Mercury Topaz
Encyclopedia
The Mercury Topaz is a compact car
that was manufactured by the Mercury
division of Ford Motor Company
for model year
s 1984 to 1994 as a slightly upscale variant of the Ford Tempo
. It succeeded the Fox body
Mercury Zephyr
, and was replaced by the 1995 Mercury Mystique.
and Mercury Sable
. Topaz and Tempo both were based on the Escort-derived CE14 platform
. The body structure and power-train design borrowed heavily from the Ford Escort, but due to the larger size of the Topaz there were few common components. The Topaz shared the Tempo's standard 4-speed IB4 manual transmission
and optional 3-speed FLC automatic. In late 1985, a 5-speed MTX-III manual became standard and the 4-speed IB4 was discontinued. Ford designed and made two engines and automatic
/manual transmissions that were only ever available on the Mercury Topaz, and its re-badged and re-branded Ford cousin, the Tempo. Topaz and Tempo introduced many new design concepts and features that would become standard on many future Ford's and other automobile manufacturer's cars in a few years. The Topaz had a very aerodynamic design, and unlike its Zephyr predecessor, it was front-wheel-drive. Topaz focused on comfort and convenience, and Ford, by making Topaz FWD made interior space much larger than it would have been if the Topaz and Tempo were rear-wheel-drive. Other innovative concepts
used first in Tempo were optional SRS airbags, a diesel engine option (the 2.0L Mazda RF Diesel I4
, capable of over thirty miles per gallon highway), very aerodynamic styling (reducing drag, meaning better fuel efficiency and reduced wind noise intrusion into the passenger compartment) and features such as power lumbar support, four-way power driver's seat and cassette player.
Topaz (along with stablemate Tempo) was face-lifted in 1986, with new flush-mounted headlights to improve its aerodynamic styling and a nonfunctional light-bar grille from the then-new Sable
. In 1987, the Mercury Topaz received a standard all wheel drive system on the trim levels GS-AWD and LS-AWD. This AWD system (developed exclusively for the Topaz and Ford Tempo
) was available for model years 1987 to 1991.
The Topaz sedan received a major redesign in 1988, whereas the coupe was facelifted instead. Both cars had an improved interior, as well as an even more aerodynamic and upscale exterior. The sedan was differentiated from the 4-door Tempo by a more formal rear window, and the sedan and coupe had a waterfall grille, more upscale wheels, and solid red tail-lights. The interior featured the tachometer
-equipped gauge cluster and a front center armrest standard. New this year were the sporty XR5 coupe and LTS "Luxury Touring Sedan" models. These came standard with the HSO engine and MTX-III
transmission.
In 1992, the Mercury Topaz (and Ford Tempo) received a face-lift with a revamped exterior. The chrome grill was replaced again with a new light-bar (nonfunctional). The Vulcan
V6 was now available, bringing with it an optional MTX-IV
five-speed manual transmission on the XR5 and LTS models. However, these models didn't sell well but were still an available option.
The Topaz was replaced for 1995 by the European Ford Mondeo
-based Mystique.
Compact car
A compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car...
that was manufactured by the Mercury
Mercury (automobile)
Mercury was an automobile marque of the Ford Motor Company launched in 1938 by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford, to market entry-level luxury cars slotted between Ford-branded regular models and Lincoln-branded luxury vehicles, similar to General Motors' Buick brand, and Chrysler's namesake brand...
division of Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
for model year
Model year
The model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
s 1984 to 1994 as a slightly upscale variant of the Ford Tempo
Ford Tempo
The Ford Tempo is a coupe/sedan car model that was produced by Ford Motor Company for model years 1984 to 1994. It was a downsized successor to the boxy Ford Fairmont that introduced "jellybean" styling, which would later be shown on the larger 1986 Ford Taurus. and was replaced in 1994 by the...
