We Love Mercury's Past, Present And Future..,

Mercury Capri

2011-10-03T09:20:00.000-07:00

1971 Mercury Capri

The Mercury Capri was marketed in North America by the Lincoln-Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company. The Mercury Capri was sold in the US as three distinctly different cars over three decades. The Capri for the 1971-74 model years and Capri II for 1976-77 were Ford captive imports made in Germany. At its peak, Capri sales in North America were the highest for any import model except the Volkswagen Beetle. These Capris, now fairly rare, are becoming sought after for restoration because of their styling, performance & relative affordability. The Capri from 1979-86 was a rebadged Ford Mustang made in the US, and from 1991–94, a convertible from Ford Australia.

History

The origin of the name after the Italian island of Capri, dates back to the Lincoln Capri of the 1950's. The European Ford Capri was developed as a "baby Mustang" for that market, a 2-door car with a short trunklid (later hatchback) and a long hood.

The Mercury Capri was built in Cologne, Germany, and was sold through Lincoln-Mercury dealers in North America. The European Capri was first sold in the US in April 1970 and carried the Mercury marque identification as Ford already had a Mustang (and its twin, the Mercury Cougar) for the same buyer market. The only type initially available used the British 1600-cc Kent crossflow, with a starting price less than US$2300. The 2.0-L OHC I4 was introduced for the 1971 model year. The '71 2.0-liter Capris are particularly desirable, since they have a 9.0:1 compression ratio (which was reduced to 8.2:1 in 1972). The 2.6-L "Cologne" V6 was introduced late in the 1972 model year.

1973 Capri 2000 revised dash, steering wheel

In 1973, the Capri was given a "facelift" for the model year with a revised grille, larger tail lights, and revised rear quarter "grills." North American-spec Capris received a federally mandated 5-mph front bumper. The chrome bumper was mounted in front of a steel pipe and attached to the frame by shock absorbers. The interior received revised seat trims, dashboard, and steering wheel. A new, different wiring harness was used.

North American-spec 1974 Capris adopted large, federally mandated 5-mph bumpers at both the front and rear of the car. The bumpers were covered in body-colored plastic. The 2.6-liter Cologne V6 was replaced by a 2.8-liter Cologne V6 with revised castings for both the engine block and cylinder heads.

The Capri was restyled as a hatchback in 1975, but sold in North America as an early 1976 model named the Capri II, though worldwide it was usually referred to as the Capri Mk II. Engine options were the 2.3-liter Lima 4-cylinder and the 2.8-liter Cologne V6.

After the 1977 model year, the Capri II was no longer imported from Europe. Remaining 1977 Capris were sold as 1978 models. Over a half a million German-built Capris were sold in North America 1970 through 1978. Starting in 1979, the European Capri was replaced in the North American market by the "Fox" chassis Capri.

Production of the European Capri continued for the European market until 1986.

First Generation (1970–1977)

1973 Mercury Capri 2600

Reviews - First Generation

Lincoln-Mercury advertisement-1971

Road and Track magazine on the 1970 Capri 1600: "...But styling and image sells cars, right? And if that's true, then it's our opinion that Lincoln-Mercury has a real winner in the Capri."

R&T on the Capri 2000 in February, 1971: "The Capri has a lot to recommend it. It's a solidly built, sporty compact car and (especially with the 2-liter engine) fun to drive."

R&T on the Capri 2600 V6 in March, 1972: "...the Capri 2600 V6 is an outstanding car. We'll bet Lincoln-Mercury dealers won't be able to get enough of them to satisfy the demand."

R&T on the Capri 2800 V6: "...the V6 Capri remains a very attractive sporting car. It's solid as a Mercedes, still compact and light in the context of 1974 barrier busters, fast, reasonably economical of fuel, precise-handling, and quick-stopping: its engine and drivetrain are both sporty and refined. It's no wonder Lincoln-Mercury sold nearly 120,000 of them in 1973..."

R&T on the Capri II 2.8 V6: "Once again we can report that the Capri V6 is an attractive, competent, and enjoyable car at a reasonable price. It goes, stops, and handles, it's well built and it has that sturdy, precise European character that makes it something special for Americans and Canadians. On top of all this it's a more practical car because of its new hatchback body. A quality, European car at a realistic price-what more could one want."

Second Generation (1979–1986)

Mercury Capri RS

During this period, a version of the Ford Mustang was sold through Lincoln/Mercury dealers as the Mercury Capri, giving Mercury a pony car for the first time since the Mercury Cougar was upsized in 1974 to complement the Ford Thunderbird. The Capri was built on the Ford Fox platform, which was used for the Mustang from 1979 to 1993 with a design change in 1994. It was the only Mercury Capri generation with a V8 engine.

The Fox-based Mercury Capri was fairly unchanged throughout its entire run. It maintained its squared-off front fascia and grille, and distinctive flared fenders. The only major iteration happened in 1983 with the addition of a racing-inspired hatchback with a compound rear window (also known as the "bubble back"), a new rear bumper and taillights. In 1984, the high performance Capri RS received a front air dam which continued until 1986. The drivetrain and interior options closely matched that of the Mustang year for year. There are differences but they are generally minor.

Special Editions

1981–83 Black Magic - Black cars with gold striping, gold metric TRX wheels and a gold cat's head on each side of the front valance. The interior received special black seats with gold inserts. The 1983 model is extremely rare and the only Black Magic to receive the compound rear window.

1981–82 White Lightning aka White Magic - This was actually the "Black Magic" version but it was allowed to be ordered in white. Dealers coined the "White Lightning" phrase from a magazine ad that Mercury ran. Mercury never used the term directly. In 1981 there were 575 "White Magic" models produced, but the rarer year was 1982 of which only 348 "White Magic" models were manufactured.

1983 Mercury Capri

1983 Crimson Cat - Red with gold striping and Cougar XR-7 TRX wheels set this car apart. Much like the Black Magic, the Crimson Cat received custom black seats with red inserts. Only 805 Crimson Cats were made.

1984 Charcoal Turbo RS - A Capri RS Turbo that was only available in Charcoal upper / Silver lower exterior paint with Light Grey striped rub mouldings, Garret 60 trim turbocharger, enhanced multiport EFI 4-cylinder engine, Michelin TRX package, 5.0 HO Sway bars, 3.45:1 limited slip rear axle, hood scoop, and orange and red lettering and striping. Sun and T Top roof were optional.

1984–86 ASC McLaren Coupes and Convertibles - ASC (American Sunroof Corporation, now known as American Specialty Cars) converted Capris into convertibles and enhanced standard hatchbacks which they renamed "Coupes". The Coupes were tuned and enhanced with a number of suspension and visual upgrades including striping, a built-in radar detector, ground effects, Hella fog lights, headlight and taillight covers and honey comb wheels imported from Campagnolo in Italy. 1984 Coupes (25 produced) were all painted midnight blue. 1985-1986 Coupes (150 produced in 1985) were either painted blue or white. In 1986 (115 made), the last year for the Coupes, customers had an even larger choice of colors, including Smoke Charcoal Grey & Raven Black, joining the Oxford White and Midnight Blue, as well as Silver Metallic. http://www.ascmclaren.com/capripics.htm

Coupes were secretly equipped with the Ford Motorsport B303 camshaft, creating significantly more power than the rated 200/210BHP of the standard 5.0 motors. Additionally, all coupes were shod with BF Goodrich Comp T/A radials, in a soft racing compound, and shaved for track use. The 225/50/15 low profile size of these tires (as opposed to the standard 5.0L Capri's 225/60/15) raised the ASC/McLaren Coupe's effective gear ratio from 3.08:1 to approximately 3.35:1. These were the quickest cars produced by Ford in 1985 & 1986 with zero to sixty times well under six seconds and quarter mile times in the mid-13 second range.

The convertibles were a far more involved project. This required the redesigning of the car's unit construction and the fabrication of a replacement rear deck lid, floor reinforcements, quarter panel caps, tonneau cover and a windshield that was raked back an extra 10 degrees. They received a manual convertible top that took up residence in the area once designated for the rear seats. The asc McLaren convertibles use a smaller top than the Mustang convertible that is unique to that car, as are the seals, weatherstriping, windshield moldings, etc.

1985 Mercury Motorsport Capri - Grand Prix IV Pace Car - 30 were built in 1985 as pace cars replicas to commemorate the fourth year of the Detroit Grand Prix. These were also modified by ASC McLaren for Mercury and are highly sought after for their racing heritage. Over two-thirds are accounted for.

Third Generation (1991–1994)

Mercury Capri Convertible

Ford Australia produced a Mazda Miata rival named the Ford Capri from 1989, which was ironically based around many Mazda 323 mechanics. Therefore, it is Front Wheel Drive as opposed to the Mazda Miata's Rear Wheel Drive. From the 1991 model year, this car was sold in North America as the Mercury Capri. The car was sold until the 1994 model year with minimal changes (1994 models did get a minor cosmetic update that included new front and rear bumpers as well as taillights). The XR2 also came standard with an independent rear suspension, and offering reinforced front and rear sway bars.

Despite mechanical issues with the Capri in the United States, the Australian version was a reliable vehicle. Many are still in use as "daily drivers" in Australia, with the only faults being reported relating to leaks in the roof. In the United States, the car was known to have had electrical problems (the heater core is located on the right side interior firewall above the main computer, so wrapping the electronics here with water tight plastic shielding is advised) as well as drivetrain problems related to cold and/or extreme weather operation.

Mercury Capri rear view (US)

Ford sought to import the Australian convertible in response to Madza's Miata, necessitating the addition of a driver's airbag for the US market. The Capri featured four useable seats, a lockable top storage and lockable fold down back seat that made the trunk accessible through the interior when the soft top is up. Popular options included a removable hard top.[citation needed]

Two versions were offered for all model years: base and XR2. The base model featured a Mazda 1.6L DOHC 4-cylinder rated at 100 hp. The XR2 featured a turbocharged version of 1.6L engine rated at 132 hp. Both the base model and the XR2 had a 5-speed manual transmission standard; a 4-speed automatic was optional only for the base model.

Source: Wikipedia

The 5 Biggest Mistakes Used Car Buyers Make

2011-09-30T11:22:00.000-07:00

2001 Mercury Grand Marquis

Click Here to read the complete article.

Source: TheCarConnection

2007 Ford Five Hundred, 2007 Mercury Montego Models Recalled

2011-09-30T11:17:00.001-07:00

Ford has announced a voluntary safety recall of 2,945 Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego vehicles built from September 5, 2006 through September 11, 2006. Certain units may have been built with inconsistent welds between the fuel tank and the fuel filler neck; as a result, the welds may not hold...

Source: Internet

A Bit of History?

2011-08-02T14:14:00.000-07:00

The three Goldberg brothers, Norman, Hiram, and Max,
invented and developed the first automobile air conditioner.

On July 17, 1946, the temperature in Detroit was 97 degrees.
The three brothers walked into old man Henry Ford's office
and sweet-talked his secretary into telling him that three
gentlemen were there with the most exciting innovation in
the auto industry since the electric starter.

Henry was curious and invited them into his office. They
refused and instead asked that he come out to the parking
lot to their car.

They persuaded him to get into the car, in which it was
about 130 degrees. They then turned on the air conditioner
and cooled the car off immediately. The old man got very
excited and invited them back to his office, where he
offered them $3 million for the patent.

The brothers refused, saying they would settle for $2
million, but they wanted the recognition by having a label,
"The Goldberg Air-Conditioner," on the dashboard of each car
that it was installed in.

Now, old man Ford was more than just a little anti-Semitic,
and there was no way he was going to put the Goldbergs' name
on two million Fords.

They haggled back and forth for about two hours and finally
agreed on $4 million, and that just their first names would
be shown.

And so to this day, all Ford air conditioners show Norm, Hi,
and Max on the dashboard.

Source: Internet

Identifying 1946 to 1953 Mercury Automobiles

2011-07-04T11:55:00.001-07:00

Source: Internet

1963 Mercury Comet S-22 Antique Classic Convertible

2011-06-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

Source: Internet

1970 Mercury Montego Stock Car

2011-06-22T09:47:00.001-07:00

Source: Internet

Test Your Knowledge Of Automobile History

2011-05-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

Click Here to take the test on your knowledge of automobiles. I took the test and made 97.

Source: Internet

Very Hard To Find 1950 Convertible

2011-04-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

This is a real 1950 Mercury Convertible. It is a very tastefully done old school style custom. The real folding rag top is chopped 4 inches. It is powered by a 350 Oldsmobile motor with an automatic transmission. Fresh Red Maroon Candy paint. Custom Pearl White tuck & Roll Interior.

Click Here for more pictures and other information.

Source: Internet

1949 Mercury

2011-04-01T13:42:00.000-07:00

The first all-New post war Mercury's were introduced April 29, 1948. Unlike tradition they did not look like factory Fords, but shared Lincoln's styling. The grill resembled a shiny coil divided in the center, wrap around front and rear bumpers. James Dean put these cars on the map.

Source: Internet

1947 Mercury Station Wagon

2011-04-01T13:38:00.000-07:00

This is an unrestored 68,000 mile original, engine has been rebuilt and
dual exhaust added, wood is all very good, paint is original and in good
condition,interior is very nice, new tires, overdrive is in good working
condition.

Source: Internet

1946 Mercury Eight Custom Street Rod

2011-04-01T13:34:00.000-07:00

Engine: 350 V-8

Transmission:
Automatic

Interior Color:
Burgundy

Exterior Color:
Black

Options:
2 Door,Automatic Transmission,Custom Wheels,Power Steering,Tilt Steering,CD Player

Description:

Crazy bout a Mercury! is how the song goes. Anyone might be crazy for this Merc. It is big, black, lean, and mean! A perfect example of a heavy weight cruiser ready to show, drive, and enjoy. The body is dripping in nice black paint and lots of chrome. I would hate to know what was spent on restoring all the trim on this car. It is all but outlined in chrome trim. It rides on a modified chassis with an added sub-frame, tubular A-arms, front/rear sway bars, front disc brakes, and rack & pinon steering. The stance is sinister and the ride is excellent. Power comes from a Chevy 350 V-8 with all the goodies, including a dress up kit, power steering, 4 barrel carburetor, dual exhaust, air conditioning and lots of show quality details. A Turbo 350 automatic transmission delivers the power to a stock Ford rear end. An expensive Hartz cloth top covers a crisp, clean, custom interior with smooth seat covers, door panels, thick carpet, tilt steering column, custom steering wheel, CD stereo, factory style gauges, and faux finished wood dash board. It looks great and is very comfortable. The show quality trunk is fully lined with carpet. This is a very cool car that really turns head. 4 people could go on a long cruise in comfort and really enjoy themselves. If you have been looking for a hot rod but want to ride in luxury and comfort this is the car for you.

Source: TheOldCarline

Concept Cars - Mercury MC4

2011-03-01T12:38:00.001-08:00

Source: Internet

Mercury, The End Of The Road...,

2011-02-01T16:02:00.000-08:00

1939 Mercury Convertible

Detroit has done it again. Killed another historic brand and in so doing destroyed the faith of many who purchased and loved one in the past. This time it's Mercury which, since 1939, bridged the gap between Ford and Lincoln, offering a touch of luxury for less than luxury car prices. Of course the demise of Mercury is no surprise; during the past few years the corporation failed to support it with automobiles unique to the brand. As a result it only accounts for 0.8 percent of Ford Motor Company's overall market share. Mercury will be discontinued in the fourth quarter of this year, joining Pontiac and Plymouth on the scrap heap of autos ignored or forgotten by executives too busy playing marketing games to understand what really motivates car owners.

So what was your favorite Mercury? Or do you have one? I sometimes wonder if the brand ever did register with the North American public as more than an overcooked Ford or an underdone Lincoln. How often did you hear someone say "I'm a Mercury man?" Personally I've never owned a Mercury, its sole connection being the make in which I first gathered the courage to lay a hand on a young lady's bosom. Choosing a favorite, however, I'd go for the original Cougar, which bowed as a longer, sleeker version of the Mustang. Or maybe the very first Mercury, from 1939. Determined to make it different from lower-price Fords, the designers successfully blended streamlining with art deco character.

1965 Mercury Monterey

I would not, however, vote for the Mercury's of the mid-60's (above). While the Breezeway reverse-slant rear windows made them distinctive enough, they were giant-size barges in the worst Detroit tradition. No, wait... I take that back. During a brief stint as a Ford p.r. person I borrowed one of those big Mercury's from the company fleet in order to attend a cousin's wedding. On arrival I almost stole the show as everyone ignored the bride to see the car. If ever an automobile created a positive image for me, that was it. Mercury fans, your cars have just moved up a notch in the collector car hierarchy.

Source: Internet

1955 Mercury Station Wagon Ready To Restore

2011-02-01T15:40:00.000-08:00

Here is a 1955 Mercury, station wagon ready for you to restore. Click here to go to Okoldies website to check out this car and all of its information.

Source: Internet

The 1999 Mercury Cougar

2011-01-18T07:14:00.000-08:00

1999 Mercury Cougar S

Details count. The 1999 Mercury Cougar is proof of this. After spending some time with a Cougar, it is obvious that Ford did its homework when it designed this car. It also got the details right. The company did an excellent job of designing this car in such a way that it appeals to youthful buyers. Young folks, this writer included, love the Cougar. The car pushes just the right buttons in all the right ways.

For instance, take the Cougar’s radio antenna. It is perched proudly on the roof, directly above the windshield. That, to us, is very cool and very European; we like European things. We also love the way the moonroof deploys above the roof. For some reason, that looks cool too. Oh, and Ford got another small detail right. When the door locks are activated remotely, the horn does not honk — instead, the lights flash. Those of us who are in Generation X (or Y, in this writer’s case) want people to dig us for our sweet ride, not our obnoxious car alarm. The details count.

Sweet package

But Mercury got the fundamentals right too. This whole package is sweet. The Cougar comes complete with expressive sheet metal and exemplary driving dynamics. Batteries are included.

Our test car was equipped with the 125-horsepower 2.0-liter Zetec four-cylinder engine that also does time in the Escort ZX2 and Mondeo/Contour/Mystique triplets. Instead of the four-pot, we recommend the sweet 170-horsepower V-6 for a few hundred bucks more. The four-cylinder may be more miserly with fuel, but its excessive vibration and lack of power make us wonder why Mercury even sells a four-cylinder Cougar.

1999 Mercury Cougar Eliminator

It is obvious that insiders feel the same way we do. Just before the introduction of the car, Mercury decided not to sell Cougars equipped with a four-cylinder and an automatic transmission. Why? The rumor is some higher-ups at Ford drove a car with that powertrain combination and were less than pleased with its excessive noise, vibration and harshness. The car we sampled was equipped with a four-cylinder engine and a manual transmission. We had a similar reaction. Buy the V-6.

Source: Internet

The Mercury Blues

2011-01-03T00:53:00.000-08:00

Source: Internet

1986 Mercury Car TV Commercial

2011-01-03T00:51:00.000-08:00

Source: Internet

Mercury (Station Wagons)

2010-12-02T12:56:00.000-08:00

I wonder if you remember when that Station Wagon was the family sedan of choice. I have some pictures below of some of those wagons.

1949 Mercury Wagon

1957 Mercury Station Wagons

1952 Mercury Woodie Wagon

1955 Mercury Woodie Wagon

1960 Mercury Wagon

1949 Mercury Eight Wagon

1954 Mercury Station Wagon

1955 Mercury Wagon

1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser Wagon

1957 Mercury Colony Park Station Wagon

1977 Mercury Cougar Villager Station Wagon, with woodgrain panels, parked on golf course.

1978 Mercury Bobcat Villager Station Wagon

2000 Mercury Sable Wagon

Source: Internet

Mercury Automobiles

2010-11-02T01:37:00.000-07:00

Mercury is a brand name of an automobile once produced by Ford Motor Company. It was originally concieved in the 1930s as filling a gap between Ford's popular cars and their elite Lincoln line. The first model was the 1939 Mercury. It was a mid-sized V-8 that competed directly with the mid-size models of General Motors.

The first year 150,000 of the line were sold. The war years of the 1940s caused a suspension of production in favor of military hardware. But in the post war years the economy began to boom and demand for the Mercury returned. The Mercury designers were committed to inovation and the 1954 Mercury sported the first ever sunroof.

But the Mercury still had not really taken off. In an article in Driving Today Jack Nerad said, "Mercury has wavered from being just a tarted up Ford to a near-Lincoln." So in the 1960s Ford tried to supe-up the Mercury image by turning it into a muscle car. Ford executed this maneuver by hiring on Parnelli Jones to advance the idea of Mercury as a powerful automobile. He did marvelously on the racing circuit and such famous drivers as Cale Yarborough and Bill Stroppe could be found driving Mercs. The Mercury Marauder sported a checkered flag on the fender and a big V-8 engine, but the body also remained large so the engine had more to pull. For this reason in head to head competition, it did not always do well against some of the smaller GM models. Nevertheless Ford beefed up the Mercury image and even managed to put James Dean in a customized Mercury in the cult film "Rebel Without a Cause".

In 1967 the Cougar came out, but the oil shortage and other factors caused the over-sized Mercury to lose market share in the 1970s and early 80s. To improve their image, Mercury moved their design studios to California in 1998. Mercury continues to bridge the gap between the Ford and the upscale Lincoln with the Mercury Mariner (a sport utility vehicle), the Milan (a new mid-sized sedan), the Grand Marquis, the Mountaineer and the Monterey Mini-Van.

Mercury continued to struggle with image and sales until June of 2010 when they announced that they would no longer make the brand. Yet Ford Motor made a fine automobile under the Mercury brand name. When Mercury was launched in 1939 high hopes were placed upon it. Like the Mercury space program it was seen as a bridge to somewhere else and perhaps this limited its ability to grip the imagination of car buyers, people who bought Mercs were somewhere in transition between Fords and Lincolns. It is tough to build loyalty with a population that is working hard to upgrade past the Mercury. Nevertheless, Mercury automobiles did benefit from their association with the Roman god. Mercury was and is a familiar name that ellicits notions of swiftness and quality that has caused the manufacturers of other products to adopt the name Mercury as well.

Source: Indepthinfo

How Mercury Cars Work

2010-10-21T03:08:00.000-07:00

Origins of Mercury

Mercury was conceived largely by Edsel Ford, who saw a place for it in the Ford Motor Company lineup some time before his father Henry did. It arrived for 1939 in the same price league as the Pontiac Eight but somewhat below Oldsmobile -- precisely where Edsel wanted it and Dearborn needed it.

The Mercury line of cars saw success from the get-go. For more on Mercury cars, old and new, check out these sites.

While Mercury would take many years to approach those GM makes in volume, it was successful from the start. Production averaged about 80,000 per year in the early "40's," good for 12th or 13th in the industry, thus winning important new business for Dearborn by filling the huge price gap between Ford and the Lincoln Zephyr.

The original Mercury engine would remain in production through 1948. A 239-cid L-head V-8, it was a slightly larger version of the Ford "V-8/85," having the same stroke but a larger bore. Brake horsepower was 95 through 1941, then 100.

Mercury quickly gained a reputation for performance appropriate to its name (after the winged messenger god in Greek mythology). Well-tuned stock models were quicker than V-8 Fords, and were usually capable of turning close to 100 mph.

Mercury bowed on a 116-inch wheelbase, four inches longer than the "39" Ford's and sufficient to give its similar styling a "more-important" look. A dashboard with strip-type instruments was also like Ford's, but Mercury's column-mounted gearshift was a talking point at the time. Styling for 1939-40 featured a crisply pointed "prow," beautifully curved fenders, and rounded body lines.

The 1941 Mercury coupe was one of seven models the automaker offered that year.

Initial offerings comprised two- and four-door "beetleback" sedans, a notchback sedan coupe, and a convertible coupe spanning a price range of $916-$1018. A $1212 convertible sedan was added for 1940, that year's heaviest and most-expensive Mercury. But four-door ragtops had waned in popularity, so this one was dropped for 1941. Only about 1150 were built.

Models expanded to seven for "41" with a two/four-passenger coupe, business coupe, and wood-bodied station wagon. Styling, again in the Ford mold, was chunkier and less graceful despite a two-inch longer wheelbase; with higher, bulkier fenders; a divider-bar grille; and fender-top parking lights.

Mercury tried harder for 1942 with a serious facelift, the aforementioned 100-bhp engine, and a new extra-cost semiautomatic transmission called "Liquamatic." The last proved very troublesome, though, and was quickly canceled. America's entry into World War II limited model-year production to fewer than 23,000 units. Chrome was "in," at least before the government diverted it to war use.

All "42" Mercs wore a broad, glittery two-section horizontal-bar grille, double chrome bands on each fender, and a bright full-perimeter molding at the beltline. Parking lights shifted inboard to flank a still-pointy hood. The general effect was busier than "41," which had been busier than 1940. Like other "42's," the mostly chromeless, late-production "blackout" Mercurys are now prized by collectors.

Before war's end, Henry Ford II, Edsel's son and old Henry's grandson, returned from the Navy to run Ford Motor Company. Edsel had died in 1943 of complications due to stomach cancer. Old Henry would live until 1947. HF II quickly resumed civilian production, and Mercury placed 10th in the 1946 industry race with about 86,600 units.

As Dearborn delayed its first all-new postwar models to 1949, interim Mercurys were similar to the "42" editions. The inboard parking lights and two-band fender moldings remained, but the hood was blunted above a new vertical-bar grille carrying a large "Mercury Eight" nameplate. Mechanicals were unchanged except the fact that Liquamatic didn't return. Ford's adoption of the 239 V-8 for 1946 was hardly to Mercury's advantage.

Mercury After World War II

Mercury's prewar lineup also carried over into 1946 with a single exception: The business coupe was replaced by the novel Sportsman convertible. Comparable to the like-named Ford model, Mercury's Sportsman was adorned with maple or yellow birch framing with mahogany inserts.

The wood was structural, not merely decorative. This created a problem at the rear, where standard fenders wouldn't fit. Both Sportsmans thus used 1941 sedan delivery fenders and wood shaped to suit. The solid-wood framing was beautifully mitred and finished with multiple coats of varnish. But with only 205 sold, the Mercury Sportsman was dropped after "46." The likely reason for the low sales was high price: $2209, some $200 more than Ford's version, which did better business and continued into 1948.

This 1949 Mercury convertible shows the "inverted bathtub" styling that debuted that year.

Ford's most-important 1947 corporate development was the organization of the Lincoln-Mercury Division. Henry II decided that the two makes could be more competitive as an autonomous operation a la the various General Motors units. That year's Mercurys used more of the raw materials that had been scarce during wartime: mainly aluminum (for pistons and hood ornament) and chrome (interior hardware and grille frame).

Belt moldings now ended just ahead of the cowl. Postwar inflation boosted prices an average of $450, lifting the range to $1450-$2200. Production of the '47 models didn't begin until February of that year, so Mercury's output was about the same as its 1946 tally.

Except for serial numbers and deletion of the two-door sedan, the "48's" were unchanged. They were sold from November 1947 through mid-April 1948, when the "49's" appeared. As a result, model-year production ended at only about 50,250.

The "49" Mercurys bowed with flush-fender "inverted bathtub" styling like that of the 1948-49 Packards and Hudsons. Mercury's new look stemmed from sporadic wartime work by Dearborn designers. Wheelbase was unchanged, but bodyshells were shared with a new standard Lincoln line instead of Ford, the result of a last-minute change in postwar plans.

Styling was good: massive, yet clean and streamlined. The grille looked something like the "48" affair, but was lower and wider. A single bright molding ran full-length at midflank. As before, a single series offered four body styles: coupe, four-door Sport Sedan (with "suicide" rear-hinged back doors), convertible, and a new two-door wagon with less structural wood than the superseded four-door style.

Like "49" Fords, Mercurys were treated to a new chassis with fully independent front suspension, weight-saving Hotchkiss drive (replacing torque-tube), and a live axle on parallel longitudinal leaf springs, ousting at last old Henry's cherished single transverse leaf.

Resuming its power lead over Ford, Mercury got a stroked V-8 with 255.4 cid, dual downdraft Holley carburetors and 110 bhp to become a genuine 100-mph performer for the first time. Also introduced was an automatic-overdrive option priced at $97, teamed with a 4.27:1 rear axle instead of the standard 3.90:1.

The 1949 Mercury was an attractive buy with its Lincoln-like looks, lower prices ($1979-$2716), and a V-8 more-potent than Ford's (necessary to offset some 100 extra pounds in curb weight). Buyers responded by taking over 301,000 of the "49's" -- more than three times the volume of Mercury's previous best year and good for sixth in the industry, another all-time high.

Despite few major changes, sales continued strong for the next two seasons: close to 294,000 for 1950 and a record-setting 310,000-plus for '51, when Mercury again claimed sixth. The 1950 models gained a hood-front chrome molding bearing the Mercury name; the "51's" combined this with a large semicircular crest and also sported more-prominent grille bars, larger parking lights (swept back to the front wheel wells), and longer rear fenders with rounded corners and vertical trailing edges.

Horsepower rose a nominal two for '51, when a significant new option arrived in Merc-O-Matic Drive. This was, of course, the new three-speed fully automatic transmission developed with the Warner Gear Division of Borg-Warner (and also offered for '51 by Ford as Ford-O-Matic).

1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954 Mercury Cars

Mercury added a couple of new models to its lineup for 1950: a stripped price-leader coupe ($1875) and the interesting Monterey.

The latter was a spiffy limited edition with upgraded interior and a top covered in canvas or vinyl. At around $2150, it cost some $160 more than the standard coupe, but it wasn't the costliest 1950-51 Merc: The wagon was over $400 more. Monterey's purpose, as with the Ford Crestliner and Lincoln Lido/Capri of those years, was to stand in for the pillarless "hardtop-convertibles" being offered by GM and Chrysler rivals.

The 1951 Mercury wagon was the automaker's most expensive model that year, going for more than $2500.

Hardtops arrived in force for 1952, when Ford Motor Company was the only Big Three maker with all-new styling. Mercury got a pair of hardtops: a Sport Coupe and a more-deluxe Monterey version (sans covered roof). Monterey also offered a convertible and a four-door sedan (now minus the "suicide" doors). Following an industry trend, wagons were all-steel four-doors with simulated wood trim. Base-trim two- and four-door sedans completed the lineup.

Bodyshells were again shared with Ford, though Mercury retained a three-inch longer wheelbase, all of it ahead of the cowl. Also shared with Ford was tight, clean styling, though the resemblance with that year's equally new Lincoln didn't hurt. Higher compression boosted the flathead V-8 to 125 bhp on unchanged displacement. The Korean war limited 1952 production throughout Detroit, so Mercury built only 172,087 cars to finish eighth in the annual race.

Mercury bowed its first formal two-series line for 1953: the Custom series offered a hardtop and two- and four-door sedans, while the Monterey line listed a convertible, hardtop, wagon, or four-door sedan. Retained from "52" was a trendy dashboard with big aircraft-type levers flanking a large half-moon gauge cluster.

Business picked up with the end of Korean war restrictions, and Mercury moved nearly 305,000 cars, though it once again ran eighth. Prices ranged from $2000 for the Custom two-door to nearly $2600 for the Monterey wagon.

