The Mercury Sable is a range of automobiles manufactured and marketed by the Mercury brand of Ford Motor Company . Introduced on December 26, 1985, as the replacement for the Mercury Marquis , the Sable marked the transition of the mid-size Mercury product range to front-wheel drive.
118-626: Over its production span, the Sable was Mercury's badge-engineered counterpart to the Ford Taurus , below the Grand Marquis in the Mercury range. From the 1986 to 2005 model years, it was produced as a mid-size four-door sedan and five-door station wagon. For 2006, the Sable was replaced by the full-size Montego and mid-size Milan. It was reintroduced for 2008 as a full-size car, offered as
236-568: 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 sport 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
354-467: A "floating roof" effect. In place of the body-color grille insert used by Ford, the Sable was fitted with a low-wattage lightbar between the headlamps; the lightbar became a design feature later adapted by the Mercury Topaz and Tracer (and other automakers in the early 1990s). The lightbar design element largely emphasized the lack of a conventional grille (while primarily a "bottom-breather" design,
472-777: A "premium" marque, Volkswagen often introduces new technologies in Audi-branded cars before fitting them to mainstream products (such as the Direct-Shift Gearbox ). In production, platform sharing is used extensively, with the modular MQB platform underpinning a range of vehicles from the Audi A1 to the Volkswagen Atlas . The previous D platform of the 2000s was used for the Volkswagen Phaeton and Bentley Continental GT (built in steel) and
590-632: A Chrysler interior. For the 1989 model year, Toyota and Nissan introduced the Lexus and Infiniti luxury brands in the United States (following the Acura luxury brand of Honda) with the all-new Lexus LS400 and Infiniti Q45 full-size sedans. Both brands expanded their model line for 1990, sourcing an existing model line from the Japanese market to rebrand as an entry-level offering. The Lexus ES250
708-470: A Chrysler powertrain, the Routan received its own styling and content features as well as a standard "sportier suspension and steering". In Japan, automobile manufacturers differed in the marketing of their product ranges. In contrast to marketing a single vehicle under multiple brand names (with minor changes to exterior bodywork), Japanese manufacturers marketed vehicles through multiple sales networks, with
826-733: A Japanese-market Toyota (Toyota Vista/Windom) and its chassis and engine with the Camry, the ES300 shared no resemblance to the American-market Camry. Infiniti moved away from a two-door coupe entirely, replacing the M30 with the four-door J30 ( Nissan Leopard J Ferie in Japan). Car and Driver Car and Driver ( CD or C/D ) is an American automotive enthusiast magazine first published in 1955. In 2006 its total circulation
944-460: 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 1992 for MY 1993, unpopular optional features such as the " InstaClear " heated windshield were eliminated. For 3.0L V6 engines, the drive belt system became a single-belt setup for 1993 (previously, the 3.0L alternator had used a separate belt). Also, some 3.0L 1994 models began receiving
1062-612: A car through each brand; for example, the Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade each share a common body. In another example, the same model is rebadged when it is sold in different regions and markets. In Australia, during the 1980s and 1990s, the Button car plan required imported Nissans and Toyotas to adopt Ford and Holden (GM) nameplates. In the United Kingdom, Opel-produced vehicles are marketed under
1180-707: A common platform to produce the American version of the Odyssey minivan, also underpinning the Honda Pilot and Honda Passport SUVs, the Acura MDX CUV, and the Honda Ridgeline mid-size pickup truck. Although intended to save development costs by spreading design and research costs over several vehicles, rebadging can also become problematic if not implemented properly. Using multiple car brands under
1298-538: A design input tool. During the development of the Sable, Mercury had become one of the final American brands to adopt front-wheel drive into its vehicle line. In 1982, as a sedan/station wagon version of the Chevrolet Citation , General Motors produced the quartet of the Chevrolet Celebrity / Pontiac 6000 / Oldsmobile Cutlass / Buick Century ; a year later, Chrysler expanded its K cars into
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#17327868123281416-739: A distinct vehicle being sold under various model nameplates (from a single manufacturer). Toyota marketed the Corolla in Japan exclusively at Toyota Corolla Store locations; at Toyota Auto Store locations, it was named the Toyota Sprinter . Nissan sold the Nissan Cedric through its Nissan Bluebird Store network, with the identical Nissan Gloria through the Nissan Prince Store network. Honda previously marketed
1534-561: A five-passenger interior. Coinciding with the 1998 Daimler-Chrysler merger, the Eagle brand was discontinued; the singular Jeep brand was integrated as part of Chrysler or Dodge dealership networks. The Chrysler 300M was originally developed as a second generation of the Eagle Vision; following the discontinuation of Eagle, the vehicle continued into production as a Chrysler model, adopting a slightly restyled grille, Chrysler badging, and
1652-529: A four-door sedan. Because of declining sales, the Sable was discontinued after the 2009 model year, leaving no Mercury counterpart for the sixth-generation Taurus . The final Sable was produced on May 21, 2009; in total, 2,112,374 Sables were produced during its 1985–2005 production. In early 1980, the Mercury Sable began development alongside the Ford Taurus; the $ 3.5 billion project would become
1770-541: A joint venture with a local manufacturer to manufacture automobiles in the country. Prior to 2022, the Chinese government dictates that no more than two joint ventures are allowed for each foreign investor. Larger foreign manufacturers often set up two joint ventures to maximize the market reach, including Toyota ( FAW Toyota and GAC Toyota ), Ford (JMC-Ford and Changan Ford ), Volkswagen ( SAIC-VW and FAW-VW ) and Honda ( Dongfeng Honda and Guangqi Honda ). To distribute