. It succeeded the Fox body
Ford Fox platform
The Ford Fox platform is a rear wheel drive, unitized-chassis, automobile architecture used by Ford Motor Company in North America. Introduced for the 1978 model year, it would go on to be produced until 1993 in its original version; a substantial redesign of the Ford Mustang in 1994 extended its...
Mercury Zephyr
Mercury Zephyr
The Mercury Zephyr is a compact car sold by the Lincoln-Mercury division of Ford Motor Company for the North American market. Introduced as a replacement for the Mercury Comet, it was produced from 1978 to 1983...
, and was replaced by the 1995 Mercury Mystique.
First generation
Both models were introduced in late 1983 for the 1984 model year; the compact Topaz and Ford Tempo were early examples of the design philosophy that would bring about the revolutionary 1986 Ford TaurusFord Taurus
The Ford Taurus is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States. Originally introduced in the 1986 model year, it has remained in near-continuous production for more than two decades, making it the fourth oldest nameplate that is currently sold in the North American...
and Mercury Sable
Mercury Sable
The Sable was a very important sedan for both Mercury and the American auto industry.Ford had lagged in introducing mid-size front wheel drive cars to compete against General Motors' Chevrolet Citation and its best-selling Chevrolet Celebrity/Pontiac 6000/Oldsmobile Cutlass/Buick Century quartet as...
. Topaz and Tempo both were based on the Escort-derived CE14 platform
Ford CE14 platform
The Ford CE14 platform was a front wheel drive automobile platform used by the Ford Motor Company for its compact cars during the 1980s and early 1990s. The CE14 platform was heavily derived from the platform of the European Ford Escort...
. The body structure and power-train design borrowed heavily from the Ford Escort, but due to the larger size of the Topaz there were few common components. The Topaz shared the Tempo's standard 4-speed IB4 manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
and optional 3-speed FLC automatic. In late 1985, a 5-speed MTX-III manual became standard and the 4-speed IB4 was discontinued. Ford designed and made two engines and automatic
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
/manual transmissions that were only ever available on the Mercury Topaz, and its re-badged and re-branded Ford cousin, the Tempo. Topaz and Tempo introduced many new design concepts and features that would become standard on many future Ford's and other automobile manufacturer's cars in a few years. The Topaz had a very aerodynamic design, and unlike its Zephyr predecessor, it was front-wheel-drive. Topaz focused on comfort and convenience, and Ford, by making Topaz FWD made interior space much larger than it would have been if the Topaz and Tempo were rear-wheel-drive. Other innovative concepts
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
used first in Tempo were optional SRS airbags, a diesel engine option (the 2.0L Mazda RF Diesel I4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, capable of over thirty miles per gallon highway), very aerodynamic styling (reducing drag, meaning better fuel efficiency and reduced wind noise intrusion into the passenger compartment) and features such as power lumbar support, four-way power driver's seat and cassette player.
Mercury Sable
The Sable was a very important sedan for both Mercury and the American auto industry.Ford had lagged in introducing mid-size front wheel drive cars to compete against General Motors' Chevrolet Citation and its best-selling Chevrolet Celebrity/Pontiac 6000/Oldsmobile Cutlass/Buick Century quartet as...
. In 1987, the Mercury Topaz received a standard all wheel drive system on the trim levels GS-AWD and LS-AWD. This AWD system (developed exclusively for the Topaz and Ford Tempo
Ford Tempo
The Ford Tempo is a coupe/sedan car model that was produced by Ford Motor Company for model years 1984 to 1994. It was a downsized successor to the boxy Ford Fairmont that introduced "jellybean" styling, which would later be shown on the larger 1986 Ford Taurus. and was replaced in 1994 by the...
) was available for model years 1987 to 1991.
Second generation
Tachometer
A tachometer is an instrument measuring the rotation speed of a shaft or disk, as in a motor or other machine. The device usually displays the revolutions per minute on a calibrated analogue dial, but digital displays are increasingly common...
