At FORD, the Yamaha V6 was installed in an XR4, and a Ranger
truck just as engineering exercises and an attempt to generate
excitement among management for this type of performance package.
In addition it would use more engines and of course that would
be good.
To my knowledge neither was considered for production and both
had little real engineering, rather were "cobbled" together.
Now that does not mean Rube Goldberg or Mcgivering of anything,
but a simple engine swap was accomplished and a hurry up calibration
was done to make it drive well. No real development was done.
I believe that this was not presented to "the Germans"
as all product decisions were made in the US. Our friends at Cologne
in fact didn't put the engines in our cars. That was done by Karmann.
I agree, the V6 XR would have been an excellent package.
This is essentially the same way that the 4 cyl group tried to sell the 2.3l DOHC 4 valve (Dertian), 2.3 Turbo Taurus (Dertian again) 4 valve 4.6L Windstar. 2valve 4.6L Windstar, 5.4L 2 valve Crown Vic. 5.4L Mustang etc etc....all real packages, but for a number of reasons not done in production.
I also got a drive in a prototype SHO powered 1987 XR4 on the handling track at the Dearborn Proving Ground. It was built as a what-if prototype when Ford was trying to find more homes for the Yamaha engine (a Ranger was built also). The handling was much like the Bondurant cars (and after it was scrapped I saw it had Konis). But the power came on quite nicely and it was hard to keep the rears from spinning. Sadly, as with all prototype cars it was scrapped and literally cut up into pieces.
