Mercury Sable

The Mercury Sable is a Large Front or All Wheel Drive Luxury Sedan produced by Mercury and manufactured at the Chicago Assembly Plant in Illinois. It was also built in Atlanta, Georgia until Friday April 29, 2005 when production stopped.

The Sable was a milestone design for Mercury and the entire American Automotive Industry, as well as a very influential vehicle in the marketplace, with Mercury selling over 2 million units during its 20 year run. The Sable's design was so futuristic that it was called by the press "The car that came from the moon". A important feature of the Sable's design was its front "lightbar", a low wattage lamp between the headlights. This later became mainstrem for the Mercury line-up and was copied by many automakers in the early nineties but never with the same success Mercury had. 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 occured in 2000, softening some the controversial design vestiges of the 1996 model. Minor styling changes in 2004 further refined the car. The Mercury Sable station wagon ended production in late 2004. And the last Sable sedan rolled off the line on Friday April 29,2005. On Wednesday February 7,2007 at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show Ford Motor Company CEO Alan Mulally unveiled an all new 2008 model Mercury Sable.

The all-new 2008 Mercury Sable combines smart features with a sophisticated new design. Underneath the sleek hood is a new 3.5L V-6 engine, winner of Ward's 10 Best Engines award, coupled with a class-exclusive standard six-speed automatic transmission. The interior comprises of many clever technologies, including the exclusive voice-control of the SYNC communications and entertainment system.

However, 2009 will more than likely be the Sable's last year in production, again due to slow sales and the fact that Mercury is going to focus on smaller more fuel friendly cars and crossovers. But in 2010 the Ford Taurus will recieve a major redesign and continue on without it's Mercury brethren.

First Generation 1986-1991
The Mercury Sable was a very important sedan both for Mercury and the American Auto Industry. Ford had lagged behind General Motors in introducing mid-size front wheel drive cars to compete against the Citation and best-selling Celebrity, and Chryslers K-Cars, and Mercury suffered even worse from this. In 1984, Mercury launched a redesigned Mercury Cougar to start a reinvigoration of the Mercury Brand with new aerodynamic designs, and started development of the Sable. Because of this design, the Sable was a resounding success and launched Mercury into a new design era, as well as infuencing the other American Automakers to follow suit and create aro designed cars, thus ending the boxy cars of the 70's and 80's.The Sable siblings used flush areodynamic composite headlights. Ford was the first to produce and sell vehicles with such headlights in the U.S. To do so Ford had to get them approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Sable was the first American produced, mainstream sedan to use the new lights. 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 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 98 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 as the 3.0 L engine, this large V6 produced 215 ft·lbf of torque, a welcome addition, especially in the heavier 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.

Second Generation 1992-1995
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 Makeing it the Best selling Car in America, a number unheard of even today. While the design was basically the same, every body panel except for the roof was changed. The interior was also redesigned, and included an optional 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.

In 1993, unpopular optional features such as the "InstaClear" heated windshield were eliminated. For both 3.0 L and 3.8 L V6 engines, the drive belt system became a single-belt setup for 1993 (previously, the 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.

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
For 1996 the Sable was all new from the ground up. Mercury 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 moved upmarket, and as a result, prices rose considerably, also driving away potential buyers. The 1996 Sable was the first sable to share sheetmetal with the Ford 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 3.0L 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 and the 3.8L Essex V6 was gone. 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.

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.

Year to Year Changes

1997 Mercury Sable: Only a handful of minor changes marked the 1997 models, led by newly standard front-door map pockets for the GS and LS Sables.

1998 Mercury Sable: Changes are limited to a new grille and a revised axle ratio for designed to yield better acceleration. 1999 Mercury Sable: Sable saw price cuts of $1000 to $2000 in '99, but that had little effect on used car prices. Revisions to the suspension, instrument graphics, and interior door panels rounded out the changes. Sables were redesigned for 2000.

