Ford Laser – The precursor to the Mazda 3 that was beloved among Malaysians
CY Foong · Feb 26, 2022 02:00 PM
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Ford has a bit of a spotty history in Malaysia but older readers would probably remember a time when the Blue Oval was among the country’s best-selling brands, giving the likes of Toyota, Honda, and Nissan a run for their money. The most memorable model ever offered by Ford in the country was the Ford Laser.
Sold from 1981 to 2004 across 5 generations, the Laser was really a rebadged Mazda 323, the predecessor to the Mazda 3. Yet, throughout most of its tenure in Malaysia, the Laser often outsold the 323 and even till today, many fans still covet the Laser or as it is called in the final generation, the Lynx.
It would take another decade for Ford to recapture the local passenger car market with the Ford Fiesta but unlike the Laser/Lynx, the Blue Oval’s party would be cut short and eventually would only focus on pick-up trucks and SUVs in Malaysia.
Without not getting too far into the current state of Ford in Malaysia, we’ll take a look back at the legacy of Ford’s most recognisable model in the country.
KA/KB Laser – The beginning
A Japanese-built Ford Model A that is currently under the care of the Toyota Automobile Museum
Prior to World War II, Ford had an assembly plant in Yokohama, Japan which built some historic models including the Model T and the Model A. From 1925 to 1935, American brands were dominating the Japanese automotive market with 1930 being the peak year with 95% market share.
CKD Ford Model A assembly line in Yokohama, Japan
All that ended when a new law that was more favourable to the domestic brands took hold and combined with Japan declaring war on the USA and its allies saw the exit of Ford and many other American brands.
Ford's all-American line-up in the 1970s wasn't attracting mainstream buyers
It wasn’t until 1974 when Ford returned to the Japanese market but the decade also saw the Blue Oval establishing a partnership with Mazda. The Hiroshima carmaker was struggling following its failed rotary engine models and Ford needed a more cost-effective model to introduce itself in Japan and other Asian markets.
The result was the Ford Laser, a badge-engineered version of the Mazda 323/Familia. The first-gen 323 was a success and its successor continued that trend in many markets across Asia. However, the surprising thing was the Laser would eventually outsell its original twin.
Ford was already well-known for a bit of prestige to the growing middle class so combining the Blue Oval’s image with a reliable Japanese partner proved to be a huge success. When it was introduced in Malaysia in 1981, the Laser was offered with 4 variants, the 1.3 GL Hatchback and Sedan, the 1.5 S Hatchback as well as the top-of-the-line 1.5 Ghia Sedan.
Though the Ford Laser was really more of an affordable family sedan/hatchback, Ford tried to inject some performance pedigree into its entry-level car. The 1.5 S was an early hot hatch much like the Fiesta XR2 over in Europe and it competed in a few rally tournaments, something that would continue on for the next few generations.
KC/KE Laser – The rise of TX3
Though the 1.5 S was a hot hatch Laser, it didn’t have a cool acronym much like the Golf GTI or even the aforementioned Fiesta XR2. When the second-generation Laser was launched in 1985, initially dubbed the KC with its facelift being called the KE, Ford would introduce the TX3 variant.
The Terminator movie was only screened a year ago and the TX3 name might be inspired by it but it wasn’t all that high-tech underneath. It was the flagship variant of the Laser in Malaysia taking over the Ghia variant.
Facelifted KE shown
The Laser TX3 was the first attainable (and locally-assembled) hot hatch in Malaysia, powered by the naturally-aspirated 1.6-litre fuel-injected 4-cylinder engine (105 PS/137 Nm). Other markets would see the TX3 gain a turbocharger and all-wheel-drive (AWD) while Malaysia kept the NA and FWD layouts until it would be replaced by its infamous boaty successor 5 years later.
Even with the Proton Saga’s immensely successful debut in the same year of the second-gen Laser’s launch, the Laser is still among the best-selling cars in Malaysia. The Laser was ranked among the top 5 best-sellers from 1985 to 1987.
While the TX3 is best remembered among fans, the less sporty variants were the core variants among buyers. Ford expanded the number of variants of the Laser to five with two 1.3-litre variants, two 1.5-litre variants, and the TX3.
Just like its predecessor, the Laser would continue its role in motorsports. In addition to rallying, Ford would enter the Laser in circuit races under Team Castrol, winning many races in Batu Tiga and Johor.
While the first two generations of the Laser were merely rebadged Mazda 323s, the third-generation Laser would turn out to look completely different from the Mazda it was based on.
