I remember when a friend’s Father had a brand new one of these in black. It was beautiful!

Electric REAR reclining seats is a pretty remarkable feature for the time period…or any period, really.

For as often as he points it out in these car reviews, I’m beginning to wonder if John had some sort of financial stake in oil pressure & volt meter business. 😂

I had a Scorpio as my company car in '89. Excellent European touring car, rock solid at triple digit speeds. It was not a success in the US as Lincoln Mercury dealers preferred to sell Lincoln Town Cars to their repeat clients (which required almost no effort to make the sale). They did not want to take the time to learn how to sell this automobile to a very different type of clientele.

I've always liked these and remember when they came out. Local Lincoln-Mercury-Merkur dealership had one out front in center on display.

Motorweek always brings the classics.

In Britain the standard spec model of the Scorpio was called the Granada. My dad had 2 in the mid/late 90s - a 2 litre 4 cyl GL and a 2.4 V6 Ghia. He loved the 2 litre, hated the 2.4. I remember we were in a heavy rainstorm once and the rear doors used to leak like crazy on the 2.4. These 2.9 engines were reworked in the mid 90s by Cosworth, they were a real powerhouse and collectible engines today.

Considering that the Scorpio is a rear drive car, just imagine how much fun it could have been with the Taurus SHO's engine or even a 5.0L High Output V8.

If Ford had given it the SHO v6 this thing would've been a street legend

2:44 John: BUT THERE ARE NO READOUTS HERE FOR OIL PRESSURE OR VOLTS! LOL

My uncle had one of these, he said it was his favorite car of all time and would trade his new Audi (in 2015) for another new Scorpio in a flash.

It’s more impressive overall than I expected

I'm in the UK, and when I was at school in the early 90s, a friend's Mum had a 2 litre saloon automatic Scorpio saloon, in burgundy with full leather. It felt so posh! I loved how the rear seats reclined with a button too. My first experience with heated seats - I was worried that I either had wet myself or broken wind... 😂 Luckily it was the warm chair lol. Still my dream car... And I adore the gear shifter and pattern! Despite it being a downside on this vid, I like it!

One of my favorite cars of all time! The look of this car is timeless. Still looks fresh and exotic…and that interior is so upscale and gorgeous. However, the slalom showed some really sloppy handling. The Scorpio was bouncing and bounding all over the track! Was disappointed to see this along w the 10.2 zero to sixty. Even back in the day, the handing and power seems lower tier.

All the squealing tyres and crazy body roll reminded me of a 1970s American TV cop show!

When I was a kid, one of my neighbors had a bright red XR4Ti. It looked so cool.

Scorpio & Granada it was called in Europe and it sold like ice cream in sunshine over some years.The later upgraded model with nicer interior was the one to get. It even had a special model called Scorpio Cosworth. That was a fast one for its days with comfort like a bus. I remember mine and the days who sometimes sadly are far gone for that nice car.

Looks like a European Sable or Topaz. Unique, but definitely a different Era for sure.

Very beautifull car! Our queen (the netherlands) used a Ford Scorpio as State limousine in the 80s and 90s and early 2000

I just photographed an XR4Ti at a car show. Beautiful machine. So is the Scorpio though. Unfortunate thst Merkur didn't become a household name

Back in the 90s in Lihtuania, you could swap a flat for scorpio 😂😂. That's how much it was valued

Crazy how the hatch back sedan didn't catch on, but SUV did...

I've owned a XR4tI and seen a few more but I've only ever seen ONE Scorpio in passing.

I never understood why Ford decided to bring the Sierra(XR4Ti out here) and Granada-Scorpio knowing that it would take a major investment to modify both vehicles for 1990(air bag) crash standards. Which is why, also due to terrible sales figures, both were discontinued after the 1989 model year. I think a modified Scorpio platform, with the upcoming(1991) Cosworth 24V 2.9L DOHC V6 to build a smaller Lincoln sedan might have worked out better for Ford.

Man those tyres are HOWLING for dear life

The Scorpio wowes the european public. Design progressive, antilockbrakes standart, wide range of engines, from a relaxed 69 PS diesel to a healthy Cosworth V6. It was the dream car for the elderly and pensionists, who couldnt afford a Benz or Audi. And always with a crocheted toiletpaper cap on the hat shelf.