A significant engineering change for 1954 was Mercury's first overhead-valve V-8, a bigger version of the new "Y-Block" design featured on that year's Ford. Though little larger than Mercury's previous L-head at 256 cid, the ohv had modern short-stroke dimensions, a five-main-bearing crankshaft, and much more horsepower -- 61 with the standard four-barrel carburetor. With a low 3.90 rear axle and standard transmission, the V-8 made any "54" Merc quick off the line. Equally noteworthy was a ball-joint front suspension, another development shared with Ford.

Styling improved for "54" via wraparound taillights and a clean but more-aggressive grille with larger bullet guards. Joining previous models was a new top-line hardtop, the Monterey Sun Valley (a name that must have amused Californians), which is more famous now than it was then. An outgrowth of Dearborn's experiments with plastic-topped cars (as was Ford's similar "54" Skyliner), the Sun Valley was nice in theory: the airiness of a convertible combined with closed-car comfort and practicality.

In practice, though, it was something else. Though the Plexiglas front half-roof was tinted and a snap-in shade was provided for hot weather, customers complained the interior heated up like a sauna. Sales were unimpressive: just 9761 of the "54's" and a mere 1787 for the follow-up 1955 Montclair version.

At about 260,000 units in all, 1954 wasn't Mercury's greatest sales year, but hopes were high for "55." With colorful new styling on the basic 1952-54 shell, Mercury's first wheelbase increase since 1941 -- to 119 inches except on wagons, which remained at 118 -- and a more-potent V-8, the "55's" couldn't miss. They didn't: Model-year production was a record 329,000-plus.

1955, 1956, 1957 Mercury Cars

Topping the "55" Mercury fleet was the new Montclair line: four-door sedan, hardtop, convertible, and Sun Valley. All wore a slim contrast-color panel outlined in bright metal beneath the side windows.

A step below were the Monterey sedan, hardtop, and wagon, followed by the Custom series with the same body styles plus a two-door sedan. Common to all were Mercury's first wrapped windshield, an evolutionary form of the "54" grille, hooded headlamps, and eye-catching surface ornamentation.

A Y-block V-8 swelled to 292 cid was offered in two forms: 188 bhp for Custom and Monterey and 198 bhp for Montclair. The higher output version was also available as an option for lesser models with the optional Merc-O-Matic.

Phaeton versions were available for the 1956 Mercury Monterey and Montclair.

Four-door Phaeton hardtops arrived for 1956's "Big M" line, which represented an ambitious expansion into somewhat uncharted territory. To stay competitive in the face of rising prices, Mercury fielded a cut-rate group of Medalist two- and four-door hardtops and sedans at the bottom end of the medium-price ladder.

But inflation made these "low-price" Mercs more expensive than 1955 Customs ($2250-$2460) -- and not that much cheaper than the better-trimmed "56" Customs ($2350-$2800). Dealers pushed hard with two-door sedans, but Medalist sales came to only 45,812 in all. Custom, Monterey, and Montclair all beat the price-leader by more than 2-to-1. With that, Medalist was duly dropped, only to resurface for "58," when it interfered in a price bracket that should have been reserved exclusively for the new Edsel.

Mercury's "56" styling was a good update of its "55" look. All models save Medalists wore jazzy Z-shaped side moldings that delineated the contrast color area with optional two-toning (the area below was generally matched to the roof).

Monterey and Montclair added Phaeton hardtop sedans at mid-season, replacements for their low-roof pillared Sport Sedans held over from mid-1955. Mercury also offered a second convertible for the first time, a Custom. The Y-block was enlarged again, this time to 312 cid, good for 210 bhp that could be tuned to 235; the latter was standard for Monterey and Montclair.

Though 1956 was a "breather" for the industry as a whole, Mercury was an exception with some 328,000 sales, slightly off its "55" pace. An encouraging sign was the premium Montclair, which proved almost as popular as it had in frantic "55." The midline Monterey was still the big breadwinner, though.

The "57's" were all-new, trumpeted as "a dramatic expression of dream car design." They were previewed in 1956 by the XM-Turnpike Cruiser show car, which also had direct showroom counterparts in new top-line Turnpike Cruiser two- and four-door hardtops.

The Turnpike Cruiser had glitz and gimmicks galore: "skylight dual curve windshield," drop-down reverse-slant rear window, and dual air intakes over the A-posts housing little horizontal antennae. If that wasn't enough, there was optional "Seat-O-Matic," which automatically powered the front seat to one of 49 possible positions at the twist of two dials.

Mercury also joined Chrysler in offering pushbutton automatic transmission controls, another "space-age" Cruiser standard. Arriving late in the season was a Convertible Cruiser, honoring Mercury's selection as the 1957 Indy 500 pace car, and supplied with replica regalia decals. Yet for all their gadgets -- and likely because of them -- the Cruisers failed miserably. They were not just expensive -- $3760-$3850 for the hardtops, $4100 for the ragtop -- they were too far out, even for the dawning space age.

Significantly, the "57's" had their own bodyshells on a new 122-inch-wheelbase chassis -- the first time Mercurys were neither "senior Fords" nor "junior Lincolns." Like that year's all-new Ford, this was done partly to prepare for the '58 Edsel line that borrowed some from both makes.

Monterey and Montclair were bereft of station wagons, which were split off as a separate series with six models. Offered, from the top, were a woody-look Colony Park, a four-door nine-seater; metal-sided two- and four-door Voyagers; and three Commuters with the various seat and door combinations. All had pillarless-hardtop rooflines, the new rage in Big Three wagons.

Styling matched the "Big M's" more-expansive "57" dimensions, looking square, heavy, and contrived. Up front, a massive dual-oblong bumper nestled beneath a slim concave grille of vertical bars. Headlights were quads where legal, regular duals otherwise. Long scallops, typically contrast-colored, carried the beltline from midbody through the upper rear fenders to huge pie-slice taillamps.

Weight was up, but so was horsepower. A 255-bhp 312 was newly standard except on Cruisers, which carried a 290-bhp, 368-cid Lincoln V-8 that was optional elsewhere.

The 1957 Mercurys did fairly well, but less so than the "56's." Volume dropped to about 286,000 and the make's production rank fell from seventh to eighth -- not encouraging for an all-new design in a fairly strong sales year.

1958, 1959 Mercury Cars

A minor facelift yielded slightly quieter styling for 1958 Mercury models, but production plunged to 153,000 in a disastrous industry year. The Convertible Cruiser was abandoned (after only 1265 of the "57's") and the two closed Cruisers became Montclair submodels. Lower prices failed to perk up sales (barely 6400 between them). The cheap Medalist returned for a brief encore with two- and four-door sedans, but again proved disappointing: Only 18,732 were sold.

Topping the line was the new Park Lane series of two hardtops and a convertible (also available as Montclairs and Montereys). These were ostensibly Cruiser replacements with less hoke and a giant 360-bhp 430-cid V-8 shared with that year's Lincolns.

The 1959 Mercurys, such as this Montclair Cruiser, were bigger than the 1958's with a four-inch longer wheelbase.

A new automatic transmission called Multi-Drive debuted (basically Ford Division's Cruise-O-Matic), as did a 383-cid V-8 -- the same size as one of Chrysler's new "58" wedgehead engines but with more-oversquare dimensions. The 383 was standard for all "58" Mercs, save Medalists (which came with a 235-bhp 312) and Park Lane, and delivered 312 or 330 bhp depending on model.

Although the bottom dropped out of the medium-price market in "58," Mercury remained eighth despite building only 40 percent of its 1957 volume. But significantly, Rambler passed the Big M in sales and was fast gaining on Pontiac, Olds, and Buick. Mercury would join the rush to compacts and intermediates soon enough. In the meantime, it could only offer more of the same.

More the "59" Mercurys definitely had, with even bigger bodies on a four-inch longer wheelbase. Styling was still square but more sculpted, marked by a mile-wide grille, huge bumpers at each end, enormous windshields and rear windows, and a more sharply creased version of the odd 1957-58 rear-fender scallops. The Medalist and Turnpike Cruiser models were forgotten, and Montclair and wagons each slimmed from six models to four.

Engines were detuned in a faint nod to a newly economy-conscious public. The "59" slate listed a 210-bhp 312 for Monterey, a 345-bhp 430 for Park Lane, and 280- and 322-bhp 383s for others. Despite the retrenchment, model-year volume failed to top 150,000 units -- hardly the hoped-for recovery.

Looking back, Mercury sales stumbled after 1956 at least in part because the fleet, good-looking cars of earlier years were abandoned for shiny, begadgeted behemoths that couldn't hope to sell well in a down economy. But the make would return to "hot cars" in the "60's" and, with them, achieve new success.

Indeed, volume went up substantially for 1960 -- to over 271,000 -- though that was owed mainly to the new compact Comet. The four-series big-car line (which might have been Edsels had things gone better there) remained two-ton heavyweights with huge compound-curve windshields, but a handsome facelift removed a little chrome while adding a tidy concave grille and more-discreet "gullwing" rear fenders.

Model choices were mostly as before: Cruiser two- and four-door hardtops in each series, four-door Monterey/Montclair sedans, Monterey two-door sedan, Park Lane convertible and, still a distinct series, four-door Commuter and wood-sided Colony Park hardtop wagons.

The 1960's: More Mercury Models, Fewer Buyers

Mercury offered three V-8's for 1960, all with lower compression for the sake of economy (such as it was). The 312 was cut to 205 bhp for Monterey and Commuter, the 383 returned as a single 280-bhp option, and a 310-bhp Lincoln 430 was standard elsewhere. Production rose slightly to some 155,000.

The "Big M" shrunk noticeably in both size and price for 1961. In fact, it was again a "deluxe Ford," though on an inch-longer, 120-inch wheelbase. This was done in the interest of production economies as well as fuel economy, and the resulting cars were indeed lighter, thriftier, and more maneuverable.

Of course, this also ended four years of unique Mercury chassis and bodyshells, reflecting the collapse of Dearborn's grand mid-'50s "divisionalization" scheme, a stab at a GM-style five-make structure that had spawned separate Edsel, Continental, Lincoln, and Mercury Divisions. Dismal sales since "57" had rendered a separate Mercury platform unacceptably expensive, hence this return to the make's original concept.

Beginning with the 1960 Comet, Mercury followed the growing industry trend of adding models in new sizes, with name changes sometimes confusing buyers. The latter was perhaps symbolic of the make's mixed fortunes in the "60's."

Mercury underwent frequent model and name changes in the 1960's, but the Monterey, shown here as a 1967 in S-55 trim, spanned the decade.

Still, Comet and Monterey spanned the entire decade. A new name was Meteor, long the brand of a Canadian-made Mercury derivative, which appeared on two quite different U.S. Mercurys.

The first arrived at the low end of the 1961 full-size line: two- and four-door sedans and hardtops in "600" and nicer "800" trim, offered at vastly reduced prices beginning at $2535. In effect, they filled the gap left by Edsel's demise the previous year.

Monterey resumed as the premium Mercury, listing a four-door sedan and hardtop, a two-door hardtop, and a convertible. The separate Station Wagon series reverted to conventional pillared four-doors: six- and nine-passenger Commuters and Colony Parks.

Styling was even more conservative than in 1960. The grille remained concave and fins vestigial, but flanks were rounded and "50's" gimmicks were mere memories. Meteors carried a standard 223-cid Ford six with 135 bhp; the optional V-8, included on Montereys, was a 175-bhp 292. Across-the-board options comprised a 220-bhp 352 and new big-block 390s with 300 or 330 bhp.

Although Meteor actually outsold Monterey, sales were not spectacular. Accordingly, the line was replaced for "62" by a "Monterey 6," and the name moved to Mercury's version of the new intermediate Ford Fairlane.

The Meteor's styling was busier than the Fairlane's and model names were different, but bodies were shared. So were powertrains, including Ford's fine new small-block V-8 with 221 cid and 145 bhp or 260 cid and 164 bhp. Custom denoted the upmarket midsize Meteors, S-33 the sportier bucket-seaters -- a two-door sedan for "62," a hardtop coupe for "63." Wagons -- woody-look Country Cruiser and plain-sided Villagers (a name transferred from the Edsel line) -- joined hardtops as 1963 additions. For all that, this Meteor didn't sell nearly as well as the Fairlane, and Mercury dropped it for 1964 in favor of an extensively upgraded Comet.

Mercury Comet

Once planned as an Edsel, the first Comet was basically Ford's hugely successful 1960Falcon compact with squared-up rooflines, a double-row concave grille, and an extended stern with canted fins and oval taillamps. Wheelbase was 114 inches on two- and four-door sedans; wagons used Falcon's 109.5-inch span.

Comet wasn't exciting, but it sold well: over 116,000 for the abbreviated debut season. Sales set a record for "61" at 197,000 and were strong for "62," which hurt Mercury's new Meteor model. In fact, one reason Meteor didn't sell well is that Comet was comparably sized yet more affordable. Mercury was thus wise to make Comet its only small car after "63." Sales jumped by 55,000 units for "64" and remained high into "67."

Station wagon was one of several body styles available for the 1963 Mercury Comet.

Early Comets ran less than $100 above comparable Falcons, yet were more elaborately trimmed. S-22, a $2300 bucket-seat two-door sedan, responded to the sporty-compact craze beginning in 1961, when all Comets gained an optional 101-bhp six. Custom sedans and wagons and a posh Villager wagon with imitation wood trim aided '62 sales.

The following year brought Custom and S-22 convertibles and Sportster hardtop coupes. A squarish facelift arrived for 1964, when S-22 was renamed Caliente and any Comet could be ordered with the outstanding 260-cid small-block. A midseason Caliente offshoot, the $2655 Cyclone hardtop, offered even higher performance from a standard 210-bhp 289.

Comet received its first major overhaul for 1966, going from compact to intermediate by shifting to that year's new Fairlane platform. This underlined a basic marketing assumption: Mercury buyers were wealthier than Ford's, and thus probably wanted a compact larger than Falcon.

This 116-inch-wheelbase platform continued on Comets through 1969, but sales waned. By 1967, the Comet line started with a pair of very basic "202" sedans. The rest of that year's line comprised Capri (borrowed from Lincoln to replace "404"), Caliente, Cyclone and Station Wagon.

All gave way for 1968 to a three-series Montego line on the same wheelbase. This offered a standard sedan and hardtop coupe; MX sedan, hardtop coupe, convertible, and wagon; and top-line MX Brougham sedan and hardtop. The last was furnished with a high-quality cloth interior and other luxuries. The Comet name was retained for one price-leading two-door hardtop, then was temporarily shelved after 1969.

Mercury jumped into the midsize muscle-car market with both feet and won several racing laurels. Model-year 1966 brought a smooth Cyclone GT hardtop coupe and convertible powered by Ford's 335-bhp 390 and offered with a variety of useful suspension upgrades. The '67 was even more thrilling with optional 427's delivering 410-425 bhp.

Similar street racers were available for "68," though the 427 was detuned to 390 bhp. Besides Montego, that year's midsize line included new base and GT Cyclone hardtop coupes with curvy new lower-body contours and racy full-fastback rooflines a la Ford Mustang/Torino. There was also a one-year-only GT notchback hardtop.

For 1969, Mercury unleashed the Cyclone CJ with Ford's 428-cid big-block Cobra Jet engines. GT's and CJ's had black grilles, special emblems, bodyside paint stripes, and unique rear-end styling. CJ's carried a functional hood scoop when equipped with optional Ram-Air induction.

Although Ford won the 1968-69 NASCAR championship, Cyclones turned in some of the most notable performances. A memorable highlight was Cale Yarborough's win in the "68" Daytona 500 at an average speed of 143.25 mph.

Full-Size Mercury Cars of the 1960's

For all its activity in compacts and intermediates, big cars remained Mercury's bread-and-butter in the "60's." Annual production averaged around 100,000, though there were back-to-back records for 1965-66 -- over 165,000 each year.
Of all the big-Merc model names, only Monterey lasted the entire decade. The upper-echelon Montclair and Park Lane returned for 1964-68, then vanished again, replaced by a full-range Marquis line.

With Meteor an intermediate, the 1962 full-size fleet was reorganized around Monterey, Monterey Custom, and Station Wagon. The lone convertible shifted to the Custom series. Joining Mercury's bucket-seat brigade at midyear were the S-55 hardtop coupe and convertible. Styling was busier on all the big "62's," with tunneled taillights and a complex convex grille. All V-8's returned, as did the faithful "big six" as standard power for base Montereys and Commuter wagons.

Breezeway styling, with its reverse-slant rear windows, was available on an array of Mercury models starting in 1963.

A similar array on the same 120-inch wheelbase returned for 1963, when a heavy reskin introduced "Breezeway Styling" for nonwagon closed models: reverse-slant rear windows that dropped down for ventilation as on the old Turnpike Cruiser (and 1958-60Continental Marks). Wagons were pared to a pair of Colony Parks. Joining the S-55 subseries at midyear was a handsome "slantback" two-door like Ford's Galaxie Sports Hardtop. Engines remained strictly V-8s: 390s with 250-330 bhp, a new 406-cid enlargement packing 385/405 bhp, and, as a late-season option, a high-performance 427 with 410 bhp.

Tradition returned for Silver Anniversary year 1964 in a revived four-series line of Monterey, Montclair, Park Lane, and Commuter/Colony Park wagons. The first three listed Breezeway two- and four-door hardtops and four-door sedans (Monterey still included a pillared two-door), plus slantback "Marauder" hardtop coupes and sedans. A toothy convex grille replaced the concave "63" unit.

The previous 390 V-8's continued, but the 406's didn't, giving way to 427's with 410/425optional bhp for all models save wagons. Big-inch Marauders were awesome performers.

The record 1965 model year brought a larger full-size body with crisp, rectilinear lines "in the Lincoln Continental tradition," as well as a new "torque box" frame (tuned for each body to minimize noise, vibration, and harshness). Wagons now rode the 119-inch Ford wheelbase; other models were up to 123.

Breezeways thinned to a trio of four-door sedans, all hardtops were now slantbacks, and the Marauder name was de-emphasized amid calls for greater automotive safety. V-8s now comprised a quartet of 390's with 250-330 bhp, plus a single 425-bhp 427. The basic "65" look carried into 1966 with a new diecast "electric-shaver" grille and, for hardtop coupes, a "sweep-style roof" with a concave backlight.

More-rounded bodysides mixed well with sharp-edged fenders for "67." Sedans adopted conventional rooflines but still offered an optional drop-down backlight. Hardtop coupes received "faster" roof profiles. Three new limited-production line-toppers arrived: Marquis, a two-door hardtop with broad C-pillars and standard vinyl-roof covering, a similar Park Lane Brougham hardtop sedan, and a Park Lane Brougham Breezeway four-door sedan. Intermediates were waging Mercury's sporty-car wars, so the bucket-seat S-55 ragtop and hardtop were in their final year -- and just a Monterey option package now. Respective production was minuscule: just 145 and 570.

After a minor "68" facelift, the big Mercs were fully revised for 1969. Wheelbases grew to 121 inches on wagons and 124 on other models (except Marauder), sizes that would persist until their first downsizing for 1979. Series regrouped around base Monterey, revived Monterey Custom, and a full Marquis line comprising Colony Park wagon, convertible, and base and Brougham sedans, hardtop coupes, and hardtop sedans.

Riding the shorter 121-inch wheelbase was a new Marauder, a high-performance "tunnelback" hardtop that garnered 14,666 sales. Offered in standard and spiffier X-100 trim, it shared Marquis' hidden-headlamp front and the ventless side glass used by most other models. V-8s comprised the usual 390's and a new 429-cid big-block with 360 bhp, the latter being standard for Marauder X-100, optional elsewhere.

The 1970's were basically reruns save minor trim and equipment revisions. Sporty big cars had mostly disappeared by now, and so would the Marauder after just 6043 sales that model year.

Mercury Cougar Origins

One of the most interesting and desirable "60's" Mercurys was the Cougar. An upscale rendition of Ford's wildly successful Mustang ponycar concept, it premiered for 1967 as a two-door hardtop in three basic permutations. Convertibles were added for 1969.

The Mercury Cougar debuted in 1967 as an upscale version of the Ford Mustang.

Sriding a three-inch-longer wheelbase than Mustang -- 111 in all -- Cougar offered more luxury and standard power for about $200 extra (prices started at $2851). Where Mustang's base engine was a six, Cougar had a lively 200-bhp 289-cid V-8. The big 335-bhp, 428-cid CJ became an extra-cost option for 1969-70.

The 1967-68 Cougars arguably looked best with their crisply tailored lines, hidden headlamps in an "electric-shaver" grille, and a matching back panel with sequential turn signals, a gimmick borrowed from Ford Thunderbirds. Length and width increased on the '69s, which sported Buick-like sweepspear bodyside contours, ventless side glass, less-distinctive "faces," and full-width taillights. The "70's" adopted a divided vertical-bar grille with a slightly bulged nose.

Early Cougars came in several forms. The most luxurious was the XR-7, boasting a rich interior with leather accents and full instrumentation in a simulated walnut dashboard. A GT option delivered a firmer suspension for more-capable roadholding and a standard 320-bhp 390 V-8 for extra go.

For 1968 came a GTE package with several unique appearance features and a 390-bhp 427. The hottest "69" Cougar was the Eliminator hardtop, with 428 power and a standard rear-deck spoiler. Convertibles saw very low sales: fewer than 10,000 total for 1969 and less than 4300 for 1970.

Cougar never approached Mustang in popularity, though it was more solid and elegant, and just as roadable. Production was still more than respectable: 150,000 in the first year, about 114,000 in "68," close to 100,000 in "69," then about 72,000 in "70." All are now collector's items.

Cougar was the crowning touch to a decade that saw Mercury move into luxury cars rivaling Lincoln even as it recaptured the performance aura it established in the late "40's" and early "50's." But the good times of the "60's" couldn't last.

As the "70's" rolled along, Mercurys became more like equivalent Fords, while government mandates and the vagaries of petroleum power-politics conspired to sacrifice performance on the twin altars of safety and fuel economy.

By 1980, Mercury had once again resumed its original role as a plusher, costlier, and sometimes larger Ford. The only differences were that the parallel model lines encompassed five or six different size classes instead of one or two, and that Mercury styling often related more to Lincoln's than to Ford's.

Mercury Ponycars of the 1970's

The ponycar field was one area where Ford and L-M divisions parted company in the "70's." The Mercury Cougar began diverging from the sibling Ford Mustang as early as 1971, when both models were redesigned. The Mercury swelled by two inches in wheelbase instead of one (to 113 inches) and looked considerably bulkier. Standard and XR-7 convertibles remained through the end of this generation in 1973, and have become minor collector's items, primarily by dint of low annual production: fewer than 2000 of each type, except for the 3165 XR-7s in "73."

The 1979 Mercury Capri, unlike earlier models with the same name, was a twin of the Ford Mustang.

Of course, this only reflected the abrupt drop in demand for all ponycars after 1970, and it prompted Mercury to chart a new course for Cougar. While Mustang became a smaller, lighter, Pinto-based sporty car for 1974, Cougar grew into a kind of alternative Thunderbird, adopting the 114-inch-wheelbase two-door platform of Mercury's midsize Montego models.

Oddly, the L-M studio created the design chosen for the production Mustang II. But rather than field a badge-engineered clone of that car, the division opted to continue with the German-built Ford Capri it had been selling successfully since 1970 -- a "mini ponycar" like Mustang II, but better-built and more roadable.

The Thunderbirdesque Cougar continued through 1976 as Mercury's marker in the midsize personal-luxury segment dominated by the Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Pontiac Grand Prix. The name was diluted for 1977, when it replaced Montego as the sole intermediate line (including a wagon), with the XR-7 label reserved for a single top-shelf coupe.

Things were temporarily sorted out again for 1980, when Cougar really was a Thunderbird, a twin to that year's new downsized model on a special 108.4-inch version of the "Fox" corporate platform.

In between, Ford again redesigned the Mustang, and this time Mercury wanted in. The result was a new American-made Capri for 1979. The direct descendent of the genuine Cougar ponycar, it was virtually identical with that year's new-generation Mustang save somewhat busier styling on the Ford's three-door hatch coupe body style, the only one available.

Capri offered the same four engines as Mustang in base and luxury Ghia models (the latter honoring the famed Italian coachbuilder that Ford had purchased in 1970). More enthusiastic types could order a sporty RS package roughly comparable to the Mustang Cobra option (Mercury never called it "Rally Sport," likely for fear of objections from Chevrolet).

One of the last cars of this era with a distinctly Mercury character was the Cyclone, which bowed out after 1971. Offered that year with standard 351 and optional 429-cid V-8's, this muscular midsize was impressively fast.
Swoopier sheetmetal set it clearly apart from run-of-the-mill Montego linemates and Ford's corresponding Torino GT and Cobra, particularly the protruding nose and "gunsight" grille that appeared with the midsize line's 1970-71 facelift. Reflecting the muscle-car market's sad state of affairs at the time, Cyclone sold poorly in its farewell season, especially the desirable low-production Spoiler hardtop (just 353 of the "71's" were built).

Mercury Badge Engineering

Outside of ponycars, Mercury's new-model development story in the '70s was primarily one of "badge engineering." It began when the Comet name was revived for a restyled version of Ford's new-for-1970 compact Maverick, distinguished mainly by a Montego-style nose. Announced for 1971, this Comet soldiered on through '74 as the division's sole representative in a size and price sector that took on urgent new importance in the wake of the 1973-74 Middle East oil embargo.

The 1975 Mercury Bobcat, like many Mercurys of the decade, was a version of a Ford car, the Pinto.

Help arrived for 1975 in the form of two new entries. One was the Comet's once-and-future replacement, the slightly larger Granada-based Monarch. The other was Mercury's belated, if inevitable, rendition of the subcompact Ford Pinto, bearing the cute name Bobcat and a pretentious little stand-up grille. Ford replaced Maverick with the more-able Fairmont for 1978, so Mercury got a look-alike derivative, the Zephyr. If none of these moves was exactly original, they at least combined to leave Mercury much more competitive in a market that had been forever changed by an unprecedented combination of forces.

As with Buick and Oldsmobile, intermediate and full-size cars remained Mercury's mainstay through the "70's," and it was here that the changes were most dramatic -- and most needed. Mercury's midsize contender was a near duplicate of the Ford Torino/LTD II, under the Montego name for 1972-76, then, as noted, with the Cougar badge from 1977 through the last of this body-on-frame design for 1979. Like the Fords, there was little praiseworthy about these Mercurys, though they arguably looked nicer.

Up in what was loosely called the "standard" class sat the big two-ton Marquis and Monterey. Neither changed much through 1978. Model names centered on Marquis exclusively after 1974, and styling became progressively more like that of the big Lincoln Continental, particularly up front.

These Mercs were mammoths, but good ones: smooth and reliable, powered by reasonably potent V-8's (400's, 429's, and Lincoln 460's), and fully equipped (if not always tasteful). Pillarless hardtops gave way to pillared styling after 1974.
Like Ford's LTD, the Marquis underwent the "big shrink" for "79," losing 10 inches in wheelbase and about 700 pounds in curb weight. The result would prove amazingly long-lived, though no one could see that at the time, least of all Ford Motor Company.

In retrospect, the "70's" were not very good years for Mercury. The make again abandoned performance, and not all the fault lay with Washington and OPEC. A succession of heavier, clumsier Cougars and confusingly named intermediates hardly helped, while moves into the compact and subcompact arenas were blunted by higher prices on cars that offered little more than the Fords they so obviously were. Meanwhile, Mercury's traditional big-car foundation was rocked by the new economic order of a more energy-conscious world. Yet by 1980, Mercury was turning the corner with cars like the exciting Capri, the practical Zephyr, and reborn Cougar and Marquis.

The 1978 Mercury Zephyr was part of the automaker's efforts to downsize its cars.

Mercury decisively completed that maneuver in the "80's," benefiting from the same astute management and timely product introductions that made Ford Motor Company the industry's profit leader by 1986. Though no one Mercury line was among Detroit's top-selling nameplates, the make's total production rose rapidly from 347,700 for 1980 to a decade high of nearly half a million U.S.-built cars for "84" -- an impressive recovery, though still far below record "79" (669,000-plus). On the model-year board, Mercury sat anywhere from sixth to ninth, as it had since the "50's," but managed fifth for 1983, its best finish ever.

As before, the Mercury line paralleled Ford's except for somewhat higher prices and different model/equipment mixes. Styling also remained similar through 1982, but the following year saw the return of a more-distinctive Mercury look.

Much sooner than GM, Dearborn had correctly concluded that too many clones spoil the sales broth. With the 1983 models, Mercurys again began standing more clearly apart from parent Fords -- and GM rivals -- to the undoubted benefit of sales.

Still, volume throughout the "80's" remained much lower than Ford's model-for-model, and Mercury didn't have the same relative success with some of the same products. The Capri ponycar was one telling example. Like Mustang, it received almost annual power increases and higher performance, commencing with 1982's "high-output" 157-bhp 302-cid V-8. But then Mustang got a handsome facelift and a revived convertible, while Capri soldiered on for "83" with just a hatchback coupe and basic "79" appearance except for a huge "bubbleback" rear window of dubious aesthetic merit.

It's almost as if L-M was ashamed of Capri, and it showed in half-hearted promotion that aggravated the lack of overt change. Production thus steadily waned, from nearly 80,000 for 1980 to only some 18,500 of the "85's" (compared with over 156,000 Mustangs). At that level, Capri was too costly to sustain, and it was banished after "86."

The same fate awaited another "bubbleback" Merc: the two-seat LN7, introduced in early 1982 alongside the related Ford EXP. Both were sporty coupes derived from the front-drive Ford Escort/Mercury Lynx subcompacts, which had scored big sales since replacing the old Pinto/Bobcat twins for 1981.

Unfortunately, the coupes were anything but lovely, and no match for a number of Japanese competitors in performance, refinement, or workmanship. Perhaps buyers didn't expect a two-seater in L-M showrooms, for the LN7 attracted a middling 40,000 customers before being retired after 1983. A facelifted EXP then took on its bulbous backlight and proved somewhat more popular.

Mercury Small Cars of the 1980's

Lynx was Mercury's entry in the increasingly tough small-car market of the early 1980s, and it sold respectably, racking up over 100,000 units in its first two seasons and about 85,000 a year thereafter. Like its sibling the Ford Escort, it started life with a three-door hatchback sedan and a neat five-door wagon in trim levels from plain to fancy. These were bolstered for 1982 by five-door sedans, a sporty three-door RS, and a posh five-door LTS (for Luxury Touring Sedan).

The 1981 Mercury Lynx was Mercury's answer to the call for small cars.

Through mid -"85," Lynx was powered by the Escort's 1.6-liter "CVH" four, also offered in H.O. and turbocharged guises. In mid-'85, both of the latter were dropped and a normal-tune 1.9-liter enlargement took over. A 2.0-liter diesel four supplied by Mazda in Japan was also offered beginning with the "84's," though it attracted few buyers as gas prices fell in an improving national economy. Appearance was cleaned up for "19851/2" with a smoother nose and flush headlamps in line with Dearborn's strong turn to aerodynamic styling. An even sportier three-door, called XR3, bowed the following year.

