The Lynx replaced the Bobcat in Mercury's car lineup. The Bobcat was twins with the infamous Ford Pinto.

The Lynx came with a choice of 1.6 liter or 1.9 liter I4 engines. In some markets, a 2.0 liter Mazda RF diesel engine. The transmission options incldued a 3 or 4 speed automatic or a 5 speed manual.

Body types on these cars included a 3 door hatchback, a 5 door hatchback, and amazingly a 4 door station wagon. That station wagon had to have been the car designed in hell. Remember that wide load from The Facts of Life? Yeah, that ugly.

These cars were made in Michigan, Canada, and Mexico. I'm sure Ross Perot and the other anti-NAFTA politicians get a little stub just thinking about that.

Mercury mercifully discontinued this car in favor of the Mercury Topaz. The reason you don't see many of these cars around anymore is because nobody bothered to take of them and keep them around. Every time I do see one, it has some ridiculous mods on it, part of the ironic custom car fad.

You can build your own Mercury Lynx by going to your local Costco or BJ's and picking up some of their spare boxes... or better yet just grab a few hundred bucks and go looking on eBay. The great thing about these cars is if they don't run you can always carry them home on your back.