1888-501: A model to carry over to its rebadged model counterparts. Through the 2000s, the American Big Three automakers reduced their brand footprint by closing or selling underperforming brands. After 2001, Chrysler discontinued its Plymouth brand (following the closure of Eagle in 1998). In response to the late 2000s recession, Ford ended its ownership of Jaguar , Land Rover , Aston Martin , and Volvo Cars ; in 2010, Mercury
2006-449: A result of this issue. A few rare special editions of the Sable were made, all consisting of first generation models. During MY 1987, Mercury introduced 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 during MY 1987; the production quantity is not known and it is also unknown how many still exist. During MY 1989, Mercury created
2124-587: A revised version of their product through an OEM deal, as with Volkswagen marketing a modified version of the Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country minivans as the Volkswagen Routan (2009–2014). Another example was the joint venture of Mitsubishi and Chrysler that resulted in vehicles produced by Diamond-Star Motors that were marketed under various nameplates from 1985 until 1993. In China, foreign manufacturers were required to form
2242-768: A sedan, hatchback, or SUV/CUV body designs. Automotive industry rebadging can be compared with white-label products in other consumer goods industries, such as consumer electronics and power tools . The first case of badge engineering appeared in 1917 with the Texan automobile assembled in Fort Worth, Texas, that made use of Elcar bodies made in Elkhart, Indiana. "Probably the industry's first example of one car becoming another" occurred in 1926 when Nash Motors ' newly introduced smaller-sized Ajax models were discontinued in 1926 after over 22,000 Ajax cars were sold during
2360-413: A sensual marketing campaign for the Sable featuring singer and entertainer Bette Midler . However, Midler turned down Ford's offer and refused to appear in the ads, so Ford utilized an impersonator of Midler as a substitute. Midler sued in response, leading to the memorable case Midler v. Ford Motor Co. which clarified whether impersonations could be considered an appropriation of identity. Launched at
2478-571: A shared appearance; Cadillac Eldorado Seville , Buick Limited Riviera , Oldsmobile Starfire 98 , Pontiac Bonneville Catalina , and the Chevrolet Bel-Air Impala . A later example was Wolseley Motors after it was bought out by William Morris . After World War I , "Wolseley started to lose its identity and eventually succumbed to badge engineering." This was repeated with the consolidation of Austin Motor Company and
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#17327868123282596-409: A single-parent manufacturer can significantly increase selling costs, as each model line must be marketed separately, requiring a distinct dealership network. Inappropriate use of rebadging can also hurt overall sales by resulting in "cannibalism" between two or more brands owned by the same company by failing to develop a distinct image for each brand or by allowing the market failure of one version of
2714-596: A singular GM brand. As an exception, Cadillac offers division-exclusive engines (the Northstar and Blackwing V8 engine families). In 1981, GM lost a 1977 lawsuit related to consumers (who purchased 1977 Oldsmobile Delta 88s equipped with a 350 cu in (5.7 L) Chevrolet small-block engine instead of the 350 cu in (5.7 L) Oldsmobile V8 engine ). At the time of production, GM had downsized its full-size model lines in preparation for another oil crisis and had increased production of V6 engines as
2832-544: A vestigial air intake slot was also designed into the bumper below the lightbar); a design pioneered by the 1950s Citroën DS , within Ford, the configuration was also used by the Ford Mustang SVO and Ford Sierra . As with its Marquis predecessor, the Sable station wagon was designed with a rear liftback, but introduced a new configuration for the rear hatch, allowing the rear window glass to be opened separately from
2950-638: Is "to spread the huge development costs of a new vehicle over as many cars as possible". An example is General Motors' rebadging of the Camaro as the Firebird , a successful model from the 1960s through to the 2000s. In most cases, consumers are interested in each brand's focus "on the unique elements of styling and driving characteristics". Some cars would not be marketed without the cost savings that are obtained from this practice, and carmakers can develop many "different models – all wearing different badges – off
3068-612: Is a four-door sedan derived from the V20 Toyota Camry. Though visibly similar to the Camry introduced for 1987, the ES250 was a rebranded Toyota Camry Prominent/Vista ; a model developed for Japan, the Prominent/Vista (dependent on sales network) is a four-door pillared hardtop sedan with a slightly lower roofline and restyled body panels. Along with the change to left-hand drive, the ES250 adopted an interior similar to
3186-588: Is also known as rebranding and badge engineering ; the latter is an intentionally ironic misnomer in that little or no actual engineering takes place. The term originated with the practice of replacing an automobile's emblems to create an ostensibly new model sold by a different maker. Changes may be confined to swapping badges and emblems, or may encompass minor styling differences, as with cosmetic changes to headlights , taillights, front and rear fascias , and even outer body skins. More extreme examples involve differing engines and drivetrains . The objective
3304-586: Is also published in Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Spain. The Spanish version just makes use of the Car and Driver name; no editorial direction is shared. China had an edition called 名车志 Car and Driver ( transl. Quality Automotive Magazine "Car and Driver" ). The Middle Eastern edition is issued by ITP Publishing based in Dubai. The magazine was one of the first to be unabashedly critical of