Pat Goss at the end! 😢 There was an old joke Ford was going to launch another division: Linköln 😂

My Dad had one of these exact same colour Ford Scorpio top of the range. I thought I was in a spaceship in the 80’s riding in it. I remember it had rear electric seats and the first car fitted with a duplex heated windscreen.

Ford Scorpio liftback, great car in my country, but hated car in the US

Lower spec versions of this were called the Granada in the UK (top spec ones retaining the Scorpio name). I remember when these were launched in 1985. They looked very futuristic compared to the angular Euro mark 2 Granada it replaced. Never realised that the 2.9 litre V6 engine dated back to 1964! I thought it was an evolution of the 2.8 litre Cologne engine that was a new design in 1977.

I love the '88 Scorpio.

Don't know why they just didn't rebrand them with Mercury or Ford badges for the US market. May have sold better.

"Ford isn't too worried...." I dont think they're EVER worried, even today. I've bought 3 new, no worries here also. I sold each before the warranty expires. 😂

Man the XR4Ti had one of the best car names ever. I wanted one so bad but I just couldn’t afford one on a E4’s pay grade with a child and wife lol. 😅😅😅😅

A friend's father had one of these. I always thought they looked like a melted Taurus. These were Ford Scorpios in England and they weren't well liked there either. I like them!

A SHO v6 or 302 HO with some nice suspension tuning would have made this legendary

Love the big and well equipped Fords. The blue one at the beginning looks great.

I had an 88 Scorpio great car and most comfortable seats I ever sat in and I’ve had many luxury card

Definitely bears a resemblance to the Taurus of the time. Imagine seeing one of these on the road today!

If I remember, Jaguar's had the same key as a Transit van 😂

Was an awesome car. Quiet, fast enough and plenty of room!

My mom had one of these new, then my dad took it….then my little brother took it when he turned 16. It was a cool car, the interior was very luxe for the time.

I was 9 when this came out, so I don't remember it. After seeing this video, I want one. Now where is my time machine?

The Scoripo was ahead of its time in innovation. I rather have the touring package with a manual or auto all the way with white exterior and black interior. Them seats even look comfortable, especially the back seats with the tilt. The 2.9L V6 is in need of a SOHC turbocharger so it can do 0-60 in 8.2 sec instead of the 10 sec. Also better handling because it have too much body roll, like front and rear strut brace and tighter coil springs.

We had an '88, bought it at a car auction in the late 90's. That car drove great, but super buggy electronics and it went through two flywheels.

In the neghoborhood over from me there’s 2 rare 80s relic cars. One house has a Scorpio. And another random house has a Sterling. Lol remember Sterling?

One of those funky short lived brands of the 80s, right up there with Sterling. Seriously, I think I've only ever seen one of these in the wild. That said, I think they're pretty neat. I dig the look, although I'd dare to say the Euro-market Scorpio looks better, as does the Taurus of the same era.

I thought 💭 back in the day that they were just trying to fancy up the Mercury name, lol 😂

Our local Foreign auto repair loved these cars. Funded his vacation home..... great 2.9 that I had in my Ranger

The design of the power mirror switch at 2:56 looks similar to the one found in the 2002-05 Ford Explorer and other Ford vehicles.

I own a 2023 Mahindra Scorpio I used to love these Ford Scorpios too, very nice interiors

2 American Ford products I see share similar design cues with this car are the second gen Taurus and the refreshed design of the first gen American Escort.

Lot of nice features. It really looked like a more rugged, souped up Taurus.

In 1990 I bought a Scorpio. It was a great car and had it for 9 years until the transmission went out after a rebuild. so I was time to move on.

I want one so bad. Already have an XR4Ti, so having one of these would be the whole package.

My uncle from Germany had one. Sold under Ford Scorpio, he always had mechanical issues😂

This car deserves more recognition and respect than it had received. The Granada and Sierra were beautiful cars, and the XR4TI was an excellent touring coupe. XR4TI was a better looking and better driving car than Mustang at this time.

I still like this car a lot.

Principal Skinner had one, I think.

You could get a Grand Prix or Cutlass for $10k less. And Merkur was a made up name without the upscale status of BMW or Mercedes Benz. It's no wonder these were a flop.

Ah the evolution of the folding back seat😍

The MSRP is outrageous for the time.

