Ford Tempo - First Generation

The first generation Tempo, released in 1983 as a 1984 model, was a stark contrast from the Fairmont that it replaced (the car was several inches shorter than the Fairmont) and equaled the length of a Chevrolet Cavalier at the time. That's because the Tempo was not a replacement for the Fairmont, but represented a response to the Chevrolet Cavalier. The Ford Fairmont (with its 105.5-inch wheelbase), which was last produced in 1983, was replaced by the Ford LTD (with its 105.6-inch wheelbase), which was introduced in 1983.

Even though the Fairmont (at 105.5-inch wheelbase and 193.8-inch length) was sized much larger than General Motors' front-wheel drive Chevrolet Celebrity mid-size car (at 104.8-inch wheelbase and 188.3-inch length) and had similar length to the Fairmont's predecessor, the Maverick (at 109.9-inch wheelbase and 193.9-inch length), the Tempo had been meant as the sedan and coupe versions of the Ford Escort, and both vehicles were in similar classes, similar to how Volkswagen's sedan and coupe answer to the Golf hatchbacks would be the Jetta.

The Tempo was Ford's first compact car downsizing, just seven years after GM downsized its cars in 1976 for the 1977 model year (some of them in 1978 or later). Both the front windshield and rear window were set at 60° angles, with the trunk of the car being placed higher than the side windows to allow for greater fuel efficiency and air flow. On the Tempo, a rear quarter window was present while the Topaz received a more formal C-pillar arrangement minus the window. The front of the car featured a set of two sealed-beam halogen headlamps recessed in chrome "buckets" and the grille in between the headlights featured four horizontally thin rails each swept back to allow for greater air flow into the engine compartment and over the hood. The Tempo shared much of its design language with the European Ford Sierra, launched one year prior.

The first generation Tempo came standard with a new 2.3 L HSC inline four-cylinder gasoline engine with a one-barrel carburetor, with an optional Mazda-built four-cylinder diesel engine. Mated to either of these engines were the choice of a standard four-speed IB4 or optional five-speed MTX-III manual transmission (which was the standard, and only option for the diesel engine variant), or the optional 3-speed FLC automatic with a floor-mounted shift lever. The instrument panel featured a new, easier to read gauge layout, with all switches and controls placed within easy reach of the driver. In 1985, the Tempo became the first production sedan to feature a driver's side airbag.

In 1986, the Tempo and the Topaz saw several moderate design changes which coincided with the release of the then-new and revolutionary 1986 Taurus. While generally the same car, the front and rear end styling was where the changes were most evident. The standard rectangular sealed-beam halogen headlamps were replaced with a new, plastic composite design which only required replacement of the bulb itself. These new headlights were flush-mounted to match the redesigned front corner lights and a freshly restyled grille, which also closely matched that of the Taurus (the Topaz received a pseudo-lightbar grille styled after the Sable). For the rear end, the trunk and taillights were slightly restyled, giving the car a sharper look. Replacing the carburetor on the 2.3 L four-cylinder engine was a new Central Fuel Injection (CFI) system (the carbureted version was still available in Canada until 1987). New was an optional "LX" luxury trim, replacing the GLX. Other changes and improvements included the addition of automatically retracting front seatbelt shoulder straps, and the addition of a new all-wheel-drive model. The Tempo AWD included special badging, interior badges. Trim levels for the first generation Tempo are as follows:

• L (entry level model)
• GL (mid-level and by far the best-selling model)
• LX (introduced in 1986 as the luxury model, replacing the GLX)
• GLX (1984 and 1985 only)
• AWD (1987 only, only year AWD could be had on a Coupe bodystyle)

From 1986 to 1987, there was also the Sport GL, which included unique interior and exterior styling cues, an HSO (High Specific Output) version of the 2.3L HSC engine (slightly more power), alloy wheels, tachometer, and a quicker gear ratio for the 5-speed manual transaxle (3.73 final drive). It was badged simply as "GL", however a Sport GL is easily recognizable because it lacks the GL's chrome front and rear bumpers.