3422-477: Is amortized tooling costs, which means the vehicle can be produced at a higher margin of profit (or a lower price, or both). Badge engineering occurs in the luxury -type market segments. An automobile manufacturer will use a model from its mainstream brand as a basis for a model under a premium marque by upgrading its features, technology, and/or styling. Along with visible cosmetic differences, premium models may also receive upgraded drivetrains. An example of this
3540-778: Is that Ford Motor Company marketed its mainstream Ford Fusion mid-size sedan as the Lincoln MKZ ; the Ford Expedition SUV is sold as the Lincoln Navigator . A more controversial example was the Aston Martin Cygnet , a rebadged version of the Toyota iQ city car (intended to comply with EU emissions regulations). While fitted with model-specific trim and a luggage set, the Cygnet nearly tripled
3658-650: Is when two separate manufacturers trade products, filling gaps in their respective product lineups. During the 1990s, Honda and Isuzu entered into such an agreement, with Isuzu marketing the first-generation Honda Odyssey as the Isuzu Oasis as its first minivan. In return, Honda received the Isuzu Rodeo and Isuzu Trooper SUVs, which became the Honda Passport and Acura SLX ; the agreement allowed both Honda and Isuzu to enter new vehicle segments without
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3776-613: The 1973 oil crisis , General Motors expanded fuel-efficient offerings beyond its Chevrolet division, reintroducing compact cars to its Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac brands. Derived from the X-platform Chevrolet Nova , the Pontiac Ventura was introduced for the 1971 model year, with the Buick Apollo and Oldsmobile Omega introduced for 1973. These four X-platform vehicles (also known as N-O-V-A from
3894-711: The Audi A8 (built in aluminum). In the Japanese automotive industry, platform sharing has expanded model offerings in North America. While the initial Lexus LS was developed specifically for the American market, the later Lexus ES has shared a platform (but not a body) with the Toyota Camry (since 2013, the Toyota Avalon , itself also based on the Camry). Exclusive primarily to North America, Honda uses
4012-635: The Ferrari 512 . In the 1970s, to celebrate the Interstate Highway System and to protest speed limits, reporter Brock Yates and editor Steve Smith conceived the idea of an unsanctioned, informal race across the country, replicating the 53.5-hour transcontinental drive made by car and bike pilot Erwin George "Cannonball" Baker in 1933. The New York to Los Angeles Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash , later shortened to
4130-612: The Ford Fusion ; as part of its 2013 redesign, no other exterior panels); Cadillac rebranded the Opel Omega B as the Cadillac Catera as its first mid-size car, but replaced it, eventually moving towards platform sharing with other divisions. From 1982 until 1986, the front-wheel drive A platform underpinned the Chevrolet Celebrity , Cutlass Ciera , Pontiac 6000 , and Buick Century . As part of their legacy,
4248-793: The Honda Accord through multiple sales networks, marketing the Accord through the Honda Clio network and renaming it as the Honda Vigor for Honda Verno locations (conversely, the Vigor was renamed the Honda Inspire for the Clio network). The practice of producing multiple versions of the same vehicle would eventually lead to distinct vehicles produced for export. In North America,
4366-577: The Nuffield Organization (parent company of Morris Motors ) to form the British Motor Corporation (BMC). The rationalization of production to gain efficiencies "did not extend to marketing", and each "model was adapted, by variation in trim and accessories, to appeal to customer loyalties for whom the badge denoting the company of origin was an important selling advantage ... 'Badge Engineering', as it became known,
4484-650: The Toyota Sprinter / Chevrolet Prizm , and later the Toyota Matrix / Pontiac Vibe . In another agreement, Ford and Nissan developed and produced the Mercury Villager and Nissan Quest minivans from 1993 through 2002. Another example was the cooperative work between Volkswagen and Ford to develop the VW Sharan , Ford Galaxy , and SEAT Alhambra . Badge engineering may occur when one company allows another, otherwise unaffiliated, company to market
4602-604: The Yusheng S330 developed by Jiangling Motors (JMC) . Badge engineering could be used as a strategy to lengthen the life cycle of a vehicle. After a product has reached the end of its life cycle, it may be transferred to another brand, mostly from the same holding company or joint venture. Examples include the SEAT Exeo , a rebadged Audi A4 B7 with reworked styling, which was built in Spain from used production tooling from
4720-422: The automotive industry , rebadging is a form of market segmentation used by automobile manufacturers around the world. To allow for product differentiation without designing or engineering a new model or brand (at high cost or risk), a manufacturer creates a distinct automobile by applying a new "badge" or trademark (brand, logo, or manufacturer's name/make/marque) to an existing product line. Rebadging
4838-519: The "Cannonball Run", was staged in 1971, 1972, 1975 and 1979, with the race entries including both amateur drivers and professional racers, such as Dan Gurney (who with Brock Yates "won" the 1971 event driving a Ferrari 365 GTB/4, making the 2,860 miles (4,600 km) journey in under 36 hours). The stunt served as the inspiration for several Hollywood blockbusters, such as The Gumball Rally , The Cannonball Run , Cannonball Run II , Cannonball Run III , Gone in 60 Seconds and The Fast and
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4956-413: The 1973 oil crisis and to regain lost market share, both Cadillac and Lincoln introduced smaller vehicles for their brand. In one of the most controversial uses of rebranding in automotive history, both vehicles were derived from smaller GM and Ford divisional model ranges. For the 1977 model year, Lincoln released the Lincoln Versailles to match the debut of the Cadillac Seville . In contrast with
