This Tube-Frame, Carbon Fiber Merkur XR4Ti Widebody Is Cheaper Than a Nissan Versa
300 horsepower, 2,000 pounds, $12,000—the math checks out.
When an owner is willing to give you the molds to repair an all-carbon-fiber race car, you've got a good deal on your hands. Such is the case with this carbon-fiber-bodied, tube-frame, 300-horsepower, street-legal Merkur XR4Ti race car for sale on Facebook, and we love it so very much.
Because the XR4Ti is a USDM rebadge of the Ford Sierra, this carbon-fiber Merkur sports a spoiler reminiscent of the one of the most beloved homologation specials of all time, the Sierra Cosworth RS500. That's where the similarities end with the tame-in-comparison RS500, as this XR4Ti added lighter plexiglas windows, huge fender flares, a wide-open diffuser spitting air out of the rear and a splitter up front that's nearly wide enough to eat your breakfast on.
Lest you think all of this added lightness was just for show and not for go, the seller notes that this approximately 2,000-lb car makes 300 hp to its rear wheels using an upgraded version of the XR4Ti's 2.3-liter inline-four engine. Those upgrades include 80-lb/hr injectors, a Megasquirt electronic fuel injection system, a freshly rebuilt T3 turbo. That engine sits much further back than it would in a stock XR4Ti for better weight distribution, too.
The entire system breathes easier through a custom upper intake, custom turbo-back exhaust. There's also a custom Bob's Log exhaust manifold—which isn't a menu item from Bob's Burgers, but rather, a manifold style popular with the Ford I-4 set. Additional transmission and differential coolers were added as well.
A T5 transmission sends power to the rear wheels. The whole car rides on coilovers, with Konis in the front and Afcos in the rear. The braking system was beefed up to handle the new power-to-weight ratio, too, with the addition of Mustang Cobra front brakes, Wilwood rear brakes, and Wilwood brake pedals with the corresponding balance bar.
In the bare-bones, all-business interior, there's even more carbon fiber, a metal Kirkey racing seat and an AIM MXL dashboard instrument panel. Everything about this is ready for the track, provided it meets all of your local organizers' safety requirements.
Oh, and did we mention that it's currently street-legal? The Kentucky plates in the ad's photos aren't just for show. Seller Gene Young notes that it also comes with a clean title. It can be much easier to make a fuel run or head to a shop when you can just drive your track car there.
Best of all, the most insane XR4Ti ever is up for sale for just $12,000 on Facebook (with even more photos!) here. Act fast, as the listing already says "pending," but no matter who the lucky buyer is, they're getting a hell of a deal. Custom carbon fiber parts can drive up the price of a build fast, even if you try to make your own at home. Add to that a clean title on a true classic and you have an absurd but functional car that we all envy.
[H/T Road & Track!]
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