But here, too, Ford planners would conclude that one clone was one too many, though a falling dollar and lower offshore production costs also figured in the decision to drop Lynx during 1987. Taking over was the Mexican-built Tracer, a badge-engineered version of Mazda's similarly sized 323. Yet despite generating less than half of Escort's volume in most years, the Lynx can be judged a success, as it rung up crucial business for L-M dealers during some very difficult times.

The same holds for Mercury's compacts and intermediates of this decade. For 1981-82 these comprised the familiar (and largely unchanged) Zephyr line and a new upmarket Cougar sedan series, both built on the proven rear-drive vintage-"78" "Fox" platform. Weighing some 350-400 pounds less than the Monarchs they replaced, these Cougars were twins to Ford's redesigned "81" Granadas. Styling was similarly squared up and more formal than Zephyr's, appropriate for the higher prices. Though the origins of these models were obvious, there was evidently some magic left in the Cougar name. Between them, Cougar and Zephyr netted well over 80,000 annual sales for 1981-82, not bad considering the sorry state of the market.

Mercury did somewhat better by replacing the Fox-platform Cougars with a midsize Marquis for 1983. This was yet another Fairmont/Zephyr variation, but its cleaner styling was a big improvement, even if it looked rather too much like the downsized 1983 LTD that took over for Granada at Ford. Still, the name link with a full-size Merc didn't hurt, and Marquis sales by 1984 totaled some 108,000, half again as much as the previous Cougar series.

To avoid confusion, the biggest Mercurys were renamed Grand Marquis after 1982, one of their few important changes during the entire decade. Not that many changes were needed. Roomy, quiet, and comfortable, they remained traditional V-8 American family cruisers whose sales rebounded strongly once the economy began to recover and an oil glut pushed gas prices down to more-reasonable levels. Chrysler Corporation and the Buick, Olds, and Pontiac divisions of GM lent a helping hand by canceling most of their old rear-drive biggies by "85," leaving the Grand Marquis all but alone in the medium-price full-size field.

Grand Marquis thus journeyed through the "80's" with only the barest of updates. Two-door coupes were dropped after 1985, the mainstay four-door sedan and wagon gained smoother noses and tails for 1988, and fuel injection replaced carburetors on the 302-cid V-8, but that was about it.

Once their original "79" tooling was amortized, the big Mercurys (and Fords) became the darlings of corporate accountants and dealers alike, earning more profit per unit than any other model in the line. Consumers kept on buying despite the lack of change. Grand Marquis sales totaled nearly 96,000 for "83," over 148,000 for '84, then 110,000-160,000 each year all the way through 1989. Obviously, the "Big M" still offered what a lot of folks wanted.

The Mercury Cougar in the 1980's

Cougar was Mercury's most-dramatic success of the 1980s -- not the 1970's-era sedan series but L-M's version of the Ford Thunderbird. Blocky and ornate, the downsized XR-7 of the 1970's was little changed through 1982, and laid a gigantic sales egg, dropping below 20,000 units.

But then came 1983's handsome aerodynamic redesign, and volume more than tripled, reaching nearly 76,000 units. Sales rose by another 55,000 for 1984, then held above 100,000 through 1988.

This Cougar had almost everything the latest T-Bird did -- which was plenty. Aiming for a more-conservative clientele, Mercury gave it a near-vertical rear roofline and offered a standard 232-cid V-6 or optional 302 V-8.

The redesign for the 1983 Mercury Cougars brought buyers back to the nameplate,
even though it was now a Ford Thunderbird under the skin.

The essential Fox chassis of 1980-82 was retained, but more finely tuned for a better ride/handling balance, and interiors could be downright luxurious with just a modicum of options. No XR-7 model was offered at first, but it returned for 1984 as a counterpart to the Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, with the same hyperaspirated 145-cid four, appropriately beefed-up suspension, and standard five-speed manual transmission. The last was an item that hadn't been seen on Cougars since the 1960's.

In all, it was a most pleasing package, made even more so by an interim facelift for 1987, Cougar's 20th anniversary. This involved larger-appearing windows and a shapelier nose bearing flush headlamps and a more-rakish grille.

At the same time, the XR-7 swapped its turbo four-cylinder for a newly fuel-injected 302 V-8 with 155 horses. For "88" came a hotter XR-7 with monochrome exterior and dual exhausts for the V-8, plus 20 more horsepower for the base V-6 (now at 140 total).

But all this was merely a warm-up for the spectacular 1989 Cougar. Based on another all-new T-Bird, it emerged lower and wider but no longer despite a 113-inch wheelbase (previously 104.2). Styling was even more smoothly aerodynamic, but a vertical backlight and upright grille again lent visual distinction.

The new Cougar followed the 1989 Thunderbird in forsaking both a V-8 and the old turbo-four for a pair of fuel-injected 232 V-6's: a normally aspirated 140-bhp unit for the base LS model and a 210-bhp supercharged version with intercooler for the high-performance XR-7 -- America's first supercharged six since the 1954-55 Kaiser Manhattan.

It was mounted in a sophisticated new chassis with all-independent suspension, variable-rate shock absorbers, and other technical features that made the new Cougar a road car worthy of comparison with premium European coupes.

No doubt about it: Cougar had been fully transformed in a satisfying way. Sales remained satisfying too, though volume was down somewhat: to about 97,000 for 1989, then to a more-worrisome 81,500. Higher prices were undoubtedly a factor: nearly $16,000 for the 1990 LS, a bit over $20,000 for the XR-7. Still, those price tags looked reasonable against the far loftier stickers of imported sports-luxury coupes.

The Mercury Topaz and Mercury Sable

Mercury was well represented in the hard-fought compact and midsize battles of the '80s, its respective warriors being the Topaz and Sable.

Topaz, arriving for 1984 as the front-drive replacement for Zephyr, was a predictable kissin' cousin of Ford's new Tempo and thus evolved in parallel with it. Included in developments through decade's end were an available high-output 2.3-liter four, sporty two-doors, 1987's new all-wheel-drive option, a stem-to-stern makeover for 1988 sedans, and an optional driver-side airbag starting in 1986 (one of the earliest domestic cars to offer that feature).

The 1986 Mercury Sable, with just enough distinction from its cousin
Ford Taurus, helped resuscitate Mercury sales.

Dearborn designers tried to make Topaz look somewhat different from Tempo at each end and by deleting the Tempo sedan's rearmost side windows -- not huge distinctions, but another small sign that Mercurys were becoming individual once more.

A pleasant and capable compact, though not state-of-the-art, Topaz followed Lynx in generating lower volume than its Ford counterpart: 80,000-128,000 a year, about half of Tempo's sales. But again, that volume was helpful to L-M dealers.

Sable, replacing the midsize Marquis, was far more helpful. Arriving with base prices in the $11,000-$13,000 range, it immediately commanded almost 96,000 sales for debut "86," then shot up to over 121,000 for "87" and a resounding 130,000-plus for 1989.

Sable was Mercury's version of the acclaimed front-drive Ford Taurus, and thus shared most of its widely praised basic design. There were exceptions, though. Where Taurus had three trim levels, Sable offered two: GS and upmarket LS. Mercury also decided it didn't need Ford's small 2.5-liter four after "86" -- wise, as most Taurus buyers decided they didn't need it either.

This left 3.0-liter and, from 1988, 3.8-liter "Vulcan" V-6's. Both produced 140 bhp, but the 3.8 was the engine of choice for all-around driving due to its larger displacement and commensurately greater torque (215 pound-feet vs. 160). Sable also had more simulated wood on the dash and door panels.

But the real distinction was outside. Where the four-door Taurus sedan wore a "six-light" roof treatment, the Sable version had a rear window wrapped fully around to the rear-door trailing edges for a sleek hidden-pillar effect. Also, Sable's rear wheel arches were flat-topped, versus rounded on Taurus.

Even more dramatic was Sable's unique front "light bar," a set of running lights behind a wide central white lens that illuminated with the headlamps to make both the sedans and five-door wagons unmistakable at night. The net effect of these simple but clever differences was to give Sable an identity quite apart from that of Taurus. Seldom in recent times had a Mercury been more its "own car" -- or more handsome.

Sable didn't get anything like the high-performance "89" Taurus SHO, but this was a reasonable marketing decision given Mercury's more luxury-oriented clientele. Those folks no doubt appreciated useful 1990 upgrades such as optional antilock brakes for sedans, a standard driver-side airbag for all Sables, a dash reworked to be more ergonomic, and new features like an optional compact-disc player and standard tilt steering wheel.

With a stunning new Cougar to carry the performance banner, plus the updated Topaz, evergreen Grand Marquis, and strong-selling Sable, Mercury could take justifiable pride during Golden Anniversary 1989, when total domestic volume (excluding "outsourced" products like Tracer) approached a smashing 500,000.

Despite occasional mistakes and some rough periods in its first 50 years. Mercury had produced some of America's best-liked automobiles. Now, on the eve of its second half-century, it was doing so again.

But calendar-year domestic sales plunged to around 309,000 in 1991, reflecting the onset of a deep new national recession that would last a good three years.

The Mercury Villager and Mercury Capri

Despite falling sales, Mercury was able to claim sixth from Dodge in 1993, then held the spot on steadily rising volume that reached nearly 387,000 units in 1994. It was a quite credible performance considering that Mercury had only two products in this period not shared with Ford -- and that only one was a real success. These two products were the Mercury Villager and Mercury Capri.

The product in question was the Villager, arriving for 1993 as Mercury's first minivan. At first glance, it seemed just a belated copy of the Dodge Caravan/Plymouth Voyager that had been around for a decade and still dominated minivan sales by a wide margin. Indeed, Villager followed their lead by being a front-wheel-drive design sized about halfway between their standard and extended Grand models, riding a 112.2-inch wheelbase and stretching 189.9 inches overall.

But Villager had its attractions, starting with neat, trim styling that was arguably more-fashionable than Chrysler's, plus standard (instead of optional) four-wheel antilock brakes. Mercury also avoided the sham of price-leader models with four-cylinder power and manual transmission, opting for GS and luxury LS editions with a 3.0-liter 150-bhp single-overhead-cam V-6 and four-speed overdrive automatic.

Villager's chassis was more sophisticated, too, its modern all-coil suspension making for even more carlike ride and handling than Chrysler had. It even had a clever novelty in a sliding three-place third-row bench seat that could be moved up on built-in floor tracks to substitute for the removable two-place middle bench; it could also be slid halfway up to open up extra cargo space behind.

Trouble was, Villager was all but identical with Nissan's new Quest, built to the same design that borrowed liberally from the Japanese firm's Maxima sedan. The Mercury differed only in having an illuminated front "light bar" a la Sable, plus minor trim and equipment distinctions.

At least these twins were built in the U.S., produced under Ford auspices in Ohio. It was another joint venture of the sort increasingly common in the industry, but Ford's influence here was confined to minor areas like switchgear and interior materials.

Fortunately for L-M, buyers weren't at all bothered by Villager's Asian origins, especially with high-value base prices of $16,500-$22,000. In fact, thanks to a deliberate production bias in Mercury's favor, Villager outsold Quest by more than 2-to-1 for debut "93" at nearly 109,000.

While that was only about a quarter of combined Caravan/Voyager sales, it was hardly bad for such a Johnny-come-lately. And, of course, it was all "plus" business for L-M dealers.

For 1994, Villager added a top-line Nautica model with standard leather interior, front and middle "captain's chair" bucket seats, and a blue/cream color scheme inspired by Nautica sportswear. Nissan was accorded more Quests that season, which partly explains why Villager volume dropped to just under 62,000 for the model year.

Both versions added a standard driver-side airbag, but still lacked a passenger-side restraint like Chrysler's minivans. Production sank a bit further for 1995, reflecting stiffer price and product competition in this fast-moving market.

Mercury wasn't at all successful with its other unique product of this period, which was American only in the market it targeted. This was an Australian-built two-seat convertible that appeared in mid-1990 as yet another Capri.

Like Tracer, it was based on the small 323 platform from Japanese affiliate Mazda, with the same proven front-drive mechanicals plus four-wheel-disc brakes, independent rear suspension, driver-side airbag, and an optional liftoff hardtop. A 1.6-liter four delivered 100 bhp in the base model or 132 turbocharged ponies in the uplevel XR2.

Yet despite open-air allure and affordable pricing in the $13,000-$15,000 range, this Capri just didn't sell. Dumpy styling hurt as much as indifferent workmanship, and Mazda's own Miata offered a prettier, "more authentic" sports car with superior Japanese build quality for not many more dollars.

With all this, Capri sales peaked at about 21,200 for calendar "91," then plummeted to nowhere. Mercury gave up after 1994, when it instituted a mild facelift and standard passenger-side airbag. Perhaps the Capri name had been cursed.

1991, 1992, 1993 Mercury's

As ever, Mercurys of the early 1990's generally evolved like counterpart Fords. Thus, the subcompact Tracer aped Escort with a full redesign for 1991, while 1992 brought a Grand Marquis revamped like Crown Victoria and a Sable reworked a la Taurus.

In the 1990's Mercury sought to distinguish itself from Ford; this 1992 Tracer,
for example, was offered only as a sedan, unlike its Escort counterpart.

But Mercury didn't follow Ford in every way. The "91" Tracer, for example, offered no hatchback sedans, just a five-door wagon and a four-door notchback.

The latter was a full year ahead of Escort's, though, and was the basis for a sporting model called LTS. Though it had twincam Mazda power like the Escort GT hatchback, the LTS stood apart by wearing the front "light bar" motif now used as a Mercury hallmark, though it didn't light up on this lower-cost car. Base models got this and other LTS appearance cues for 1993, when Tracer followed Escort to "one-price" marketing: base models with air conditioning and automatic transmission selling at $11,665.

Also like Escort, Tracer added a driver-side airbag for "94" and optional ABS for the LTS. The following year brought a standard passenger airbag, plus a low-cost "Trio" trim package that added a rear spoiler and alloy wheels to the base sedan. One thing Mercury couldn't seem to change was relative sales, and Tracer volume remained only a fraction of Escort's. Then again, with so many small cars to choose from, some buyers likely forgot that L-M dealers even had one.

Sable sales held generally steady, both in absolute numbers and as a proportion of Taurus', but Mercury's midsize was quicker than Ford's to offer a passenger-side airbag: first as an option with the "92" redesign, then standard.

Though Sable still had no counterpart to the high-power Taurus SHO, Mercury did offer front buckets and console as new "93" extras for the uplevel LS sedan. These became standard for the "94" version, which was joined late in the season by a sportier LTS edition with leather inside and a "more Euro" look outside. Overall Sable production remained strong in this period, running 116,000-137,000 in all years save recessionary "91," when sales dipped to just above 96,000.

1994, 1995 Mercury's

While some Mercury models were gaining steam in the 1990's, the same could not be said for Cougar, which lost interest value after 1990 -- and a lot of customers.

In a way, this was probably inevitable. Like Thunderbird buyers, Cougar prospects were now mainly those who cared less about sporty performance than getting the most luxury per buck.

Since there was no point in giving people something they didn't want, Mercury swapped engines for the uplevel "91" XR7, yanking out the supercharged V-6 (and its five-speed manual transmission) for a good old 5.0-liter/302 V-8 with 200 bhp (and mandatory automatic). At the same time, the V-8 became a first-time option for the base LS, replacing its unblown (and unchanged) 3.8 V-6. Both Cougars also wore a minor facelift involving the hood, headlamps, grille, and back panel.

Cougar changed little for 1992, a disappointing way for the model to observe its 25th anniversary. So was the midseason birthday special based not on the XR7 but the everyday LS, with distinctions limited to just a monochrome exterior and fancy BBS-brand alloy wheels.

Model-year sales plunged by more than 13,000 to just over 49,000, which was only about half of what Cougar had tallied with its 1989 redesign. Then again, Mercury wasn't pushing the car too hard, and there were other, more-tempting coupes available in Cougar's $16,000-$22,000 price bracket. All the more surprising, then, that sales leaped to nearly 81,500 for 1993 despite only a single, little-changed XR7without so much as a driver-side airbag.

A substantial "94" freshening made the XR7 look a bit different at each end without really improving it. But there were genuine improvements elsewhere: standard dual airbags within a reworked dashboard, newly optional traction control (with ABS required), and a switch in V-8 options from pushrod 5.0-liter to new single-cam 4.6 "mod."

Even with all this, the base price was held to just $16,260 -- which must have angered all those folks who'd bought '93s. But fewer folks bought "94's," model-year output easing to around 76,000. Fewer still opted for the little-changed "95's," which were pared down to just the XR7.

By that point, Cougar again looked like just another stray cat in the personal-luxury jungle, with nothing of substance to stand out in the competitive herd. It was certainly a long way from the exciting luxury ponycar of the "60's."

Excitement was never a trait of Mercury's compact Topaz, and still wasn't when the line ended after 1994. The high point, such as it was, came with "92," when all Topazes got a Sable-type "light bar" face and the sporty LTS sedan and XR5 coupe got the Sable's 3.0-liter 135-bhp V-6 as standard (optional elsewhere).

But the V-6 didn't do that much for performance, and a lack of buyer interest finally killed off the useful all-wheel-drive option that year. Topaz was further diluted for "93," down to just a two-door and four-door GS with "value" pricing but little standard equipment. Even a driver-side airbag cost extra, and then only with the base four and optional automatic transmission (the V-6 remained available).

Like Ford's related Tempo, this Mercury had come to have more appeal for rental fleets than retail buyers, which might well explain why sales for 1990-93 were relatively strong at 80,000-100,000 a year. Like vanilla ice cream, the Topaz was far from memorable, but offered enough to satisfy many people.

The 1992 Mercury Grand Marquis showed off a redesign that brought strong sales.

The full-size Grand Marquis showed surprising sales strength with its "92" redesign, accounting for much of Mercury's increased overall volume through mid-decade. In fact, the newly aerodynamic "Big M" outpolled its Ford sister in '92 model-year production by some 10,000 units with a relatively amazing 163,000-plus. It then settled down to around 100,000 yearly sales except for 1993 (a bit over 90,000).

Grand Marquis still eschewed any pretense of sport, but its "92" makeover was the same considered update accorded Crown Victoria. Highlights included Dearborn's new 4.6-liter "modular" V-8, standard all-disc brakes, available ABS, a thoroughly reworked rear-drive chassis, and a firm-ride Handling and Performance option with dual exhausts adding 20 bhp to the regular 190.

Like Ford, Mercury now bailed out of big wagons, but the GS and uplevel LS sedans were nicely tailored to stand more clearly apart from Crown Vics. Differences included a modest grille, a conventional "four-light" roofline, and Sable-inspired taillight treatment. Considering the conservative character of both the car and its clientele, the rejuvenated Grand Marquis showed a lot of sales life in the early "90's."

The Mercury Mystique and Mercury Tracer

Mercury started the 1990's selling the Topaz as its compact car, but a much tastier compact Mercury arrived for 1995. Called Mystique, it was essentially that year's new Ford Contour with a slightly more-conservative look and somewhat higher prices.

The price stemmed from the inclusion of several features that were optional on the Ford. Thus, the $13,855 Mystique GS cost $545 more than the counterpart Contour GL, but gave buyers a full console, tachometer and power mirrors without asking. The uplevel LS boasted still nicer trim, a few more goodies and a starting price of $15,230.

To its credit, L-M Division didn't monkey with the basic design originated for Ford's European Mondeo, so this front-drive Merc had a genuine "sports sedan" mystique. That was particularly true for handling and roadholding, which set new standards for small domestic four-doors. Workmanship was also in a higher league: tight, solid and thorough.

Performance was rather tame with the base 2.0-liter 125-bhp four-cylinder, but bordered on exhilarating with the optional, new 170-bhp 2.5-liter "Duratec" twincam V-6. The back seat was cramped enough for grown-ups to feel like sardines, but that was about the only serious complaint. Overall, Mystique was vast improvement over the tepid Topaz.

Yet despite mostly positive early reviews, buyers just didn't take to Mystique. Contour sold better, but also wasn't attracting as many buyers as its predecessor. Dearborn did what it could, reshaping the front seatbacks and rear seat cushions to gain a precious inch of aft legroom, touching up the exterior appearance, and reworking the front suspension to more closely match that of the European Mondeo.

But nothing seemed to help, and Contour/Mystique bowed out after model-year 2000. Hindsight suggests Mystique suffered more from its nameplate than from any inherent flaws, a factor that would increasingly bedevil Mercury in years to come.

The compact Tracer was reskinned for 1997 to emerge as a handsome, efficient little car, nicely equipped and sensibly priced. Like sibling Ford Escorts, these four-door sedans and wagons appealed for competent road manners, a higher standard of finish than many rivals, and a 110-bhp single-cam inline-four that delivered decent performance, even with the optional four-speed automatic transmission.

But when Escort began phasing out for 2000 to make way for Focus, Tracer stepped aside to be replaced by…nothing. Mercury sales had mostly been trending down of late, and Dearborn product wizards decided the entry-level Merc wouldn't be missed.

Mercury "Cub" Cougar

The vintage-1989 Cougar was cancelled after 1997 sales of just over 35,000, less than half the volume of four years before. There was no surprise in this. Buyers had been turning away from big coupes, and the basic Thunderbird-based package looked quite dated after nine model years.

Though the old 5.0-liter V-8 option was replaced for "94" by the modern 4.6-liter "mod" unit, it was a decidedly mixed blessing that netted only 10 more horses and perceptibly less low-end torque. And whatever buyers still expected of the XR7 name, they were surely disappointed in the base version with its coarse pushrod V-6 dating from the 1980's.

Sales peaked early and then tailed off for the smaller but surprisingly peppy
Mercury Cougar, shown here in its initial model year of 1999.

But while Ford went to working up a new T-Bird, Mercury had a new Cougar at the ready, a model with no Blue Oval counterpart. It arrived for 1999 as a front-wheel-drive hatchback coupe based on the Contour/Mystique platform.

Wearing the most adventuresome Mercury styling in many years, this "cub" Cougar, the smallest ever, opened to mixed reviews, but benefitted from fortuitous timing, as demand for compact performance coupes was on the rise. A relatively long wheelbase gave it a decent ride, and adept suspension calibrations gave it fine handling.

Though Mystique's 125-bhp 2.0-liter twincam-four engine was standard, the optional 170-bhp Duratec V-6 proved far more popular, delivering excellent performance for only $500 extra. So equipped, the new small cat was a budget-pleasing match for most Japanese competitors. Not everyone was thrilled. Consumer Guide®, for one, found plenty to criticize, though others reacted more favorably.

A Cougar S with a 195-bhp V-6 was in the works for 2000, but never appeared. There was no point. As often happens with trendy cars, Cougar sales peaked early -- at nearly 57,000 for calendar "99" -- then tailed off. The model was thus abolished after 2002 with no interim changes of note save a minor "01" facelift.

Offered throughout the run was a desirable V-6 Sport, a package option through 2001, and a separate model for "02." The V-6 Sport delivered such worthwhile upgrades as wider tires on 16-inch wheels (versus 15's), four-wheel disc brakes (made standard for all "02's"), foglights, grippier seats, and a rear spoiler. Antilock brakes, traction control and front side airbags were available, but only with V-6. So, too, a few late-game cosmetic packages: C2 and Zn for 2001, XR and 35th Anniversary for '02.

The last pair was interesting. The $950 XR option comprised 17-inch wheels, high-speed tires, special interior trim, and body add-ons attributed to veteran Ford racing specialist Jack Roush. The $1195 35th Anniversary package also featured a specific rear spoiler and dummy hood scoop, plus chrome wheels and firmer sport suspension. It wasn't much of a birthday present, but at least Cougar hung on long enough to mark the occasion.

Mercury seemed to lose interest in the small Cougar soon after the press introduction (for which it secured the services of late-night TV host and genial car guy Jay Leno). That was perhaps understandable given the early sales slide and strong new competition, especially the Honda-built Acura RSX.

But the main reason this Cougar died early was cancellation of the parent Contour/Mystique after 2000, which rendered it a platform orphan with insufficient sales to cover manufacturing costs.

Mercury in the 2000's

The Mercury Villager minivan was a goner soon after a redesign for 1999, its first major change since its "93" debut.

The makeover was extensive, adding fresh looks, 4.5 inches to overall length, 140 pounds, and a needed left-side rear sliding door as standard. A new 170-bhp V-6 helped offset the weight gain, but the revamped Villager was actually heavier than the newer, somewhat longer Ford Windstar and the top-selling Chrysler minivans.

And while buyers were flocking to new features like power sliding doors and front-seat side airbags, Villager didn't have them and never would. The result was an also-ran that was easy to lose when Ford and Nissan decided to dissolve their minivan joint venture in late 2001.

Mercury sales dropped off in the 2000s despite additions like the Milan sedan.

By that point, Mercury itself seemed to be dissolving. Though the make's combined car and truck sales were a robust 438,000 in calendar "99," the 2000 tally fell some 60,000 units, and the "01" figure was under 311,000. Shocking world events and a boom economy gone bust were partly to blame, but many analysts felt that Mercury had seriously lost focus and would soon land in the celestial junkyard next to Plymouth (canned after 2001) and Oldsmobile (phased out after "04").

Dearborn hotly denied such talk and made several moves to demonstrate its commitment to Mercury. First, Lincoln-Mercury sales and marketing staff were moved to Southern California to soak up that area's celebrated creative sunshine.

Soon afterward, Mercury and Lincoln were rolled into the recently formed Premier Automotive Group, joining the illustrious ranks of Aston Martin, Jaguar, Volvo, and Land Rover, all recent Dearborn acquisitions. In 2002, Mercury got its own design chief for one of the few times in its history. And he reported to one Elena Ford, cousin of chairman and CEO William C. Ford, Jr., newly installed as Mercury group manager.

Besides their PR value, these and other efforts aimed to define a strong new image for Mercury and develop winning products to go with it. But the mission was soon derailed by a variety of problems that increasingly threatened Ford Motor Company's very existence.

Thus, by 2003, Mercury was again "co-located" with Ford Division in Michigan -- and back to selling just retrimmed Fords developed on very lean budgets. Mercury was on the same perilous path that led Plymouth to its demise, gradually losing unique products to become just a "feeder" line for a more-profitable, higher-status brand in the same showroom.

And even shared products were sometimes granted with a curious reluctance. Mercury's first sport-utility vehicle was a case in point. Called Mountaineer, it made an early 1997 debut as a gussied-up four-door Ford Explorer whose basic design was then eight years old. Given the booming demand for Explorer and most other midsize SUV's, it's amazing Dearborn didn't do the Mercury sooner.

Appropriate for its higher prices, Mountaineer had nicer furnishings and more standard equipment, including a 215-bhp 5.0-liter/302 V-8 with four-speed automatic transmission, both options for Explorer. Two years later, the siblings adopted a new base powerteam comprising a 205-bhp 4.0-liter V-6 and a first-in-class five-speed automatic transmission.

A 2002 redesign improved both versions with standard antilock brakes, class-first independent rear suspension, and new options including curtain side airbags and a 240-bhp 4.6-liter overhead-cam V-8 with five-speed automatic. Mountaineer finally got real visual distinction (mostly up front), plus standard three-row seating for seven (optional on the Ford) and available all-wheel drive instead of dual-range four-wheel drive. Offered a bit later was an antiskid system with rollover sensors, shared with Explorer.

But Mountaineer's differences weren't that compelling, and sales oozed along at between 40,000 and 50,000 a year. While this was welcome "plus" business for L-M dealers, it was only a tenth of Explorer's volume and unimpressive in a market crazy for SUV's.

Mercury endured shorter waits for two other hoped-for sales-boosters. A replacement minivan with the nostalgic Monterey name bowed for 2004 as a close copy of that year's new Ford Freestar, which was largely the old Windstar updated.

Sailing in the following year was Mariner, an upscale take on Ford's four-year-old Escape compact SUV. L-M dealers also cheered these additions, however belated, but Mariner sales were modest and Monterey didn't break four figures in its first 12 months. Meanwhile, total Mercury sales kept shriveling, reduced to fewer than 194,000units by calendar "05."

Sales of the 1994 Mercury Sable hit a low point for the nameplate at 43,000.

All the underskin particulars were naturally the same as for that year's new lozenge-shaped, oval-bedecked Ford Taurus, including a more powerful base V-6 and a more refined optional V-6, the new 200-bhp twincam Duratec. Sable was again more conservatively styled than its Ford counterpart, but evidently not enough for Mercury buyers. Accordingly, the Y2K editions got an unscheduled early facelift to look more conventional, plus a more orthodox dashboard.

But after that, Sable followed Taurus in making only detail changes each year, thus falling further and further behind import-brand competitors that were freshened more often. Sales, which reliably topped 100,000 in the late 1990's, waned quickly after 2001, thudding to below 43,000 in calendar 2004. By that point, Mercury had a replacement ready, so Sable was unceremoniously dumped after an abbreviated 2005 run.

The Grand Marquis fell on hard times too, but entered the new century as the best selling Mercury, car or truck. It had become as indispensible to the make as sister Town Car had become to Lincoln. And that was the trouble. Like Ford's Crown Victoria, which shared the vintage-1979 "Panther" platform, the big L-M sedans were relics of a bygone era.

And though considered updating helped them keep pace with changing technology, they still appealed mainly to older folks whose numbers were dwindling. The only reasons the Panthers were able to become so gray were that they remained profitable -- basic tooling had been paid for ages ago -- and as full-size V-8 cars with rear-wheel drive they had no domestic competition between 1996 and 2005.

Nevertheless, Grand Marquis stymied Mercury in the same way Town Car befuddled Lincoln. Both were too vital to lose, yet the longer they stayed around, the more their "geezer" image inhibited each make from forging a more youthful identity as a way back to prosperity. Neither brand had resolved this dilemma by 2005, and there seemed little time left to do so.

The crisis was particularly dire at Mercury, where Grand Marquis accounted for an increasing percentage of car sales between 2001 and "05" even as its own calendar-year sales volume plunged from over 198,000 to less than 65,000 in that period.

The car itself evolved nicely. The "98" Grand Marquis received a few styling tweaks and 10 extra horses for each V-8, taking the base engine to 200 bhp, the optional dual-exhaust version to 215. A second tuneup added 20 horses apiece for 2001.

The 2003's got a surprisingly extensive underskin update involving a stiffer new-design frame, revised suspension geometry, and more-precise rack-and-pinion steering to replace the outmoded recirculating-ball setup.

Optional front side airbags arrived, joining the antilock brakes and traction control that had been standard for several years. And power went up again, with the base V-8 now at 224 bhp, the dual-exhaust version at 239. Otherwise, the Grand Marquis story through 2006 was one of yearly shuffles in trim, equipment, model names and pricing.

The Mercury Marauder

Although the Mercury Grand Marquis had evolved, by the 2000's, into a car aimed increasingly at an aging clientele, there was one exception: a hot-rod Grand Marquis resurrecting the Marauder name.

Created to liven up Mercury's dull image, it was displayed as a concept at the 2001 Chicago Auto Show, but hit the streets as a 2003 model to take advantage of that year's Grand Marquis chassis upgrades. Apart from its four-door format, the new Marauder followed the classic "60's" muscle-car formula of more power, tight suspension, and a sporty buckets-and-console interior (recently pioneered with an LSE package option).

