Metallic  	S & X
0V...Strato Silver Metallic   	S & X
A0...Matisse Blue Metallic    	X ONLY
0B...Diamond White        	S & X
0K...Gitane Blue Metallic     	S & X
01...Magenta Red Metallic     	S & X
A5...Brabazon Metallic        	S ONLY
0E...Burgundy Red         	S ONLY
0P...Radiant Red          	X ONLY
08...Tuscany Gold Metallic    	S & X
Common XR problems:
   1. Erratic idle (vacuum leaks; worn distributor bushing; heat-stressed sparkplug wires).
   2. Dead batteries (underhood heat generated by the turbo tends to cook them).
   3. Driveline vibrations (the rubber coupler for the two-piece driveline fails frequently).
   4. Electrical problems (most due to corrosion on the contacts)
   5. Timing belt needs replacing every 60k miles.
   6. TFI on the blitz (Ford had a major issue with low quality TFIs being sold to the public).
   7. Leaking radiator, usually around the plastic end caps.
   8. Leaking taillight gaskets.
   9. Drooping headliner.
  10. Clicking or failing constant-velocity joints on the rear axles.
  11. Cracked dash.
  12. Cracked leather seats or split seams.
  13. Inoperative hatch lock (the pot metal housing takes a beating and cracks often).
  14. Inoperative electric antenna on 85-87 models.
  15. Inoperative 'hatch window' antenna on late 87-89 models.
  16. Erratic tachomter (needs rebuild), fuel gauge or temp gauge. Or all three.
  17. Burned out illumination bulbs in the gauge cluster.
  18. Leaking fuel injectors.
  19. Leaking valve cover gasket.
  20. Torn steering rack boots.
  21. Shudder under braking (usually a combination of warped rotors, worn lower shock bushings and steering rack mounts).
  22. Broken or missing wheel well liners. Made of plastic and have deteriorated over the years. Very expensive to replace.
  23. Failing (or failed) spark plug wires (turbo heat tends to cook them - Magnecor brand is recommended)
Malcolma 12:13, 7 November 2007 (UTC)
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