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1954 Mercury Monterey XM-800 Concept news, pictures, and information
This 1954 Mercury Monterey XM800 was first shown to the public at the 1954 Detroit Auto Show. It was built for Ford by Creative Industries of Detroit, Michigan and was designed by the Mercury pre-production studio with John Najjar serving as the studio manager. Elwood Engle worked on the project as well, serving as a consultant assigned by George Walker's design firm.
Benson Ford promoted the idea of creating the car as a second Mercy car line which could compete with Buick, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile. Promotional material of the time stated 'advanced design, engineered to go into volume production.'
The vehicle was never put into production. Rather, Mercury was made into a distinct mid-sized car and the Edsel division was made into its own marque.
The car was promoted throughout the year at various auto shows. It was also featured in the 1954 20th Century Fox Film entitled Woman's World, starring Clifton Webb, Van Heflin, Cornel Wilde, Fred MacMurray, June Allyson and Lauren Bacall. A model of the car was made famous by appearing in boxes of Post's Grape Nuts Flakes.
The XM 800 was donated to the University of Michigan's Automotive Engineering Lab in 1957 for training and inspiration.
The XM-800 was a 'push car', meaning that it was not drivable. The car was pushed or towed wherever it went. It had a completely functional V8 engine with a transmission that was nothing more than an empty case. The decision to keep the car non-functional was for cost saving measures.
The exterior of the car was dramatic, futuristic, and had many bold edges. The interior was just as futuristic, incorporating many ideas that could one day be used on production vehicles. It had a 'deep dish' steering wheel with a shorter steering column that was more energy absorbing in case of an accident. The radio knobs were moved from the face of the dash to below the radio faceplate. The prior locate had been considered a safety hazard.
After the concept vehicle had outlived its usefulness, the university auctioned it off and was purchased by a private citizen. The car was brought to central Michigan where it was stored in a barn. The owner never returned. The owner had paid for only a years worth of rent. After several years had gone by, and the owner of the barn was in need of room, the car was moved outside alongside the barn.
The car was spotted in the late 1970s by Dan Brook. After doing some research, they realized it was a 'dream car' from the 1950s. They purchased it from the farmer who was nearing the decision to bring it to a dump. Dan began work on restoring the car, disassembling it and preparing it for the work that was to follow. After figuring out the cost of the project, Dan decided to put the car back together and advertise it for sale in Hemmings for $30,000. The car caught the attention of car collector Joe Bortz who kept in contact with Dan over the next three years. Dan was holding out for a higher offer than what Joe was offering. A deal was finally reached in late 1987 between the two parties and the car was sold.
Having over 30 other concept cars, Joe had plans to restore the XM-800 the work was never completed. He did get it running and installed a working transmission.
The car was put up for sale on eBay in September of 2008 and was purchased by the current owner. The new owner undertook the monumental task of disassembling and refinishing the entire car. The work was done to great detail, resurrecting one of the great concepts from the 1950s. Upon completion, the car was put on display at the 2009 Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance. More information about the car can be found on the owner's website at tbirdsquare.com.
Benson Ford promoted the idea of creating the car as a second Mercy car line which could compete with Buick, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile. Promotional material of the time stated 'advanced design, engineered to go into volume production.'
The vehicle was never put into production. Rather, Mercury was made into a distinct mid-sized car and the Edsel division was made into its own marque.
The car was promoted throughout the year at various auto shows. It was also featured in the 1954 20th Century Fox Film entitled Woman's World, starring Clifton Webb, Van Heflin, Cornel Wilde, Fred MacMurray, June Allyson and Lauren Bacall. A model of the car was made famous by appearing in boxes of Post's Grape Nuts Flakes.
The XM 800 was donated to the University of Michigan's Automotive Engineering Lab in 1957 for training and inspiration.
The XM-800 was a 'push car', meaning that it was not drivable. The car was pushed or towed wherever it went. It had a completely functional V8 engine with a transmission that was nothing more than an empty case. The decision to keep the car non-functional was for cost saving measures.
The exterior of the car was dramatic, futuristic, and had many bold edges. The interior was just as futuristic, incorporating many ideas that could one day be used on production vehicles. It had a 'deep dish' steering wheel with a shorter steering column that was more energy absorbing in case of an accident. The radio knobs were moved from the face of the dash to below the radio faceplate. The prior locate had been considered a safety hazard.
After the concept vehicle had outlived its usefulness, the university auctioned it off and was purchased by a private citizen. The car was brought to central Michigan where it was stored in a barn. The owner never returned. The owner had paid for only a years worth of rent. After several years had gone by, and the owner of the barn was in need of room, the car was moved outside alongside the barn.