Horses numbered 302, courtesy of a 4.6 V-8 with a new four-valves-per-cylinder head, plus a specific intake manifold devised by tuner Jack Roush. Also specified were standard limited-slip differential, eye-catching three-inch-diameter twin exhaust tips, polished five-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels (versus stock 16's), fat Z-rated tires (235/50 front, 245/55 rear), silver-faced gauges (including tachometer and console-mount oil-pressure and amps dials), and a leather-trimmed cabin with "dot-matrix" appliqués and metal-look accents instead of the usual Grand Marquis pseudo wood.

Paint was anything you liked so long as it was black, though dark blue and other colors were promised. Mercury charged just under $34,000 for the reborn Marauder, which looked a bargain.

America hadn't seen such a car since the last of Chevy's rear-drive SS Impalas, yet the Marauder proved a very tough sell. Mercury hoped to move 18,000 a year, but had to reset the goal to 12,000 after just 2910 sales in the first six months.

There were several problems. Only fifty-somethings still remembered Mercury's "hot car" days, and even they must have thought the Marauder akin to a grandpa dressed for a biker bar. Worse, performance didn't live up to the "bad boy" persona.

While almost every road test praised the car's dynamic balance and mechanical finesse, Car and Driver was disappointed by a 7.5-second 0-60 mph time and a so-what quarter-mile run of 15.5 seconds at 91 mph. "It is, in character, more 'disciplined sedan' than 'delinquent hot rod,'" C/D concluded.

Some industry watchers weren't so tactful. Consultant Jim Wangers of Pontiac GTO fame told trade weekly Automotive News that "While in concept it's a good idea, in execution the car is woefully short of anything they have any right to promote as a serious enthusiasts' car." Another analyst dismissed the Marauder as "just a half-hearted attempt at nostalgia. They would have been much better off doing it the right way."

Another embarrassment was the last thing Dearborn needed, so the Marauder struggled through model-year '04, then quietly vanished after estimated sales of under 8000 over some 24 months.

A better idea might have been to produce the two-door Marauder convertible presented as a concept in early 2002. It looked good, and no one else had anything like it. But as was becoming all too familiar for Mercury, the accountants just couldn't get the numbers to add up. Too bad. Many observers agreed that Mercury couldn't turn itself around without some kind of "difference to sell."

Spirce: How Stuff Works

The History of Lincoln & Mercury Cars

2010-10-21T03:02:00.000-07:00

The Ford Motor Company's Lincoln-Mercury Division produces Lincoln luxury cars and the Mercury, an upscale version of Ford. While Henry Ford is generally credited for initiating both brands to capture wealthy buyers, it was his son, Edsel, who was the brainchild behind the styling and implementation of Mercury and breathing life into the once stodgy Lincoln. Today, (2009) the Lincoln is doing reasonably well for Ford, but the Mercury line is struggling to stay alive.

Source: eHow

Mercury Meteor

2010-09-01T17:40:00.000-07:00

The Mercury Meteor was an automobile model produced by the Lincoln Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company from 1961 to 1963. For 1961, the name was applied to low end full sized vehicles; for 1962 and 1963, the name was applied to Mercury's mid-sized sedans, in a marketing attempt to appeal to the excitement surrounding the Space Race, before being discontinued. Introduced while Mercury as a marque was in flux, and never a solid marketplace performer in consumer sales, the Meteor remains more an "asterisk" than as a well known Mercury product.

Production 1961-1963

Canadian Meteor

Initially, Ford used the Meteor nameplate in 1949 when it created a stand alone brand of vehicles that used Ford bodies trimmed using Mercury parts for sale specifically in the Canadian marketplace. Meteors were produced and sold in Canada until 1961, and then reintroduced again from 1964-76, after the US model using the name was discontinued.

Factors affecting the creation of the Mercury Meteor

In the mid 1950s, Ford Executives were convinced by Ernest Breech that in order to compete with General Motors, the automaker had to meet each sales segment with unique product. The plan impacted Mercury by calling for the marques completely new platform and body design since World War II in order to differentiate it from the Ford beginning with the 1957 model year.

Historically, Mercury was usually considered a "lower-medium-priced" car, most often compared to Pontiac and Dodge. Under Breech's plan Mercury would move upmarket and compete more directly with Buick, Oldsmobile, Chrysler and DeSoto and the Edsel would take over Mercury's previous role as the "lower-medium-priced" car and compete more directly with Pontiac and Dodge.

While Breech’s plan could have succeeded in the early 1950s, by the late 1950s the bottom was beginning to drop out of the middle price car market; the 1958 recession effectively rendered Breech’s plan obsolete. Sales of Ford’s Edsel marque were a complete disaster.

Sales of Mercury products failed to reach expected sale levels, leading to cost cutting decisions beginning in the 1961 model year. Had Robert S. McNamara, then head of the Ford division, had his way, Lincoln, Edsel and Mercury would have been relegated to the dustbin of history. Instead, a compromise decision was made, and beginning in 1961 Ford and Mercury would use the basic Ford body shells, and rely upon unique trim elements to differentiate the marques one from another. Edsel, meanwhile, was discontinued after a short run of 1960 models; what emerged as the 1961 Mercury was really initially intended as the 1961 Edsel.

1961 Mercury Meteor

The first step taken to make Mercury cost effective within Ford, Mercury shed its higher priced Montclair and Park Lane models. The Monterey, previously the entry-level full-sized Mercury offering and priced slightly higher for the 1961 model year than comparable 1960 models, would become the new top-of-the-line model. It was joined by the new, lower-priced Meteor 600 and Meteor 800. The Meteor 600 and Meteor 800 were, respectively, the spiritual descendants of the Medalist and Custom models last offered in 1956, as well as replacements for the discontinued Edsel. All full-sized 1961 Mercurys rode on a 120” wheelbase.

First Generation

For 1961 the Meteor was a full-sized model, differentiated from the Monterey through its trim and taillights. Meteor 600 taillights were oblong while the Meteor 800 and upmarket Monterey used six circular tail lights, three on each side. Meteor 600s, available only as two and four-door sedans featured chrome spears from the taillights to the front wheels. Meteor 800s, available in two and four door sedan and hardtop body styles, featured the spear and three chrome bars on the front fenders, chrome fender fin trim, rocker panel trim and back-up lights.

The Commuter 4-door station wagon was trimmed comparably to the Meteors, while the Colony Park with simulated wood-grain trim on the side-panels was trimmed comparably to the Monterey.

The standard engine in the Meteor and Commuter was a 223 cubic inch displacement inline six-cylinder with a 1-barrel carburetor that generated 135 horsepower (101 kW) @ 4000 rpm. Optional engines included a 292 cubic inch displacement V-8 with 2-barrel carburetor generating 175 horsepower (130 kW) @ 4200 rpm (standard on the Monterey on Colony Park), as well as a 352 cubic inch Marauder V-8 with 2-barrel carburetor generating 220 horsepower (160 kW), a 390 cubic inch Marauder V-8 with 4-barrel carburetor generating 300 horsepower (220 kW), and a 390 cubic inch Marauder V-8 with 4-barrel carubretor generating 330 horsepower (250 kW).

The standard transmission was a 3-speed manual with overdrive available as an option. Merc-O-Matic and Multi-Drive automatic transmissions were available as options.

1962-1963 Mercury Meteor

For 1962, Mercury marketing decided that the Monterey nameplate had better consumer recognition than the Meteor moniker as far as full-sized vehicles were concerned (despite the fact that Meteor outsold Monterey), and instead assigned the Meteor name to a new line of mid-sized cars based on the Ford Fairlane which, in turn, was based on a long-wheelbase version of the Ford Falcon chassis. This smaller, mid-sized Meteor filled the product gap between the full-sized Monterey and the compact, Ford Falcon-based Mercury Comet.

Second Generation

Riding the Fairlane’s 116.5 wheelbase, the 1962 Meteors wore unique rear quarter panels that mimicked the Monterey's jet-pod tail lights. The base Meteor and better trimmed Meteor Custom were available in two and four door sedans. The Meteor S-33 was a specially trimmed two door sedan featuring premium exterior trim and interior appointments including bucket seats, and a center console.

For 1963 Meteors received an annual trim update and the addition of two body styles, a four-door station wagon and a two-door hardtop coupe. The four-door station wagon was added to both the Meteor series and the Meteor Custom series. In the Meteor Custom series the station wagon was referred to as the Mercury Country Cruiser and featured simulated wood-grain trim on the exterior. The hardtop coupe was added to the Meteor Custom and Meteor S-33 series. The hardtop coupe replaced the 2-door sedan in the Meteor S-33 series.

The base Meteor engine was a 170 cubic inch displacement inline 6-cylinder engine with a 1-barrel carburetor 101 horsepower (75 kW) @ 4000 rpm. Optional engines included a 221 cubic inch V-8 with 2-barrel carburetor that generated 145 horsepower (108 kW) and a 260 cubic inch V-8 with 2-barrel carburetor that generated 164 horsepower (122 kW). A three-speed manual transmission was standard. Overdrive and Merc-O-Matic automatic transmissions were options. A 4-speed manual transmission became an option for 1963.

Sales of the mid-sized Mercury Meteor were disappointing and the model was discontinued at the end of the 1963 model year.

A name without a purpose

Mercury product planning underwent another shift with the departure of fiscal conservative Robert McNamara from Ford. What had been McNamara’s attempts to remake Mercury as a senior Ford were discarded, and instead for 1965 Mercury would be marketed as being "built in the Lincoln tradition."

The first step towards this goal was the elimination of the compact-bodied Comet. Although Mercury had no mid-sized car for the 1964 and 1965 model years, the compact Comet continued to sell well during this time. Because the Comet name had better recognition than Meteor, the Comet name was transferred to Mercury's mid-sized car based on the Ford Fairlane beginning with the 1966 model year, in effect finally replacing the Meteor model and name that had last been built and used in 1963. For 1964, the Meteor name returned on a series of full-size models in the Canadian market, much as had been the case until 1961.

Source: Wikipedia

Mercury Mariner hybrid given "Motorist's Choice Award"

2010-08-01T15:38:00.000-07:00

Consulting firm Autopacific and car buying information web site Intellichoice.com have given a "Motorist's Choice Award" to Ford for the Mercury Mariner Hybrid at this week's Orange County Auto Show. The choice was based on cost of ownership data generated by Intellichoice and customer satisfaction survey data from Autopacific. The companies designed the award criteria to recognize vehicles that provide high owner satisfaction and low operating costs. The Mariner and its Ford twin, the Escape, are currently the only Ford vehicles with hybrid power-trains and were the first domestic-brand hybrids. They will be joined by hybrid versions of the new Mercury Milan and Ford Edge for the 2008 model year. The Ford press release is after the jump.

[Source: Ford Motor Co]

MERCURY MARINER HYBRID "MOTORIST'S CHOICE AWARD" LATEST IN SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES AND AWARDS

Lew Echlin, California Regional Marketing Manager, Ford Motor Company (center) accepts the "Motorist's Choice Award" for the Mercury Mariner Hybrid at the Orange County Auto Show from Dan Hall, AutoPacific (l) and James Bell, IntelliChoice.com (r)

* Mercury Mariner Hybrid named "Motorist's Choice" for compact SUV, based on cost-of-ownership data from IntelliChoice.com and customer-satisfaction surveys from AutoPacific
* Custom Mariner Hybrid delivered to former President Bill Clinton was the first hybrid vehicle outfitted for presidential service
* Mariner Hybrid also recently named the Green Car Journal's "Green Car of the Year," one of Edmunds.com's Most Fuel Efficient SUVs and Pickups, and "Best Compact SUV" by both Texas Auto Writers Association and ForbesAuto.com

ANAHEIM , Calif. , Oct. 4, 2006 – Today, the Mercury Mariner Hybrid was awarded as the first Motorist's Choice Award for compact SUVs by IntelliChoice.com and AutoPacific, and is the only hybrid vehicle to be included on their inaugural awards list.

The Motorist's Choice Award will be added to the long list of milestones the Mariner Hybrid has achieved since its introduction in November 2005, including being the first hybrid vehicle fit for presidential service, and being named the first "Green Car of the Year" by Green Car Journal.

"The Motorist's Choice Award is a testament to the Mercury Mariner Hybrid's distinctive design, SUV versatility and the hybrid technology," says Mike Richards, general marketing manager, Lincoln Mercury. "The Mariner Hybrid offers customers an unmatched combination of economic value, environmental benefit, and emotional appeal."

Ford Motor Company has received more than 150 patents on the Mariner Hybrid's hybrid powertrain system, which blends the best features of a gasoline engine and an electric motor. When the output of the 2.3-liter gasoline is not needed – during coasting, idling at stoplights, or crawling through slow traffic – the gasoline engine automatically shuts off. On demand, the gasoline engine and electric motor automatically team up to deliver maximum acceleration or passing performance. As a result, the Mariner Hybrid delivers comparable acceleration and passing performance to the conventional Mariner equipped with a 200 horsepower V-6 engine, and nearly a 50 percent increase in fuel economy.

The Mariner is joined by range of clean, fuel-efficient efficient Mercury vehicles. The full-size Mercury Montego delivers an impressive 29 miles per gallon (mpg) on the highway, thanks to a fuel-efficient powertrain that features either a six-speed automatic or continuously variable transmission. The Mercury Milan PZEV emits zero evaporative emissions and 80 percent fewer smog-forming emissions than the average 2007 model year vehicle . In 2008, the Milan will also be available with a full-hybrid powertrain.

"The Mariner Hybrid is just one example of how Mercury is contributing to Ford Motor Company's goal of delivering 'greener miles,'" says Richards. "We will continue to offer cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles that save our customers money at the pump, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil."

Motorists' Choice Award

IntelliChoice.com and AutoPacific created the Motorist's Choice Awards to recognize the vehicles that deliver both the highest owner satisfaction and lowest cost of ownership. For the Motorist's Choice Awards, vehicles are ranked by selected owner satisfaction data from AutoPacific surveys of new car and light truck buyers and IntelliChoice.com's rating methodology.

AutoPacific surveys 45 different vehicle ownership attributes, and of these, 38 product-focused attributes were used. These ratings were merged with seven attributes of cost-ownership addressed by IntelliChoice.com: depreciation, financing, fuel, insurance, maintenance, repairs and state fees.

"While the economic analysis of car ownership remains very important - it can save or cost you thousands of dollars over the life of the vehicle - it is also important to recognize owner satisfaction as another significant influencer in vehicle purchases," said James Bell, publisher of IntelliChoice.com. "With these awards, we have identified the vehicles that delight emotionally and economically - key points to consider when buying a vehicle."

First Hybrid Outfitted for Presidential Service

Recently, Ford Motor Company delivered a customized Mariner Hybrid "Presidential Edition" to former President Bill Clinton – the first hybrid vehicle to be outfitted for presidential service.

The custom interior of the Presidential Mariner Hybrid emphasizes the comfort, convenience and productivity of an executive office, with details such as unique LED lighting, a 110-volt outlet and a new writing table. The Mariner Hybrid's full-hybrid powertrain was unchanged, preserving its impressive 32 mpg in city driving, 29mpg on the highway, and ultra-clean emissions.

The development of the Presidential Mariner Hybrid is a showcase of Ford's and the Clinton Foundation's commitment to innovation in the areas of energy and climate change. Earlier this month, President Clinton announced the formation of the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), a project of his foundation that is dedicated to making a difference in the fight against climate change in practical and measurable ways.

Additional Milestones and Accolades

The Motorist's Choice Award presented by IntelliChoice.com and AutoPacific will join an already crowded trophy case for the Mariner Hybrid, which also includes:

* Mercury Mariner Hybrid also received the Green Car Journal's inaugural "Green Car of the Year" award in, designed to recognize environmental leadership in the automotive industry.

* The Mariner Hybrid was named one of the top 30 environmentally friendly vehicles in the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Alternative Powertrain Study.

* The 2005 Mariner Hybrid was named the "Best Compact SUV" by both the Texas Auto Writers Association and ForbesAuto.com.

* The Mariner Hybrid, along with Ford Escape Hybrid, also topped Edmunds' list of Most Fuel Efficient SUVs and Pickups for 2005.

The Mariner Hybrid is built at the Kansas City Assembly Plant. Pricing for the 2007 Mariner Hybrid starts at a manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) of $28,600, including destination and delivery.

Source: Green Autoblog

1955 Mercury Montclair

2010-07-30T10:51:00.001-07:00

Can Automatic Car Washes Damage Your Car?

2010-07-01T10:37:00.000-07:00

Automatic/drive-through car washes are more popular than ever because they save time and hassle.

But are automatic car washes safe for your car? In fact, in many instances, they are the "safest" course of action for many car owners who want to keep their car clean.

In fact, automatic car washes can be safer for your car's finish than washing your car yourself because do-it-yourselfers sometimes don't use enough water to safely remove dirt; or they wash the car in direct sunlight -- which can burn spots in the paint. Or they use the wrong type of soap -- such as dishwashing detergent, which removes protective wax and leaves a chalky residue on the finish. Or any one of several common mistakes can end up doing more harm than good.

Cars by the numbers:

3 Most Popular Muscle Cars6 Cheap Cars with Great Gas Mileage10 Fastest Sports CarsKeeping your car clean and the finish looking good can also mean higher resale value when it comes time to get a new car. All else being equal, a car with faded paint and a dingy overall look sells for 10-20 percent less than an otherwise identical vehicle that just looks nicer.

So how often should you have your vehicle washed? That depends on how quickly it gets dirty -- and how dirty it gets. For some cars, once a month or so is sufficient -- especially if the car is lightly used and kept in a garage. But some cars will need a bath more often -- especially those that are parked outdoors where they're exposed to bird droppings, tree sap and so on, or driven in areas with very long/severe winters, where the roads are salted when it snows.

Here are a few important things to keep in mind when it comes to automatic car washes:

Be sure it's "brushless" -- Some older car washes still use abrasive brushes (instead of cloth), which can leave small scratches in a car's finish. On older cars with so-called "single stage" paint jobs, light scratches could usually be buffed out; but all modern cars use a "base/clear" system with a thin, transparent layer of clear coat on top of the underlying color coat to provide the shine. Once the thin clear coat is damaged, often the only way to restore the shine is to repaint the damaged area.

Another safe bet is "touchless" car washes that use only high-pressure water jets and detergents to clean the car -- without physically touching it at all. There is virtually no chance of your vehicle suffering any cosmetic damage this way. Some areas have "self-service" coin-operated hand washes, which are great for spraying away heavy dirt buildup. You'll usually need to bring your own bucket, wash cloth/sponge and dry towels, though.

Watch out for the after-wash wipe-down -- Most drive-through washes use a strong jet of heated air to force excess water off after the car goes through the wash. Many full-service car washes will then have you drive the car (or drive it for you, in some cases) away from the wash area to be hand-wiped by attendants. This is usually OK -- provided the attendants are using fresh, clean (and soft) towels to do so. Be alert on busy days, when lots of other cars have gone ahead of you. If you see the attendants using obviously dirty old rags to wipe the car down, you should say "thanks, but no thanks" -- and drive away wet. Dirt and other abrasives in the rags can scratch the finish just like sandpaper. Simply driving away from the wash and letting air flow over the car to dry any remaining water won't hurt anything -- and is the best guarantee of a no-damage experience. Any lingering streaks can easily be cleaned up at home yourself using readily available spray cleaners designed for just this purpose. (Honda Pro Spray Cleaner & Polish is excellent for this; it also provides UV protection and easily and safely cleans off bugs, tar and road grime, etc. without water.)

Hold off on the extras -- A "works" car wash can cost twice as much as the basic wash, but you may not be getting twice the wash for your money. Undercarriage rustproofing, for example, is of dubious value. Effective rustproofing is applied to brand-new metal, in order to seal it from contact with external corrosives such as road salt. Most new cars are extensively rustproofed at the factory during the assembly process; further "treatment" is superfluous -- and a money-waster.

On the other hand, if the wash offers an undercarriage bath, it may be worth the additional cost. Jets of water sprayed directly underneath the car can break loose accumulated crud that would be difficult (and unpleasant) to try to remove yourself using a garden hose. It's also important that underbody drainage holes not be obstructed by mud and other buildup; accumulated moisture can accelerate rust or (in the case of the air conditioning system) lead to the formation of mold in the system. The undercarriage bath should help keep those drain holes clear.

Do, however, think twice about spray-on wax. This typically adds at least a couple bucks to the cost of the wash and while it doesn't hurt anything, it's no substitute for hand-applied polish/wax. Spray-on "wax" may provide a short-term gloss enhancement, but doesn't protect against UV sun damage the way hand-applied wax does. Ditto the cost of having an attendant spray Armor All (or a similar protectant) on your tires to make them shiny. The cost for this extra can be equivalent to the cost of buying an entire bottle of the stuff on your own.

Wheel and tire cleaning is an exception; the heavy-duty cleaners used by the car wash do a great job of removing baked-on brake dust, etc., that can otherwise be a real chore to clean on your own, using over-the-counter cleaners, a hand brush and a hose. It's especially important to keep aluminum alloy wheels clean; brake dust can eventually permanently stain them if it's not regularly cleaned away.

Finally:

Make sure your car's OK before you leave -- While many car washes will have a disclaimer posted that they are "not responsible for any damages that may occur" as a result of running your car through their wash, that doesn't mean you should automatically absolve them of any damage their equipment or personnel may have caused. If you notice something, ask to see the manager and point it out to him; whether "legally liable" or not, he may offer to fix the problem in the interest of customer relations. And even if he does not, you can still pursue the matter with a higher-up (such as the company headquarters, if the wash is a franchise, as many associated with big-name gas stations often are). If you have a cell phone with a camera, use it to take a photo of the damage in order to support your claim. And it ought to go without saying that you should never leave your purse or other valuables in the car if you use a wash where an attendant will have access to the vehicle's interior.

Source: Autos.aol

2003 Mercury Marauder Concept

2010-06-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Mercury Marauder was the name of different automobiles made by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company.

Early models 1963–1965

The early Marauder was a V8-engined large automobile. It débuted as a 1963½ model as a two-door "fastback" hardtop version of the full-size Mercury. Marauders were offered from the 1963½ to 1965 model years, then again from 1969 to 1970.
In 1964, the Marauder name was used to designate both two and four door models of the Mercury Monterey, Montclair, and Park Lane using a fastback roofline, rather than the reverse-slant Breezeway roof that had been introduced in 1963.

This fastback roofline was developed for both the Mercury Marauder and the Ford Galaxie for NASCAR competition, and may have helped with the many 1963–64 Ford Mercury victories.

Engine and transmission choices for these cars were identical to the big Ford, including 390, 406, and 427 cubic-inch Thunderbird V8s, and a choice of 3-speed or 4-speed manual, or 3-speed automatic transmissions.
Marauders also featured bucket seats, central consoles, and other trim items similar to those in the Ford Galaxie 500/XL.

The Marauder name was dropped after 1965. The Marauder engine designation did continue in 1966 and 1967 and could be found in other full-size Mercurys including the Mercury S-55.

In 1969, the Marauder became a distinct model. It competed in the personal luxury market. The base Marauder had a 390 in³ engine, while the Marauder X-100 normally came with a larger 360 hp (268 kW) 429 in³ engine. Well appointed versions had bucket seats with a floor console housing a U-shaped automatic transmission shift handle, and sporty Kelsey-Hayes stylized road wheels complete with rear fender skirts. The Marauder had its own look with distinctive non-functional louvered side air intakes in the quarter panels and a tunneled rear window. Its front end and interior components were shared with the Marquis, but the back end was unique.

The market for sporty full-size cars had disappeared, though, and production was limited to about 15,000 cars for 1969 and barely a third of that for 1970.
"Marauder" was also used as the name of Mercury's 390, 410 (66–67 only), and 428 in³ engines in the 1960s.

2003-2004

From 2003 to 2004, Ford produced the Marauder as a high-performance version of the Mercury Grand Marquis sedan. Although the Mercury division is most directly a competitor to Buick (and formerly Oldsmobile), the Marauder of 2003–2004 targeted the 1994–1996 Chevrolet Impala SS in being a contemporary full-size "muscle sedan."
The Mercury Marauder was based on an updated version of the Ford Panther platform. The Marauder had a naturally aspirated 4.6 L DOHC Modular V8 producing 302 hp (225 kW) and 318 ft·lbf (431 N·m) of torque; this engine had many parts — including heads, cams, block and rotating assembly — in common with the 2003–2004 Mustang Mach 1 Automatic and the 2003–2005 Lincoln Aviator SUV. The Marauder featured a dual exhaust system with unique tailpipe tips, with custom designed chassis and suspension modifications – such as moving the rear shocks outboard of the frame-rails, which were later made available for the Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis. The Marauder was fitted with the 4R70W 4-speed automatic in 2003 and received the upgraded 4R75W 4-speed automatic for 2004. The limited slip differential with a 3.55 rear axle ratio was borrowed from the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, as well as the aluminum drive shaft.

Cosmetically, the Marauder borrowed trim parts from both its Ford and Mercury stablemates. The headlights and corner lights, from the Grand Marquis, have all non-reflector surfaces blacked out and its grille is painted body-color instead of chrome. Side trim and the B-pillars are painted body-color like the Crown Victoria, which also donates its trunk panel, and tail lights which are tinted to just within DOT standards. The Marauder's front and rear bumper cover are unique to the vehicle though, with the front featuring Cibié fog lamps, and sporting the car's name embossed on the rear bumper. The car's five spoke, eighteen inch wheels feature Mercury's classic "god-head" (Mercury's silhouette) emblem on its center caps. And unlike the standard Grand Marquis, the Marauder featured front bucket seats and a floor shifter with a center console. The instrument cluster was specific to the Marauder, with the satin aluminum gauges and the pressed electrical board to control them are specific to the Marauder, as is the tachometer. The 140 mph (220 km/h) speedometer head unit was borrowed from the Police Interceptor, but with a Marauder unique gauge face. The Marauder is also the only Panther after 1997 with a specific pin on the PCM for a tachometer.

The 2003–2004 Marauder sales fell short of corporate forecasts, and after a production run of just 11,052 vehicles, the Marauder was discontinued at the end of 2004. However the Ford Crown Victoria LX Sport remained, bearing a monochrome appearance similar to the Marauder but powered by the lesser 239 hp (178 kW) 4.6 L 2-valve SOHC V8. The LX Sport also included smaller 17" wheels, softer suspension, a taller 3.27 rear axle ratio, along with numerous other mechanical and cosmetic details that remain unique to the Marauder. The LX Sport too would be discontinued in 2008 after a very short production run of 2008 model year cars.

In 2008, the Ford Performance Group officially began recognizing the Mercury Marauder (along with the Motor City Marauders Car Club as the official club for the vehicle). And as of Fall 2009, the Ford Performance Group also began offering certificates verifing the Mercury Marauder as a Limited Production Vehicle.

1963 Mercury Marauder S55

2010-06-28T23:59:00.000-07:00

1963 Mercury Marauder S55 in beautiful Jade Green Metallic paint with a white and green interior. This car has the powerful 390 CID engine pushing 330 horsepower, the Merc-O-Matic transmission, and 3.00 gears! Options include: power windows, power steering, power brakes, AM radio, and the S55 sport option.

Source: Gateway Classic Cars

2010 Mercury Milan

2010-06-28T23:57:00.001-07:00

2010 Mercury Milan

If you're considering a 2010 Ford Fusion but want something more exclusive, you might like the 2010 Mercury Milan. Like the new Fusion, the Milan benefits from fresh styling and upgraded powertrain options, starting with a 2.5L four-cylinder engine producing 175 hp and mated to a six-speed automatic or manual transmission. Of course, the Milan's primary reason for existing alongside the mechanically-identical Ford Fusion is its looks.

2010 Mercury Milan

High-end Milan Hybrids wear attractive 17-inch wheels shared with the Ford Fusion Hybrid. All 2010 Milans get the new widened grille and restyled headlights that carry over the "eyelashes" giving the Milan styling part of its appeal. The side reflector lights are now much less visually obtrusive than before: the horizontal strips have been replaced by a strip that follows the curve of the front wheel well.

The Milan's rear end doesn't benefit from any significant changes besides the revised taillights, but with Ford selling six times as many Fusions as Milans in October, we don't blame the automaker for focusing on the Fusion.

Source: Motortrend

Wear Your Seatbelt

2010-06-28T23:56:00.001-07:00

This is the new "wear your seatbelt" ad the UK is doing - started by some
dude not hired to do it, but because the cause is important to him, he came
up with this idea, and now it's being hailed across the world as a
‘beautiful’ commercial. ...And now the video has gone “viral” (which means,
has become so popular with the general public that people are forwarding it
to friends/family on their own so quickly that it has spread all over the
world in a very short time).

Source: Youtube

Four Newest Trends For Car Thieves

2010-06-28T23:54:00.001-07:00

1. Odometer Fraud

Amid so many technological advances, the full digitization of the dashboard has had an effect on odometers. Odometer rollbacks are "back in a big way," said Christopher Basso of Carfax. "There is widespread use of digital odometers. People are getting software off the internet rather than cracking open the dash and hand-cranking back the odometer. It's harder to detect as there are no physical signs the vehicle has been tampered with."

Odometer rollbacks increased 57 percent from 2004-2008 (the last year for which data is available), with more than 450,000 cases reported annually. Over the last five years there's been a nearly 60 percent increase in the number of vehicles reported with odometer rollbacks, Basso says. The number of unreported cases -- where a consumer is unaware there is a problem -- is potentially much higher.

"It is a big and growing problem that continues to plague used-car buyers," said Basso.

But Frank Scafidi, of the National Insurance Crime Bureau, says rolling back odometers "is not as easy as it used to be."

"It happens here or there but it is not the predominant cause of auto fraud. Just like making moonshine, you're still going to find people somewhere doing it because they know how to do it. It's just now most people prefer to get their alcohol at a liquor store."

Poll
Have you been the victim of a vehicle break in?
Yes
No

2. Car Cloning

Scafidi says one of the newest auto frauds is "car cloning." Cloning occurs when multiple (usually higher-end) cars of the same model are stolen and registered with a VIN number from a legitimate vehicle.

"The thieves go get a VIN number from a showroom floor and reproduce it three or four times and attach it to the stolen vehicles and then ship them to four or five states," said Scafidi. "The multiple VIN numbers for us are the biggest red flags out there, and we go get 'em."

The FBI says that car-cloning rings -- often established for decades -- operate in most major cities nationwide. While there is no way to calculate true rates of car cloning, the FBI says it constitutes a "significant percentage" of vehicle thefts, the value of which totaled $6.4 billion in 2008. The agency recommends always buying your car from a reputable dealership and checking your car's VIN number with your state's licensing agency before you buy.

Common warning signs that you may have bought a cloned car include receiving unpaid traffic tickets you haven't sustained; a model being sold for much less than buyer's guides indicate it should be; scratches or evidence of tampering on the car's VIN number on the door frame or engine block; or a missing vehicle history report.

Terri Miller, director of Michigan's Halt Auto Theft program, says: "We're seeing a lot of cloning. They'll go to a scapyard and buy a clean title and they can then use that number on a vehicle of the same make and model."

