New Project - Sierra XR8

[Jason]

We had a similar model offered here in the USA but; with no V8 option. it was named the Merkur Scorpio.
http://www.merkurclub.com/

The Merkur Scorpio was the German built Ford Granada Scorpio. The US Merkur Xr4ti was the Belgium built Ford Sierra 2dr hatchback. The Sierra 4dr hatchback body was never sold in the US but was used in SA for the XR8. The Sierra was a smaller car than the Granada. I had a mildly modified XR4ti in the early 1990's....the 2.3 turbo motor was a great motor and even better when you tweaked it.

[Pumpkin]

Update: This was sometime back. Stripped out and ready for prep work. The car has already been given the correct shade of Diamond White.

Will update once the Stripes are on and the car is fully assembled.





Few small spots of rust under the windscreen and back glass.

Finding the correct shade of blue for the bumpers and below the doors is a challenge. Just going to match it as close to the vinyl that was sprayed over.

Anybody know where I can get Ford Badges?

[Shauns]

Coming along nicely ,
Just one question, that perplexes me.
People say that the front fenders are longer on the XR8 and the snout n grill also wider.
How true is this? from your pics it would seem fenders are the same as the std Sierra ??

[wanegofast]

yes i would also like to know i have heard that a few times myself when building my 302 sierra although it goes in tight i did not cut a single thing. that means if you xr8 guys bend a fender you would be screwed coz no other sierra bumper; fenders and bonnet will fit on the xr8. so if i had to say i would call it fiction. no way ford would have resigned a car just to build 250 of them.

[Gavin RS]

As far as I know as the engine was only 100mm longer than the V6 they used electric fans, a different cross member , the grill was extended, so only thing really that is was moved (fenders are the same), uprated prop, Granada Diff, removal of rear anti roll bar and stiffer springs and obviously the vary rare F1 derived AP front calipers and bigger discs, and rear discs.around 90 special parts were created for this car and it was tested to a true speed of 231kmh and 6.95 sec to 100kmh

I can scan the whole CAR mag road test and spec if you want

[ZA Perana]

As far as I know as the engine was only 100mm longer than the V6 they used electric fans, a different cross member , the grill was extended, so only thing really that is was moved (fenders are the same), uprated prop, Granada Diff, removal of rear anti roll bar and stiffer springs and obviously the vary rare F1 derived AP front calipers and bigger discs, and rear discs.around 90 special parts were created for this car and it was tested to a true speed of 231kmh and 6.95 sec to 100kmh

I can scan the whole CAR mag road test and spec if you want

The fastest way of spotting a fake is the grill and the angle of the grill.

[Gavin RS]

That's true, quite easy to see if grill is not fitted properly.

[colin davids]

Some of the guys get the grille right because they probably take a mould from the original but then the headlights sit about 10mm too far back. The xr8 has got longer headlight brackets too. There is also an xr8-specific pressed steel crossmember running behind the front bumper in order to clear the radiator.Lots of under the skin stuff that doesnt get noticed.Good luck with the build.Yours looks like its going to be done right.

[pietpetoors]

So, what happened to the XR8? Did you find the correct blue for the bumpers? Did you finish it?