5074-415: The 1976 Pontiac Sunbird . Similarly, to the X-body vehicles, the H-body subcompacts shared common bodies across all four divisions with differing grille, lamp, and body trim variations. Prior to 1981, the majority of General Motors vehicles were produced with engines designed by their respective divisions. From 1981 onward, GM ended its policy of divisionally-developed engines, instead offering engines under
5192-529: The 1980 model year. For 1982, Cadillac released the Cadillac Cimarron to compete against compact European-brand executive sedans . The smallest Cadillac produced since the 1900s, the Cimarron used the chassis of the GM J-body four-door sedan. Developed and brought to market less than a year before the J-body was released, Cadillac was left with almost no time to distinguish the Cimarron from its divisional counterparts from Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac. Though sharing nearly its entire exterior with
5310-409: The 1980s. Following the Thunderbird and Cougar, Ford introduced the 1984 Ford Tempo and Mercury Topaz. The compact front-wheel drive replacements for the Ford Fairmont/Mercury Zephyr, the Tempo/Topaz marked the first use of aerodynamic body design by Ford for a sedan. In mid-1985, Ford unveiled the Mercury Sable alongside the Ford Taurus as a 1986 model. In place of a traditional auto show unveiling,
5428-511: The 1984 Continental Mark VII becoming the first American car to use them. While the Sable shared largely the same interior features as the Taurus, in a departure from tradition, the Sable was designed with a model-specific dashboard (partly integrated into the door panels). Sable sedans were equipped with a 50/50 split bench seat as standard equipment (joining the Grand Marquis as a six-passenger Mercury sedan); as an option, front bucket seats were offered (reducing capacity to five). The Sable wagon
5546-415: The 1990s, GM advertising featured a disclaimer stating '"Oldsmobiles (or any other GM division) are equipped with engines manufactured by various GM divisions, subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide."' Prior to the mid-1970s, the American luxury brands Lincoln and Cadillac offered model lines consisting entirely of full-size two-door and four-door sedans and full-size personal luxury cars. At the beginning of
5664-443: The 2008 revival of the Ford Taurus (renaming the Five Hundred) largely ended retail sale of the Crown Victoria, the Sable remained below the Grand Marquis in the Mercury range. While approximately 10 inches shorter and 500 pounds lighter than the Grand Marquis, the fifth-generation Sable was the first produced as a full-size car. For the first time, the model line was offered exclusively as a four-door sedan (no Mercury counterpart of
5782-473: The A-bodies became enormously popular – as well as synonymous with one of GM's most transparent examples of badge engineering : they were simultaneously presented, almost indistinguishably, on the 22 August 1983 cover of Forbes magazine as examples of genericized uniformity, embarrassing the company and ultimately prompting GM to recommit to design leadership. In 1987, Chrysler Corporation acquired American Motors Corporation (AMC) from Renault , leading to
5900-432: The American automakers. However, it has been quick to praise noteworthy efforts like the Ford Focus and Chevrolet Corvette . The magazine has been at the center of a few controversies based on this editorial direction, including the following: The magazine is widely known for an often irreverent tone, especially regarding cars it considers inferior. The magazine also frequently touches on politics. The editorial slant of
6018-469: The Audi plant in Ingolstadt after the A4 B7 production had ended. The tooling was dismantled from Ingolstadt and was sent to the SEAT manufacturing plant in Martorell , Spain, to be reinstalled. Another example is the Dongfeng Fengdu MX6, which was produced after the near-identical Nissan X-Trail (T31) production had ended, and the Maruti Suzuki Zen Estilo, which is based on the then-recently discontinued Suzuki MR Wagon . The advantage of this strategy
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#17327868123286136-418: The Breeze from the original CR-V , the Elysion from the Odyssey , the XR-V from the HR-V , and others. In other cases, foreign manufacturers may also rebadge a model developed by its partner, sometimes for exports to other markets. Examples include the second generation Chevrolet Captiva which is an export version of the Baojun 530 made by SAIC-GM-Wuling , or the Ford Territory , a reworked version of
6254-409: The DN101 platform; the wheelbase was extended from 106 to 108.5 inches. As before, the Sable returned as a four-door sedan and five-door station wagon. While mechanically identical to its Ford Taurus counterpart, the sedans of the two model lines shared less sheetmetal than before, with only the front doors, hood, and front fenders common between the Taurus and Sable (as before, the Sable served as
6372-450: The Ford LTD while the Sable replaced the Mercury Marquis. While designed entirely in North America, the Taurus/Sable were designed under a similar approach as the Ford Escort , using an interdisciplinary team approach; each element of the vehicle was designed concurrently, including manufacturing and assembly. Along with input from potential buyers (in stark contrast to the Edsel ), Ford used reverse engineering of competitive vehicles as
6490-461: The Ford Thunderbird; while retaining the same chassis underpinnings, the Thunderbird and Cougar underwent a complete exterior redesign, becoming the first Ford cars produced with highly aerodynamic designs, a central objective of the Taurus/Sable design. The 1983 Cougar was well received in the marketplace (outselling the 1983 Thunderbird); Ford would choose to abandon "boxy" car designs altogether, influencing other car manufacturers to follow suit during
6608-503: The GS as options. For 1998, the Sable underwent a mid-cycle revision, distinguished by new headlights and a centered Mercury emblem in the grille; the Sable G was discontinued. The Vulcan V6 engine became standard on all Sables, with the Duratec optional only on the LS for 1999. In an effort to stimulate sales, Mercury cut the price of the Sable by up to $ 2,000 for 1999 (by revising the availability of options). The Sable received another redesign in 1999 for MY 2000, which minimized some of