3. Component theft and resale

With car stereos -- traditionally the item most stolen from cars -- getting harder to pilfer as a result of electronic security measures, thieves are getting more inventive.

Nationally, more than 75,000 airbags are stolen every year, according to the FBI. Thefts of GPS and DVD systems are increasing alongside the popularity of the devices among aftermarket buyers. Thefts of xenon headlights are also a growing problem. The advantage (or disadvantage) of component theft: The goods often are difficult to track and usually there's a fairly constant demand for them.

Miller says component theft is "the biggest thing. As cars are getting harder to steal, they have to steal parts of them. We're seeing easily fenced items such as tires, rims and GPS units getting stolen."

She says many items end up being sold online or on the street. In many cases buyers may think they're buying a legitimate product rather than a stolen part. She says that criminal enterprises, like legitimate businesses, mainly work on the basis of supply and demand.

"Occasionally, when, for example, Ford Taurus airbags are on back order, we'll see an increase in thefts."

4. Carjackings

You may think that carjackings had gone the way of spinning rims, but rates are holding steady in Southern California and increasing in Michigan. And there are pockets of America urban areas where the trend never really died down.

Officer Canales of the Los Angeles Police Department's Rampart Division says carjacking is still "pretty common."

"We get a few every now and then, usually a gun or knife is involved. It can be anything from high-value to low-value [cars] but we see more Hondas -- Accords and Civics -- and Toyotas."

Carjackings occur most frequently in urban areas and account for about three percent of all thefts, the Insurance Information Institute reports.

"A co-worker of my husband last week was carjacked outside a pizza parlor," Miller said. "He pointed a gun and said, 'You know what I want,' and drove off in his brand-new Mustang.

"Most carjackings involve a weapon so we always advise motorists to hand over their keys before they become a statistic," Miller says.

Where You Live Is As Important As What You Drive

A motor vehicle is stolen in the United States every 33 seconds, according to the FBI. In 2008, most vehicles -- or 37.8 percent, were stolen in the South, followed by the West at 33.9 percent, the Midwest at 18.3 percent and the Northeast at 10 percent. But thefts are decreasing by about 12 percent year on year for the last five years.

"Thefts follow technology," said Scafidi. "Smart keys or digital security devices are playing a big part in the reduction."

Source: AOL Autos

1953 Mercury Brochure

2010-06-28T23:53:00.001-07:00

Source: Classic Cars, Youtube

1951 Mercury Wagon

2010-06-28T23:52:00.001-07:00

Source: Streetrodder

1954X-M 800 Concept Car

2010-06-28T23:50:00.000-07:00

Classic Mercurys

2010-06-28T23:42:00.000-07:00

1969 Mercury Cougar Eliminator

Mercury Cougar

1950 Mercury coupe

1965 Mercury Comet Caliente

1969 Mercury

Mercury raised its performance profile with the introduction of the 1969 Mercury Cougar Eliminator. Taking its cue from such rivals as Z28 and SS Camaros, as well as Ford's own Boss 302 and Mach 1 Mustangs, Ford introduced the Eliminator in April 1969. Eliminator came with a range of engines, from the Trans Am-inspired solid-lifter 302-cid small block to the 428-cid Cobra Jet big block.

Source: ClassicCars

1950 Mercury Brochure

2010-06-07T10:22:00.001-07:00

Source: Internet

1952 Mercury Woodie Wagon

2010-05-26T12:40:00.000-07:00

In general, woodies are rare beast these days, especially in running condition. The one you see before is especially rare, as only 2,400 Mercury wagons were built in 1952. How many are still on the road or in restorable condition is not known, but it can't be more than a handful.

Like most car companies in the 1950's Ford and its Lincoln/Mercury divisions began eliminating wood as structural componant in cars, and it was not long before Ford closed its Iron Mountain facilities. The Woodie "look" was still desired though, and wood panels gave way to decals and wood trim. This '52 Mercury "Custom Series" wagon is an excellent example of one of transition from wood to chrome as a trim of choice.

Designed by Gordon Buehrig, the Custom Series bodies were offered in 3- and 5-door models for six to eight passengers. It came with a V8 motor, 3,800lb curb weight, and would set you back about $2,700.00.

This Merc has been restored to its original showroom condition, right down to the "hillcrest green" factory paint color.

Source: Hot Rods Custom Stuff

Mercury Classics

2010-05-26T12:02:00.000-07:00

1953 Mercury Woodie Wagon

1957 Mercury Monterey Convertible

Mercury Monterey Hardtop

1970 Mercury Cougar

1956 Mercury Montclair

1970 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II

In the early sixties, the rather pedestrian Comet was injected with more potential to take advantage of the performance car market that was exploding with Stock Car Racing. It was renamed the Cylone and became Mercury's circuit racer once it received Ford's big block V8 engine.

Whether it's traditional flames or a mail-slot windshields, the Mercury lead sleds were iconic cars of their day and many of the best were on display at the show.

1964 Mercury Breezeway 2-Door

1954 Mercury Monterey Convertible

Mercury Turnpike Cruiser 1957

The Mercury Turnpike Cruiser was a halo model of the Mercury Division of the Ford Motor Company that was produced from 1957 to 1958.

At introduction of the 1957 line up the Turnpike Cruiser series offered two and a four door hardtop body styles. They are best known for the unique styling cues and wide array of gadgets including a power rear window that could be lowered to improve ventilation, "twin jet" air intakes at upper corners of car's windshield, "seat-o-matic" automatically adjusting seat, and an average speed "computer".

For 1957, the Turnpike Cruiser was the premium model range for Mercury. In addition to its unique features, the car was further differentiated from other Mercury models by a gold anodized trim strip in the car's rear fin. It came standard with an automatic transmission and a 368-c.i.d. engine producing 290 horsepower; this engine was optional on other Mercurys.

Later in the model year an open car named Convertible Cruiser was added to this series. From the beginning it was created only to be used as the official pace car of the 1957 Indianapolis 500. On January 7, 1957 it was announced that the Convertible Cruiser would be available as a production model as well. All Convertible cruisers had a continental tire kit and were painted yellow (Sun Glitter), similar to the original pace cars.

1958 Mercury Turnpike Classic

2010-05-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

Mercury XM-800 Dream Car

2010-05-26T11:27:00.001-07:00

Introduced at the 1954 Detroit Auto Show, the XM-800 was designed by the Mercury pre-production studio to promote a second Mercury car line which could compete with Buick, Pontiac and Oldsmobile. Though it was never put into production, it became one of the most popular Concept Cars of the time. Dramatic and futuristic, it is a bold one-off design statement that has since been fully restored.

Mercury Sable Production Ends

2010-02-22T12:58:00.000-08:00

The Mercury brand continues to shrink as production of its Sable sedan ends Thursday at Ford's Chicago Assembly plant, which will start ramping up production of the 2010 Ford Taurus instead.

Mercury, Ford's mid-luxury lineup, has been suffering from an identity crisis in recent years. Originally conceived to fill the price gap between the Ford and Lincoln brands, it has slowly been cannibalizing sales of both of those brands instead. Although there was speculation that Ford would kill the brand off entirely, the automaker has vehemently denied those rumors and stated that Mercury has a place within Ford.

Despite its claims, Ford is not backing up the statements with actions. After the Sable is gone, Mercury will have only five models, and Ford hasn't announced plans to replace any of them after their current product cycles. Although Ford has said it will give Mercury a small car (currently, its smallest offering is the Milan, a mid-sized sedan), the recessionary carnage the market has suffered may force Ford to shutter Mercury altogether.

Ford sold 1,158 Mercury Sables last month, a decrease of 37.8 percent compared with April 2008. The Mercury brand was down almost 41 percent for April compared with last year, and is down almost 43 percent for the first four months of 2009. The Ford and Lincoln brands are down 40 percent and 35.6 percent, respectively.

The Chicago Assembly Plant, which also produced the Taurus X crossover that went out of production in April, also makes the Lincoln MKS.

Source

Mercury’s New Compact Offering May Be Named “Tracer”

2010-02-22T12:31:00.001-08:00

Remember Mercury’s plan for a new, compact C-segment offering? Chances are it’ll wear a “Tracer” nameplate.

According to Automotive News, Ford told dealers at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention that the car will be called Tracer, and will ultimately reach showrooms in 2011.

We’d heard a C-segment car was in Mercury’s plans last month, when Ford executives -- including Mark Fields, Ford’s president of the Americas -- told audiences that such a vehicle was under development. Ford sources tell us the car won’t be a “whitespace” vehicle like the Ford Grand C-Max, or even the Lincoln C concept.

Tracer, however, seems to be a surprising name choice. Not only does it break from Mercury’s recent naming conventions (which give models names that start with “M”), but we’d think Mercury would want to re-invent its small-car game.

Although it was first used on a modified version of the Mazda 323 in 1987, the Tracer name has long been synonymous with Mercury’s badge-engineered version of the Ford Escort. The Tracer nameplate -- along with a Mercury compact offering -- was killed in 1999.

Look for more information on the new Tracer to emerge later this year. We’ll likely see the new “mini-Merc” at the 2010 Los Angeles auto show, and the car should reach dealers in early 2011, shortly after the 2012 Focus goes on sale.

Source

1950 Mercury Customized Convertible

2010-02-05T00:21:00.000-08:00

Source: Seeoldcars.com

FORD MUSTANG WINS "FAVORITE AFFORDABLE CONVERTIBLE" HONOR, NEW 2010 FUSION AND MILAN HYBRIDS MAKE NEW ENGLAND DEBUT

2010-01-07T01:55:00.000-08:00

The 2009 Ford Mustang is named "Favorite Affordable Convertible" by the members of the New England Motor Press Association (NEMPA).

Ford becomes the number one producer of hybrids in North America with the new 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan Hybrid.

BOSTON, Dec. 3 – Ford Motor Company makes a product splash at the 52nd Annual New England Auto Show by winning an award from New England journalists and debuting the new 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids. Ford becomes the industry’s number one hybrid producer with the addition of the new Fusion and Milan hybrids in 2009.

In addition to the new hybrid models, Ford will also be featuring the full Ford Fusion lineup, 2010 Mustang, all new Ford F-150 and Lincoln MKZ.

Mustang earned Ford the NEMPA’s “Favorite Affordable Convertible” award and was cited by the journalist's jury for its combination of fun, affordability, style and economy that made it a winner.

"I would like to thank the New England Motor Press for the Mustang award," said John Felice, general marketing manager, Ford Lincoln Mercury. "This award is proof that Ford is providing products that people truly want and value. And those products will keep coming year after year."

For the 2010 model year, the new Ford Fusion lineup expands to include an all-new hybrid model that offers best-in-class fuel economy. In fact, the Fusion hybrid beats the Toyota Camry hybrid by at least 6 mpg in the city. Fusion also has the innovative new SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide that coaches hybrid drivers on how to maximize fuel efficiency

The Fusion will offer three fuel-efficient gasoline engine options – the Duratec 2.5-liter I-4 and enhanced 3.0-liter V-6 and 3.5-liter V-6 Duratec engines. Fusions equipped with the 2.5-liter I-4 engine are expected to deliver at least 3 mpg better on the highway than the Honda Accord and 2 mpg better than the Toyota Camry. The 3.5-liter V-6 powers the all-new Fusion Sport model

Class-exclusive features include Ford SYNC™, SIRIUS® TravelLink™, BLIS™ (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross Traffic Alert and Sony-branded audio set Fusion apart from other mid-size sedans

The Mercury Milan builds on a strong foundation of quality and reliability, adding to the mix for the 2010 model year an all-new hybrid model, more fuel-efficient gasoline powertrain options, class-exclusive technologies and a more refined, sophisticated design.

2010 Milan Hybrid

2009-12-04T23:26:00.001-08:00

2010 MERCURY MILAN: NEW HYBRID MODEL, CLASS- LEADING FUEL ECONOMY, SOPHISTICATED DESIGN

For the 2010 model year, the Mercury Milan lineup expands to include an all-new hybrid that offers class-leading fuel economy, besting the Toyota Camry hybrid by at least 6 mpg in the city; innovative new SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide coaches hybrid drivers to maximize fuel efficiency

Milan will offer two fuel-efficient gasoline engine options for the 2010 model – Ford’s all-new Duratec 2.5-liter I-4, producing 175 horsepower as well as an enhanced 3.0-liter V-6 with 19 more horsepower than its predecessor; Milans equipped with the 2.5-liter I-4 engine are expected to deliver at least 3 mpg better on the highway than the Honda Accord and 2 mpg better than the Toyota Camry
Milan features sophisticated style inside and out with class-exclusive features and technology, including SYNC, SIRIUS® with Travel Link™ and Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert

The 2010 Mercury Milan will be available in dealer showrooms in spring 2009
The Mercury Milan builds on a strong foundation of quality and reliability, adding to the mix for the 2010 model year an all-new hybrid model, more fuel-efficient gasoline powertrain options, class-exclusive technologies and a more refined, sophisticated design.

“The Milan has been a strong part of the Mercury lineup since its initial launch and has helped attract more consumers to dealer showrooms,” said John Felice, general manager, Ford, Lincoln Mercury Marketing. “For sophisticated consumers looking for a stylish hybrid, the Milan now offers them the most fuel-efficient hybrid sedan in its class.”

Chief designer Darrell Behmer and his team had the advantage of working from a vehicle that’s been lauded by consumers and consumer groups. “Our approach was to build upon the Milan’s strengths – to improve rather than reinvent,” Behmer said. “From a design standpoint, we wanted to clarify the design, making it cleaner and more modern.”

The changes to the exterior design were focused on the grille, fenders, hood, and front and rear fascias. The chin was pulled forward and the fascia was pulled down to give the 2010 Mercury Milan a wider, sportier look. Those changes as well as substantial underbody work made for a cleaner, more aerodynamic car.

With all models, the interior design team created a more contemporary, technical look with metallic new finishes on the instrument panel that carry through on the center console, doors and steering wheel. The all new instrument panel is finished with a soft upper and lower skin and has much less hard plastic than Japanese competitors. A redesigned leather wrapped steering wheel with form fitting palm swells, and new shifter, and wrapped and padded armrests have been added, increasing the Milan’s sportiness and comfort at all key driver touch points.

The seats received a makeover, as well. The seat contour has been revised, with more side support and overall a more comfortable seat with smoother bolsters and more-textural inserts. The seats also feature contrasting stitching and leather inserts to give the Milan even more attitude, befitting this mid-size sedan.

The gauge cluster has been designed with day time backlighting, a black lens, and 3-D elements to create a high tech jewel-like appearance, similar to a fine watch. Drivers will be greeted by a new “welcome” sequence that makes the Milan seem as if it’s coming to life.

Gauge needles sweep back and forth as the lighting and new chimes come on. The ambient lighting system offers the option of illuminating the front and rear footwells and front cup holders.

The two-tone look on the interior continues as a Milan signature, with satin-aluminum accents and a wood finish around the center stack. The Milan features Dark Charcoal Black, Medium Light Stone and Camel as interior choices through the Premier Series, which includes embossed leather.

An improved seat design with a new perforation pattern has been added as well. The seat contour itself was revised, with more side support to help create a softer seat overall.

All-new hybrid model

For the 2010 model year, the Mercury Milan adds an all-new hybrid model. The Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrids join the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner Hybrids, doubling both the size and volume of Ford’s hybrid lineup.

“Offering consumers more fuel-efficient vehicle choices, including improving and increasing our hybrid vehicle offerings and improving our high volume gasoline powertrains, is part of Ford’s broad plan to deliver technology solutions for affordable fuel economy for millions,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president for Global Product Development.

“With the new Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids, we are now able to offer even better range of travel on battery power at a greater speed, thanks to a more efficient, seamless transition between the battery-powered motor and gasoline-driven engine,” he said. “These new hybrids will exceed expectations on all fronts – fuel efficiency, comfort, convenience and drivability.”

The Ford Hybrid team has developed a powertrain system that combines the best attributes of the gasoline engine and electric battery-driven motors to deliver the optimal experience for the customer in terms of driving performance and fuel economy.

Additionally, the propulsion system for the Mercury Milan and Ford Fusion hybrids transitions between gas and electric power and back more efficiently and seamlessly.

The overall system upgrade allows the Mercury Milan and Ford Fusion hybrids to operate longer at higher speeds in electric mode. The hybrid vehicles can operate up to 47 mph in pure electric mode, approximately twice as fast as some competitors. Plus, the city driving range on a single tank of gas is expected to be more than 700 miles.

The next-generation hybrid system features:

New 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine (155 horsepower/136 lb.-ft. of torque) running the proven Atkinson cycle mated to an electronically-controlled continuously variable transmission or e-CVT.

Intake Variable Cam Timing (iVCT), which allows the vehicle to more seamlessly transition from gas to electric mode and vice-versa. The spark and cam timing are varied according to the engine load to optimize efficiency and emissions.

Enhanced electronic throttle control reduces airflow on shutdowns, reducing fueling needs on restarts.

A wide-band lambda sensor analyzes the air-fuel ratio and adjusts the lean/rich mixture accordingly to keep the system in balance and to minimize emissions.

A new smaller, lighter nickel-metal hydride battery has been optimized to produce 20 percent more power. Improved chemistry allows the battery to be run at a higher temperature and it is cooled using cabin air.

An added variable voltage converter boosts the voltage to the traction battery to operate the motor and generator more efficiently.

A new high-efficiency converter provides 14 percent increased output to accommodate a wider array of vehicle features.

Smarter climate control system monitors cabin temperature and only runs the gas engine as needed to heat the cabin; it also includes an electric air conditioning compressor to further minimize engine use and maximize comfort.

The regenerative brake system captures the energy normally lost through friction in braking and stores it. Nearly 94 percent energy recovery is achieved by first delivering full regenerative braking followed by friction brakes during city driving.

A simulator brake actuation system dictates brake actuation and delivers improved brake pedal feel compared to the previous generation braking system.

“Because our hybrid can run at a much higher speed in electric mode, you can do so much more in city-driving situations,” said Gil Portalatin, Hybrid Applications Manager. “Under the right conditions, you can drive in your neighborhood or mall parking lots without using a drop of gasoline.”

The Milan Hybrid also offers drivers a way to be more connected to the hybrid driving experience thanks to Ford’s SmartGauge with EcoGuide, a unique instrument cluster execution that helps coach them on how to optimize performance of their hybrid.

SmartGauge with EcoGuide features two, high-resolution, full-color liquid crystal display (LCD) screens on either side of the analog speedometer that can be configured to show different levels of information, including fuel and battery power levels, average and instant miles-per-gallon. Growing leaves and vines track and reward the driver’s efficiency.

EcoGuide uses a multi-layered approach to coach the driver to maximum fuel efficiency. A tutorial mode built into the display that helps the driver learn about the instrument cluster and the hybrid in a whimsical way that does not overpower.

For instance, drivers can choose one of four data screens to choose the information level displayed during their drives. They are:

Inform: Fuel level and battery charge status
Enlighten: Adds electric vehicle mode indicator and tachometer
Engage: Adds engine output power and battery output power
Empower: Adds power to wheels, engine pull-up threshold and accessory power consumption

All levels can show instant fuel economy, fuel economy history, odometer, engine coolant temperature, what gear the car is in and trip data (trip fuel economy, time-elapsed fuel economy and miles to empty). The engine coolant temperature indicator turns green when engine conditions are warm enough to allow engine pull-down.

Several other elements help differentiate the Milan Hybrid from its gas-powered sibling, including unique hybrid “road and leaf” badging on both sides and the rear of the vehicle; unique 17-inch, eight-spoke wheels; eco-friendly seat fabric made from post-industrial 100 percent recycled materials; and a standard 110-volt power outlet.

More horsepower, better fuel economy

Both the inline four-cylinder and V-6 engines are upgraded, with the four-cylinder engine increased to 2.5 liters and the 3-liter V-6 increasing its horsepower rating from 221 to 240. Each engine improves fuel economy as well, up to 4 or 5 mpg depending on the model.

The 2.5-liter I-4 engine, which improved its 0-60 mph time by more than 1 second to achieve best-in-class performance, is available with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, up from five speeds.

“The gear ratios and the overall span of the transmissions allow us to have a more-efficient shift schedule,” said Matt Hettenhouse, powertrain team leader for the Milan. The first gear can be made a little deeper, which provides smoother acceleration. At the top end, a higher gear allows the engine to run slower in highway conditions, which also aids fuel economy.

The innovative Easy Fuel™ capless fuel filler system also is standard. This industry-exclusive feature helps to reduce evaporative emissions that create smog and global warming. When fueling is completed, and the fuel pump nozzle is removed, the system automatically seals shut.

Better handling in a quieter, more-comfortable ride

Bringing a premium driving experience to the Mercury Milan was one of the goals for the team. For the 2010 model, strides were made in steering and handling, turning circle (better by about 1 foot) and an improved brake pedal feel. Upgraded 17-inch painted aluminum wheels are another performance and appearance enhancement standard on the Premier.

The 2010 Mercury Milan team also took a look at how to improve the comfort of the car. “We made a major improvement on interior quietness,” said Chief Engineer J.D. Shanahan. Hood insulators, inner and outer dash absorbers, new carpet, revised ceiling baffles, additional sound deadening in the trunk, new interior material and new headliner material are among the improvements made.

In addition, improved body and door sealing defends and improves upon Milan’s best-in-class standing in wind noise. Reductions in wind noise and road noise gives Mercury Milan drivers the level of quiet luxury they demand.

With design refinements to the exterior creating a sportier look as well as upgraded technology and materials inside, the 2010 Mercury Milan expands on the value package that makes it a leader in the mid-size car segment.

Staying connected

New technology features available on the 2010 Milan include:

Blind Spot Information System (BLISTM) with Cross Traffic Alert, which can help provide extra confidence to drivers in parking lots by alerting drivers sooner of nearby traffic while backing out. It uses two multiple beam radar modules, which are packaged in the rear quarter panels. The radar detects moving objects within a 65-foot range from either side of the vehicle. The radar identifies when a vehicle enters the defined blind spot zone and illuminates an indicator light on the corresponding side-view mirror providing a warning that a vehicle is approaching. An audible alert is sounded as well.

SYNC: The voice-activated hands-free in-car communication and entertainment system developed by Ford and Microsoft. The system fully integrates most Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and digital media players, providing customers hands-free cell phone and music selection capabilities – plus new 911 Assist and Vehicle Health Report provided with no monthly fees.

911 Assist: When a phone is properly paired, turned on and connected to SYNC, the system is ready to assist in placing a call directly to a local 911 emergency operator in the event of an air bag-deploying accident. The key advantage of SYNC 911Assist is speed, as calls are placed directly to local 911 operators.

Vehicle Health Report (VHR): SYNC gathers relevant information from the major vehicle control modules and packages diagnostic data into a usable format in a matter of minutes. That data packet is sent to Ford via an 800-number automatically dialed using the customer’s paired and operable mobile phone.

Voice-Activated Navigation, which integrates several functions including voice recognition destination entry, climate control and SIRIUS satellite radio into one easy-to-use system, displaying them on an 8-inch touch-screen display. The navigation system’s text-to-speech function calls out street names while in route to a destination and reads incoming text messages when the system is linked to SYNC. The integrated DVD player is capable of reading CD-Audio, MP3 CDs, DVD, DVD-Audio and DVD-ROM (for digital map updates). A music jukebox function stores more than 150 hours of music. The screen even can be customized with personal photos.

SIRIUS Travel Link™, an industry-leading technology that, when combined with the voice-activated navigation system will provide users with real-time traffic data with accident and incident information, coast-to-coast weather data including current conditions and five-day forecasts, and fuel price information for over 120,000 gas stations. Travel Link also offers sports scores and schedules and a listing of more than 4,500 movie theaters with movie times, theater addresses, movie synopses and more.

Reverse Camera System, which mounts a small camera on the spoiler that is activated when Milan is shifted into reverse, giving the driver a clear view behind the vehicle.

The video image is displayed in the optional navigation screen on Milans equipped with that option or in the self-dimming rearview mirror vehicles without navigation.
All Mercury Milan models will be built along side the Ford Fusion at Ford’s Hermosillo (Mexico) Stamping and Assembly Plant and will be in dealer showrooms in spring 2009.

Source: Ford.com

How to Buy A New Car Without Negotiating?

2009-11-06T03:58:00.000-08:00

There are two good ways to buy your new car or truck at a reasonable low price and avoid all of the negotiating games and hassles:

1. Buy through the Internet.
Buying your new or used car or truck through the Internet is the easiest and most hassle-free way to make the purchase.
All you have to do is choose the vehicle brand and model you wish to purchase as well as provide some basic contact information such as your name and e-mail address. In return, you'll receive - via e-mail - low bottom-line selling prices from dealerships in your area for the exact vehicle you want to buy. Compare the various selling prices and find the lowest one. Then, simply go direct to that dealership's Internet Department, sign the papers and drive your new car home - no negotiating, no hassles.

To begin the process, get your free price quotes from AOL Autos. It only takes a few minutes. This service is totally free and you are under no obligation or pressure to buy.

Within 24 hours, you'll receive your bottom-line selling prices from dealerships in your area. Once you've compared the various prices and found the lowest one, you then have four good options:

• You can go to the dealership that gave you the lowest price, sign the papers and drive your new car home -- no hassles, no negotiating.

• You can try to negotiate the lowest price with the dealership in order to get the price even lower. There's nothing that says you can't.

• You can shop the lowest price around to other dealerships to see if any of them are willing to beat it.

• You can do nothing. If you feel unsure or uncertain, then set it aside for a while. You are not obligated to buy anything you don't want.

By getting these low bottom-line selling prices via the Internet, you're avoiding the car salesman's entire negotiating game altogether. And you're buying your car at about the same price you would expect after lengthy negotiations. It's certainly the fastest and easiest way to beat the car salesman.

2. Buy through the dealership's Fleet Department.
Almost every dealership has a division called the "Fleet Department." It usually consists of only a handful of salespeople who specialize in selling fleets of cars -- large orders of several vehicles direct to businesses. This department is authorized by the dealership to sell their cars at bottom-line non-negotiable prices. The prices they offer are about the same as you would expect from an online price quote or after lengthy negotiations.
A secret of the car business is that many dealerships' Fleet Departments also sell direct to the public. By the rules of the game, however, they can't advertise to the public since they don't want to compete with the dealership's retail sales team. So to buy from the Fleet Department, you have to specifically ask.

To buy your vehicle direct from the dealership's Fleet Department, simply call the dealership and ask to speak with the Fleet Manager. When you get him on the line, explain to him that you're ready to buy a car and you'd like to buy it from him. If he asks you what business you are associated with, tell him where you work. He'll probably be happy to set up an appointment with you.

When you arrive at the dealership, the Fleet Manager will show you the vehicle, allow you to test drive it, and then bring you to the office to discuss price. With absolutely no negotiations, he'll offer you a reasonable bottom-line non-negotiable selling price for the vehicle.

If the price he gives you falls within the pre-set limits of your buying goal and you're satisfied with the deal, then you can buy the car. No pressure, no games, no hassles. If for some reason, you don't want to buy the vehicle, you are under no obligation. Simply thank the salesman for his time and leave on good terms. Then, if you'd like, you can visit (or call) the Fleet Departments of other dealerships to compare prices. The selling prices offered by the various Fleet Departments can vary depending upon their inventories.

Source: Autos Aol

2010 MERCURY MILAN; NEW HYBRID MODEL, CLASS- LEADING FUEL ECONOMY, SOPHISTICATED DESIGN

2009-10-15T10:43:00.000-07:00

For the 2010 model year, the Mercury Milan lineup expands to include an all-new hybrid that offers class-leading fuel economy, besting the Toyota Camry hybrid by at least 6 mpg in the city; innovative new SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide coaches hybrid drivers to maximize fuel efficiency Milan will offer two fuel-efficient gasoline engine options for the 2010 model – Ford’s all-new Duratec 2.5-liter I-4, producing 175 horsepower as well as an enhanced 3.0-liter V-6 with 19 more horsepower than its predecessor; Milans equipped with the 2.5-liter I-4 engine are expected to deliver at least 3 mpg better on the highway than the Honda Accord and 2 mpg better than the Toyota Camry, Milan features sophisticated style inside and out with class-exclusive features and technology, including SYNC, SIRIUS® with Travel Link™ and Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert

The 2010 Mercury Milan will be available in dealer showrooms in spring 2009

DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 19, 2008 – The Mercury Milan builds on a strong foundation of quality and reliability, adding to the mix for the 2010 model year an all-new hybrid model, more fuel-efficient gasoline powertrain options, class-exclusive technologies and a more refined, sophisticated design.

“The Milan has been a strong part of the Mercury lineup since its initial launch and has helped attract more consumers to dealer showrooms,” said John Felice, general manager, Ford, Lincoln Mercury Marketing. “For sophisticated consumers looking for a stylish hybrid, the Milan now offers them the most fuel-efficient hybrid sedan in its class.”

Chief designer Darrell Behmer and his team had the advantage of working from a vehicle that’s been lauded by consumers and consumer groups. “Our approach was to build upon the Milan’s strengths – to improve rather than reinvent,” Behmer said. “From a design standpoint, we wanted to clarify the design, making it cleaner and more modern.”

The changes to the exterior design were focused on the grille, fenders, hood, and front and rear fascias. The chin was pulled forward and the fascia was pulled down to give the 2010 Mercury Milan a wider, sportier look. Those changes as well as substantial underbody work made for a cleaner, more aerodynamic car.

With all models, the interior design team created a more contemporary, technical look with metallic new finishes on the instrument panel that carry through on the center console, doors and steering wheel. The all new instrument panel is finished with a soft upper and lower skin and has much less hard plastic than Japanese competitors. A redesigned leather wrapped steering wheel with form fitting palm swells, and new shifter, and wrapped and padded armrests have been added, increasing the Milan’s sportiness and comfort at all key driver touch points.

The seats received a makeover, as well. The seat contour has been revised, with more side support and overall a more comfortable seat with smoother bolsters and more-textural inserts. The seats also feature contrasting stitching and leather inserts to give the Milan even more attitude, befitting this mid-size sedan.

The gauge cluster has been designed with day time backlighting, a black lens, and 3-D elements to create a high tech jewel-like appearance, similar to a fine watch. Drivers will be greeted by a new “welcome” sequence that makes the Milan seem as if it’s coming to life.

Gauge needles sweep back and forth as the lighting and new chimes come on. The ambient lighting system offers the option of illuminating the front and rear footwells and front cup holders.

The two-tone look on the interior continues as a Milan signature, with satin-aluminum accents and a wood finish around the center stack. The Milan features Dark Charcoal Black, Medium Light Stone and Camel as interior choices through the Premier Series, which includes embossed leather.

An improved seat design with a new perforation pattern has been added as well. The seat contour itself was revised, with more side support to help create a softer seat overall.

All-new hybrid model

For the 2010 model year, the Mercury Milan adds an all-new hybrid model. The Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrids join the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner Hybrids, doubling both the size and volume of Ford’s hybrid lineup.

“Offering consumers more fuel-efficient vehicle choices, including improving and increasing our hybrid vehicle offerings and improving our high volume gasoline powertrains, is part of Ford’s broad plan to deliver technology solutions for affordable fuel economy for millions,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president for Global Product Development.

