Mercury’s designers update the car with a new front end. Less busy and confused than last year, its bumper-grille theme is echoed at the back of the car. Curiously the Medalist, a failure two years ago, makes a surprising comeback… though it now directly competes with Ford’s new Edsel! Meanwhile the range is also extended upward, as the extravagant Turnpike Cruiser, now simply considered a sub-series of the Montclair, gives way to a posh Park Lane. Built on an extended chassis, it intends to divert Buick’s customers from the Roadmaster.
Mercury's 1958 range includes five lines: Mercury Medalist, Mercury Monterey, Mercury Montclair (and its sub-series Mercury Montclair Turnpike Cruiser), Mercury Park Lane and a line of station wagons that includes the Mercury Commuter, the Mercury Voyager and the Mercury Colony Park.
Mercury Medalist
The Medalist is back! This simplified version of the Monterey shows a more restrained taste for chrome, and contents itself with last year’s “312” 5.1-litre engine.
● Introduction: 1956 for this generation of Mercury full-sizes, 1957 for the Medalist. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 5.1-litre, 235 hp, mounted at the front. Optional engine: V-8, 7.0-litre, 400 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Three-speed automatic gearbox optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Length: 542 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: two-door sedan, four-door sedan. Note: Two-door hardtop coupes are also featured in advertisements (as the one pictured above), though I suspect this is no more than a publicity stunt as no document, including the said advertisements, mentions any other model than the two sedans.
Mercury Monterey
Last year’s cheapest model from Mercury, the Monterey now looks glittering by comparison with the Medalist. It is powered by a new “383” 6.3-litre engine.
● Introduction: 1956. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.3-litre, 312 hp, mounted at the front. Optional engine: V-8, 7.0-litre, 400 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Three-speed automatic gearbox optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Length: 542 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: two-door sedan, four-door sedan, two-door “Phaeton” hardtop coupe, four-door “Phaeton” hardtop sedan, two-door convertible coupe.
Mercury Commuter
The Mercury Commuter remains the company's cheapest offer in the field of station wagons.
● Introduction: 1956. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.3-litre, 312 hp, mounted at the front. Optional engine: V-8, 7.0-litre, 400 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Three-speed automatic gearbox optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Length: 544 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: two-door hardtop station wagon, four-door hardtop station wagon.
Mercury Montclair
The Montclair is close to the Monterey, but proposes as standard equipment a more powerful engine and a “Merc-O-Matic” automatic transmission.
● Introduction: 1956. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.3-litre, 330 hp, mounted at the front. Optional engines: V-8, 7.0-litre, 360 hp; and V-8, 7.0-litre, 400 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed automatic gearbox. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Length: 542 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: four-door sedan, two-door “Phaeton” hardtop coupe, four-door “Phaeton” hardtop sedan, two-door convertible coupe.
Mercury Montclair Turnpike Cruiser
The Turnpike Cruiser does not exist anymore as a separate series. Now considered to be upscale Montclairs, the two remaining models - the convertible is gone - retain their peculiar inverted retractable rear window and their air scoops on the foremost part of the roof. A 7.0-litre engine provided by Lincoln is now standard. Trying to boost their sales, Mercury has reduced these cars’ prices.
● Introduction: 1956. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 7.0-litre, 360 hp, mounted at the front. Optional engine: V-8, 7.0-litre, 400 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed automatic gearbox. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels, with servo. Length: 524 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: two-door hardtop coupe, four-door hardtop sedan.
Mercury Voyager
The Voyager station wagons loosely correspond to the Montclair in terms of equipment.
● Introduction: 1956. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.3-litre, 330 hp, mounted at the front. Optional engines: V-8, 7.0-litre, 360 hp; and V-8, 7.0-litre, 400 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Three-speed automatic gearbox optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Length: 544 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: two-door hardtop station wagon, four-door hardtop station wagon.
Mercury Colony Park
The Mercury Colony Park continues to add a side decoration made of fake wood to the Voyager four-door station wagon.
● Introduction: 1956. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.3-litre, 330 hp, mounted at the front. Optional engines: V-8, 7.0-litre, 360 hp; and V-8, 7.0-litre, 400 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Three-speed automatic gearbox optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Length: 544 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: four-door hardtop station wagon.
Mercury Park Lane
Ambitious, Mercury has unveiled this new Park Lane. A luxurious automobile, it is built on a longer chassis than its lesser siblings. It is powered by the larger Lincoln “430” 7.0-litre V-8, mated to a “Multi-Drive” automatic transmission instead of the older “Merc-O-Matic”.
● Introduction: 1956 for this generation of Mercury full-sizes, 1957 for the Park Lane. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 7.0-litre, 360 hp, mounted at the front. Optional engine: V-8, 7.0-litre, 400 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed automatic gearbox. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels, with servo. Length: 559 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: two-door “Phaeton” hardtop coupe, four-door “Phaeton” hardtop sedan, two-door convertible coupe.