6726-399: The Jeep range, Eagle was marketed towards consumers interested in imported vehicles. For 1992, the Eagle Vision full-size sedan replaced the Premier, becoming the first Eagle-brand vehicle developed by Chrysler. Positioned between the Dodge Intrepid and Chrysler Concorde, the Eagle Vision shared most exterior trim with the Concorde. It was the only Chrysler LH car offered exclusively with
6844-430: The LED taillamps were retained, but given white lenses. The fifth-generation Sable adopted the trim lines of the Montego and Milan, with an unnamed standard trim level and a top Premier trim. Water pumps on the 2008 and 2009 Mercury Sable equipped with the 3.5 L Ford Cyclone V6 have a tendency to fail and potentially ruin the engine when they do. The water pumps on these engines are internally mounted and driven by
6962-417: The M30 differed from the Leopard primarily in its steering wheel location. Intended largely as placeholder models, the ES250 and M30 were largely overshadowed by their companion flagship sedans. Following the end of the 1992 model year, both models were withdrawn (as their Japanese counterparts had ended their model cycles). For 1993, the ES250 was replaced by the ES300; while again sharing its body with
7080-447: The Mercury Sable was marketed by Kia alongside the Kia Potentia (Mazda Luce/929) as they assemble Kia Pride as Ford Festiva in export market. The first-generation Sable used the front-wheel drive Ford DN5 platform , sharing its 106 in (2,692 mm) wheelbase with the Ford Taurus. As with its Marquis predecessor, the Sable used unibody construction. The Sable was equipped with a four-wheel independent suspension. The front axle
7198-421: The SHO, and all the publicity and praise it received, Ford shelved the Sable LTS to focus on the SHO, and because it feared it would cannibalize sales of 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
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#17327868123287316-409: The Sable G and GS, the standard engine was the 3.0 L Vulcan V6, producing 145 hp. For the Sable LS, the standard engine was a 3.0 L DOHC Duratec V6, producing 200 hp; optional in the Sable GS, the Duratec engine was an enlarged version of the engine from the Mercury Mystique. For 1997, the Sable underwent several cost-cutting revisions; several features of the LS became available on
7434-477: The Sable gained a passenger-side airbag as an option for 1992 (becoming standard in 1993). For 1993, the steering wheel was redesigned (returning the horn to the center of the steering wheel). The base "GS" and luxury "LS" trim levels were carried over from the previous generation. A front cloth bench seat was 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
7552-445: The Sable sedan shared only its doors and roof stamping with the Taurus. In what would become a tradition for four model generations, the station wagon body for both model lines was derived from the Sable; the Taurus wagon was styled with its own front fascia. To differentiate its 6-window roofline from the Taurus, the Sable sedan borrowed design elements from the Ford Scorpio liftback sedan, using blacked-out B, C, and D-pillars for
7670-412: The Sable underwent a redesign of the dashboard to accommodate the addition of a driver-side airbag; a CD player was added as an option. The first-generation Mercury Sable was sold in two trim levels (opposed to the four of the Taurus). In line with other Mercury models, a base-trim GS (comparable to the GL-trim Taurus) and top-trim LS (slightly above the Taurus LX) was offered. As Mercury never offered
7788-434: The Sable was offered was with two engines: a 90 hp HSC I4 (mated to a three-speed automatic) and a 140 hp Vulcan V6 (paired to a four-speed automatic). Following poor sales of the four-cylinder engine in the Sable, the engine was dropped from the line (though remaining standard on the Taurus through 1991), along with the 3-speed automatic. For 1988, a 3.8 L Essex V6 was introduced as an optional engine. Though rated with
7906-410: The Seville (sharing its chassis underpinnings both the Chevrolet Nova and the Chevrolet Camaro), the Versailles shared nearly its entire body with the Mercury Monarch (itself a counterpart of the Ford Granada ); the model line also replaced the previous Mercury Grand Monarch Ghia . Outsold by the Seville nearly three-to-one, the Versailles sold far under sales predictions and was discontinued early in
8024-427: The Taurus X wagon was developed). Front-wheel drive remained standard, with all-wheel drive becoming an option for the first time. In the transition from the Montego to the Sable, a number of changes were made to the body and chassis. Alongside the addition of the 263 hp 3.5L V6 and 6-speed 6F automatic, the exterior underwent several revisions, including a revised front bumper and grille, redesigned headlamps;
8142-508: The Toyota Sprinter was marketed as the Chevrolet Nova (and the Geo Prizm that replaced it). The Honda Vigor and Inspire were marketed as the Acura Vigor and TL; Nissan sold the Gloria in the United States as the Infiniti M45 . Two automakers can also pool resources by operating a joint venture to create a product and then selling each as their own. For example, General Motors and Toyota formed NUMMI . The vehicles produced from this venture (though not necessarily at NUMMI itself) included
8260-410: The United States) by a wide margin, the Sable would prove successful on its own, competing with the Grand Marquis to serve as the highest-selling Mercury model line. The Sable was on Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list on its release in 1986 and again in 1990 and 1991. As Ford did not market the Mercury brand in Mexico, Ford of Mexico marketed the model line as the Ford Taurus. In South Korea,