“With the new Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids, we are now able to offer even better range of travel on battery power at a greater speed, thanks to a more efficient, seamless transition between the battery-powered motor and gasoline-driven engine,” he said. “These new hybrids will exceed expectations on all fronts – fuel efficiency, comfort, convenience and drivability.”

The Ford Hybrid team has developed a powertrain system that combines the best attributes of the gasoline engine and electric battery-driven motors to deliver the optimal experience for the customer in terms of driving performance and fuel economy.

Additionally, the propulsion system for the Mercury Milan and Ford Fusion hybrids transitions between gas and electric power and back more efficiently and seamlessly.

The overall system upgrade allows the Mercury Milan and Ford Fusion hybrids to operate longer at higher speeds in electric mode. The hybrid vehicles can operate up to 47 mph in pure electric mode, approximately twice as fast as some competitors. Plus, the city driving range on a single tank of gas is expected to be more than 700 miles.

The next-generation hybrid system features:

New 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine (155 horsepower/136 lb.-ft. of torque) running the proven Atkinson cycle mated to an electronically-controlled continuously variable transmission or e-CVT.

Intake Variable Cam Timing (iVCT), which allows the vehicle to more seamlessly transition from gas to electric mode and vice-versa. The spark and cam timing are varied according to the engine load to optimize efficiency and emissions.

Enhanced electronic throttle control reduces airflow on shutdowns, reducing fueling needs on restarts.

A wide-band lambda sensor analyzes the air-fuel ratio and adjusts the lean/rich mixture accordingly to keep the system in balance and to minimize emissions.

A new smaller, lighter nickel-metal hydride battery has been optimized to produce 20 percent more power. Improved chemistry allows the battery to be run at a higher temperature and it is cooled using cabin air.

An added variable voltage converter boosts the voltage to the traction battery to operate the motor and generator more efficiently.

A new high-efficiency converter provides 14 percent increased output to accommodate a wider array of vehicle features.

Smarter climate control system monitors cabin temperature and only runs the gas engine as needed to heat the cabin; it also includes an electric air conditioning compressor to further minimize engine use and maximize comfort.

The regenerative brake system captures the energy normally lost through friction in braking and stores it. Nearly 94 percent energy recovery is achieved by first delivering full regenerative braking followed by friction brakes during city driving.

A simulator brake actuation system dictates brake actuation and delivers improved brake pedal feel compared to the previous generation braking system.

“Because our hybrid can run at a much higher speed in electric mode, you can do so much more in city-driving situations,” said Gil Portalatin, Hybrid Applications Manager. “Under the right conditions, you can drive in your neighborhood or mall parking lots without using a drop of gasoline.”

The Milan Hybrid also offers drivers a way to be more connected to the hybrid driving experience thanks to Ford’s SmartGauge with EcoGuide, a unique instrument cluster execution that helps coach them on how to optimize performance of their hybrid.

SmartGauge with EcoGuide features two, high-resolution, full-color liquid crystal display (LCD) screens on either side of the analog speedometer that can be configured to show different levels of information, including fuel and battery power levels, average and instant miles-per-gallon. Growing leaves and vines track and reward the driver’s efficiency.

EcoGuide uses a multi-layered approach to coach the driver to maximum fuel efficiency. A tutorial mode built into the display that helps the driver learn about the instrument cluster and the hybrid in a whimsical way that does not overpower.

For instance, drivers can choose one of four data screens to choose the information level displayed during their drives. They are:

Inform: Fuel level and battery charge status

Enlighten: Adds electric vehicle mode indicator and tachometer
Engage: Adds engine output power and battery output power
Empower: Adds power to wheels, engine pull-up threshold and accessory power consumption

All levels can show instant fuel economy, fuel economy history, odometer, engine coolant temperature, what gear the car is in and trip data (trip fuel economy, time-elapsed fuel economy and miles to empty). The engine coolant temperature indicator turns green when engine conditions are warm enough to allow engine pull-down.

Several other elements help differentiate the Milan Hybrid from its gas-powered sibling, including unique hybrid “road and leaf” badging on both sides and the rear of the vehicle; unique 17-inch, eight-spoke wheels; eco-friendly seat fabric made from post-industrial 100 percent recycled materials; and a standard 110-volt power outlet.

More horsepower, better fuel economy

Both the inline four-cylinder and V-6 engines are upgraded, with the four-cylinder engine increased to 2.5 liters and the 3-liter V-6 increasing its horsepower rating from 221 to 240. Each engine improves fuel economy as well, up to 4 or 5 mpg depending on the model.

The 2.5-liter I-4 engine, which improved its 0-60 mph time by more than 1 second to achieve best-in-class performance, is available with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, up from five speeds.

“The gear ratios and the overall span of the transmissions allow us to have a more-efficient shift schedule,” said Matt Hettenhouse, powertrain team leader for the Milan. The first gear can be made a little deeper, which provides smoother acceleration. At the top end, a higher gear allows the engine to run slower in highway conditions, which also aids fuel economy.

The innovative Easy Fuel™ capless fuel filler system also is standard. This industry-exclusive feature helps to reduce evaporative emissions that create smog and global warming. When fueling is completed, and the fuel pump nozzle is removed, the system automatically seals shut.

Better handling in a quieter, more-comfortable ride
Bringing a premium driving experience to the Mercury Milan was one of the goals for the team. For the 2010 model, strides were made in steering and handling, turning circle (better by about 1 foot) and an improved brake pedal feel. Upgraded 17-inch painted aluminum wheels are another performance and appearance enhancement standard on the Premier.

The 2010 Mercury Milan team also took a look at how to improve the comfort of the car. “We made a major improvement on interior quietness,” said Chief Engineer J.D. Shanahan. Hood insulators, inner and outer dash absorbers, new carpet, revised ceiling baffles, additional sound deadening in the trunk, new interior material and new headliner material are among the improvements made.

In addition, improved body and door sealing defends and improves upon Milan’s best-in-class standing in wind noise. Reductions in wind noise and road noise gives Mercury Milan drivers the level of quiet luxury they demand.

With design refinements to the exterior creating a sportier look as well as upgraded technology and materials inside, the 2010 Mercury Milan expands on the value package that makes it a leader in the mid-size car segment.

Staying connected

New technology features available on the 2010 Milan include:

Blind Spot Information System (BLISTM) with Cross Traffic Alert, which can help provide extra confidence to drivers in parking lots by alerting drivers sooner of nearby traffic while backing out. It uses two multiple beam radar modules, which are packaged in the rear quarter panels. The radar detects moving objects within a 65-foot range from either side of the vehicle. The radar identifies when a vehicle enters the defined blind spot zone and illuminates an indicator light on the corresponding side-view mirror providing a warning that a vehicle is approaching. An audible alert is sounded as well.

SYNC: The voice-activated hands-free in-car communication and entertainment system developed by Ford and Microsoft. The system fully integrates most Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and digital media players, providing customers hands-free cell phone and music selection capabilities – plus new 911 Assist and Vehicle Health Report provided with no monthly fees.

911 Assist: When a phone is properly paired, turned on and connected to SYNC, the system is ready to assist in placing a call directly to a local 911 emergency operator in the event of an air bag-deploying accident. The key advantage of SYNC 911 Assist is speed, as calls are placed directly to local 911 operators.

Vehicle Health Report (VHR): SYNC gathers relevant information from the major vehicle control modules and packages diagnostic data into a usable format in a matter of minutes. That data packet is sent to Ford via an 800-number automatically dialed using the customer’s paired and operable mobile phone.

Voice-Activated Navigation, which integrates several functions including voice recognition destination entry, climate control and SIRIUS satellite radio into one easy-to-use system, displaying them on an 8-inch touch-screen display. The navigation system’s text-to-speech function calls out street names while in route to a destination and reads incoming text messages when the system is linked to SYNC. The integrated DVD player is capable of reading CD-Audio, MP3 CDs, DVD, DVD-Audio and DVD-ROM (for digital map updates). A music jukebox function stores more than 150 hours of music. The screen even can be customized with personal photos.

SIRIUS Travel Link™, an industry-leading technology that, when combined with the voice-activated navigation system will provide users with real-time traffic data with accident and incident information, coast-to-coast weather data including current conditions and five-day forecasts, and fuel price information for over 120,000 gas stations. Travel Link also offers sports scores and schedules and a listing of more than 4,500 movie theaters with movie times, theater addresses, movie synopses and more.

Reverse Camera System, which mounts a small camera on the spoiler that is activated when Milan is shifted into reverse, giving the driver a clear view behind the vehicle.

The video image is displayed in the optional navigation screen on Milans equipped with that option or in the self-dimming rearview mirror vehicles without navigation.
All Mercury Milan models will be built along side the Ford Fusion at Ford’s Hermosillo (Mexico) Stamping and Assembly Plant and will be in dealer showrooms in spring 2009.

Mercury Commuter

2009-09-01T05:10:00.001-07:00

1966 Mercury Commuter

The Mercury Commuter was Mercury's lowest-priced full-size station wagon from 1957 to 1968. When introduced for the 1957 model year it was priced below Mercury's other two new full size wagons, the Voyager and the Colony Park. It was initially available as a two door wagon and as a four door wagon with the former discontinued after the 1959 model year. The Commuter was temporarily absent in 1963, in concession to the new Meteor station wagons, but was reinstated for 1964, when the Meteor was dropped. The Commuter was phased out for good, like the full-size Mercury Montclair and Park Lane, after the 1968 model year. On a collectible scale model note, a 1968 Commuter wagon was rendered in the form of a Matchbox scale die cast car, however, along with a companion Matchbox 1968 Park Lane sedan.

1957 Mercury Commuter 2-door hardtop station wagon

'49 Mercury Convertible

2009-08-16T04:46:00.000-07:00

We have a solid rare car to begin with (not chopped) and then we took it to the nines. Underneath the car is solid and clean. No rot, no rust. Aluminized mufflers and exhausts. Convertible top is a tan Mercedes Hartz Stayfast. This car has only 2,167 miles since being done. Nose Decked & Shave Door Handles Power Top, Dual Frenched Power Antennas, Am-Fm Cassette Radio, Hidden CD Player, Original Radio in Dash, Disc Brakes, Ron Francis Wiring Harness, Diamond Back Wide White Radials, Fresh 350 w/700R4 Overdrive Transmission, Power Windows, Power Steering, Keyless Entry For Doors & Trunk, Dual Dummy Spots, Tilt Wheel, Beautiful Tan Leather Upholstery, New Soft Convertible Boot, New Brakes, Cylinders & Brake Lines, New Electric Fuel Pump, All these features and more…

Source: Hotrod Hotline

'63 Mercury 4 Door Custom Meteor

2009-08-16T04:28:00.000-07:00

All original 4 door Custom, 67,378 actual miles, 260 V-8, automatic, not driven since early 1990's. Minimal rust, runs/drives needs radiator would make dandy odd rod. Original wheels and caps in trunk. Additional 302 V-8 and C-4 transmission available.

Source: Hotrod Hotline

1947 Mercury Pickup Truck - The End? Dj Vu

2009-08-15T23:37:00.000-07:00

By John Gilbert
Photography by Greg Doucette

Whether loyal CCT readers are aware of it or not I don't know, but each month's edition brings with it an underlying theme. These common threads aren't planned, they just seem to happen. Greg Doucette of Grande-Digue, New Brunswick, Canada, sent us this photo of what he thinks, is a '47 Mercury. Greg said he found the Mercury in a field about 1/2-mile from the Bay of Fundy near Dorchester, New Brunswick. Strange as this may seem, if the Mercury was driving around town in 1957, I might have seen it. Remember reading about Fred Steiner's '56 Chevy in this issue and the summer trip his family took due to a plumber's strike? My dad belonged to the same Local and our family also took an extended summer vacation during the strike. We drove our '50 Olds 88 clear across the states up into Canada and I got to stick my toes into the red clay of the Bay of Fundy while the tidal bore was out. When we returned to California in September my dad bought his Kodiak Brown '58 Chevy longbed with a Panoramic rear window.

Source: Custom Classic Trucks

1939 Mercury Nostalgia Rod

2009-08-01T04:24:00.000-07:00

Why Mercury. Why Now.

2009-07-31T09:06:00.000-07:00

If you've been considering a new-vehicle purchase or lease, now would be a great time to consider Mercury. If you have already purchased from us, we appreciate your business. Please pass this offer to family and friends.

Why Mercury.

Because we have the most fuel-efficient midsize sedan in America1 — Mercury Milan and the most fuel-efficient SUV2 on the planet — Mercury Mariner Hybrid.

Why Now.

The government's CARS program, better known as "Cash for Clunkers," is offering a $3,500 or $4,500 incentive when you trade in a qualifying vehicle at our dealership. We are your Cash for Clunkers Specialist, and no one makes it easier to recycle your ride.

Please contact us immediately; you may also be eligible for THOUSANDS of dollars in private offers this month that are compatible with all rebates and incentives.

1EPA-estimated 23 city/34 hwy/27 combined mpg, Milan I-4 automatic with Rapid Spec 101A. Midsize class per R. L. Polk & Co. Non-hybrid. 22009 EPA-estimated 34 city/31 hwy mpg, Mariner Hybrid FWD. Actual mileage will vary. Excludes vehicles built for Mazda. This is a government program, and rules are subject to change. Vouchers are available at participating dealers and are limited. Rebate varies based on vehicle age, ownership length and old/new vehicle fuel economy. Not all vehicles qualify. Offer good while voucher supplies last or until 11/1/09. See cars.gov or ford.com for complete details.

It Pays To Own A Mercury

2009-07-03T02:57:00.001-07:00

Mercury Ad

Mercury Sable

2009-07-01T03:10:00.000-07:00

Mercury Sable

Manufacturer Ford Motor Company

Production start 1985

June 2007

Production end

April 29, 2005
May 21, 2009

Predecessor

Mercury Marquis (1986)
Mercury Montego (2008)

Successor

Mercury Milan (2005)

Class Mid-size (1985–2005)

Full-size (2007-2009)

The Mercury Sable is a mid-size (model years 1986-2005) or full-size (2008-2009) luxury sedan car model created by the Ford Motor Company and sold under the Mercury brand. It served as a rebadged variant of the Ford Taurus.

The Sable was a milestone design for both Mercury and the entire American automotive industry, as well as a very influential vehicle in the marketplace, with Mercury selling 2,107,061 cars (as of May 31, 2009) during more than 20 years of production. The Sable's design was so futuristic, that it was called by the press "The car that came from the moon". An important feature of the Sable's design was its front "lightbar", a low-wattage lamp between the front headlamps. This later became mainstream for Mercury's line-up, and was copied by many automakers in the early nineties.

The Sable was refreshed in 1992 and received its first complete redesign in 1996. The 1996 model remained the basis for the vehicle up through the 2005 model year. A major sheet metal and interior redesign occurred in 2000, softening some of the controversial design vestiges of the 1996 model which the Taurus also endured. Minor styling changes in 2004 further refined the car.

The Sable station wagon ended production in 2004 and sedan production ended on April 29, 2005. The Ford Taurus remained in production through the 2007 model year, primarily for service as a fleet vehicle. Taurus production ended on October 27, 2006.

At the Chicago Auto Show on February 7, 2007, Ford CEO Alan Mulally unveiled a refreshed version of the Mercury Montego sedan and announced that the new name of the car would be "Sable," due to customer recognition and dealer demand.

However, sales never met expectations and the full-size Sable ended production (permanently, this time) on May 21, 2009. Its Taurus counterpart continued on and was redesigned. The Sable's second counterpart, the Ford Taurus X, ended production on February 27, 2009.

First generation (1986–1991)

Production 1986-1991

Assembly

Atlanta, Georgia (Hapeville, GA Plant)
Chicago, Illinois

Body style(s)

4-door sedan
4-door station wagon

Layout FF layout

Platform

Ford D186 platform

Engine(s)

2.5 L HSC I4
3.0 L Vulcan V6
3.8 L Essex V6

Transmission(s)

3-speed ATX automatic
4-speed AXOD automatic

Wheelbase 106.0 in.

Length

190.9 in. (1986-88 sedan)
192.2 in. (1989-1991 sedan)
193.2 in. (1989-1991 station wagon)
191.9 in. (1986-88 station wagon)

Width 70.8 in.

Height

54.3 in. (sedan)
55.1 in. (station wagon)

Related

Ford Taurus
Lincoln Continental

Designer: Jack Telnack

Mercury Sable wagon

The Sable was a very important sedan for both Mercury and the American auto industry.

Ford had lagged in introducing mid-size front wheel drive cars to compete against General Motors' Chevrolet Citation and its best-selling Chevrolet Celebrity/Pontiac 6000/Oldsmobile Cutlass/Buick Century quartet as well as Chrysler's well-received K cars and Japanese offerings from Honda, Datsun/Nissan and Toyota. The Mercury brand suffered even more from this delay. In 1984, Ford launched the redesigned Mercury Cougar to start a reinvigoration of the Mercury brand with new aerodynamic designs, and started development of the Sable.[8] Because of this design, the Sable was a resounding success and launched Mercury into a new design era, as well as influencing the other American automakers to follow suit and create more aerodynamic cars, thus ending the "boxy" cars of the 1970s and 1980s.

The Taurus and Sable siblings used flush aerodynamic composite headlights. Ford was the first to produce and sell vehicles with such headlights in the U.S., when it introduced the Lincoln Mark VII in 1984. To do so, Ford (among other automakers) had to lobby the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to have them approved. The Taurus and Sable were the first domestically-produced, mainstream sedans to use the new lights. They also went beyond the Audi 5000, with which they were often compared, to adopt a grille-less "bottom breather" nose, first pioneered by the Citroën DS in the 1950s, and also used briefly on the Mustang.

The Sable was unveiled along with the Taurus in a resounding fashion. For its aerodynamic shape, the launch was held in MGM Studios Soundstage 85, where Gone with the Wind was filmed. Ford workers came into the room, which was decorated in space-age decor, holding cups shaped like flying saucers and the Taurus and Sable were sitting behind a curtain, their outlines silhouetting. Then, with the flashing of strobe lights and a drum-roll, the curtain was pulled back and the two cars were revealed to the public.

The bodyshell was smooth and aerodynamic. The Sable twin had a wraparound "lightbar" with two headlights and a low-wattage stretch in between. Aircraft-style doors were used to reduce wind noise, and the handles were recessed. The Sable also had large glass areas with slim pillars, and were flush with the body. The rear glass wrapped fully around, and the B-pillars were painted black to give the illusion that the front and rear glass were connected. The interior was available with bucket seats — very rare for most U.S. midsize sedans — and the dashboard wrapped around the driver and fed into the door panels to create more of a "cockpit" feel.

The Sable was first introduced as a 1986 model in December 1985, to strong sales and fanfare. It came in two models, base GS and high-end LS. Initial Sable sales were strong, and the Sable sold around 300,000 units its first year.

For the first year on the market, Sable buyers had the choice of a 90 hp HSC 4-cylinder mated to a three-speed automatic transaxle or a 140 hp Vulcan V6 with a four-speed automatic, with the latter having much higher sales. 4-cylinder Sable sales were so poor that the engine was dropped in 1987 (it remained an option for the Taurus until 1991). Ford's 3.8 L Essex V6 was added to the line-up in 1988. Although the power output was rated at the same 140 hp (104 kW) as the 3.0 L engine, this large V6 produced 215 ft·lbf (291 N·m) of torque, a welcome addition, especially in the heavier station wagons. However, the 3.8 suffered from premature head gasket failure, which was primarily a fault with Ford's supplier of gaskets, not with the engine itself. Some also attribute this to reduced under-hood cooling. Unlike the Taurus, no manual transmission was offered in the Sable.

The Sable had just received small changes over the years, mostly in terms of equipment and cosmetics. In 1991, sales dipped to just over 100,000 units, so a new generation of Sable was launched.

Sable In Mexico

This generation of the Sable wasn't sold in Mexico. It was sold with Mercury badges as the Ford Taurus up until 1995, especially with the second generation.

Awards

The Sable was on Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list on its release in 1986 and again in 1990 and 1991.

Second generation (1992–1995)

Production 1992–1995

Assembly

Atlanta, Georgia
Chicago, Illinois

Body style(s)

4-door sedan
4-door station wagon

Layout FF layout

Platform Ford D186 platform

Engine(s)

3.0 L Vulcan V6
3.8 L Essex V6

Transmission(s)

4-speed AXOD-E/AX4S automatic
4-speed AX4N automatic

Wheelbase 106.0 in.

Length

192.2 in. (sedan)
193.2 in. (wagon)

Width 71.2 in.

Height

54.4 in. (sedan)
55.5 in. (wagon)

Related

Ford Taurus
Lincoln Continental
Ford Windstar

Designer

Jack Telnack

Second-generation Mercury Sable wagon

The Sable received its first significant cosmetic update in 1992, which modernized the interior and the front and rear fascias. The operation cost Ford $650 million at the time. With the older model facing slumping sales, this new model brought sales back up again, with 410,000 examples sold during 1992, a number unheard of even today. While the design was basically the same, every body panel on the sedan except for the doors was changed, on the station wagon all the sheet metal to the rear of the cowl was the same as that of the 1986-1995 Ford Taurus wagon. The interior was also redesigned, and included an optional passenger-side airbag, a first in its class. The Taurus, sister car of the Sable, was the best-selling car in the United States for every year of this cosmetic update.

The base "GS" and luxury "LS" trim levels were carried over from the previous generation. A front cloth bench seat were standard on GS sedans and wagons, although cloth bucket seats were available on GS sedans only. Higher-end cloth bucket seats were standard on LS sedans, but a bench seat was a no cost option. A front bench was standard on LS wagons, with bucket seats optional. Leather seating surfaces were available on all LS Sables.

In 1993, unpopular optional features such as the "InstaClear" heated windshield were eliminated. For 3.0 L V6 engines, the drive belt system became a single-belt setup for 1993 (previously, the 3.0 L alternator had used a separate belt). A passenger-side airbag became standard for 1993, and a redesigned drivers side airbag and steering wheel came in 1994. Also in 1994, some 3.0 L models began receiving the new AX4N transmission.

The wagon version was available with mostly the same options as the sedan versions. Wagons had a maximum of 81.1 cubic feet of cargo area with the 60/40 split rear seat folded down. They featured a 2-way liftgate (raise the entire liftgate or just the window), a roof rack with crossbar and tie-downs, an optional rear-facing third seat, a lockable under-floor compartment, and an optional fold-out picnic table. With both rear split seats in the upright position, standard cargo capacity was 45.7 cubic feet. Wagons that were equipped with the front bench seat and rear folding seat could seat eight people.

The last year of this updated Sable generation was 1995. For the 1995 model year, the rare LTS trim level was added. It featured leather bucket seats, Taurus LX-style alloy wheels, special cladding, and many leather wrapped interior trim parts. The LTS trim had either the standard 3.0 L Vulcan V6 or the optional 3.8 L Essex V6.

Third generation (1996–1999)

Production: 1996–1999

Assembly

Atlanta, Georgia
Chicago, Illinois

Body style(s)

4-door sedan
4-door station wagon

Layout: FF layout

Platform: Ford D186 platform

Engine(s)

3.0 L Vulcan V6
3.0 L Duratec V6

Transmission(s)

4-speed AX4N automatic

Wheelbase 108.5 in.

Length

199.7 in. (sedan)
199.1 in. (station wagon)

Width 73.0 in.

Height

55.4 in. (sedan)
57.6 in. (station wagon)

Related

Ford Taurus
Lincoln Continental
Ford Windstar

The 1996 model year saw the first complete redesign for the Sable. Ford hoped the radical redesign would lead to the same success it had had with the 1986 Sable. The controversial oval theme was not well received by the press and the public, and is ultimately blamed as the reason for a substantial dip in sales. For this generation, the Sable tried to move slightly upmarket, and as a result, prices rose considerably, also driving away potential buyers. The 1996 Sable was the first model to share sheetmetal with the Taurus. Differences from the Taurus included different front and rear fascias, and the elimination of the rear quarter window. Although the Sable used a less oval based styling, sales still fell.

The 1996 model could be equipped with the powerful 200 hp (149 kW) 3.0 L DOHC Duratec 30 V6 as an option. Trim lines stayed the same, with GS as the entry level model and LS as the most luxurious model. The LTS was eliminated. Although all 1998 models had the option of the DOHC Duratec engine, it was only available on the LS for 1999. That same year front bucket seats became optional on the GS. Mercury claimed that the 1999 Duratec had less power than the 2000 Duratec in hopes to increase sales of the 2000 Sable.

1998-1999 Mercury Sable LS wagon

In an effort to reverse the declining sales of the Sable, Mercury did major cost cutting for the 1997 model. They carried this further for 1998, by giving it a front end facelift, and cutting the price up to $2,000 in 1999. Mercury also continued to cut costs, eliminating some options for 1999.

Fourth generation (2000–2005)

Production 2000–2005

Assembly

Atlanta, Georgia
Chicago, Illinois

Body style(s)

4-door sedan
4-door station wagon

Layout: FF layout

Platform: Ford D186 platform

Engine(s)

3.0 L Vulcan V6
3.0 L Duratec V6

Transmission(s)

4-speed AX4N automatic

Wheelbase: 108.5 in.

Length

197.8 in. (station wagon)
199.8 in. (sedan)

Width: 73.0 in.

Height

57.8 in. (station wagon)
55.5 in (sedan)

Related

Ford Taurus
Lincoln Continental

2000-2003 Mercury Sable LS wagon

The Sable received another redesign in 2000, which minimized some of the oval design elements from the 1996 model, replacing them with more conventional styling. The redesign also featured a taller roof over the rear-passenger space, to increase passenger headroom that had been sacrificed by the tapered 1996 design. The taller and roomier trunk also served to make the vehicle more functional. The interior was completely changed for a much more conservative design. Certain elements of the interior were retained from the 1996 model, such as the integrated control console, which combined the sound system and climate controls into one panel; but the shape of that panel was changed from the controversial oval to a more conventional and conservative trapezoid. The suspension was also softened to appeal to a broader, non-sporting audience. To reduce the price and increase profitability, many features such as four-wheel disc brakes were eliminated on the sedan; station wagons retained four-wheel disc brakes.

2004-2005 Mercury Sable GS sedan

The 2002 Sable included extra equipment on every trim level, including a CD player and power driver's seat on the GS, and a power moonroof or leather interior on the LS.[9] Side airbags and traction control were added as options on all models. For 2004, the Sable received minor cosmetic changes to the front and rear fascias, most noticeably the grille was made fully chrome. Inside were a new instrument cluster and steering wheel.

Due to the Mercury brand's discontinuation in Canada, the fourth generation Sable was never available in the Canadian market. Thus it was unique to the US and Mexico.

The 2005 Mercury Montego and 2006 Milan were launched as replacements for the Sable. Shortly after the Montego's introduction the Sable was discontinued, along with the Taurus wagon; the Taurus sedan continued to be produced, but primarily for the fleet market. The last Sable left the Atlanta plant on April 29, 2005.

Fifth generation (2008-2009)

Production: 2007-2009

Assembly

Chicago, Illinois

Predecessor: Mercury Montego

Successor: Ford Taurus

Body style(s)

4-door sedan

Layout: Front engine, front-wheel drive / four-wheel drive

Platform: Ford D3 platform

Engine(s)

3.5 L Cyclone V6

Transmission(s)

6-speed 6F automatic

Wheelbase: 112.9 in

Length: 202.1 in

Width: 74.5 in

Height: 61.5 in

Curb weight

3643 lb (FWD)
3814 lb (AWD)

Related

Lincoln MKS
Volvo S60
Volvo XC90
Ford Taurus
Ford Taurus X
Ford Flex

Designer J Mays

Ford CEO Alan Mulally said that Ford's scheme to make all its cars names start with the letter F was a bad move, as it made Ford's new cars easily forgettable.
Mulally wanted to revive some known and respected Ford nameplates for its new model line, the Sable being one of them. The new 2008 Sable went on sale in late July 2007, though remaining 2007 Montegos continued being sold as of August 2007. Mulally believed that with the new name, more customers would recognize the car, thus raising sales.

Changes to the new Sable from the existing Montego included a new front end with Milan-inspired headlamps, as well as exterior satin-aluminum mirror and door-handle accents, and new LED taillights. Also new was the addition of the 3.5 L Cyclone engine from the Ford Edge, as well as the replacement of the continuously variable transmission (CVT) with a conventional one to counter criticism of the Montego being underpowered. On Wednesday February 7, Ford confirmed the changes.

When Ford redesigned the Taurus for 2010, they opted not to continue the Sable so they could commit more engineering and advertising to the Taurus. Sable production ended on May 21, 2009.

Special editions

A few rare special editions of the Sable were made, all consisting of first generation models.

In 1987, Mercury created a special edition of the Sable called the "LS Monochrome Edition", which as an option would color the bumpers, side trim, and wheels white. It was only offered in 1987; the production quantity is not known and it is also unknown how many still exist.

In 1989, Mercury created a "50th Anniversary" edition of the Sable, to celebrate Mercury's 50th Anniversary. Keeping with the name, only 50 were sold, combined between GS and LS models. This Sable was actually a test bed for creating a Luxury sports version of the Sable called the LTS, similar to that of the Ford Taurus SHO. It was meant to use the SHO's chassis, interior, and suspension, but not the engine. After the launch of the SHO, and all the publicity and praise it got, Ford shelved the Sable LTS to focus on the SHO, and because they were afraid it would take sales away from the SHO. The Sable LTS remained in a "development hell" until mid-1994 when it was introduced as a high end version of the Sable, but by then, it was just a highly optioned LS. An unknown number of these Sables still exist, but a pristine condition GS in this trim was sold on eBay in 2007.

A special one-of-a-kind Sable convertible was created in 1988 for the Detroit SAE auto show. It was built from a sedan chassis and featured a completely custom two-door body with a custom folding top. However, it was shelved; the only one sat in a warehouse for years until it was given a VIN, titled, and driven. It was sold on eBay in 2006.

In an article in Automotive News (circa 1990) an all aluminum "body in white" was made for a Sable. In an accompanying photo it is shown being held up by two middle aged women, leading to the belief it would weigh less than 600 lbs. At the time Audi had just released the A8, so it might have been an engineering exercise for constructing all aluminum frames, as Jaguar has now. Whatever became of the "Aluminum Sable Unibody", or if there was more than one, is unknown.

Popular culture

In the movie Coneheads, the main character, Beldar, drives a 1992 Sable GS. The car is equipped with a removable sunroof to accommodate his "cone." At the end of the movie, the car is taken to planet Remulak, and the owner's guide given as a gift to the Conehead Highmaster. The car is described as "a personal conveyance named after its inventor, an assassinated ruler, a character from Greco-Roman myth and a small furry mammal."

External links:

Mercury Sable official site

FAQ Farm's Mercury Sable FAQ: wiki question and answer forum

Taurus Car Club of America

TCCA: Taurus/Sable Encyclopedia

The Mercury Messenger Concept Car

2009-06-23T09:52:00.000-07:00

Powered by basically the same V8 engine as the Mustang GT, the Messenger concept not only looks fast but also has the acceleration to back it up.

The Messenger is equipped with stunningly beautiful 18-spoke polished alloy wheels - 19-inches up front and 20-inches at the rear.