Fourth Generation 2000-2005
The Sable received another redesign in 2000, which minimized some of the oval design elements from the 1996 model, replacing them with more conventional style, 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 redesigned to a much more classy and conservative design. Certain elements of the interior were retained by the 1996 model, such as the intergrated control console, which combined the sound system and climate controls into one panel. The suspension was softened to appeal to a broader, non-sporting audience. To reduce price and increase profitability, many features such as four-wheel disc brakes where eliminated.

The 2005 Mercury Montego and 2006 Mercury Milan where launched as replacments for the Sable. Shortly after Montego's introduction the Sable was discontinued from the Mercury Line-up. The last Mercury Sable left the Atlanta Plant on Friday April 29,2005.

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 moonroor and Premium leather interior trim on the LS. Also a new trim level was intoduced the LS Platinum Edition, it featured Satin Finishes on the Dash a Satin Waterfall Grille and Platinum Edition Badgeing on the Fender. Side Airbags and traction control were available on all models. For 2004 the Sable received minor cosmetic changes to the front and rear fascias, most noticable was the front grille was now fully chrome. Inside were a new instrument cluster and steering wheel and higer quality wood trim. The last Mercury Sable left the Atlanta Georgia Assembly Plant on Friday April 29,2005 the end of an era.

Fifth Generation 2008-Present
After Alan Mulally took position as Ford's CEO, rumors were rampant that he was interested in reviving the Sable and Taurus. Mulally said that he was baffled by the fact that Mercury and Ford were going to discontinue the Sable and Taurus, and that he believed that the discontinuation of the Sable and Taurus were unjust, even asking "How can they go away, they were at one time the best selling car's in America." He said that the discontinuation of the Sable disappointed many of Mercury's loyal customers, who wanted Mercury to instead continue to improve the Sable instead of abandoning it. Mulally also stated that under his leadership, Mercury will start to remain more loyal to its customers and nameplates, and will continue to stick with and improve successful nameplates to keep customers loyal to the brand, and the revival of the Sable was the first such move.

As a result, the Mercury Montego sedan, as produced for the 2005-2007 model year, was scheduled for a significant styling facelift update and power upgrade for the 2008 model year. That vehicle is being redesigned as the new Sable. Ford's CEO Alan Mulally determined that Mercury's strategy to redesignate new cars in the lineup with new names beginning with the letter M, as in Mercury Milan, Mercury Mariner, and Mercury Montego, was not a good marketing move, as some of the renamed cars had highly recognizeable iconic names. The new M names were not as well known to be associated with Mercury, and consumers were confused by the name changes Montego to be renamed "Sable". Mulally believed that the Sable had an immediately strong brand equity, and that it would take years for consumers to have a similar recognition of the Montego Officals say Mercury to revive Sable name.

Changes to the new Sable from the existing Montego include a newly styled front end, with the Mercury's signature Satin Waterfall grille from the Milan, and the addition of the 263 hp 3.5L Ford Duratec Engine from the Ford Edge, replacing the 203 hp 3.0L V6. The Montego's continuously variable transmission, which was power-limited to a maximum of about 210 hp, is also replaced with a more conventional six-speed automatic. Mercury slaps a successful nameplate on its refreshed and reinvigorated Montego. The Sable sedan Counterpart, the Ford Taurus nameplate, will also be revived from the Ford Five Hundred nameplate to return Like Sable, Ford Taurus nameplate to. The 2008 Mercury Sable will have a base price of $25,325 for the Base Front-Wheel Drive model to $36,025 for the Premier All-Wheel Drive model. The 2008 Mercury Sable is in Mercury showrooms now. However, 2009 will more than likely be the Sable's last year in production, again due to slow sales and the fact that Mercury is going to focus on smaller more fuel friendly cars and crossovers. But in 2010 the Ford Taurus will recieve a major redesign and continue on without it's Mercury brethren.