8378-411: The Vauxhall brand; when sold in the United States, Opels were marketed as Saturns, Chevrolets, and Buicks. Conversely, the Australian Holden brand was never sold in North America, but the Holden Monaro and Holden Commodore were sold under the Pontiac (Pontiac GTO, Pontiac G8), Chevrolet (Chevrolet SS), and Buick (Buick Regal Sportback/Buick Regal TourX) nameplates. Another way badge engineering may occur
8496-749: The automotive industry. Alongside a shared chassis (though unibody construction is nearly universal in cars and many light trucks), platform sharing also standardizes components such as drivetrain, suspensions, components, and other technologies. General Motors used the B platform for many of its non-Cadillac full-size vehicles (nearly exclusively from 1959 through 1985), while Chrysler used its B platform for intermediates and its C platform for (non-Imperial) full-size cars. The Volkswagen Group uses platform sharing as its business strategy to improve its profitability and growth. For example, Audi uses components from their more pedestrian counterparts, sold as Volkswagen mass-market brands. As an effort to place Audi as
8614-414: The basis for Ford and Mercury station wagons). In contrast to the oval-influenced roofline of the Ford Taurus, the Sable was styled with a sloped roofline with a rectangular rear window; the model received its own front and rear fascias. In place of the long-running lightbar, the Sable received a chrome-trimmed grille with oval headlight housings. In a design first for the model line, the Sable was fitted with
8732-485: The brand's inaugural year. The chairman and CEO of the company, Charles W. Nash , ordered that the Ajax models be marketed as the "Nash Light Six", Nash being a known and respected automobile brand. Production was stopped for two days so Nash emblems, hubcaps, and radiator shells could be exchanged on all unshipped Ajax cars. Conversion kits were also distributed at no charge to Ajax owners to transform their cars and protect
8850-583: The company decided to keep both Car and Driver and existing CBS automobile magazine, Road & Track . Successive owners keep this arrangement. Rather than electing a Car of the Year , Car and Driver publishes its top ten picks each year in its Car and Driver 10Best . Car and Driver is home to the John Lingenfelter Memorial Trophy. This award is given annually at their Supercar Challenge . Currently, Car and Driver
8968-668: The cost of engineering an all-new vehicle design (at the same time, in Europe, the Honda Crossroad was a rebadged Land Rover Discovery ). During the late 2000s and early 2010s, the Volkswagen Routan was a rebranded version of the Dodge Grand Caravan, supplied as Volkswagen sought to re-enter the North American minivan segment without the investment of federalizing its design. Assembled by Chrysler with
9086-590: The decade, European automakers began to market their largest sedans as luxury vehicles in North America. Though the BMW Bavaria/3.0Si , Jaguar XJ6/XJ12 , and Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W116) were priced similar to the Cadillac Sedan de Ville and Lincoln Continental, the model lines were thousands of pounds lighter and multiple feet shorter in length (with only the hand-built Rolls-Royce Phantom V rivaling Lincoln and Cadillac in size). In response to both
9204-585: The end of 1985 as a 1986 model, the Mercury Sable replaced the Mercury Marquis as the mid-size Mercury line, slotted between the Topaz and Grand Marquis/Colony Park. Developed alongside the Ford Taurus, the Sable was marketed alongside its Marquis predecessor for 1986, as Ford sought to protect its investment in the project. Though outsold by the Taurus (which would go on to become the best-selling car in
9322-648: The exit of the latter company from the North American market. As part of the sale, Chrysler obtained the AMC dealership network, the AMC Eagle line of all-wheel drive cars, and the Jeep line of sport-utility vehicles and pickup trucks. For 1989, Chrysler established the Jeep-Eagle Division in a strategy to both focus on Jeep and offer specialty cars differentiated from the established Chrysler lines. Following
9440-539: The first letters of their model names) were produced with identical bodies with divisional differences marked only with specific grille, lamp, and body trim variations. To expand its footprint in the subcompact segment, the H-body Chevrolet Vega platform was used for the 1975 model year for newly styled variants sold as the Chevrolet Monza , Buick Skyhawk , and Oldsmobile Starfire followed by
9558-566: The first-generation Sable with a manual transmission, no Mercury Sable equivalent to the Taurus MT-5 nor the Taurus SHO was ever introduced. For the 1992 model year, the second-generation Sable was introduced. As part of a $ 650 million investment in the Taurus and Sable, both model lines received significant updates, focusing on the interior and front and rear fascias. In contrast to the previous Sable, Ford chose an evolutionary change for
9676-542: The four-door Chevrolet Cavalier, the Cimarron was priced nearly twice as high as its counterpart. Additionally, J-body vehicles from other divisions could be equipped nearly identically to the Cimarron for a lower cost. Though the model line closely matched its Buick Skyhawk and Oldsmobile Firenza counterparts in sales, the Cimarron was discontinued following the 1988 model year. Though the Lincoln Versailles
9794-572: 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 U.S. and Mexico . The 2005 Mercury Montego and 2006 Milan were launched as replacements for the Sable. Shortly after the Montego's introduction the Sable
9912-438: The intended standard engine, underestimating consumer demand for Oldsmobile V8 engines. To accommodate the increased market demand, nearly 60% of Delta 88s were equipped with a Chevrolet 5.7 L V8 for 1977. The lawsuit was filed by the state of Illinois, claiming GM falsely advertised the vehicles. In 1981, GM settled the lawsuit with the vehicle buyers and discontinued their company-unique policy of division-specific engines. Into
10030-472: 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