Named after the great Hank Scorpio of course.

My brother-in-law owned one of these at one time right when they were introduced. Gosh, I remember it like it was yesterday. The Merkur Scorpio. Cool looking car.

I've seen several Xr4ti's over the years, but I don't think I've ever seen a Scorpio.

Too bad Ford didn't put the 1st gen SHO engine in this.

I know of a pastor that has one of these sitting his driveway I've always been curious about it and now thanks to you I have some knowledge about this car now I really want to ask him if he would be interested in selling it 😊

I’be never seen a sphygmomanometer used for lumbar support before.

No oil pressure or volts? Totally a deal breaker...

This was a really nice car. They should have just sold it as a Lincoln or Mercury. 1988 Lincoln Zephyr.

The similarity of styling to the Mercury Sable, but at a price $10k higher, killed the Scorpio from Day 1. Merkur was always paired with Lincoln-Mercury dealerships and the Scorpio was side by side with the Sable on the showroom floor.

Gorgeous car ❤

I love how part of Ford's pitch was that you can sell it for decent money later.

The weird name Merkur probably didn't help sales. Why not just sell it with a Ford badge. They probably ended up being too expensive in the US due to the required modifications and import taxes, plus they were underpowered for a large luxury sedan so I'm not surprised they didn't sell well.

Oh how i would like to import this back to Europe...

Taurus with different front and rear

The guy testing the car looks like Jon goodmans stunt double from the big labuski

We had a XR4Ti and a Scorpio. We all preferred the "little guy".

"Merkur" was a marketing flop, and put sporty European cars in showrooms that would never get the correct eyes on them. Ford did the same hairbrained thing with the Pantera.

Ford loves making bad branding choices Edsel, Merkur eventually the Mercury division and maybe next the Mustang division (Mach-E that is… if you’re as confused by it as I am)

My mom had one of these (same color), those back seats were like lazy-boys haha, but it was always in the shop after it turned 4yrs old

This was an experiment that is now common. The Fusion for instance is just a rebadged European Mondeo.

This and the XR4ti were cars Ford hated so much they called them Merkurs instead of Fords, just to make sure they failed 😞

was just thinking about this car! could you guys post the 1990 geo prizm review too?

Caddy did the same thing with the catera, mercur had a bad naming scheme for the xr4ti should have kept Sierra, Scorpio is a great name though

Adjustable rear seats? Thats badass.

Almost bought one about 10 years ago. I probably would have but it had a blown head gasket and I didn't want to deal with that. They might have sold better maybe if they had put the 5.0 liter Mustang engine in it.

It's too bad the Merkur offerings never took off in America. Two of Ford's best products at the time.

They probably should have sold them as Lincoln models.

The only time where you will hear “quick” for 0-60 in just over 10 seconds

It's a bit strange that Ford wanted a sporty, upmarket German brand in the US, and decided to name it 'Merkur' - not only did the name have no market presence, it was also barely decipherable from one of Ford's own marques which had existed for decades up to that point. Why devise a whole new brand that just conjures up images of 1949 lead sleds, or the new Sable that already looks pretty similar to your fancy Euro import? The second mistake was taking mass-market European Fords and marketing them as Mercedes or BMW competitors - the Sierra/XR4Ti and Scorpio were worthy cars that sold well in Europe, but they were never premium, aspirational cars in the way a 190E or 5-Series would've been. Cadillac made the same mistake a decade later when they sold the Vauxhall/Opel Omega as a Catera - it would've been fine as a Chevrolet or Pontiac, but just wasn't special enough to be Caddy's BMW-beater.

This is so funny, this is almost exactly the same engine as the Bronco II of the era, which is why it is rear wheel drive.

Merkur… now that is a brand that didn’t really get its time to shine.

Hey, car jackers coming in through the trunk was a thing in the 80's.

The constant bickering of no oil pressure and volt every time 😅

A hideous looking car on the outside, but that interior looks great for 1988.

I found one of these in a rural Minnesota junkyard. If that car could talk...

For some reason Merkur never really caught on in America

I never understood America's distain for hatchbacks, wagons, or any from a five-door car. What does America have against a car that has versatility, and often some pretty good looks, in the event that it doesn't have a traditional three-box sedan shape?

Strange that the XR4ti was not sold in the USA with this engine as it was the engine in the XR4 in Europe