Ford Laser Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
| Ford Laser | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Ford of Japan(Mazda) |
| Production: | 1980 – 2003 |
| Class: | Sedan Performance |
| Body Styles: | 3-door hatchback 5-door hatchback 4-door sedan 5-door station wagon 2-door cabriolet |
| Predecessor: | Ford Escort |
| Successor: | Ford Focus |
| Shares components with: | Mazda 323 |
| Similar models: | Mazda 323 Honda Civic Toyota Corolla Nissan Pulsar Mitsubishi Colt GM Astra |
| This article is part of the automobile series. | |
It has generally been available as a sedan or hatchback, although cabriolet, wagon and pick-up versions have also been available in different markets.
The Ford Laser is, in fact, a restyled version of the 323 produced by Mazda in Japan since 1980. (Ford had acquired a 25 per cent stake in Mazda in 1979.) The Laser replaced the rear-wheel-drive Escort in Australasia in 1981, proving hugely popular as a hatchback, as well as a sedan (also known as the Meteor, and providing a worthy rival to Japanese models like the Toyota Corolla; the Meteor nameplate died in Australia when the second-generation sedan was launched in 1985).
Many buyers in Australia and New Zealand were totally unaware that the Laser was Japanese at all, with Ford being seen as a 'local' brand. In those markets, the Laser outsold its Mazda twin, but in neighbouring Asian countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, as well as Japan itself, the reverse was the case. However, pooling resources with Mazda allowed Ford to maintain a footold in the region, which it would otherwise have lost. This was also the case in South America, Africa, and the Caribbean, where the Laser was also sold, in many cases being locally assembled.
Local production of the Laser in Australia ceased in 1995 when Ford closed its plant in Homebush in Sydney, and imported the model from Japan, while Ford New Zealand continued to assemble the Laser locally until 1997.
However, this badge engineering of Mazdas as Fords proved less popular in South Africa, although the Ford Tonic, based on an early version of the Laser, was offered as an entry-level model after the introduction of the Ford Escort. A pick-up version called the Ford Bantam, unique to South Africa, was also sold.
In 1987, a version of the Laser built in Mexico was exported to the USA and Canada, where it was known as the Mercury Tracer. In 1989, the US Ford Escort was replaced by a version of the Laser/323, although the Escort name was retained. The Escort Wagon seen in North America during that generation was unique to that continent and was not part of the Laser ranges elsewhere.
The Laser has now been replaced in most markets around the world by the European-sourced Focus, designated as one of Ford's 'world cars'. The Mazda 323 replacement, the Mazda3, is also based on the same platform as the new model Focus, meaning that both companies' products in this market segment will use the same platform around the world.
This is an Article on Ford Laser. Page Contains Information, Facts Details or Explanation Guide About Ford Laser See also
External links