10148-492: The investment they had made in purchasing an automobile made by Nash. Starting with the beginning of General Motors in 1909, chassis and platforms were shared with all brands. GMC , which historically was a truck builder, began to offer its products branded as Chevrolet , and vehicles produced by GM were built on common platforms shared with Chevrolet, Oakland , Oldsmobile , Buick , and Cadillac . Exterior appearances were gradually upgraded between these vehicle brands. This
10266-591: The larger LS (along with similarly styled wheels and taillamps). The Infiniti M30 is a two-door notchback coupe derived from the Nissan Leopard (a model never sold in North America). Along with the coupe, Infiniti sold the M30 as a two-door convertible (converted in the United States). With the exception of its badging and its dashboard (sourced from the left-hand drive Nissan Skyline ),
10384-462: The largest development ever undertaken by Ford at the time. Originally intended to replace its full-size and mid-size rear-wheel drive product lines ( Panther and Fox platforms, respectively), the Taurus/Sable were focused toward the mid-size segment in 1981, as the company felt stabilization of gasoline prices justified the continuation of its full-size model lines. The Taurus was to replace
10502-450: The launch was held an MGM Studios soundstage (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. With the flashing of strobe lights and a drum-roll, the curtain was pulled back and the two cars were revealed to the public. Ford planned
10620-432: The magazine Car and Driver to show a more general automotive focus. Car and Driver once featured Bruce McCall , Jean Shepherd , and Brock Yates as columnists, and P. J. O'Rourke as a frequent contributor. Former editors include William Jeanes and David E. Davis, Jr. , the latter of whom led some employees to defect in 1985 to create Automobile . When CBS acquired Ziff Davis' consumer magazines in 1985,
10738-486: The magazine is decidedly pro-automobile. Car and Driver operates a website that features articles (both original and from print), a blog, an automotive buyer's guide (with AccuPayment, a price-calculating tool), and a social networking site called Backfires. As had occurred with other online auto magazines, Car and Driver first suspended its popular Backfires column in 2020; then, did make a partial effort in 2021 to continue with readers' comments, but eventually found, like
10856-504: The magazine's editors, with Csaba Csere adding occasional commentary and news. In 1993, Car and Driver licensed its name for a PC game to Electronic Arts entitled Car and Driver . The game was in 3D, and the courses included racing circuits , an oval track, automobile route racing with traffic, a dragstrip , and an autocross circuit. The ten vehicles included the Porsche 959 , Ferrari F40 , Lotus Esprit , Eagle Talon , and
10974-453: The mid-size segment with the first front-wheel-drive Chrysler New Yorker . Coinciding with the 1986 launch of the Sable, General Motors downsized Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac full-size sedans to front-wheel drive, only slightly larger than the mid-size Sable. For 1983, Mercury underwent a brand revision, with the Cougar reverting to its traditional role as a two-door personal coupe alongside
11092-412: The model line; though visibly similar to the previous generation, every body panel on the Sable sedan (except the doors) was changed. On the station wagon (shared with both the Sable and Taurus), the front fascia was redesigned, along with the interior. The interior of the Sable underwent a redesign of the door panels, dashboard, and interior controls. Following the 1990 addition of a driver-side airbag,
11210-473: 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
11328-407: The one platform". In several countries including Japan, manufacturers often use the phrase " OEM supply" or "OEM-supplied" to denote vehicles that are a rebadged model from or for other manufacturers. Although platform sharing can often involve rebadging and rebranding, it can extend further, as the design may be used across multiple configurations. For example, a single platform may underpin
11446-412: The other magazines, the effort was too costly and often too divisive. Car and Driver Television was the television counterpart that formerly aired on TNN / SpikeTV 's Powerblock weekend lineup from 1999 to 2005. It was produced by RTM Productions and hosted by Jim Scoutten—who also hosted American Shooter , another RTM production—until 2003. Thereafter the usual host was Larry Webster, one of
11564-419: 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
11682-533: The price of the iQ. Alternatively, VW Group under Ferdinand Piëch used the reverse of this in some circumstances, engineering the more luxurious model first and then remove features for models from less prestigious marques. Examples include the Lamborghini Gallardo / Audi R8 and the Audi A4 / Volkswagen Passat . Along with rebadging and badge engineering, platform sharing is common throughout
11800-717: The production and sales rights to each joint venture, manufacturers often resort to a similar strategy deployed in Japan: simply producing the exact model under two different names with minor changes to exterior bodywork. GAC Toyota has produced the Levin as a twin model to the FAW Toyota-built Corolla and the Wildlander as the alternative to the RAV4 . Honda awarded several models to two joint ventures, which spawned
11918-426: 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. The third-generation Sable was introduced for the 1996 model year. The platform used for the previous two generations underwent an extensive revision, redesignated as
12036-400: The regional Big Threes of the United States, Europe, and Japan) owns a portfolio of different brands and markets the same car under different brands and nameplates. The practice is used for multiple reasons. In one example, a company may do so to expand its range of different brands in a market without the cost of developing completely new models. In the United States, General Motors may sell
12154-532: The rest of the rear hatch. In a design first for Mercury station wagons, exterior woodgrain trim was not offered as an option. Alongside the Taurus, the Sable was the first American-produced sedan to use aerodynamic composite headlights with replaceable halogen bulbs; to begin their use, Ford (and other auto manufacturers) lobbied the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to have them approved, with