One of the Messengers most impressive features is its computer active suspension that adjusts the cars ride height, modifies the suspension setup and then integrates intelligent traction control.

The Messenger is large for a two-seat coupe, and comes with numerous convenience items, including a powerful THX certified digital CD/radio audio system.

The Messenger is a car that makes you sit up and take notice, but does Mercury have the cachet to attract traditional import buyers?

540,000 miles on the same car....

2009-06-20T06:52:00.000-07:00

My Ford experience included selling these cars to Lincoln Mercury dealers. It was a hot item.

In 1963 Ford had a promotion at the Daytona speedway. They had 4 or 5 Comets running in a "100,000 miles at 100 mph" event. All Comets finished the course with one breakdown. One car broke a valvespring in the engine, which was repaired and finished the test. Cheapest one sold for about $2,000 retail and they sold a bunch of them.

I drove one of these cars after the test. Ran fine, but a little noisy.

Bob M.

540,000 miles on the same car.... ((( You gota love this lady )))

This is great video clip ....if you love old cars, senior citizens.

This is a GREAT story about an older woman and her car. She even drives it to her 70th reunion!

She also knows how to protect herself....

She has driven this car 540,000+ miles

Enjoy

Click Here: To Watch The Video

Mercury Pickup's (Canada)

2009-06-20T04:06:00.000-07:00

1947 M47 And 1950 F47

Doug R's 1948 Mercury M47 and Andy V's 1950 Ford F47

1962 Mercury Econoline

1962 Mercury Econoline
1962 Mercury Econoline tailgate

Click Here: To check out the SOCP Website for Classic Ford And Mercury Trucks.

Mercury Cougar

2009-06-18T14:46:00.001-07:00

The Mercury Cougar was an automobile sold under the Mercury brand of the Ford Motor Company's Lincoln-Mercury Division. The name was first used in 1967 and was carried by a diverse series of cars over the next three decades. As is common with Mercury vehicles, the Cougar shared basic platforms with Ford models. Originally this was the Mustang, but later versions of the Cougar were based on the Thunderbird, and the last was a version of the Contour/Mondeo. The Cougar was important to Mercury's image for many years, and advertising often identified its dealers as being "at the sign of the cat." Models holding big cats on leashes were used on Cougar ads in the early 1970s. The car was assembled at the Dearborn Assembly Plant (DAP) (one of six plants within the Ford Rouge Center) in Dearborn, Michigan from 1967-73 and at the Lorain Assembly Plant (LAP) in Lorain, Ohio from 1974-97.

The First generation (1967-70)

First generation

Production 1967-1970

Assembly

Dearborn, Michigan

Body style(s)

2-door hardtop coupe
2-door convertible

Layout FR layout

Engine(s)

200 hp (149 kW) 289 in³ V8
335 hp (250 kW) 390 in³ V8
230 hp (172 kW) 302 in³ V8
290 hp (216 kW) 351 Windsor V8
335 hp (250 kW) 428 in³ V8
390 hp (291 kW) 427 in³ V8

Wheelbase 111 in (2819 mm)

Related Ford Mustang

1967 Mercury Cougar

The 1967 Cougar was based on that year's refaced first-generation Mustang, but with a 3 inch (76 mm) longer wheelbase and new sheet metal. A full-width divided grille with hidden headlamps and vertical bars defined the front fascia—it was sometimes called the electric shaver grille. At the rear, a similar treatment saw the license plate surrounded on both sides with vertically slatted grillework concealing taillights (with sequential turn signals), a styling touch taken from the Thunderbird. A deliberate effort was made to give the car a more "European" flavor than the Mustang, at least to American buyers' eyes. Aside from the base model and the luxurious XR-7, only one trim package was available for either model: the sporty GT. The XR-7 model brought a wood-grained steering wheel, a simulated wood-grained dashboard with a full set of black-faced competition instruments and toggle switches, an overhead console, a T-type center automatic transmission shifter, and leather or vinyl seats. The GT package, meanwhile, supplied a much larger engine, Ford's 390 in³ (6.4 L) FE-series big block to replace the small-block 289 in³ (4.7 L) standard powerplant. Along with this came an upgraded suspension to handle the extra weight of the big engine and give better handling, more powerful brakes, better tires and a low-restriction exhaust system. The Cougar was Motor Trend magazine's Car of the Year for 1967.

1969 Mercury Cougar

The Cougar continued to be a Mustang twin for seven years, and could be optioned as a genuine muscle car. Nevertheless, it gradually tended to shift away from performance and toward luxury, evolving into something new in the market — a plush pony car. The signs were becoming clear as early as 1970, when a special edition styled by fashion designer Pauline Trigere appeared, complete with a hound's-tooth pattern vinyl roof. A reskinning in 1971 saw the hidden headlights vanish for good, although hidden wipers were adopted. Between 1969 and 1973, Cougar convertibles were offered.

The introduction of the Cougar finally gave Mercury its own pony car. Slotted between the Ford Mustang and the Ford Thunderbird, the Cougar would be the performance icon and eventually the icon for the Mercury name for several decades. The Cougar was available in two models (base and XR-7) and only came in one body style (a two door hardtop). Engine choices ranged from the 200 hp (149 kW) 289 in³ 2-barrel V8 to the 335 hp (250 kW) 390 in³ 4-barrel V8. A notable performance package called the GT was available on both the base and XR-7 Cougars. This included the 390 in³ V8 as well as a performance handling package and other performance goodies.

Not much changed for the Cougar in its second year. The addition of federally mandated side marker lights was the major change. But the biggest changes were under the hood and performance-wise for the XR-7 model. Three new engines were added to the option list this year—the 230 hp (172 kW) 302 in³, 4-barrel V8; the 335 hp (250 kW) 428 in³, 4-barrel V8; and the 390 hp (291 kW) 427 in³, 4-barrel V8. Mercury was serious about the Cougar being the performance icon for the company. The XR-7G, named for Mercury road racer Dan Gurney, came with all sorts of performance add-ons, including a hood scoop, Lucas fog lamps and hood pins. Engine selection was limited only to the 302, 390 and the 428 V8. A grand total of 619 XR-7G's were produced, and only 14 G's were produced with the 428 CJ. The mid-year 7.0 L GT-E package was available on both the standard and XR-7 Cougars and came with the legendary 427 V8. The 428 Cobra Jet Ram Air was available in limited numbers on the GT-E towards the end of the model year. Conservatively rated at 335 hp (250 kW) , the 428 Cobra Jet could produce much more (306 kW (410 hp)) from the factory. A grand total of 394 GT-E's were produced, and only 37 were equipped with the 428 Cobra Jet.

The third year of production, 1969, brought several new additions to the Cougar lineup. A convertible model was now available in both standard and XR-7 trim. These highly anticipated soft tops proved quite popular and today are considered, by many, among the most desirable of the '67-'70 production run. Exterior-wise, the grille switched from vertical bars to horizontal bars, and a spoiler and a Ram Air induction hood scoop were added as options. A new performance package appeared and several disappeared. The XR-7G and the 7.0 L GT-E disappeared, but the 390 and 428 V8s remained. The 290 hp (216 kW) 351 Windsor V8 was added to the engine lineup. The Eliminator performance package appeared for the first time. A standard 351 in 4-barrel V8 under the hood, with the 390 4-barrel V8, the 428CJ and the Boss 302 available as an option. The Eliminator was the new top of the line performance model of the Cougar lineup. It also featured a blacked-out grille, special side stripes, front and rear spoilers, optional Ram Air induction system, and a more performance tuned suspension and handling package. It also came in a variety of vibrant colors like White, Bright Blue Metallic, Competition Orange, and Bright Yellow. Only 2 Cougars came with the Boss 429 V8, making them the rarest Cougars ever built.

1970 Mercury Cougar

The 1970 Cougar appearance wise was similar to the 1969 model, however there were numerous changes inside and out. It now sported a new front end which featured a pronounced center hood extension and electric shaver grille similar to the 1967 and 1968 Cougars. Federally mandated locking steering columns took place on the inside, and the aforementioned new nose and taillight bezels updated the look on the outside. The 300 hp (224 kW) 351 "Cleveland" V8 was now available for the first time though both the Cleveland and Windsor engines were available if you took the base model 2-barrel motor. The 390 Ford FE engine was now dropped from the lineup, and the Boss 302 and 428CJ engines soldiered along.

Total production:

1967: 150,893
1968: 113,726
1969: 100,069
1970: 72,343

Second generation (1971-73)

Second generation

Production 1971-1973

Assembly Dearborn, Michigan

Body style(s)

2-door coupe
2-door convertible

Layout FR layout

Engine(s)

240 hp (179 kW) 351 in³ Windsor V8
285 hp (213 kW) 351 in³ Cleveland V8
276 kW (370 hp) 429 in³ Super Cobra Jet V8.

Wheelbase 112.0 in (2845 mm)

Related Ford Mustang

For 1971, the Cougar was restyled, weighed less and had only a one-inch-longer wheelbase than its predecessors (112 vs. 111 - which was similar to GM's intermediate-sized two-door models such as the Olds Cutlass). The front end now featured four exposed headlights; the disappearing headlights were eliminated. The center grille piece was now larger. The rear featured a semi-fastback with a "flying buttress" sail-panel. The convertible returned as did the XR-7 as well as the GT package. The Eliminator package was eliminated, and the Ram Air option remained. The engine lineup was revised for 1971 as well. Now only three engines were offered—the standard 240 hp (179 kW) 351 Windsor 2-barrel V8, the 285 hp (213 kW) 351 Cleveland 4-barrel V8 and the 370 hp (276 kW) 429 Super Cobra Jet 4-barrel V8.

The climate had begun to change as the muscle car era ended. No longer able to use gross power numbers, the manufacturers had to use net power figures which dropped the once mighty figures down substantially. Engines were shuffled around a bit. They were now the standard 163 hp (122 kW) 351 Cleveland 2-barrel V8, 262 hp (195 kW) 351 Cleveland 4-barrel V8, 266 hp (198 kW) 351 4-barrel Cobra Jet V8. Other than that, the Cougar remained a carryover from 1971. Only minor trim details were changed in 1972. The big blocks were gone for 1972 and 1973. The days of the performance oriented muscle car were coming to an end.

Aside from minor grille and taillight changes, 1973 would be largely a carryover year for the Cougar, but it would mark the last year of the Mustang-based Cougar. In 1974, everything would change. Power figures continued to change as new federal/EPA regulations began their stranglehold on the V8 engines. The new figures continued to fluctuate but engine options remained unchanged from 1972. The standard engine continued to be the 168 hp (125 kW) 351 Cleveland 2-barrel V8. Optional was the 264 hp (197 kW) 351 Cobra Jet V8. The following years changed to the Thunderbird/Torino chassis.

Total Production:

1971 - 62,864
1972 - 53,702
1973 - 60,628

Third generation (1974-76)

Third generation

Production 1974-1976

Assembly Lorain, Ohio

Body style(s)

2-door coupe

Layout FR layout

Engine(s)

351 in³ V8
400 in³ V8
460 in³ V8

Wheelbase 114.0 in (2896 mm)

Related

Ford Torino
Mercury Montego

For 1974, the Cougar was shifted from its Mustang, ponycar origins onto a new platform and into a new market as a personal luxury car. It now shared a chassis with the larger Mercury Montego/Ford Torino intermediates and was twinned up with the new Ford Elite. The wheelbase grew to 114 inches (2,896 mm) and became practically the only car to be upsized during the downsizing decade of the 1970s. These years marked the end of the "luxurious Mustang", and the beginning of the Cougar's move towards becoming a "junior Thunderbird" and eventually a sibling of the Thunderbird. TV commercials compared the Cougar to the Lincoln Continental Mark IV, the most notable featuring Farrah Fawcett in a 1975 TV ad.

The Cougar was being marketed as an intermediate-sized personal-luxury car to compete against GM's Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Pontiac Grand Prix. Every GM division had an entry in this market by '74 and the market was too large to ignore. The new Cougar paid homage to its smaller predecessor with a three-piece grille up front, topped by a new hood ornament which featured the Jaguar-like silhouette of a creeping Cougar. The car's Montego heritage was fairly evident from the back, however. In between, it had acquired the sine qua non of the personal luxury car in the 1970s: opera windows. This body ran unchanged for three years, and during this period all Cougars were XR-7s.

The Cougar was also restyled inside due to the switch to the larger intermediate body but maintained the front fascia look from 1973 with a new styling feature including a rectangular opera window in the rear c-pillars. The Cougar also began to share the look of the Thunderbird and Continental Mark IV as the years progressed. The base model and convertible were dropped this year, but the XR-7 moniker soldiered on as the only model in the Cougar lineup.

Engine offerings from 1974 to 1976 included a standard 351 in³ V8 and optional power plants included the very rare Q-code 351 Cobra Jet V8(1974), plus 400 and 460 in³ V8s. The manual transmission was dropped in favor of the automatic.

Interior offerings during these three years included a standard bench seat with cloth or vinyl upholstery, an optional Twin-Comfort Lounge 60/40 bench seat with center armrest and cloth, vinyl or optional leather trim; or all-vinyl bucket seats with center console.

In 1975 the Cougar XR-7 continued to add more luxury features as it moved upscale. But with more features, the Cougar was gaining in weight as well. Compared to the 1967 version, the 1975 version weighed a full 1,000 lb (450 kg) more. Despite the added weight the buying public wanted the Cougar and sales figures reflected that fact. However for the performance fans, a high-performance rear axle and Traction-Lok differential continued to be on the option sheet. The standard engine continued to be the 148 hp (110 kW) 351 Windsor 2-barrel V8 with the 158 hp (118 kW) 400 2-barrel V8 and 216 hp (161 kW) 460 4-barrel V8 optional.

This Cougar entered its last year largely unchanged from 1975. There was a new body for the Cougar in 1977, so nothing else major was done to the Cougar this year. Only some minor trim pieces served to differentiate this year from last. Engines continued unchanged as well. The high performance axle and Traction-Lok differential were dropped this year. Twin Comfort Lounge reclining seats, with or without velour cloth trim, were the only major change for the interior, but it also showed how much the performance aspect of the Cougar had disappeared.

Total Production:

1974 - 91,670
1975 - 62,987
1976 - 83,765

Fourth generation (1977-79)

Fourth generation

Production 1977-1979

Assembly Lorain, Ohio

Body style(s)

4-door sedan
4-door station wagon
2-door coupe

Layout FR layout

Engine(s)

134 hp (100 kW) 302 in³ V8
161 hp (120 kW) 351 in³ V8
149 hp (111 kW) 351 in³ V8
173 hp (129 kW) 400 in³ V8

Transmission(s)

C4 automatic
FMX automatic
C6 automatic

Wheelbase 114.0 in (2896 mm)

Related

Ford LTD II
Ford Thunderbird

In 1977, radical marketing changes came to Ford's intermediate lineup, although under the skin, mechanical changes were few. The Montego name was discontinued, and all the intermediate Mercury vehicles became Cougars (Ford renamed its Torino line the LTD II). There were now Cougar sedans, complete with opera windows, a lower-line base coupe, and even a station wagon (Cougar Villager), which lasted only one year (1977). The top of the line XR-7 continued as a separate model, with unusual simulated louvers applied in front of its opera windows and a new rear style that was meant to evoke the larger Lincoln Mark coupe. This year, the Elite name vanished from the Ford lineup and the Thunderbird was downsized onto its chassis to become the XR-7's corporate twin. This association between the two cars would continue for two decades. In keeping with the general trend of the times, the old Torino chassis was discontinued after 1979 and all Ford and Mercury intermediates went over to the smaller, lighter Ford Fox platform for 1980.

Customers to Lincoln-Mercury showrooms were surprised by the all-new Cougar this year. New sharper and straighter styling that mimicked the Ford Thunderbird and Lincoln Continental Mark V replaced the "fuselage look" of earlier Cougars. The Cougar now shared its body with the Thunderbird, which was downsized to the intermediate bodyshell this year from that of the Continental Mark IV and shared the Cougar's 114-inch (2,896 mm) wheelbase, putting the T-Bird squarely in the intermediate personal-luxury car market as opposed to its previous higher-priced segment of that market shared with the Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado. This move would join the Thunderbird and Cougar together and would last until their demise in 1997. The lineup was also expanded to include a sedan and station wagon. This was because the Mercury Montego had been discontinued and its models were absorbed into the Cougar lineup as a result while Ford Division renamed the Torino as LTD II. The base Cougar returned as well for all three models. But the XR-7 came only as a coupe. The Cougar Brougham was available as a coupe or sedan, and the Cougar Villager was available as a station wagon only. The engine lineup changed for this year as well. The base engine was the 134 hp (100 kW) 302 2-barrel V8 on all coupes and sedans. The station wagons had the 161 hp (120 kW) 351 2-barrel V8 standard. The 149 hp (111 kW) 351 2-barrel V8 and 173 hp (129 kW) 400 2-barrel V8 were optional on all models.

For 1978, the base model 2 door (Model #91 and Body Style 65D) and 4 door (Model #92 and Body Style 53D) hard top sedan stayed the same. The Brougham was discontinued as a separate model and became an option package on the base Cougar. The base model started at $5,009.

XR-7 (sport-luxury package) sales continued to skyrocket. This package (Model #93 and Body Style 65L) was only available in a 2 door hard top coupe. This model included power brakes/steering, 15 inch wheels, rear stabilizer bar, walnut woodtone instrument pannel, "XR-7" trunk key-hole door, "COUGAR" decklid script, large hood ornament, and sport-styled roofline with back half vinyl and rear opera side windows/louvers. XR-7 models started at $5,603.

Two new decor packages became available, the XR-7 Decor Option and the Midnight/Chamois Decor Option. This latter package came with a half-vinyl roof, padded "Continental" type rear deck, and Midnight Blue and Chamois interior with Tiffany carpeting. This was Mercury's take on the special designer decor options used in the Lincoln Continental Mark VI. Engines continued unchanged as well. The Cougar XR-7 would set an all time sales record this year.

1979 saw few changes as Mercury prepared to downsize the car. A new electronic voltage regulator, and plastic battery tray would be the biggest mechanical changes for the Cougar. The standard engine continued to be the 302 V8 with the 351 the only optional engine available as the 400 was discontinued. The taillight assembly was the only exterior body change.

Total Production:

1977 - 194,823 (XR-7 124,799)
1978 - 213,270 (XR-7 166,508)
1979 - 172,152 (XR-7 163,716)

Fifth generation (1980-88)

Fifth generation

Production 1980-1988

Assembly Lorain, Ohio

Body style(s)

2-door coupe
4-door sedan

Layout FR layout

Platform Ford Fox platform

Engine(s)

255 in³ Windsor V8 (1980-82)
302 in³ Windsor V8 (1980-81, 1984-88)
140 in³ Lima I4 (1981)
3.8 L Essex V6 (1982-88)
2.3 L Lima I4 Turbo (1984-86)

Transmission(s)

5-speed Tremec T-5 manual
3-speed C5 automatic
4-speed AOD automatic

Wheelbase

104 in (254 cm) (1980-86)
104.2 in (265 cm) (1987-88)

Length

197.6 in (502 cm) (1983-86)
200.8 in (510 cm) (1987-88)

Width

71.1 in (181 cm) (1983-86)
70.1 (178 cm) (1987-88)

Height

53.4 in (136 cm) (1983-86)
53.8 in (137 cm) (1987-88)

Curb weight

3099 lb (1406 kg) 1983
3065 lb (1390 kg) 1984 GS, LS
3053 lb (1385 kg) 1984 XR7
3084 lb (1399 kg) 1985 GS, LS
3100 lb (1406 kg) 1985 XR7
3083 lb (1398 kg) 1986 GS, LS
3169 lb (1437 kg) 1986 XR7
3133 lb (1421 kg) 1987 LS
3179 lb (1442 kg) 1987 XR7
3237 lb (1468 kg) 1988 LS
3485 lb (1581 kg) 1988 XR7

Related

Lincoln Continental
Ford LTD
Ford Thunderbird
Ford Fairmont
Mercury Marquis
Ford Granada
Mercury Zephyr

For 1980, the XR-7 was again the only Cougar. Now on the Fox chassis, shared by the Zephyr, the Cougar was still a copy of the Thunderbird. The 1980–88 Cougars were nicknamed the "Fox Cougars" because of the new chassis. Opera windows became optional, although the louvered style of the old opera windows were applied to the standard-window coupes. Wipers were no longer hidden, and for the first time, the Cougar had sedan frames around its windows. Inside, there was a turn to flashy electronics, considered ultramodern at the time, with digital instrumentation and trip computer functions available. A smaller 255 in³ (4.2 L) V8 was the base engine, but this engine was considered weak and did not last long, and the 302 V8 was optional along with a newly-introduced four-speed automatic overdrive transmission. Like the downsized Thunderbird, this generation of the XR-7 was poorly received by the public. For 1981, the line broadened again, with a Cougar sedan, which was now a twin to the newly redesigned Ford Granada (itself now merely a modified Fairmont). Six cylinder engines appeared for the first time, and then in 1982, another Cougar station wagon appeared but, just like 1977, lasted for only one year.

1983 brought substantial change. Lower-line intermediate Mercury models were now under the downsized Mercury Marquis badge, leaving the Cougar once again as a coupe only. This was in contrast to General Motors, whose personal-luxury coupes (Cutlass, Regal, and Monte Carlo) were on the same chassis and had the same design as the mid-size sedans and wagons. The XR-7 badge went away for this year (temporarily). The car was completely rebodied, along with the Thunderbird, with the two becoming the first examples of the new flowing "aero-look" design, which would eventually spread throughout the Ford line and influence the entire industry. Wipers were hidden again, and the Cougar differed from the Thunderbird mainly in having a very sharply-raked, almost vertical rear window similar to that on GM coupes such as the Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Some critics considered that this, along with its AMC Gremlin-style rear quarter window, went oddly with the smooth organic curves of the rest of the car, but buyers nonetheless responded positively and this Cougar was a success.

Power options were very diverse in this generation, ranging from a turbocharged 2.3 L I4 to a 3.8 L V6 and the perennial 302 in³ (5.0 L) V8. Oddly, the revived XR-7 was now only available with the turbocharged four-cylinder engine and was trimmed more to suggest performance than its traditional luxury image. In 1984, the new Lincoln Mark VII adopted this body shell and for the first time, became a cousin of the Cougar. For 1987, a partial reskinning of the Cougar occurred, bringing flush headlamps and better aerodynamics. The turbocharged motor disappeared, and two models were sold, the LS with V6 or a V8, and the XR-7 with a standard V8 and luxury amenities as of old.

1980–1982

An all-new Cougar greeted car buyers in 1980 as the Cougar moved to the smaller 108-inch (2,700 mm) wheelbase Fox platform. The car was now even more similar to its Ford Thunderbird relative. The sedan and base Cougar were dropped this year. The XR-7was once again the only Cougar model. Many Cougar fans refer to the 1980 to 1982 models as the "lost years," as sales declined substantially. Engines were reduced to just two and for the first time, a six-cylinder engine was available. The standard engine was now a 119 hp (89 kW) 255 in³ V8 and the 134 hp (100 kW) 302 V8 was optional. A new four-speed automatic overdrive transmission became standard to replace the old SelectShift three-speed automatic.

In 1981 the return of the base Cougar along with a sedan greeted Cougar buyers; the sedan replaced the Mercury Monarch. The engine lineup grew as a 94 hp (70 kW) 200 in³I6 became the standard engine in the XR-7 and an 88 hp (66 kW) 140 in³ I4 became the standard engine on the base Cougar. This marked the first time that a four-cylinder engine was available on the Cougar as well as a V8 no longer standard on the XR-7. These changes would foreshadow the changes made to the Cougar in the future. Appearance carried over as well, but two new trim lines were added to the Cougars—GS and LS. Both packages were similar in both models, but the base Cougar's LS package only came on the sedan. The GS package focused on appearance, while the LS package offered luxury touches such as power windows and other luxury trim touches.

The Cougar lineup continued to expand in 1982 as the station wagon returned for another appearance in the Cougar lineup. It was only available in GS or Villager trim lines. The Villager trim added the fake rosewood body side panels. Another engine was added, the all-new 112 hp (84 kW) 232 in³ V6, but the stalwart engine of the Cougar XR-7 line, the 302 V8, was dropped. The GS and LS trim lines continued to be optional on both Cougar models.

Total Production:

1980 - 58,028
1981 - 90,928
1982 - 73,817

1983–1986

An all-new Cougar greeted buyers in 1983; gone were the sedan and station wagon models. The Cougar sported a completely new aerodynamic body, but retained the same chassis. This restyle was shared with its sister car, the Thunderbird. The only major difference was the side window treatments; the Cougar used a more formal notchback along with upswept quarter windows. This made the Cougar look more aerodynamic as well as more exciting when compared to previous Cougars. The new look was such a hit that it outsold the Thunderbird for 1983. But due to the amount of money spent in restyling both models, the interiors were left unchanged from 1982. Also, the XR-7 model was dropped. The GS and LS models carried over from the previous year. Interestingly, no 1983 to 1986 Cougar wore any GS badging, but the Cougar LS did. The engine lineup changed as the only two engines offered were the 232in³ (3.8 L) V6 and the 302 in³ (5.0 L) V8.

After its redesign in 1983, the Cougar remained mostly unchanged for 1984. The XR-7 returned and for the first time, its standard engine wasn't a V8 or V6, but a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Similar to the Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, the XR-7 came only with the 145 hp (108 kW) 140 in³ turbocharged I4. The XR-7 also featured blacked-out window trim, wide body side mouldings and two-tone paint in silver with charcoal grey lower (or the reverse combination) with tri-band striping to separate it from the base Cougars. A performance suspension was also standard as well. A three-speed automatic or a five speed manual were offered on the XR-7.

Subtle exterior changes such as a new Mercedes-Benz-esque grille and new taillights were just a few of the many changes as a whole new interior greeted buyers for 1985. This new interior featured a digital instrument cluster which lent a futuristic touch to the Cougar; but it was only available on base Cougars.

1986 was the carryover year for the Cougar. The Cougar was supposed to be redesigned this year, but with sales continuing to be strong, Ford decided to push it ahead to 1987. The biggest changes this year were under the hood as the 302 V8 received new sequential electronic fuel injection (SEFI) which boosted power to 150 hp (112 kW); a 30 hp (22 kW) improvement versus the previous year. However, the Cougar didn't receive the High Output option from the Mustang which boosted hp to 225 hp (168 kW). The Cougar XR-7 continued to offer only the turbocharged I4, but it got a power increase to 155 hp (116 kW).

Total Production

1983 - 75,743
1984 - 131,190
1985 - 117,274
1986 - 135,904

1987–1988

1987-1988 Mercury Cougar

The Cougar received a complete restyle for its 20th anniversary. Much smoother than the previous Cougar, it featured flush-mounted headlights and grille. The side quarter glass retained its upswept design, but it was stretched more to the rear of the car. The interior remained unchanged for the most part. The GS was dropped, leaving the LS and XR-7 models. The XR-7 changed by dropping the turbocharged I4, which Mercury felt was not keeping with the Cougar's heritage. Instead, the 302 V8 became the standard engine. The manual transmission was also dropped this year. The digital instrument cluster, previously optional on the GS/LS models, became standard on the XR-7 as well. The special lower tri-stripes and blacked out window trim continued to set apart the XR-7 from the LS. Mercury also took note of the Cougar's 20th anniversary by creating a limited edition Cougar to celebrate.

20th Anniversary Cougar

1987 was the Cougar's twentieth anniversary and a limited edition Cougar was produced to celebrate. The car went on sale in February 1987. The Cougar LS was the starting point for this special model. All of these special Cougars featured these standard items to set them apart from the regular production Cougars:

Cabernet Red exterior w/Midnight Smoke moldings

All exterior badging (front bumper, grille trim, trunk lid nomenclature and moulding trim) was finished in 24 karat gold. C-pillar emblems were finished in a gold cloisonné.

Non-functional luggage rack

Mustang GT wheels painted gold with a Cougar center cap

Special "20th Anniversary Edition" dash emblem

Light Sand Beige interior with unique part leather, part suede Ultrasuede seats with heating and three-user memory profile. The seats also featured a special Cabernet Red piping.

Special embroidered 20th Anniversary floor mats

Traveler's convenience kit

A hardcover book - "Mercury Cougar 1967–1987" which detailed the history of the
Cougar

150 hp (112 kW) SEFI 302 V8

Sport handling suspension package (XR-7)

The only options available were power moonroof, power antenna, illuminated entry, keyless entry, automatic climate control, engine block heater and the Traction-Lok axle with 3.08 gear ratio.

With the new MN-12 chassis and new body style coming up in 1989, the 1988 Cougar barely changed from the previous year. Outside, the biggest change was that the XR-7 now came in a new monochromatic color scheme. Only available in three colors (black, red, and white) with body colored or optional argent color wheels set this Cougar apart from its brethren. The base 232 in³ (3.8 L) V6 had multi-port fuel injection and an internal balance shaft that increased power to 150 hp (112 kW). The 302 V8 received a dual exhaust option which added 5 hp (4 kW). The analog gauge cluster returned as standard on the XR-7, but the digital cluster remained as an option on both the LS and XR-7.

Total Production:

1987 - 105,847
1988 - 113,801

Sixth generation (1989-97)

Sixth generation

Production 1989-1997

Assembly Lorain, Ohio

Body style(s)

2-door coupe

Layout FR layout

Platform Ford MN12 platform

Engine(s)

3.8 L Essex V6 (1989-1997)
5.0 L Windsor V8 (1991-93)
4.6 L Modular V8 (1994-97)

Transmission(s)

4-speed AOD or 4R70W automatic
5-speed manual M5R2(1989-90)

Wheelbase 113.0 in (2870 mm)

Length

1989-1991: 198.7 in (5047 mm)
1992-94: 199.9 in (5077 mm)
1995-97: 200.3 in (5088 mm)

Width

1989-1994: 72.7 in (1847 mm)
1995-97: 73.1 in (1857 mm)

Height

1989-1991: 52.7 in (1339 mm)
1992-97: 52.5 in (1334 mm)

Curb weight

3528 lb (1600 kg) with V6
3666 lb (1663 kg) with V8

Related

Ford Thunderbird

The Cougar entered its sixth generation with a completely new body and chassis. Nothing carried over from the previous Cougar except for badging and the engine. In fact, only six parts were carried over from 1988. The biggest change was the switch to the larger MN12 chassis which was shared with the Ford Thunderbird. The chassis featured a fully independent rear suspension, a first for the Cougar. It was also nine inches (229 mm) longer (104.2" vs. 113") for better rear leg room. The flowing lines and extreme notchback roofline were still there, but this generation integrated the two much more successfully. To the surprise of fans, the car had no V8engine available when introduced. Instead, the base LS had a naturally aspirated 140hp (104 kW) 3.8 L V6, backed by a 4 speed automatic transmission which had a hard time moving the nearly 3,800 lb (1,700 kg) Cougar. The XR-7 had a 210 hp (157 kW) supercharged version of the same engine, the car could be equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic with overdrive. Mercury spared no expense in making the XR-7 the performance model; giving it 4 wheel anti-lock disc brakes, an electronically adjustable sport-tuned suspension, monochromatic paint scheme in red, white, and black, and 16" wheels. The LS being more luxury oriented featured a fully digital instrument cluster and chrome trim on the outside.

