Ford Laser

The Ford Laser was a small family car sold by Ford in Asia, Australasia, and parts of South America and Africa. It was the basis of later Escort models sold in North America, which is not to be confused with the model of the same name sold in Europe. It was also known as the Lidea in Japan and the Tierra in Taiwan. Updated versions of the Laser known under various names are marketed in Southeast Asia and Taiwan.

It has generally been available as a sedan or hatchback, although convertible, 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 percent 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, but survived in South Africa until 1995.