Awards

 * The new 3.5L V6 engine winner of Ward's 10 Best Engines award.
 * The 2008 Mercury Sable was rated the Safest Full-Size Car in America
 * Consumers Digest names Sable a Best Buy. Praising the Sable's power, performance and comfort, Consumers Digest has named Sable a Best Buy for 2008. The magazine cited Sable's "smooth and swift 263 horsepower" and it's "crisp cornering." On the inside, Sable impressed with its spacious, comfortable interior and its huge trunk space.
 * 2003 J.D. Power Intial Quality Study winner (Prenium mid-size)

Safety
Standard Safety Features
 * Driver and Front Passenger Airbags
 * Driver and Front Passenger Side Airbags
 * 1st and 2nd Row Curtain Airbags
 * 4-wheel Disc Brakes with ABS and EBD
 * Electronic Stability Control
 * Traction Control

The NHTSA has conducted crash tests of the 2008 Sable. Its full scores are available at

Gas Mileage
As seen on the FuelEconomy.gov website, the City/Highway MPG averages are as follows:

Pricing
Today's actual prices for the Mercury Sable can be found at

Colors



 * Exterior
 * Light Sage
 * Dark Ink Blue
 * Light Ice Blue
 * Black Clearcoat
 * Oxford White Clearcoat
 * Alloy Clearcoat Metallic
 * Merlot Clearcoat Metallic
 * Dune Pearl Clearcoat Metallic
 * Silver Birch Clearcoat Metallic
 * Light Tundra Clearcoat Metallic


 * Interior
 * Light Camel
 * Charcoal Black
 * Medium Light Stone

Styles and Major Options


The Sable is available in Two trims with optional AWD.

Base Standard Features
 * 3.5L 24V Duratec V6
 * 17" Alloy Wheels
 * Six-Speed Automatic Transmission
 * Audio Input Jack
 * AM/FM stereo with single CD player and MP3 capabilities
 * Overhead console
 * Auto-dimming rearview mirror
 * Front dome lamp with map lights
 * Rear dome with reading lamps
 * Visors with illuminated mirrors
 * 60/40 Split Fold-down Rear Seatbacks
 * Eight-way Power Driver’s Seat
 * Cloth Seating
 * Two-way Power Front Passenger Seat
 * Fold-down Front Passenger Seat
 * Command seating
 * Dual-zone Electronic Automatic Temperature Control
 * Powerpoints
 * Steering wheel with redundant controls
 * Folding Heated Power Sideview Exterior Mirrors with Security Approach Lamps
 * Fog Lamps
 * LED Tailllamps
 * Dual chrome exhaust tips
 * Four-Disc (ABS)
 * Six Airbags
 * Automatic headlamps
 * Traction Control
 * Child safety locks
 * Emergency trunk release
 * LATCH system
 * Perimeter anti-theft
 * Remote Keyless Entry System
 * Battery saver
 * Hydraulic Power Steering

Premier Standard Features In addition to or in place of Base Standard Features
 * Leather-trimmed Seating
 * 18" Alloy Wheels
 * Heated Front Seats
 * Four-way Power Passenger’s Seat
 * Audiophile® Sound System with AM/FM stereo/Six-disc in-dash CD changer and MP3 capability

Major Optional Features
 * All Wheel Drive
 * 18" Chrome Clad Wheels
 * Navigation System
 * SIRIUS® Satellite Radio
 * Mercury SYNC™
 * Cargo Management System
 * Power Moonroof
 * Reverse Sensing System
 * AdvanceTrac® Electronic Stability Control
 * Security Package
 * Premier Wood Package
 * Interior Convenience Package

Warranty
Bumper to Bumper: 36 months/36,000 miles

Major Components: 60 months/60,000 miles

Rust Through: 60 months/unlimited miles

Roadside Assistance: 60 months/60,000 miles

Main Competitors

 * Buick Lucerne
 * Volvo S80
 * Hyundai Azera
 * Toyota Avalon

Resale Values
http://www.kbb.com/KBB/UsedCars/Mercury_Sable_Sedan.aspx