Merkur Logo

The company’s cars were produced by the Ford subsidiary of Cologne from 1985 to 1989. The cars were delivered to North America and were very different from the same models intended for sale to European customers. The company produced only 2 models – Scorpio and Sierra.

Meaning and History

The automobile brand Merkur existed for only four years – from 1985 to 1989. Ford tried to sell luxury versions of the Scorpio, manufactured in Germany, and in the USA under this brand.

In the middle of the 1980s, the competition in the U.S. automobile market began to grow. Therefore, it was decided to create the Merkur brand based on the European branch of Ford. It was planned to produce “luxury European” cars under this brand.  The first Merkur XR4Ti model was based on a regular Ford Sierra.

All Merkur cars were equipped with more expensive and comfortable saloons, as well as more powerful engines.

The concept did not pay off, and in 1989 the brand was discontinued due to low sales. But during these four years, the Merkur brand managed to shine in races. In 1985, driver Andy Rose bought a Merkur in the USA, took it to Britain, converted it, and won the British Touring Car Championship.

What is Merkur?
Merkur is a defunct brand of automobiles that was marketed by the Ford Motor Company in the United States from 1985 to 1989.

1985 – 1989

From 1985 to 1989 the company logo had a smoothed upside-down diamond shape. Inside it was a white cross, and the space between the lines was painted over with black. The horizontal line was longer, it had the company name in bold black capital letters.

Emblem and symbol

The emblem of the Merkur company was mainly in various shades of silver color. The logo outline and cross usually had light silver color, and the areas between the lines of the cross had dark silver color. There was a “FORD WERKE A.G. KÖLN. GERMANY” inscription at the bottom of the rim.