Experts wanted: I need help with six unbelievably boring automotive-related question

[1X83Z]

Indeed.

Question 1. Did BMW sell a turbodiesel 5-series in the United States at any point?

I have records indicating that indeed BMW manufactured and sold a 524 model with a 2.4-liter turbodiesel engine (not sure of the amount of cylinders) in 1985 and 1986. I have never seen one. Does anyone know if this information is correct? The VIN would've been WBADB84, but that doesn't help at all since these things were surely produced in Europe; I want to know if they made it here.

Question 2. Was the Fiat X 1/9 badged as a Bertone in the United States?

Fiat sold the X 1/9 as the Fiat X 1/9 in 1982 and possibly 1983 (?) but I have a suspicion that the X 1/9 was sold here from 1984 to 1988 badged as the Bertone X 1/9. Can anyone verify or disprove this? VIN may have been ZBBBS00, just like the 82 (and possibly 83) Fiat model.

Question 3. Who built the Merkur XR4Ti?

I know Merkur was a Ford brand, but the XR4Ti had a German VIN number, WF1BT80 during the brief period it was unfortunately sold here (85-89, if I remember right). The Merkur Scorpio actually did too - WF1BT81. Since the XR4Ti was a rebadged Ford Sierra and the Merkur Scorpio was a rebadged Ford Scorpio, were both vehicles actually built in Germany for their sale in Europe? I always assumed they were built in England. Did Ford actually have a plant in Germany at the time?

Question 4. What was Mitsubishi's first year in the United States?

Was it 1983?

Question 5. What was the Pininfarina sold in the US in 1984 and 1985?

Has anyone ever heard of a 1.5-liter Pininfarina convertible sold here in 1984 and 1985? VIN was ZFRAS00 and I'm wondering if it's X 1/9-related since engine size and age are the same.

Question 6. What was the Sterling 827 badged as in countries that actually wanted it?

Was it the Rover 827? Is the current Rover 75 a descendant of it?

 

[skip0110]

Question 1. Did BMW sell a turbodiesel 5-series in the United States at any point?

Apparently, not only did they sell the 524td in the US in 1985 and 1986, they also sold the engine for Ford to use in Lincolns. So the Range Rover is not the first Ford to use a BMW engine.

 

[Ev0]

To answer #4:

1981 - Mitsubishi Motor Sales America, Iuc. (MMSA) is established.

http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/corporate/museum/history/1980/e/

 

[skip0110]

Question 3. Who built the Merkur XR4Ti?

I know Merkur was a Ford brand, but the XR4Ti had a German VIN number, WF1BT80 during the brief period it was unfortunately sold here (85-89, if I remember right). The Merkur Scorpio actually did too - WF1BT81. Since the XR4Ti was a rebadged Ford Sierra and the Merkur Scorpio was a rebadged Ford Scorpio, were both vehicles actually built in Germany for their sale in Europe?

Yes. German-made.

http://academic.scranton.edu/student/VANHOOKP2/merkinfo.htm

 

[The359]

Question 2. Was the Fiat X 1/9 badged as a Bertone in the United States?

Fiat sold the X 1/9 as the Fiat X 1/9 in 1982 and possibly 1983 (?) but I have a suspicion that the X 1/9 was sold here from 1984 to 1988 badged as the Bertone X 1/9. Can anyone verify or disprove this? VIN may have been ZBBBS00, just like the 82 (and possibly 83) Fiat model.

From Taimar of GranTurismoX, who owns a 1983 Bertone X1/9:

This is a very early Bertone car, it's got all the VS trim but has the low-line two-toning like the X1/9 IN and LTD and it's titled as a Fiat. If you don't know, Bertone the coachbuilder took over production of the X1/9 from Fiat in mid-1982. Bertone had always built the bodies - but after this Bertone took over the whole of production and sold the cars under it's own name, via Malcolm Bricklin here in the US.

 

[1X83Z]

Apparently, not only did they sell the 524td in the US in 1985 and 1986, they also sold the engine for Ford to use in Lincolns. So the Range Rover is not the first Ford to use a BMW engine.

Wow! Coming up right off!

Were these the only two Ford products to use the engine:

- 84-85 Lincoln Mark VII
- 85 Lincoln Continental

I know several Ford and Mercury products used diesels throughout the 1980s but it was a 2-liter diesel, question 7 is likely is that engine (2.0 diesel) BMW-sourced as well? It was used in:

- 86-87 Ford Escort
- 84-86 Ford Tempo
- 84-87 Mercury Lynx

1981 - Mitsubishi Motor Sales America, Iuc. (MMSA) is established.

The question still stands. What model year did the first vehicle debut? I'm under the impression currently that they made their debut with three vehicles, the Tredia, Cordia, and Starion, in model year 1983. Mitsubishi website mentions Tredia and Cordia in 1982 but I don't know if that's calendar 1982 or model 1982; it makes no mention of the Starion's launch in the US.

Yes. German-made.

So it was made in Germany for Europe, then they decided it might fit here too so they shipped it. German-made indeed.

 

[1X83Z]

From Taimar of GranTurismoX, who owns a 1983 Bertone X1/9:

This is a very early Bertone car, it's got all the VS trim but has the low-line two-toning like the X1/9 IN and LTD and it's titled as a Fiat. If you don't know, Bertone the coachbuilder took over production of the X1/9 from Fiat in mid-1982. Bertone had always built the bodies - but after this Bertone took over the whole of production and sold the cars under it's own name, via Malcolm Bricklin here in the US.

