Stunning Merkur XR4Ti Restomod Debut
From 1985 to 1989, Ford endeavored to offer exclusive European-made products in the United States with their Merkur line. One of these was the XR4Ti – a sports coupé explicated from the Sierra found on the Old Continent. The amazing remodeling project by JH Restorations rethinks the vehicle and visualizes its modern incarnation.
Jesse Henke of JH Restorations has been aware of this XR4Ti since they were in school. It had once been owned by a companion and the two of them worked on their respective automobiles together. After switching hands multiple times, it was ultimately obtained by Henke who put in more than three years creating this newly-debuted restomod that was seen at the SEMA Show.
A scheme was put in motion to change out the old turbocharged 2.3-liter four-banger with a Ford EcoBoost four-cylinder factory engine. However, this new powerhouse happened to be much taller than its predecessor, thus requiring a considerable bump on the hood. As a consequence, the rest of the outside had to be adjusted in line with the significantly meaner visual appearance.
JH Restorations cautiously conducted an intensive inspection of the vehicle, designing a bespoke body kit as a result. The parts comprise of a front chin spoiler protruding below the grille. To accommodate the whole aesthetic, the width of the Merkar has been augmented by four inches due to enlarged fenders and a towering rear-end wing featuring a center-mounted support resembling a Sierra RS Cosworth’s piece in the European market. An Area 51 blue hue supplied by Ford was chosen for coating.
The refined EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine can produce approximately 475 to 500 horsepower in contrast to the stock engine’s 175 hp. The suspension is based on the SN95 Mustang from the 1990s because it offers greater aftermarket support than that which is accessible for a Merkur.
If you’re enamored with the exterior, the internal features will definitely be of your liking. JH Restorations sourced a bolt of 80s vintage Recaro upholstery and used it to finish the midsections of the seating arrangement as well as the door panels. The classic Blaupunkt sound unit appears era-specific, but indeed boasts modern elements like Bluetooth connectivity and a USB plug. It is complemented by an up-to-date Dakota Digital gauge cluster re-sized so as not to interfere with the original instruments. Finally, the dashboard has been dressed up in a plush, light blue covering for an overall uniformity.
One downside of this build is that JH Restorations only finished the work on the Merkur right before SEMA occurred. Unfortunately, they have not had an opportunity to take it out for a spin yet. Nevertheless, we anticipate viewing a clip of the RS4Ti being driven around.
Source: Larry Chen via YouTube
