Ford Telstar
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The Ford Telstar was a family car sold by the Ford Motor Company in Asia, Australasia and Africa, comparable in size to the European Ford Sierra and the US Ford Tempo. It has been progressively replaced by the Ford Mondeo.
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| Ford Telstar | |
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| Manufacturer: | Ford of Japan |
| Production: | 1983 – 1999 |
| Class: | Sedan |
| Body Styles: | 4-door sedan 5-door hatchback 5-door station wagon |
| Predecessor: | Ford Cortina Ford Sierra (South Africa) |
| Successor: | Ford Mondeo Ford Corsair (Australia) |
| Shares components with: | Mazda Capella/Mazda Cronos |
| Automobile platform: | Mazda GC (Telstar AR/AS 1983-1987) Mazda GD (Telstar AT/AV 1987-1991) Mazda GE (Telstar AX/AY 1991-1997) Mazda CG (Telstar II 1994-1996) Mazda GF (1997-1999) |
| Similar models: | Mazda 626 Honda Accord Toyota Corona Nissan Primera Mitsubishi Galant GM Vectra |
| This article is part of the automobile series. | |
Like the smaller Ford Laser, the Telstar was, in fact, based on a model produced by Mazda in Japan. It shared its platform with the Mazda Capella/626, the differences being confined to some styling, engine sizes, and specification. The first model (the AR) was launched in 1983, replacing the Ford Cortina. Unlike the Cortina, or its Sierra successor, the Telstar was usually only available as a sedan or hatchback (known as the TX5). However, a Telstar version of the 626 wagon was sold in Japan and also New Zealand.
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Japan
In Japan, the Telstar was introduced in 1983 on the new front wheel drive Mazda GC platform. This model was replaced in 1987 with a refreshed version on the Mazda GD platform. A station wagon appeared in 1990 on the old GD-based GV platform, while the sedan was updated the next year with the newer GE platform. This Telstar was replaced in 1997 by an updated Telstar on the GF platform. From 1994 through 1996, a special Telstar II was produced alongside the Japan-only Mazda Capella on the CG platform. The Telstar was dropped by Ford of Japan in 1999, as the company sought to differentiate itself from Mazda by concentrating on European and US Ford models. Telstars were briefly available with Mazda's four-wheel steering.
Australia
In Australia, the Telstar filled the gap in Ford Australia's product line-up, left by the Cortina in 1981. The Telstar was Wheels magazine's Car of the Year for 1983.
Local assembly of the Telstar was short-lived, and for a while the model was almost replaced by the Ford Corsair, which was simply a facelifted version of the Nissan Pintara, as the two companies were sharing models under the Button Plan.
The two sold side by side in the Ford range for a few years, with the Telstar only available as the high-performance TX5 hatchback. Later when Nissan ended manufacturing in Australia, the Corsair was dropped and the Telstar, fully imported from Japan, once again became Ford's offering in the medium size segment of the market, voted as Wheels magazine's Car of the Year for a second time in 1992. It was replaced by the Mondeo in 1995.
New Zealand
In New Zealand, the Telstar, like the Laser, was assembled locally up to 1997, at the Ford/Mazda joint venture plant in Auckland called Vehicle Assemblers of New Zealand (VANZ). This included the Telstar Orion, which was simply the previous model sedan, offered as an entry-level model, along with the wagon.
Ford_telstar_wagon.jpg
New Zealand
When the first Mondeos were sold abroad, Ford New Zealand offered a Telstar Contour and a Telstar Mystique (named after the US Ford and Mercury versions of the Mondeo respectively). A high performance V6 version, known as the Telstar Radisich after the New Zealand racing driver Paul Radisich, was also sold locally. The plant closed in 1997 and all of Ford New Zealand's product offerings are now fully imported.
South Africa
In South Africa, the Telstar replaced the Ford Sierra in 1993, being assembled by Samcor alongside the Mazda 626. As in New Zealand, a Telstar Contour and Telstar Mystique were offered. In 1998, the Telstar was replaced by the Mondeo, which is now fully imported.
Other markets
In Taiwan, the Telstar was locally assembled by Ford Lio Ho, the local Ford joint venture, in left hand drive, and remained in production in Malaysia until the early 2000s. It was also sold in Hong Kong, Indonesia and Cyprus.