The Merkur Scorpio was a rare find in a Nevada junkyard, showcasing the history of Ford’s short-lived Merkur brand in North America. The brand only existed for the 1985 through 1989 model years and featured two models: the XR4Ti and the Scorpio. The Scorpio, in particular, is harder to find today, making the discovery of a 1989 model in a Carson City junkyard quite exciting.
Ford’s foray into European models for the American market dates back to the 1950s, with various models like the Prefects, Consuls, Zephyrs, and Anglias making an appearance. The Merkur brand was born out of the idea of bringing actual Euro-market machines to the American market, starting with the Merkur XR4Ti in 1985, followed by the Scorpio in 1988.
The Merkur Scorpio was powered by a 2.9-liter Cologne pushrod V6 engine, delivering 144 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. It offered a five-speed manual transmission as standard, with a four-speed automatic available as an optional extra. Despite being competitively priced against European rivals like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, the Scorpio did not attract many American buyers and was only available for the 1988 and 1989 model years.
With a price tag of $25,167 in 1989, the Scorpio was seen as a decent deal for a European rear-wheel-drive sedan. However, it failed to gain popularity in the American market, leading to its discontinuation after just two years. The discovery of this Scorpio in a Nevada junkyard sheds light on a forgotten chapter in Ford’s history and the brief but intriguing legacy of the Merkur brand.