The Mercury Tracer was based on a variation of what small family car made between 1963 and 2003?
Mazda Familia The Mazda Familia, also marketed prominently as the Mazda 323 and Mazda Protegé, was a small family car that was manufactured by Mazda between 1963 and 2003. The Familia line was replaced by the Mazda3/Axela for 2004.
Econobox An econobox is a United States pejorative slang term for any of a series of small, boxy, fuel-efficient economy cars with few luxuries and a low sticker price. Econobox mostly denotes a stripped out, poverty specification, built down to a price, entry level version of a conventional car of the era, such as the 1950s Studebaker Scotsman or 1970s/80s Chevrolet Chevette. The other school of economy car design is to re-invent the car in order cope better with the stringent design constraints of low cost while retaining functionality. The British Austin Mini which did not sell well in America is the archetypal car of this school, and was bought by many British and other Europeans who could afford much more expensive cars, because it was at launch in 1959 technologically advanced with transverse engine front wheel drive and all independent suspension, and was stylish, fashionable and fun to drive as well as economical.