1978 Mercury Cougar Xr-7 Hardtop 2-door 6.6l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Question of the Day: Most degraded car name?

When Ford came up with a not-so-sporty version of the Pinto and slapped Mustang badges on it in 1974, that was a low point for the Mustang name. When Chrysler applied the venerable Town & Country name on perfectly functional but unglamorous minivans, it saddened many of us. But perhaps the biggest demotion for a once-proud model came when, in 1988, General Motors imported a misery-enhancing Daewoo from Korea and called it the Pontiac LeMans. The original Pontiac LeMans was a great-looking midsize car with fairly advanced (for the time) suspension design and engine options including potent V8s and a screaming overhead-cam straight-six. The Daewoo-based Pontiac LeMans was a cramped, shoddy hooptie that served only to ruin the LeMans name forever, while stealing sales from the Suzuki-based Chevrolet Sprint. Sure, using the once-respected Monterey name on the Mercurized Ford Freestar was bad, but Mercury didn't have long to live at that point. I say the downward spiral of the LeMans name was the most agonizing in automotive history. What do you think? Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Auto News Ford Mercury Pontiac Automotive History Classics questions ford pinto names

Junkyard Gem: 1955 Mercury Montclair Coupe

I find plenty of 1950s Detroit vehicles in the big self-service car graveyards I frequent, but most of them are fairly ordinary sedans that never stood much chance of getting fixed up and put back on the road. Such is not the case with today's Junkyard Gem, which is a top-trim-level, heavily optioned hardtop coupe from one of the most desirable model years of the tailfins-and-chrome postwar era. Nearly every Mercury model ever made was a Ford model with some cosmetic changes applied, and the '55s looked very similar to their mechanically identical Ford brethren. In 1955, the new Mercury came in three trim levels: the entry-level Custom, the medium-zoot Monterey, and the glitzy Montclair. Each was available as a hardtop coupe and four-door sedan, with wagon versions of the Custom and Monterey. The Montclair could be purchased as a convertible or with the wild "Sun Valley" glass roof. The Montclair got its own line of hallucinogenic two-tone interiors, in order to make the daily lives of Europeans feel even more gray and penurious (the UK only dropped food rationing in 1954, and the two Germanies were still clearing the rubble of their blown-up cities). This car's upholstery has been bleached by decades of sitting outside in the harsh High Plains climate, but it started out as vivid red and white "Chromatex" fabric. The list price on this car was $2,631, or about $29,200 in 2022 dollars. The Sun Valley and convertible Montclair each cost $2,712 ($30,100 today). Ford didn't offer a corresponding hardtop coupe in 1955, though the Fairlane Crown Victoria two-door did look extremely snazzy (and cost a mere $2,302— $25,545 now— with the same V8 engine as the Monterey). Meanwhile, Oldsmobile offered the handsome 88 Super Holiday Coupe for $2,714, though the Montclair had the more powerful engine. Oldsmobile had been selling new cars with overhead-valve V8s since the 1949 model year, while Ford didn't ditch the Model A-era flathead V8 for new U.S.-market cars until the 1954 model year (you could buy a new Simca Esplanada in Brazil with an Ardun-headed Ford V8-60 all the way until 1969). GM's Chevrolet Division got all the press in 1955 with the introduction of the brand-new small-block V8 engine, but Ford's 292-cubic-inch (4.8-liter) Y-Block V8 made more power than the 265-cube (4.3-liter) Chevy and the 324ci Olds Rocket 88.

Ford recalls 300,000 Crown Vics over lighting module

The Basics: Ford is recalling 312,814 units of the Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis sedans from the 2003-2005 model years. They were built at the St. Thomas Assembly Plant between Oct. 3, 2001, and Aug. 2, 2005. Ford says 296,004 of those units are located in the United States, with another 14,714 in Canada and 2,096 in Mexico. The Problem: The solder joints on the lighting control module could crack, depriving the headlamps of the power they need to light the way ahead. That could increase the risk of a crash, particularly at night and in other low-visibility situations. Injuries/Deaths: Ford reports that it is aware of 11 accidents that resulted from the problem, leading to one injury described as "minor." The Fix: The manufacturer is instructing dealers to replace the entire lighting control module. If You Own One: Make sure your headlights are working before getting under way. If they're not, avoid driving under low-light conditions, including at night, in heavy precipitation, or in fog. Ford Issues Three Safety Recalls and One Safety Compliance Recall in North America DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 22, 2015 – Ford Motor Company is issuing three safety recalls and one safety compliance recall in North America. Details are as follows: Ford Motor Company issues safety recall for certain 2003-2005 Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles to replace lighting control module Ford Motor Company is issuing a safety recall for approximately 313,000 2003-2005 Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles to replace a lighting control module. The solder joints on the module could crack and interrupt power to the headlamps – increasing the risk of crash at night. Ford is aware of 11 reports of accidents and one report of a minor injury related to this issue. Affected vehicles include certain 2003-2005 Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles built at St. Thomas Assembly Plant, Oct. 3, 2001 through Aug. 2, 2005. There are a total of 312,814 vehicles that might be affected in North America, including 296,004 in the United States and federalized territories, 14,714 in Canada and 2,096 in Mexico. Dealers will replace the lighting control module at no cost to the customer. Ford issues safety recall for certain 2016 Ford F-650 and F-750 vehicles to replace rear air brake chamber Ford is issuing a safety recall for 177 2016 Ford F-650 and F-750 vehicles to replace the rear air brake chamber.