Any mistake you’ve just spotted? A detail to add? A suggestion? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment!
Click to jump to another model year of the same car: 1957 – 1958
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Mercury's 1958 range includes five lines: Mercury Medalist, Mercury Monterey, Mercury Montclair (and its sub-series Mercury Montclair Turnpike Cruiser), Mercury Park Lane and a line of station wagons that includes the Mercury Commuter, the Mercury Voyager and the Mercury Colony Park.
Mercury Medalist
The Medalist is back! This simplified version of the Monterey shows a more restrained taste for chrome, and contents itself with last year’s “312” 5.1-litre engine.
● Introduction: 1956 for this generation of Mercury full-sizes, 1957 for the Medalist. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 5.1-litre, 235 hp, mounted at the front. Optional engine: V-8, 7.0-litre, 400 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Three-speed automatic gearbox optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Length: 542 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: two-door sedan, four-door sedan. Note: Two-door hardtop coupes are also featured in advertisements (as the one pictured above), though I suspect this is no more than a publicity stunt as no document, including the said advertisements, mentions any other model than the two sedans.
Mercury Monterey
Last year’s cheapest model from Mercury, the Monterey now looks glittering by comparison with the Medalist. It is powered by a new “383” 6.3-litre engine.
● Introduction: 1956. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.3-litre, 312 hp, mounted at the front. Optional engine: V-8, 7.0-litre, 400 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Three-speed automatic gearbox optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Length: 542 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: two-door sedan, four-door sedan, two-door “Phaeton” hardtop coupe, four-door “Phaeton” hardtop sedan, two-door convertible coupe.
Mercury Commuter
The Mercury Commuter remains the company's cheapest offer in the field of station wagons.
● Introduction: 1956. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.3-litre, 312 hp, mounted at the front. Optional engine: V-8, 7.0-litre, 400 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Three-speed automatic gearbox optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Length: 544 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: two-door hardtop station wagon, four-door hardtop station wagon.
Mercury Montclair
The Montclair is close to the Monterey, but proposes as standard equipment a more powerful engine and a “Merc-O-Matic” automatic transmission.
● Introduction: 1956. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.3-litre, 330 hp, mounted at the front. Optional engines: V-8, 7.0-litre, 360 hp; and V-8, 7.0-litre, 400 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed automatic gearbox. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Length: 542 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: four-door sedan, two-door “Phaeton” hardtop coupe, four-door “Phaeton” hardtop sedan, two-door convertible coupe.
Mercury Montclair Turnpike Cruiser
The Turnpike Cruiser does not exist anymore as a separate series. Now considered to be upscale Montclairs, the two remaining models - the convertible is gone - retain their peculiar inverted retractable rear window and their air scoops on the foremost part of the roof. A 7.0-litre engine provided by Lincoln is now standard. Trying to boost their sales, Mercury has reduced these cars’ prices.
● Introduction: 1956. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 7.0-litre, 360 hp, mounted at the front. Optional engine: V-8, 7.0-litre, 400 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed automatic gearbox. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels, with servo. Length: 524 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: two-door hardtop coupe, four-door hardtop sedan.
Mercury Voyager
The Voyager station wagons loosely correspond to the Montclair in terms of equipment.
● Introduction: 1956. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.3-litre, 330 hp, mounted at the front. Optional engines: V-8, 7.0-litre, 360 hp; and V-8, 7.0-litre, 400 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Three-speed automatic gearbox optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Length: 544 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: two-door hardtop station wagon, four-door hardtop station wagon.
Mercury Colony Park
The Mercury Colony Park continues to add a side decoration made of fake wood to the Voyager four-door station wagon.
● Introduction: 1956. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 6.3-litre, 330 hp, mounted at the front. Optional engines: V-8, 7.0-litre, 360 hp; and V-8, 7.0-litre, 400 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Three-speed automatic gearbox optional. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Servo optional. Length: 544 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: four-door hardtop station wagon.
Mercury Park Lane
Ambitious, Mercury has unveiled this new Park Lane. A luxurious automobile, it is built on a longer chassis than its lesser siblings. It is powered by the larger Lincoln “430” 7.0-litre V-8, mated to a “Multi-Drive” automatic transmission instead of the older “Merc-O-Matic”.
● Introduction: 1956 for this generation of Mercury full-sizes, 1957 for the Park Lane. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled V-8, 7.0-litre, 360 hp, mounted at the front. Optional engine: V-8, 7.0-litre, 400 hp. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed automatic gearbox. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels, with servo. Length: 559 cm. Top speed: n/a. Range: two-door “Phaeton” hardtop coupe, four-door “Phaeton” hardtop sedan, two-door convertible coupe.
Any mistake you’ve just spotted? A detail to add? A suggestion? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment!
Click to jump to another model year of the same car: 1957 – 1958
Click here to return to a list of all Mercury vehicles presented on this blog.
Click here to return to this blog’s initial post, featuring a list of all brands already presented.
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