Mercury Tracer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mercury Tracer | |
|---|---|
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| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company Mazda |
| Production | 1988-1999 |
| Predecessor | Mercury Lynx |
| Layout | FF layout |
| Similar | Pontiac LeMans Toyota Corolla Chevrolet Cavalier |
The Mercury Tracer was Mercury's smallest car from 1988 to 1999. It was based on the platform of the Mazda 323, replacing the European-derived Mercury Lynx.
Contents |
[edit] 1988-1990
| First generation | |
|---|---|
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| Production | 1988-1990 |
| Assembly | Hermosillo, Mexico, Hiroshima, Japan |
| Class | Subcompact |
| Body style | 3-door hatchback 4-door station wagon 5-door hatchback |
| Engine | 1.6 L Mazda B6 I4 |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual 3-speed Mazda F3A automatic |
| Wheelbase | 94.7 in |
| Length | 162.0 in |
| Width | 65.2 in |
| Height | 53.0 in |
| Related | Ford Laser Mazda 323 |
The Tracer was introduced in 1987 for the 1988 model year, the same time Ford introduced the Festiva to the subcompact segment, originally to compete with the Geo Metro and Toyota Tercel. It was a rebadged version of the Ford Laser model already sold in Asia and Australia, which was itself a restyled Mazda 323. The 5-door hatchbacks were built in Hermosillo, Mexico, and the 3-door hatchbacks were assembled (along with the Mazda 323) in Hiroshima, Japan.
[edit] Engines
[edit] 1991-1996
| Second generation | |
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| Production | 1991-1996 |
| Assembly | Hermosillo, Mexico |
| Class | Compact |
| Body style | 4-door sedan 4-door station wagon |
| Engine | 1.9 L CVH I4 1.8 L Mazda B8 I4 |
| Transmission | 5-speed IB5 manual 4-speed F-4EAT automatic |
| Wheelbase | 98.4 in (2500 mm) |
| Length | 117.9 in (2995 mm) |
| Width | 66.7 in |
| Height | 52.7 in |
| Curb weight | 2498 lb (1133 kg) |
| Related | Ford Escort Mazda 323 Mazda Protegé |
Ford replaced the hatchback-only Tracer in 1991 with a twin of the Ford Escort, based on the Mazda 323's B platform. The Tracer LTS (which used the more powerful 1.8L Mazda engine) was on Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list for 1991.
[edit] Engines
- 1.9 L (1859 cc) CVH I4, 88 hp (66 kW) 108 ft.lbf (146 Nm)
- 1.8 L (1839 cc) B8 I4, 127 hp (95 kW) 114 ft.lbf (154 Nm) LTS
[edit] 1997-1999
| Third generation | |
|---|---|
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| Production | 1997-1999 |
| Assembly | Hermosillo, Mexico |
| Body style | 4-door sedan |
| Engine | 2.0 L SPI 2000 I4 |
| Transmission | 5-speed IB5 manual 4-speed F-4EAT automatic |
| Wheelbase | 98.4 in |
| Length | 174.7 in |
| Width | 67.0 in |
| Height | 53.3 in |
| Related | Ford Escort Mazda Protegé |
The Tracer and Escort were updated in 1997 with a redesigned exterior and interior, and a new engine. The platform remained the same as before. This generation wasn't sold in Canada, but it was sold in Mexico. The Tracer was discontinued in 1999.
Trim levels were base (sometimes called GS) and LS, and there was also a Trio appearance package as well (as with the 91-96 model), sold between 1998 and 1999. The LS was the luxury model, offering some options not common in a compact model such as leather interior, key-less entry, power windows/door locks, etc. LS models also had tachometers, alloy wheels, etc. that were not on the base model. Many speculate that if the Escort ZX2's more powerful 130 HP Zetec engine would have been available or standard on the Tracer, it would have proved much more successful.
[edit] Engines
| Mercury | Category | Vehicles | | ||
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| Mercury road vehicle timeline, 1980s-present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
| Subcompact | Bobcat | Lynx | Tracer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Compact | Zephyr | Topaz | Mystique | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mid-size | Cougar | Marquis | Sable | Milan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full-size | Marquis | Grand Marquis | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colony Park | Marauder | Montego | Sable | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sports car | Cougar | Cougar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Crossover SUV | Mariner | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SUV | Mountaineer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minivan | Villager | Monterey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