1991-1993 Mercury Cougar in Teal

The Cougar saw a minor facelift for 1991, with a smaller grille and slight changes to the headlights, taillights, and side trim.

The supercharged engine did not find favor with buyers, and the 200 hp (149 kW) 5.0 L V8 came back to replace it in 1991. A special edition was built in 1992 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Cougar. In 1993, the LS disappeared and the XR-7 nomenclature was changed to XR7 and became the only model available.

1994 Mercury Cougar XR-7

1995 Mercury Cougar XR-7, in White Pearlescent

For 1994, the Cougar received an all new interior, updated tail lights, grille, body side molding, and the AOD transmission was replaced by the 4R70W in both the V6 and V8 versions of the car. Ford's new OHC 205 hp (153 kW) 4.6L V8 replaced the old OHV 302 as the optional engine.

For the 1996 model year the exterior was given a significant facelift. The front and rear bumper covers, headlights, grille, and moulding were updated giving the car a more modern look. The 4.6L engine received an updated intake manifold giving the car 15 lb·ft (20 N·m) of additional torque over the 1995 model, and the transmission was revised for increased reliability. In 1997 Ford began cutting corners in convenience items such as the removal of the underhood light and the glove box light. The interior was updated including a revised instrument cluster, much like that of the Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable, a console with cupholders was included for the first time. The ashtray, and cigarette lighter, were relocated to the space previously occupied by the information center, below the HVAC controls. Another anniversary edition car was built to celebrate 30 years. However, this was the last year for the MN12 Cougar as Ford ultimately decided to discontinue its trio of personal luxury cars: the Mark VIII, the Cougar, and the Thunderbird in order to concentrate on production of high-profit SUV's.

Total Production:

1989 - 97,246
1990 - 76,467
1991 - 60,564
1992 - 46,982
1993 - 79,700
1994 - 71,026
1995 - 60,201
1996 - 38,929
1997 - 35,267

Seventh generation (1999-2002)

Seventh generation

Production 1999-2002

Assembly Flat Rock, Michigan

Class Sport compact

Body style(s)

2-door coupe

Layout FF layout

Platform Ford CDW27 platform

Engine(s)

2.0 L Zetec I4 Manual
2.5 L Duratec V6 Manual & Automatic

Transmission(s)

5-speed MTX-75 manual
4-speed CD4E automatic

Wheelbase 106.4 in (270 cm)

Length 185 in (470 cm)

Width 69.6 in (177 cm)

Height 52.2 in (133 cm)

Curb weight 2892 lb (1312 kg)

Related

Ford Contour
Ford Mondeo
Mercury Mystique

Throughout the early 1990s, sales of large personal luxury coupes were declining. At the same time, small subcompact sport coupes, mainly from Japan were growing in popularity with younger buyers. This prompted Ford to redesign the Cougar as such. Of the three names that had constituted Ford's personal luxury lineup, Mark, Thunderbird, and Cougar, the Cougar returned first and was based on the Ford Contour sedan. Launched in the UK at the British Grand Prix at the Silverstone Circuit in 1998, this Cougar became Mercury's first sport compact since the 1983 Mercury LN7.

This generation of Cougar had a far more contemporary package, with modern DOHC 24-valve 6 cylinder Duratec engines, a fully independent multilink suspension, and front-wheel drive. This was also the first hatchback Cougar, and the first to have its own body, unshared by any Ford. The body design used a philosophy Ford dubbed "New Edge" design: a combination of organic upper body lines with sharp, concave creases in the lower areas. The Cougar's body, and the New Edge idea in general, was introduced as a concept called the Mercury MC2 in 1997, and was considered a bigger version of the European Ford Puma.

The 1999–2002 Cougars were available with two engine options, the 2.0 L Zetec 4-cylinder engine with 130 hp (97 kW), and the 2.5 L Duratec V6 with 170 hp (127 kW). Also, two transaxle options were available: the manual Ford MTX-75 transmission or the automatic Ford CD4E transmission (available in the U.S. with either engine, although the I4/Automatic combo was extremely rare; supposedly only 500 Cougars were built with the I4/Auto combination)

"Sport Package" models with the V6 featured 4-wheel vented disc brakes (from the Contour SVT), 16" alloy wheels, and the speed governor removed. With the electronic speed limiter removed, the top speed of the car was limited by drag and engine power in top gear at redline, around 150 mph (240 km/h).[citation needed] While this was considered attainable given enough road, the automatic transmission version could not reach this speed without significant engine modification. Without the sport package, the speed governor was set at 115 mph (185 km/h) due to the H-rated tires the car came equipped with.

Ford also prepared two high performance concept-only versions dubbed the "Eliminator", which was a supercharged version built with aftermarket available parts, and the "Cougar S", which featured new body work, front-wheel drive and a 3.0 L Duratec engine.

Ford also sold this generation of Cougar in Europe and Australia as the Ford Cougar, but was not a sales success.

This new generation was aimed at younger buyers, but was sold alongside Sables and Grand Marquis' which were marketed toward middle aged buyers. Also, Mercury salesmen did not know how to properly market the car, as they were used to interacting with older customers. (Mercury Salesmen were glad to get the new Cougar and to have younger people comming into the Showroom, but the availability of this Cougar in a 4-speed Automatic was unavailable. The only way you could get an Automatic is that you had to buy the V6 which was overpriced for the age group that it was marketed for. When we would show the customer's the 4-cylinder with the manual transmission, they would tell us that they couldn't drive a manual transmission and then they would end up buying a Mustang.) Admittedly, demand for all coupes continued to dwindle. A high-performance Cougar S (not to be confused with the concept) was discussed in the press, which was essentially a Cougar with a Contour SVT engine; however, this version never made it into production. The Cougar S was so close to production however that many of its parts are still available to order from the dealership. It is listed in many parts catalogs and insurance databases. It was also to be sold in Europe as the Ford Cougar ST200.

In order to help create excitement for the Cougar, Mercury created several paint and trim packages called:

2001-2002 Mercury Cougar

Special Edition (2000 model year) available in Zinc Yellow, leather interior with yellow stitching on the seats

C2 (Color Code) (2001-2002 model years) available in either French Blue, Silver Frost, or Vibrant White, along with special blue interior accents

Zn (Color Code) (2001 model year) available with special Zinc Yellow, special Visteon hood scoop and spoiler

XR (2002 model year) available in either Black or XR Racing Red, with special black and red seats and interior trim. Also came with 17" silver wheels with black accents on the inner spokes.

35th Anniversary (2002 model year) Available in Laser Red, Satin Silver, and Black. Most came with leather interiors with silver center sections on the seats. They also came with 17" machined wheels, the same as the XRs without the black paint on the center spokes

Roush Edition (1999-2000 model year) Available mostly in white and silver color choices, this car was built under the Roush name with body work done to the front bumper,back,side skirts and more. Considered the rarest of all cougars since only 112were ever made during its 2 year production.

For the 2001 model year, the Cougar was "updated" as the Cougar2 with new headlights, front and rear fascias, and updated interior trim.

Ford announced a restructuring plan in 2002, and the Cougar was cancelled for good (along with the Ford Escort, Lincoln Continental and Mercury Villager). The discontinuation of the Cougar left no four-cylinder vehicles in the Mercury lineup until the 2005 Mariner SUV arrived.

This generation of Cougar was plagued with several problems form the start, mostly within the brakes, lighting, electrical systems, and engine design, which led to several complaints, and recalls.

Ford Cougar (Europe)

European Ford Cougar

The Ford Cougar is a mid-sized coupé sold in the European market between 1999 and 2002. The car was named after a famous American muscle car from the Ford stable, the Mercury Cougar. It was originally intended to be the third generation Probe, but after a rationalisation of the three coupés available in the USA the Probe name was dropped in favour of the Cougar.

The Cougar was Ford's second attempt to reintroduce a sports coupé in Europe, in the same vein as the successful but long-absent Capri – the first attempt having been the Mazda MX-6-based Probe. Just as the Capri had been based on the Cortina, the Cougar was based on the large family car available at the time, the Mondeo. It premiered in December 1998 to mixed reviews, partly due to the then-new and controversial New Edge styling – a crisp style which was subsequently applied to most of the Ford range. Unlike its famous forebear the Capri, Cougar sales were never brisk, despite good reports of the model as a "driver's car".

The Cougar came equipped with the 2.0 L Zetec and 2.5 L Duratec engines with two specification levels, broadly equivalent to a Mondeo Ghia (standard) and Ghia X (simply X).

When the Mk. 1 Mondeo was replaced with a new Mondeo, the Cougar was dropped in Europe. The car's cost and lack of a prestigious badge were amongst the problems; the success of the BMW 3-Series coupe proved there was a market for this kind of car.

Like its (indirect) predecessor, the Ford Probe, the 1999 Cougar was sold and built in the United States, but in the US it had different branding; in this case being branded as the Mercury Cougar. Ford stopped selling the Cougar in 2002 due to refocusing on the family market.

Racing

From 1968-69 the Cougar was used in the Trans-Am Series. After the Cougar changed to the Thunderbird platform it was transferred to NASCAR and was eventually dropped from NASCAR. From 1989 to 1990, Lincoln-Mercury Motorsport fielded Cougars of the new body style in the GTO class of the IMSA GT Championship. The cars collected the championship both years, and continued the teams streak to 7 manufacturers championships.

Speed Camera's Appearing On U.S. Roads

2009-06-03T08:44:00.000-07:00

Coming Soon to a Freeway Near You?

by Craig Howie | AOL Autos [Source]

You may already have seen an ominous looking radar and camera perched atop a traffic light in your neighborhood. And almost all drivers have seen a patrol car cruising a freeway looking for speeders, or a law-enforcement officer standing at the side of a road wielding a radar gun. But most have yet to see a freeway speed camera, which are common in Europe but currently are operated in just two U.S. states. Opponents and backers of speed cameras both suggest that eventually speed cameras will become the norm on US freeways. But just how likely is a nationwide roll-out? And what factors stand in the way? We take a look.

Sponsoring Legislation In Maryland

Maryland's governor, Martin O'Malley, signed into law on May 19 Senate Bill 277, allowing the use of speed cameras in highway work zones and within a half-mile radius of schools, which means that they can be placed on freeways under these conditions. Maryland is only the second state behind Arizona to codify the use of freeway speed cameras into law. Hawaii piloted a program but dropped it, and similar programs near San Jose, Calif., and in southern Florida were dismantled after they were found to be operating outside of state law. Maryland's law takes effect from Oct. 1.

Sean Adamec, the governor's spokesman, responded to our inquiries.

"Maryland is in a unique position," Adamec said. "A pilot program in Montgomery shows it worked; it lowered incidences of fatalities, crashing and speeding and made neighborhoods safer. It's safer for kids, road workers and it's been shown to work based on evidence. The point of them isn't to raise money but to catch speeders and that in turn makes neighborhoods safer.

"We wouldn't propose any tax on motorists traveling at safe speeds. If it was revenue rising we would've done it years ago, [but cameras] slow people down so they don't need to levy so many fines. Of course there is a financial impact to make roads safer with less fatalities, but in the end you can't put a price on the life of a child."

Fighting Legislation In Arizona

Sam Crump, an Arizona assemblyman who is opposed to the speed cameras and has backed legislation to have them removed from the state's freeways in 2010, says the main backing for speed cameras within Arizona has come from "senior citizens groups," but there has been a surprising agreement between his core conservative followers and college students over privacy concerns.

"It's been the subject of some debate since we introduced it and some legislators have been surprised by the controversy," Crump said. "We expect it to come up for a vote in the next couple weeks. If it fails, we'll say more power to the people. But every time [a freeway speed-camera initiative] has been up for a vote in any place it has failed."

Arizona's former governor, Janet Napolitano, predicted Arizona's freeway camera system would generate $90 million in profit for the state in 2009, and $34 million for the private company that runs it. Crump, however says the system's total profit has been in the range of "$20 to $25 million a year," which leads him to suggest that speed camera detractors who say it's only a device to make money could be wrong.

"I caution people that it really is technology in the hands of Big Brother," Crump said. "We've got 70 or so [freeway speed cameras] right now, and they're looking at [a total of] 200."

Safety At Issue

Russ Rader, at the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, says that, outside of freeways, speed cameras are used in 48 communities nationwide, including in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington, and Washington DC. The group's research shows that photo enforcement "works to slow drivers down. Cameras do what police officers can't -- enforce speed limit laws 24/7. Speeding is a major safety problem on our roads. It contributes to one-third of all crash deaths."

The IIHS found that speed cameras "can substantially reduce speeding on a wide range of roadway types. Six months after implementation of speed cameras on residential streets and school zones in Montgomery County, Maryland, in 2007, the proportion of drivers exceeding speed limits by more than 10 mph declined by about 70 percent. Implementation of a 9-month pilot program using fixed speed cameras on a busy urban freeway in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2006 was associated with up to a 95 percent decrease in the odds that drivers would travel more than 10 mph above the posted 65 mph speed limit."

"The main argument opponents use against camera enforcement is that it can be a cash cow for local governments," Rader said. "If you don't like the idea of sending revenue to your local government, don't break the law. It's hardly unreasonable to expect drivers to stay within 10 mph of the speed limit. I have an elementary school in my neighborhood, which is bisected by a major commuter road where drivers regularly speed like banshees. I want those drivers ticketed. Period. There aren't enough police officers to do that everywhere."

Nationwide Rollout?

Newspaper.com's Richard Diamond, an opponent of speed cameras, says it's hard at times to weigh which "side" -- opponents of the cameras, or their detractors -- is "winning."

"There are places where cameras are advancing, and places where they're retreating," said Diamond. "For politicians, the desire is on increase, but whether they can get away with it, that level has gone down."

He says lawmakers in Wisconsin, Ohio, Montana and Mississippi failed to get a freeway speed camera measure onto a ballot, but points to Maryland as an example of lawmakers' success. He says 13 states have specific laws banning freeway cameras, but he sees a natural progression from states using red-light cameras to using freeway speed cameras.

"The biggest issue opponents have is it creates a legal system where you're presumed guilty without a trial," Diamond said. "If a database says you're a criminal, you are. Once you let in the cameras it opens the door that this is OK."

He says protesting freeway speed cameras can be an arduous task.

"Somebody willing to go to the effort for 30 days and grab 20,000 signatures takes dedication."

Grassroots Activism

Todd Kandaris, at www.Camerafraud.com, says his Arizona-based group's campaign against freeway cameras started late in 2008 and his group's member numbers have swelled from 100 to about 1500. He says the group works to bring attention to the issue through protests and publicity stunts.

"Early on we concentrated on raising awareness and getting attention, [with] groups of people getting out there and protesting," said Kandaris. "We find that highway overpasses work well. Thousands [of motorists] go by in a given hour, and [it gets] lots of media attention. We demo'd in front of the manufacturer's headquarters. Earlier this year we introduced a citizen's initiative with the secretary of state, attempting to put the issue on the ballot, to let citizens vote on it in 2010."

He says the group must collect more than 150,000 signatures by July 2010 to place the issue on the statewide ballot, and is working with groups in Virginia, Louisiana, D.C., Texas and Ohio. "Cameras have never withstood a vote of the public, which tells you this is a device used by politicians and corporations to make money. It's not like we're a bunch of evil speeding people, we want traffic control as much as everyone else. We just think this is just a device to bilk money out of the public."

Legal Standpoint

Sherman Ellison, a California lawyer who fights regular speeding and traffic tickets, says that a key legal issue is the data-gathering system by which driver information is collected by companies and then distributed to law-enforcement agencies, who then issue the citation to the car's driver, or owner (which varies by state).

"If you were driving down the street and ran a red light and an officer pulled you over he'd write a ticket for failing to stop," Ellison said. "He would have visually observed [the offense] and you'd either plead or go to trial, where you'd be able to ask him for proof of that. In the photo context there is no officer, it's just a camera connected to a laptop, and that system sends that information to a company, whether that's Redflex or another, that sends data digitally to the contractor.

"The difficulty in this process is they will crop or enhance these photos or whatever they feel they have to do, for the determination of whether they broke the law. I demand that they prove this is a true and correct photograph and rarely they'll go through that process."

Redflex Responds

Cristine Weeks, a spokeswoman for Redflex, an Australian company headquartered near Phoenix that works in tandem with seven other vendors enforcing speed limits nationwide and operates Arizona's freeway speed-camera system, says several studies -- including those of the IIHS, Arizona State University and the Arizona Department of Transportation -- have demonstrated camera "efficacy and accident reductions."

She says the Redflex infrastructure was set up without any additional taxpayer funds and that the company contracts with various state and city departments in the same way as a waste-management company would. The company reported $88.2 million in revenue for its global operations in 2008 -- and an annual increase of 43 percent in U.S. traffic revenues from $44.3 million to $63.3 million -- and an operating profit of $10.6 million.

She says the company's data-gathering process involves analyzing digital still images as well as streaming video, and that the company performs a quality check of any images before sending them to law-enforcement officers, who review all of the evidence before authorizing any citation.

"Nothing is changed on the image. They are not 'Photoshopped,'" Weeks said. "It is impossible to 'shop in a light system. In the early days it was a question many wanted to know. [But] the agencies are walked through to see how the process works, and a violator can view their own video."

She says radars similar to mobile-police devices measure a motorist's time over distance and any breach of the speed limit results in a camera image of the front of the car, including the driver, and the car's rear license plate. She says although Arizona freeway drivers are not levied points on their license for any breach of the law, that as drivers are forced to pay more fines, they become "more aware" of their driving patterns, and modify their driving accordingly.

1939 Mercury Convertible Coupe

2009-06-01T13:53:00.000-07:00

1939 Mercury Convertible Coupe

95hp 239 cu. in. flathead V8, three-speed manual transmission, semi-elliptic leaf springs and four-wheel hydraulic brakes. Wheelbase: 116"

Mercury was the God of commerce and travel was also the swift-footed messenger of the Gods. According to Roman mythology Mercury represented dependability, eloquence speed and skill.

In 1939 Edsel Ford solicited the "messenger" to fill the gap between the Ford models and the high-end Lincoln models. The Mercury was priced at $1,000 evenly splitting the price difference between the Lincoln Zephyr and the Ford V8 by several hundreds of dollars each way. The Mercury was the white collar car of the Ford lineup at the time. Priced to compete with lowerend Buicks and Chryslers as well as high-end Oldsmobiles and Dodges, the Mercury was poised to steal a big part of the market, and did just that.

Powered by a 95hp version of Ford's flathead V8 and built on the same platform and styling principles as the Zephyr, the Mercury had the right ingredients to make it a strong seller, guaranteed a profit for Ford. Being a relatively large car with a 20mpg fuel economy, Ford proudly advertised "few cars of any size can equal such economy" and after only two years of production Ford boasted "it's made 150,000 owners change cars!" By the end of the third year Mercury had produced another 80,000cars.

In 1942 with America's involvement in the war, Mercury production was shut down. After the Allied victory, despite only having been on the market for four years, Mercury picked up right were it left off and continued to enjoy sweet success for quite some time.

The 1939 Mercury Convertible Coupe presented here is a wonderful example of one of the very first Mercurys ever built. Having undergone a thorough restoration some years ago, the car is still quite presentable with just over 30,000 registered miles, believed to be from new. Painted in a light gray, with a striking red leather interior and a black top and tonneau cover, the Mercury retains its original dash and appeal. Of the 1939 Mercury models the Convertible Coupe is the most highly sought after by today's collectors.

As a first model year of a brand (that in the near future will likely go the way of the now defunct Oldsmobile) circumstances are such that it is bound to become more increasingly more collectable. For anyone who is striving for a comprehensive Mercury collection, this car is practically essential.

1984 Mercury Capri McLaren Convertible

2009-05-31T16:34:00.000-07:00

1984 Mercury Capri McLaren Convertible

Limited Edition with only 50 built, This one is #49. Excellent original car with only 41,000 miles. Factory equipped with a 5.0 High Output overhead valve engine. Red with tan leather interior, tan top, Recaro seats, 5 on the floor, power steering, air conditioning and Honeycomb wheels. Just the way it came off the showroom floor. A real collector car and possibly the nicest original.

1977 MERCURY COMET COUPE

2009-05-31T16:30:00.000-07:00

1977 MERCURY COMET COUPE

SOLD FOR $10,260
Color: PLATINUM
Transmission: AUTO
Cylinders: V8
Engine Size: 302
Horsepower: 187

A very original Southern California car with one repaint and one owner since new, this Mercury represents the performance standard for the time. Showing only 27,000 original miles there is a huge stack of paperwork and receipts to back up this claim. There is so much documentation for this car its too much to list but does include: the original California "pink slip", temporary registration, consumer information guide, window sticker addendum, owners manual, business card from selling dealer and miscellaneous Ford Motor Co. recall notices. Purchased new on May 29, 1977 by MS. Lucille Perkins she was able to keep very accurate maintenance records and recipts throughout her entire ownership. This Mercury is equipped with all its original drivetrain and rust free body panels as well as the following factory options: hi-output 302 V8 engine available in the Comet only, XP automatic transmission, 2.79:1 rear axle, power steering, power disc brakes, air conditioning, medium blue bucket seats, vinyl top and rally wheels. All of the factory applied ink dabs and decals are still in place as are the original "blue and gold" California license plates. Everything works on this Comet as it should and it drives superbly. A great opportunity to own and experience one of the most overlooked performance vehicles of the mid 70's. Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to become the second owner ever of this rare and unique Mercury.

1973 MERCURY COUGAR XR-7

2009-05-31T16:26:00.000-07:00

1973 MERCURY COUGAR RX7 CONVERTIBLE

2009-05-31T16:20:00.000-07:00

1973 MERCURY COUGAR RX7 CONVERTIBLE

Mileage: 83000
Engine Size: 351
Transmission: AUTOMATIC
Exterior Color: MED CHESTNUT METALLIC
Interior Color: WHITE
Vin: 3F94H563560

83K ACTUAL, RARE RX-7 CONVERTIBLE. ORIGINAL LEATHER INTERIOR THAT IS STILL A CRISP WHITE, THE ONLY FAULT ARE A COUPLE SMALL CRACKS ON THE ARMREST OF THE DOOR PANEL. QUALITY REPAINT IN THE ORIGINAL COLOR BACK IN 1994 AND STILL LOOKS AS GOOD AS WHEN IT LEFT THE BODY SHOP. TOP WAS REPLACED IN 1982 AND IS STILL A CRISP WHITE WITH A TIGHT FIT. ENGINE BAY IS ORIGINAL AND STILL HAS THE FACTORY DECALS AND STAMPS. AIR CONDITIONER BLOWS ICE COLD!

Options and Accessories:
POWER STEERING
POWER DISC BRAKES
AIR CONDITIONING (BLOWS COLD)
LEATHER
BUCKETS
CONSOLE WITH CLOCK
TILT
RIM BLOW WHEEL
FACTORY TACH AND GAUGES
WIRE HUB CAPS
RADIAL WHITE STRIPE TIRES
AM - FM STEREO
POWER TOP WITH GLASS REAR WINDOW
SPORT MIRRORS

1971 Mercury Cougar Convertible

2009-05-31T16:17:00.000-07:00

1971 MERCURY COUGAR XR-7

2009-05-31T16:13:00.000-07:00

1971 MERCURY COUGAR XR-7 ONE OF 6 BUILT RARE COLOR

Engine Size: 351
Transmission: AUTOMATIC
Exterior Color: COMPETITION GREEN
Interior Color: BLACK LEATHER WITH WHITE TOP

ONE OF 6 BUILT. RARE CALIFORNIA CAR ORDERED NEW LOADED WITH OPTIONS FOR A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL. HIGH QUALITY, WELL PRESERVED CAR THAT HAS HAD PROFESSIONAL RESTORATION. RUST FREE CAR THAT HAS LIVED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA UNTIL RECENT. HIGH QUALITY PAINT IN ITS RARE COLOR. 33 TOTAL BUILT IN COMPETITION GREEN AND ONLY 6 HAD A BLACK INTERIOR. DOCUMENTED BY MARTI AUTO REPORT. CHROME IS REDONE, CONVERTIBLE TOP IS RECENT AND HAS GLASS REAR WINDOW. ENGINE COMPARTMENT IS CLEAN. CURRENT OWNER REMOVED THE AC COMPRESSOR, HE FELT IT MADE IT LOOK CLUTTERED. ALL A/C PARTS INCLUDED. TRUNK COMPARTMENT IS CLEAN. HAS COMPLETE MAT, JACK AND SPARE. INTERIOR IS PRISTINE ORIGINAL CONDITION. MECHANICS ARE EXCELLENT. THE XR-7 IS A LUXURY SPORTS CAR. HAS UNIQUE FEATURES LIKE LEATHER SEATS, SEQUENTAIL TURN SIGNALS, FULL GAGUES AND EUROPEAN STYLING. THIS ONE IS EXCEPTIONALLY CLEAN AND SHARP.

1970 MERCURY CYCLONE GT 429

2009-05-31T16:08:00.000-07:00

1970 Mercury Cyclone GT 429 ID# 0H16C536249 1 of 248 Built! This ultra rare muscle car was just completed at a cost of $75,000 in restoration cost alone. It is 1 of 248cars with this engine & transmission codes. Powered by the numbers matching (0H536249) 429 Cobra Jet engine. Options include: C6 select shift transmission, 3:50 traction lok rear axle, power front disc brakes, am radio, bucket seats and console.

1970 MERCURY COUGAR 4-SPEED 351 CONVERTIBLE

2009-05-31T16:04:00.000-07:00

1970 MERCURY COUGAR 4-SPEED 351 CONVERTIBLE

Mileage: 36000
Engine Size: 351
Transmission: 4-SPEED
Exterior Color: COMPETITION YELLOW
Interior Color: BLACK DELUXE WITH A BLACK TOP

THIS IS A VERY RARE, DOCUMENTED CAR. ALSO VERY SHARP WITH HIGHLY DESIRABLE FEATURES: 4-SPEED, AIR CONDITIONED CONVERTIBLE! FACTORY COMPETITION YELLOW, ONLY 134 MADE THIS COLOR. ONLY 64 CAME WITH STYLED WHEELS! CLAIMED TO HAVE 36,000 ORIGINAL MILES. ORIGINAL INTERIOR IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE AND HELPS SUPPORT THE MILEAGE. PREVIOUS OWNER SPENT $6,500 REPAINT ING THE CAR. VERY STRAIGHT, GLOSSY FINISH. NEW WEATHER STRIPPING, RE-CHROMED BUMPERS. CHROME ON THE TAIL LIGHTS AND GRILL IS MINT. TOP IS REPLACED AND HAS A GLASS WINDOW. TRUNK COMPARTMENT IS PAINTED AND HAS A STYLED WHEEL SPARE. ENGINE COMPARTMENT IS VERY CLEAN. EVERYTHING WORKS FROM THE COLD AIR CONDITIONING TO THE CLOCK. EXCELLENT DRIVER. WORKING RIM BLOW HORN. NUMBERS MATCHING ENGINE.

1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler

2009-05-31T16:00:00.000-07:00

1969 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler

Final Bid: $ 20,520.00 - Scottsdale 2004

1969 Cyclone Spoiler Cayle Yarborough Special. White with Red top and stripes. This special is a numbers matching, 4 speed, rear spoiler, stainless steel exhaust, Ram-Air Fastback. One of only six "W" nose 428 Cobra-Jet cars produced. This is your chance to own a truly rare collectible muscle car. This car has appeared in magazines such as "Mustang and Ford" and "Muscle Car Review." It has been garaged for the last thirteen years, preserving the original 32,000 miles on the car. This is a serious car collectors dream.

1969 MERCURY COUGAR CONVERTIBLE

2009-05-31T15:57:00.000-07:00

1969 MERCURY COUGAR CONVERTIBLE

SOLD FOR $29,160
Color: DARK GREEN WITH TAN TOP
Transmission: AUTO
Cylinders: V8
Engine Size: 351
Horsepower: 300

Very rare convertible powered by a 351/250 horsepower motor. Approximately 1 was made for every 50 Mustangs. This is a no rust southwest car and is a matching numbers. This car has been well cared for its entire life. The car has a power convertible top, hideway headlight's, center console, rear spoiler and Cragar Mag wheels. This is a very highly optioned car.

1969 Mercury Cyclone GT Factory Drag Car

2009-05-31T15:51:00.000-07:00

1969 Mercury Cyclone GT Factory Drag Car

In 1995, this car was restored with extensive modifications made to the original engine by Lunati Racing out of Memphis, TN. The factory color of Competition Orange with Black Shelby stripes complimented the colors for those events. This is a matching numbers (engine, transmission and rear end) Mercury Cyclone GT Super Cobra Jet "R" Code. One of the rarest Mercury muscle cars ever built. This is 1 of 3 built according to the Ford database information provided by Marti AutoWorks of El Mirage, AZ. This report will go to the new owner. This car still has the original interior which is in excellent condition. The following is a breakdown on the work performed by Lunati: Original 428 SCJ, 1960's Holman and Moody 2x4 medium rise, 2 Edelbrock carbs, SCJ heads, Manely flow cut stainless valves. hardened guides, flow benched, Harland sharp roller rockers 1:76 ratio, 10.7:1 compression TRW pistons (.30 over bore), SCJ LeMans cap screw rods (very rare), Elgin camshaft 592-292, balanced and blueprinted by Lunati, Griffin polished aluminum radiator, Mallory and MSD ignition, C6 transmission (B&M shift kit), 5 clutch pak (only came in SCJ'S), TCI 2800rpm stall converter. 4.10 Detroit Locker rear end (Trac-Lock), 9" 31 spline rear end, rebuilt front end, gas shocks front and rear, lowered 3", increased springs in front, brake system rebuilt, 2 1/2" exhaust, 3-chamber Flowmasters, exhaust manifolds HPC coated and "Megs" stainless tips. Competition Orange factory-correct paint, black Shelby stripes in all-urethane paint (DuPont). Polished American Racing wheels with BFGoodrich T/A radial tires.

1968 Mercury Cougar Hardtop

2009-05-31T15:47:00.000-07:00

Solid and Clean '68 Mercury Cougar Hardtop finished in stunning Lt Blue over Blue/Green Interior, Powered by its strong 289 V8, Automatic Transmission, Fully rebuilt drivetrain ~25k miles ago, Power Steering, Power Front Disc Brakes, Original California Car, Current owner purchased the car from the original owner, Looks and Drives Great!

www.specialtysales.com [Source]

1968 MERCURY COUGAR COUPE

2009-05-31T15:44:00.000-07:00

1968 MERCURY COUGAR COUPE

SOLD FOR $20,520
Color: PINK
Transmission: AUTO
Cylinders: V8
Engine Size: 302
Horsepower: 210

This "Dan Gurney Special" was purchased from the original owners estate in 2003. The Kevin Marti report confirms that this Cougar was painted pink at the Ford Factory making this car an extremely rare model. It has only been driven 84,000 miles and is an unrestored original car. This may be the only pink Dan Gurney special Cougar in existance!