-equipped gauge cluster and a front center armrest standard. New this year were the sporty XR5 coupe and LTS "Luxury Touring Sedan" models. These came standard with the HSO engine and MTX-III
Ford MTX transmission
The Ford MTX transmission is a 4 or 5-speed manual transaxle used in some of Ford's front-wheel-drive North American passenger cars.-MTX-II:The MTX-II was a 4 speed manual transaxle introduced in the Ford Escort and Mercury Lynx as a base model "fuel saver" design. The Tempo and Topaz also used...
transmission.
In 1992, the Mercury Topaz (and Ford Tempo) received a face-lift with a revamped exterior. The chrome grill was replaced again with a new light-bar (nonfunctional). The Vulcan
Ford Vulcan engine
The Ford Vulcan V6 is a 3.0 L , 60° V6 engine with an iron block and iron heads, used in some of Ford Motor Company's vehicles from model years 1986 through 2008. It was originally designed to be the optional engine in the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. In 1992, it became the standard engine for...
V6 was now available, bringing with it an optional MTX-IV
Ford MTX transmission
The Ford MTX transmission is a 4 or 5-speed manual transaxle used in some of Ford's front-wheel-drive North American passenger cars.-MTX-II:The MTX-II was a 4 speed manual transaxle introduced in the Ford Escort and Mercury Lynx as a base model "fuel saver" design. The Tempo and Topaz also used...
five-speed manual transmission on the XR5 and LTS models. However, these models didn't sell well but were still an available option.
The Topaz was replaced for 1995 by the European Ford Mondeo
Ford Mondeo
The Mondeo was launched on 8 January 1993, and sales began on 22 March 1993. Available as a four-door saloon, a five-door hatchback, and a five-door estate, all models for the European market were produced at Ford's plant in the Belgian city of Genk...
-based Mystique.
Engines
- 2.0 L Mazda RFMazda Diesel engineMazda has a long history of building its own Diesel engines, with the exception of a few units that were built under license.-Straight-4:* 1.7 L PN - 1,720 cc - Used in the Mazda Familia and Ford Laser...
dieselDiesel engineA diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
I4Straight-4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
52 hp (optional 1984-1986 "GS") - 2.3 LLitér- External links :*...
HSCFord HSC engineThe HSC is an automobile engine from Ford Motor Company sold from 1984 until 1994. It was produced in Lima, Ohio, largely using tooling and designs adapted from the predecessor 200 CID straight 6.-2.3:...
I4Straight-4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, 86 hp-98 hp and 125 lbft GS/LS - 2.3 L HSOFord HSC engineThe HSC is an automobile engine from Ford Motor Company sold from 1984 until 1994. It was produced in Lima, Ohio, largely using tooling and designs adapted from the predecessor 200 CID straight 6.-2.3:...
I4Straight-4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, 100 hp and 135 lbft LTS/XR5/AWD - 3.0 L (2982 cc) VulcanFord Vulcan engineThe Ford Vulcan V6 is a 3.0 L , 60° V6 engine with an iron block and iron heads, used in some of Ford Motor Company's vehicles from model years 1986 through 2008. It was originally designed to be the optional engine in the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. In 1992, it became the standard engine for...
V6, 130 hp and 150 lbft (1992–1994; optional on GS, LS, and standard on LTS/XR5)
Trim levels
- L (stripped down base model made during the 1988-1991 model years)
- GS (Topaz equivalent of the Tempo GL, mid-range model and most common, only Topaz model in 1993 and 1994)
- GS-AWD (Topaz GS with All Wheel Drive as standard, available between 1987 and 1991)
- LS (luxury/high end trim level, discontinued after 1992)
- LS-AWD (Topaz LS with All Wheel Drive as standard, available between 1987 and 1991)
- XR5 (Topaz Coupe's sport performance model made from 1987 to 1992, in 1992, XR5 received a standard 3.0L V6. All XR5s are 2-doors)
- LTS (four door variation of the XR5, 'LTS' stood for Luxury Touring Sedan, made from 1988 to 1992)