The sharp contrast was no fluke as the KF/KH Laser would become the basis for the North American-spec Ford Escort. It was the closest to an American car that was also locally assembled in Malaysia.
More recognisable by its nickname, ‘The Sampan’, the third-gen Ford Laser was a technological marvel compared to its contemporary rivals. Depending on who you ask, the boat nickname came from either the boaty handling or its design which resembled an upside-down sampan on wheels.
Ford offered 16-valve engines across all 3 variants of the Laser and having 16-valves in a subcompact car in the early 1990s was as much the in-thing as having a 32-bit game console.
Like its predecessor, Ford was offering different engines to suit different buyers. The 1.3-litre units were for those wanting a basic Ford and most buyers tend to go for the 1.6-litre models that share a good balance between efficiency and performance.
But the nefarious ones among us who believe to have RON 97 injected in our veins can’t quite stray away from the TX3. Powered by a 1.8-litre DOHC 16-valve naturally-aspirated engine (140 PS/153 Nm), the Laser TX3 would tear up the tarmac in both legal circuit races and illegal street races.
The icon is enhanced with white alloy wheels, black paint, and a red stripe that goes around the car. It’s an unmissable look and one that many fans still preserve till today.
Laser Lynx – Enter sportiness
As the 1990s reached its peak, so did the Laser in terms of design. Out went the wedge look and overturned sampan design, in went a bulbous shape that was supposed to bring out the contemporary 1990s look.
Introduced in Malaysia in 1995, the fourth-generation Laser kept most of the design elements of the Mazda 323/Lantis with the Blue Oval badge replacing Mazda’s oval emblem. A whopping 8 variants were introduced, ranging from the base 1.3-litre sedan all the way up to the 1.8 TX3 3-door hatchback.
Weird flex but those "free" Pokemon cards would cost a fortune now
Eventually, Ford’s Malaysian distributor at the time AMIM Holdings Sdn Bhd would trim to around 3 variants at the end of the millennium. It was also during this generation that Ford decided to call it the Laser Lynx.
While it looked modern and the TX3 was the nineties version of the Honda CR-X from a design standpoint, the Laser Lynx would struggle in sales and led to a downfall of the Laser as we know. As Proton became more dominant in the market and Honda, Toyota, and Nissan bringing more appealing models with better value, Ford was losing its edge in Malaysia.
Throughout the Laser Lynx’s sales, the model barely made it into the Top 10 best-selling charts with its peak being 20th in 1996. Adding more woes than wins would be the fact that this generation would be last time the Laser was considered fun to be in.
Lynx – Exit elegance
When the final generation Laser was launched in 2001, Ford had completely dropped the Laser name for good. Instead, it would be called the Lynx and that is probably for the best as it had lost the essence of the Laser that many fans were accustomed to.
Instead of being sporty and youthful, the Lynx became dull and more attuned to a D-segment unclemobile than a fun C-segment. Initially the hatchback was launched, called the Lynx S and though the S was supposed to mean “Sport”, “Staid” is a more apt description.
Ford would later launch the sedan variants which like the hatchback would be powered by a 1.6-litre DOHC 16-valve engine (108 PS/145 Nm). It was marketed as a “highly affordable C-Class” and at less than RM 100k, it might sound appealing for those who wanted affordable luxury but fans definitely demanded for a sportier Lynx.
After teasing with the Lynx SV which was nothing more than a dressed-up Lynx, Ford would introduce the hot Lynx RS in 2003. Powered by a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated engine that made 143 PS and 192 Nm, the fire-breathing sports sedan gave some much-needed charge to the Blue Oval, even if only a 4-speed automatic was offered.
In other markets, the Lynx RS came with a 5-speed manual transmission but this was too little, too late as the Lynx’s sales were so bad that Ford would discontinue the model for good. The poor-selling Lynx S would be replaced by the Focus and eventually, the Lynx sedan would see its role taken over by the second-generation Focus.
A massive hit overseas, a hard sell in Malaysia
In another double whammy for Ford’s image and reputation in Malaysia, the subsequent generations of the Focus would fail to recapture the same spirit and legacy as the Laser. It would take them nearly a decade to regain some foothold among Malaysian car buyers with the Fiesta and even that was brief.
Still, despite being gone for 2 decades, the Ford Laser still holds very dear among Malaysian Ford enthusiasts. Before everyone associated the Ranger with the Blue Oval, it was a rebadged Mazda 323 that really endeared Malaysians.
Traded advertising for a career that fits his passion for cars. Enjoys spotting cars during his free time and has a soft spot for Japanese Kei cars but drives a thirsty manual sedan.
