Jonathan Dlouhy’s Merkur XR4Ti Drift Machine.

The story (or mystery) of the Merkur XR4Ti is a complex tale that weaves together a myriad of facts about several other Ford-branded automobiles produced during the same time period by Ford Europe.

In short, the Merkur is the Americanized version of the European Ford Sierra RS, a high-performance sporting version of the Sierra chassis, built by Ford Motorsport in the late 1980s through the early 1990s. The sporty Sierra RS model was designed specially to compete in Europe’s Group A racing circuit, and has earned many awards.

One unique feature of the RS was its turbocharged 2.0 RS Cosworth engine, which sparked its nickname ‘Cossie’ (pronounced Cozzie) amongst members and enthusiasts in the racing and rally motorsports communities.

Though the U.S. Merkur was never outfitted with the Cossie engine, it did have a turbocharged motor, and sported the same big wing as the Ford Sierra XR4i. Today, it’s rare to ever see one of these vehicles on the road, and even rarer to bump into one at the drift track.

We caught up with Jonathan Dlouhy [@dlouhy_motorsports], an active grassroots drifter based in Washington State. Dlouhy is a lifelong Merkur fan, and he drifts a white Merkur chassis, powered by a 5.0 liter V8 engine he snagged from a 1995 Mustang. We like to call it the Americanized Cossie.

What got you into drifting?

I was always drawn to drifting as a kid and teen, but never pursued it, as I didn’t know anyone, etc. About four years ago, I just decided to try it for myself, and I haven’t stopped since.

Why did you choose this chassis?

Well, the chassis choice actually started way before I started drifting. I saw my first one when I was about 13 or 14 years old, and instantly, I was drawn to them. I was fortunate enough to get one as my first car and have basically had one ever since. When I finally decided I wanted to try drifting for myself, it just made sense, since I already owned one, as well as a bunch of spare parts from over the years.

What are the difficulties driving a ‘non-proven’ drift chassis?

Drifting a non-proven (or hardly known) chassis has definitely had its own sets of challenges between aftermarket support, parts, and car setup. There was a lot of trial and error throughout the years, especially early on. Thankfully, I was able to meet a ton of amazing people that have helped me and taught me a ton to get the car where it is today.

What makes this chassis cool for drifting?

The rarity and it being different from everything else out there. You get people that know what it is, and instantly love it, or people coming up, and asking, “what is this thing, lol?” The chassis is a great chassis, and it’s a great road race/autocross chassis, but realistically, it’s terrible for drifting without major improvements. I have been battling it for a few years now with trial and error.

Are there other versions of this vehicle around?

There’s a few dedicated Ford Sierras overseas, but I don’t know whose exactly. I have seen a few pictures and videos pop up over the years, but nothing consistent or a full-out drift car. I have a friend building one currently, but it has only been out twice. Sheldon Marra in Utah had a drift Merkur, and a super nice build, but unfortunately he wrecked it and it’s now parted out and scrapped.

Do you think this chassis will become more popular in drifting in the coming years?

Unfortunately, I don’t see them becoming popular as a drift car. I think you might see a few here and there as they are gaining popularity in the car community as a whole, but the parts availability - especially body panels and suspension - are gonna be big factors in deterring people from drifting them.

What’s next in your drifting career? Do you see yourself trying for an FD license?

As of right now, I’m taking a step back, and just trying to keep having fun while also trying to focus on a few other goals. I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon though. Trying for an FD license would be a dream come true, but realistically, I probably won’t, because I don’t have the time currently to dedicate toward building a car to compete at that level or to focus on that ‘one thing’. If I happen to make it that far, I’d love to, but for now, I’m happy to go out and have fun driving with my friends and meeting new ones.

Many thanks and well wishes to you, Jonathan Dlouhy. Thanks for giving us your time and we’ll be watching for you and your white Americanized Cossie at the track.

If you like hearing about local drift heroes, send us a comment about someone you’d like to see us feature and why. We’re always looking for fun, whacky, or unique stories about drivers of drift-enabled cars you don’t see every day.