So there was a 1983 model year, but as a Bertone. Meaning it was sold here for seven years but only one as the Fiat which it was.

 

[skip0110]

Were these the only two Ford products to use the engine:

- 84-85 Lincoln Mark VII
- 85 Lincoln Continental

I was actually unaware that the Continental used it when I posted before, but after a little research it seems that yes, these were the only two.

I know several Ford and Mercury products used diesels throughout the 1980s but it was a 2-liter diesel, question 7 is likely is that engine (2.0 diesel) BMW-sourced as well? It was used in:

- 86-87 Ford Escort
- 84-86 Ford Tempo
- 84-87 Mercury Lynx

One would think not, since the engines in these cars mount transversely, and as far as I know, BMW does not make any engines in that configuration. Ahh, yes, a little Googling turns up this, which indicates that they were Mazda-sourced.

 

[1X83Z]

I was actually unaware that the Continental used it when I posted before, but after a little research it seems that yes, these were the only two.

Good to see they got so much use from it.

One would think not, since the engines in these cars mount transversely, and as far as I know, BMW does not make any engines in that configuration. Ahh, yes, a little Googling turns up this, which indicates that they were Mazda-sourced.

Good call. 👍

 

[daan]

Question 5. What was the Pininfarina sold in the US in 1984 and 1985?

Has anyone ever heard of a 1.5-liter Pininfarina convertible sold here in 1984 and 1985? VIN was ZFRAS00 and I'm wondering if it's X 1/9-related since engine size and age are the same.

It could be this although it's a 2.0litre

http://www.pininfarina.it./ita/storia/collezione/1975-1985/1983_spider_volumex.pdf

There is nothing else on pininfarina's site that it could be.

Question 6. What was the Sterling 827 badged as in countries that actually wanted it?

Was it the Rover 827? Is the current Rover 75 a descendant of it?

Rover 827 Sterling. Sterling here was just the highest trim & equipment level of the Rover 800 series. I don't think the 800 & the 75 are related in any mechanical way.

 

[1X83Z]

Rover 827 Sterling. Sterling here was just the highest trim & equipment level of the Rover 800 series. I don't think the 800 & the 75 are related in any mechanical way.

But it's sold to the same market, right?

 

[daan]

Yeah, they are/were both aimed at the pipe and slippers brigade.

Found some more info on the Pininfarina model. It is probably an X1/9. When Fiat left the US market, Malcolm Bricklin convinced Pininfarina & Bertone to continue marketing the X1/9 and the Spider as their own cars rather than Fiats.

http://www.mongrelmotorsports.homestead.com/Fiat2.html (In the Pininfarina Spider paragraphs)

 

[Famine]

Yeah, they are/were both aimed at the pipe and slippers brigade.

That's "old people", not "lesbians". Even Rover wouldn't go for such a niche market.

 

[PublicSecrecy]

That's "old people", not "lesbians". Even Rover wouldn't go for such a niche market.

 

[Gil]

Indeed.

Question 2. Was the Fiat X 1/9 badged as a Bertone in the United States?

Fiat sold the X 1/9 as the Fiat X 1/9 in 1982 and possibly 1983 (?) but I have a suspicion that the X 1/9 was sold here from 1984 to 1988 badged as the Bertone X 1/9. Can anyone verify or disprove this? VIN may have been ZBBBS00, just like the 82 (and possibly 83) Fiat model.

You seem to be implying that the X 1/9 started being sold in the U.S in 1982.
I'm fairly sure that it was intro'd here in the late '70's.
There was a name change in the Early '80's. But I was unfortunate enough to ride in one in 1979 when I was a lad of 14.
Unfortunate, because there were 3 of us in the car at the time, with the roof panel on. Much suckage that!!

I also had a crush on a girl in about 1980-81 (her name was Jessica) that drove a much nicer one. And I'm fairly sure that it wasn't new.

It wasn't nearly as cool at the Fiat 124 Brava, the another person I knew drove.

 

[1X83Z]

That's "old people", not "lesbians". Even Rover wouldn't go for such a niche market.

Suzuki's been playing that market for years - first with the Sidekick convertible, whose name changed to the Vitara convertible, and for years with the Esteem, sold in the UK as the Baleno. And Subaru aims the Baja (small pickup) squarely at snowy-climate suburban gays. Not to mention the Suzuki X-90, the ultimate lesbian-mobile. I'd be prepared to make three statements about all X-90 buyers:

- they're women.
- they like women.
- they're liberal.

That said, I saw one yesterday with a Bush/Cheney sticker. Checked out on the first count, but unless it was Dick Cheney's daughter in the flesh I'm fairly sure one-for-three was the best it did.

You seem to be implying that the X 1/9 started being sold in the U.S in 1982.
I'm fairly sure that it was intro'd here in the late '70's.

Indeed - I thought about that today when I was doing something really boring. "Wait - how do I know it didn't start before 1982?" This is the kind of crap I think about.

 

[The359]

Subaru is as far as I know the only brand to advertise in gay and lesbian magazines.

 

[TheCracker]

Question 6. What was the Sterling 827 badged as in countries that actually wanted it?

No countries actually wanted it, least of all the UK - except the already mentioned 'pipe and slipper brigade'

As for it being related to the Rover 75, i believe it was related to the Honda Legend. As with a lot of Rover products of that period - it didn't do anything to improve their image.

 

[1X83Z]

As with a lot of Rover products of that period - it didn't do anything to improve their image.

Clearly, given the current condition of their image.

That said, I love the ZR/ZS/ZT, but they're improving MG's image, it seems.