12272-497: The retirement of the AMC Eagle Wagon in early 1988 (derived from the 1971 AMC Hornet), Eagle established its product line with the introduction of the 1988 Premier and Medallion (developed by Renault prior to the sale of AMC). To expand the product range beyond the two sedans, Chrysler sourced vehicles from Mitsubishi, introducing the 1989 Summit (Dodge/Plymouth Colt) and 1990 Talon (Mitsubishi Eclipse). In contrast to
12390-501: The same 140 hp output as the 3.0 L Vulcan V6, the 3.8 L V6 was rated with nearly 35% more torque output (popular in the heavier station wagons). In contrast to the Taurus, the first-generation Sable (nor any of its successors) was not offered with a manual transmission. The first-generation Sable was offered in two body styles: a four-door sedan and a five-door station wagon. While its 1983–1986 Marquis predecessor shared nearly its entire body with its Ford LTD counterpart,
12508-524: The same interior as the Taurus (with the exception of seat fabrics). The trim lines saw a minor revision, with the Sable G introduced as a new entry-level model and the Sable LTS discontinued. The Sable G was offered solely as a sedan, with several standard power options (but only an AM/FM radio). For higher sales volumes, the GS and LS made their return, offered both in sedan and station wagon form. For
12626-453: The sedan; station wagons retained four-wheel disc brakes. 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. 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,
12744-413: The timing chain. As a result, when they fail, antifreeze is dumped directly into the crankcase; mixing with engine oil and potentially damaging the head gaskets and connecting rod bearings. These water pump failures could occur without warning, and repair could require engine disassembly or removal to access the water pump, or in some cases, engine replacement. A class action lawsuit was filed against Ford as
12862-425: 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; while over two feet shorter than the 1991 Mercury Colony Park, the Sable wagon became the sole eight-passenger vehicle offered by Lincoln-Mercury (as the Mercury Villager minivan seated seven). 1995 was the final model year of the second-generation Sable;
12980-482: Was 1.23 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines , who purchased it from its prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011. It was founded as Sports Cars Illustrated. The magazine is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan . Car and Driver was founded as Sports Cars Illustrated in 1955. In its early years, the magazine focused primarily on small, imported sports cars . In 1961, editor Karl Ludvigsen renamed
13098-496: Was closed by Ford. General Motors underwent several brand revisions; following the discontinuation of the Geo sub-brand of Chevrolet in 1997, Oldsmobile was closed after 2004 (the oldest American nameplate at the time). Following its 2009 bankruptcy, GM closed Pontiac, Saturn, and Hummer in 2010; Saab was sold (eventually leading to its demise). GM sold its European Opel and Vauxhall brands in 2017 to PSA (now Stellantis). In response to
13216-546: 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. The fifth-generation Mercury Sable was launched for the 2008 model year. Developed as a mid-cycle update of the Mercury Montego, the production vehicle revived the more widely-recognized Sable nameplate at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show . While
13334-485: Was fitted with MacPherson struts and a stabilizer bar; the rear axle on sedans was a coil-spring 4-link layout (also with MacPherson struts), while the rear suspension on station wagons was a coil-spring double-wishbone design (short/long arm), along with a stabilizer bar. As with the Marquis, the Sable was equipped with front disc brakes and rear drum brakes; station wagons were fitted with larger rear brakes. For 1986,
13452-575: Was largely forgotten after its 1980 discontinuation (its role superseded by the downsizing of the Lincoln Continental for 1982), the Cimarron would cause extensive damage to the Cadillac brand, as its market share declined by almost 50% from 1980 to 1998. As of current production, neither Lincoln nor Cadillac has marketed a compact-segment car. Through the use of rebranding, Lincoln produced the mid-size Lincoln MKZ (sharing its doors with
13570-445: Was offered with an optional rear-facing third-row seat, bringing seating to seven or eight; for the first time since the 1977 Cougar wagon, Mercury offered the design in its midsize station wagon. During its production, the first-generation Sable underwent few changes. For 1989, the exterior underwent a mid-cycle revision; the amber parking lamp lenses were replaced by clear units and sedans saw revisions to taillamp lenses. For 1990,
13688-525: Was partly because all bodywork was provided by Fisher Body which was bought by GM in 1925, and the introduction of the Art and Color Section in 1928, directed by Harley Earl . For the 1958 model year, GM was promoting its fiftieth year of production and introduced anniversary models for each brand; Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Chevrolet. The 1958 models shared an almost identical appearance on all models for each brand and made special luxury models with
13806-416: Was sold on eBay in 2007. A special one-of-a-kind Sable convertible was created in 1987 for the 1988 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. Badge-engineered In
13924-517: Was symptomatic of a policy of sales competition between the constituent organizations". The ultimate example of BMC badge engineering was the 1962 BMC ADO16 which was available badged as a Morris, MG, Austin, Wolseley, Riley and the upmarket Vanden Plas . A year earlier, the Mini was also available as Austin, Morris, Riley, and Wolseley – the latter two having slightly bigger boots. Badge engineering often occurs when an individual manufacturer (such as
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