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Welcome to Ford Tempo Central,
1984 - 1987
In 1983, Ford Motor Company unveiled two cars that would ultimatly lead to the hiatus in automobile industry history, known as the 1986 Ford Taurus. These two vehicles were dubbed the Ford Tempo and Mercury Topaz. Designed by a very intelligent man named Jack Telnack (chief designer of Ford & Mercury products during the 1980's), these two cars were very different from the blocky and unaerodynamic vehicles in their class made by such automobile manufacturers as General Motors and Chrysler Corporation. The Ford Tempo and Mercury Topaz were riding on Ford's flexible CE14 chassis. The Ford CE14 platform was derived from Ford's compact sedan and wagon, the Escort. However, CE14 diferred from Escort in length and size. The Tempo and Topaz were designed as a step up from the Escort in terms of luxury, equipment, style and other things such as power. The Tempo/Topaz were originally powered by a 2.3L HSC Inline Four cylinder gasoline engine. They also offered a more economical 2.0L Mazda Diesel I4. The HSC was one of the most well built Ford engines, indeed, one of the most well built engines form the 1980's.
The Ford Tempo, and it's twin the Mercury Topaz, were extremely successful. Due to their modern aerodynamic styling, their fuel economy and how well equiped they were for their time. In the Ford Tempo's first year of production, the car's sales soared to the fourth best selling car on the market, selling 531,468 units in just twelve months of production. Which knocked such rival cars as the Chevrolet Cavalier and Toyota Corolla down several places. These extraordinary sales prodded Ford to turn away from the boxy styling that originated in the gas-happy-world of the 1960's. Resulting in cars that truly revolutionized the automobile industry. Ford Motor Company had Mr. Telnack design a series of aerodynamic vehicles that would make Ford one of the top selling auto makers, and the leader in modern day vehicles. The Tempo led up to the Ford Taurus (1986), Ford Thunderbird (1988), Ford Mustang (1987), Ford Escort (1991), and all their Lincoln-Mercury counterparts. All of the listed were designed by Jack Telnack, the man who first gained his ticket to fame in 1983 when the Tempo was introduced. The Ford Tempo and Mercury Topaz would go one to see one of the most successful run of Ford cars in history, while short, they would rival the best and would bring Ford to the top.
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