
The Mazda-built Tracer had so few US-made parts that it literally didn’t count toward Ford’s fuel-economy average — a loophole baked into its badge.
Lead trim: Base · 3-spd auto · 1.6L · up to 127 hp
Mercury Tracer1988–1999
- 0spots by members
- Unclaimednobody has spotted one yet
- 0sets it belongs to
Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Mercury Tracer yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThe Mazda-built Tracer had so few US-made parts that it literally didn’t count toward Ford’s fuel-economy average — a loophole baked into its badge.
Collectors Spotted in the Mercury Tracer Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Mercury Tracer yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
14 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base · 3-spd auto · 1.6L | 1988–1989 | 1.6 L Inline-4 | 84 hp | — | — | FWD | Automatic 3-spd | — |
| Base · 4-spd auto · 1.8L | 1991–1996 | 1.8 L 4-cyl | 127 hp | 114 lb-ft | — | FWD | Automatic 4-spd | — |
| Base · 4-spd auto · 1.9L | 1991–1996 | 1.9 L Inline-4 | 88 hp | 108 lb-ft | — | FWD | Automatic 4-spd | — |
| Base · 4-spd auto · 2.0L | 1997–1999 | 2.0 L Inline-4 | 110 hp | 125 lb-ft | — | FWD | Automatic 4-spd | — |
| Base · 5-spd manual · 1.6L | 1988–1989 | 1.6 L Inline-4 | 84 hp | — | — | FWD | Manual 5-spd | — |
| Base · 5-spd manual · 1.8L | 1991–1996 | 1.8 L 4-cyl | 127 hp | 114 lb-ft | — | FWD | Manual 5-spd | — |
| Base · 5-spd manual · 1.9L | 1991–1996 | 1.9 L Inline-4 | 88 hp | 108 lb-ft | — | FWD | Manual 5-spd | — |
| Base · 5-spd manual · 2.0L | 1997–1999 | 2.0 L Inline-4 | 110 hp | 125 lb-ft | — | FWD | Manual 5-spd | — |
| Wagon · 3-spd auto · 1.6L | 1988–1989 | 1.6 L Inline-4 | 84 hp | — | — | FWD | Automatic 3-spd | — |
| Wagon · 4-spd auto · 1.9L | 1991–1996 | 1.9 L Inline-4 | 88 hp | 108 lb-ft | — | FWD | Automatic 4-spd | — |
| Wagon · 4-spd auto · 2.0L | 1997–1999 | 2.0 L Inline-4 | 110 hp | 125 lb-ft | — | FWD | Automatic 4-spd | — |
| Wagon · 5-spd manual · 1.6L | 1988–1989 | 1.6 L Inline-4 | 84 hp | — | — | FWD | Manual 5-spd | — |
| Wagon · 5-spd manual · 1.9L | 1991–1996 | 1.9 L Inline-4 | 88 hp | 108 lb-ft | — | FWD | Manual 5-spd | — |
| Wagon · 5-spd manual · 2.0L | 1997–1999 | 2.0 L Inline-4 | 110 hp | 125 lb-ft | — | FWD | Manual 5-spd | — |
Owning one
An estimate, for the Base · 4-spd auto · 1.9L trim: fuel on its EPA figure and a dated national price, upkeep on a per-mile average for the kind of car it is.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs



This was the only Tracer generation built entirely in the United States, assembled solely at Wayne Stamping in Michigan.

The Tracer LTS, with a 127 hp Mazda 1.8, made Car and Driver's Ten Best list for 1991.

The Mazda-built Tracer had so few US-made parts that it literally didn’t count toward Ford’s fuel-economy average — a loophole baked into its badge.

The first Mercury assembled outside North America, it had so little US content that it did not count toward Ford's fuel-economy average.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.

It briefly served as senior sibling to Marquette, a GM companion brand cancelled after just one year.

Nissan hired former BMW engineers to help develop the 510's suspension, which is why period reviewers frequently compared its handling to the BMW 1600/2002.

A Trabant 601 won its class at the 1970 Monte Carlo Rally, with a second 601 right behind it in second.

The 600 was a stopgap: the P50's body over the 601's mechanicals, and for a while its estate was built alongside the new 601 saloon.

The G80 Sport brought a 370 PS twin-turbo 3.3 V6, a mesh grille and copper-tinted chrome with copper stitching to match.

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This DeVille/Fleetwood was the first production car anywhere to mount its V8 sideways, Cadillac's front-drive gamble on the new C-body.
