1 4x4 3door was built and tested in 1989 at Boreham, ford motorsport wanted to retain the whale tail for rallying but to due to the shell of the mk1 now being out of date and despite Karmann making xr4ti's and thus being able to make mk1's and willing to take on the work management where having none of it so they had to make do with using the sapphire.

So unless your mates 4x4 has reg D373 TAR then its not something ford ever made.