The car was spotted in the late 1970s by Dan Brook. After doing some research, they realized it was a 'dream car' from the 1950s. They purchased it from the farmer who was nearing the decision to bring it to a dump. Dan began work on restoring the car, disassembling it and preparing it for the work that was to follow. After figuring out the cost of the project, Dan decided to put the car back together and advertise it for sale in Hemmings for $30,000. The car caught the attention of car collector Joe Bortz who kept in contact with Dan over the next three years. Dan was holding out for a higher offer than what Joe was offering. A deal was finally reached in late 1987 between the two parties and the car was sold.
Having over 30 other concept cars, Joe had plans to restore the XM-800 the work was never completed. He did get it running and installed a working transmission.
The car was put up for sale on eBay in September of 2008 and was purchased by the current owner. The new owner undertook the monumental task of disassembling and refinishing the entire car. The work was done to great detail, resurrecting one of the great concepts from the 1950s. Upon completion, the car was put on display at the 2009 Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance. More information about the car can be found on the owner's website at tbirdsquare.com.
An automobile marque of the Ford Motor Company, Mercury was founded in 1939 with the purpose to market entry-level-luxury vehicles that were slotted in between Ford-branded regular models and Lincoln-branded luxury vehicles. All Mercury models are today based on Ford platforms. The Mercury name is derived from ‘messenger of the gods' of Roman mythology. In the beginning years, Mercury was known for performance.
The 1950 full-size near-luxury car Mercury Monterey represented a choice that the Ford Motor Company had to make. At the time General Motors and the Chrysler Corporation were producing a plethora of ‘hardtop convertibles' and Ford realized that it couldn't convert its year-old bodies into hardtop models at a reasonable cost. Determined not to stand idly by as GM and Chrysler attempted to dominate the car market with its attractive new pillarless coupes.
Ford decided that the only solution was to customize existing two-door bodies into a new line of specialty models. These included the Ford Crestliner, Lincoln Capri and Lido, and the Mercury Monterey.
All of these vehicles were developed from the same formula with grained top coverings that were harmonized with a very limited number of pain colors. Color-coordinated interiors also matched the external theme, while special trim and badging were used both inside and out.
Responsible for the Mercury Monterey's special touches, William Schmidt took over the design work. A choice of either canvas or vinyl roof coverings were offered on the all new custom coupe, along with either fabric-and-leather or all-leather seats. A deluxe steering wheel was showcased, and bright trim edged the windows on the inside.
The base price of a 1950 Mercury Monterey was $2,146. Mercury's flagship sedan from 1950 through 1974, the classic ‘Monterey' was considered to be '4,000 lbs. of Pure Decadence.' Still coveted even today, the sleek lines of those earlier models makes the Monterey a popular collectable classic.
Featuring the same chassis and running gear used on all other Mercurys, the Monterey featured a 118-inch wheelbase that ran between coil-and-wishbone suspension up front and leaf springs under a live axle in the rear. Achieving 110 bhp, the Monterey received its power from an L-head V-8 that displaced 255.4 cubic inches.
In early 1951, Ford decided to replace the Crestliner with the first hardtop, regardless of the cost. For 1952 Mercury and Lincoln came out with all-new bodies that were designed to include hardtops.
The Monterey name continued on, but on a premium series of Mercury's in three body styles. The Monterey later shared the same body style with the slightly more upscale Marquis, the Montclair, and the Park Lane. After the 1968 model year, the Montclair and Park were eliminated from the lineup. The Marquis-Monterey body eventually shared the same body as the Ford Galaxie, the Ford Custom and the Ford LTD.
From 1961 through 1963, the Mercury Monterey was sold in Canada as the Mercury Meteor. Available in three trim lines, the Meteor was sold as the LeMoyne, the Montcalm and Rideau. After the United States Monterey was retired, Canadian Meteors were still marketed from 1964 until 1976. They were re-badged Marquis models following the deletion of the U.S. model Monterey in 1974.
The Monterey nameplate was resurrected in 2004 for a minivan, though it was essentially a re-badged Ford Freestar with more features and newly modified cosmetic features. The Monterey comes with a high level of equipments and several styling cues from Mercury. These minivans were made to fill the gab in Mercury's vehicle lineup following the discontinuation of the Mercury Villager. Offered in only one trim level, for 2006 Mercury Monterey was offered in the fully-loaded Luxury edition.
The Luxury edition was featured in front-wheel drive, and is powered by a 4.2 liter V6 engine that was matched with four-speed automatic transmission and anti-lock braking system. The inside of the Monterey featured amazing standard features such as cloth upholstery, dual-zone air conditioning, first and second row captain's chairs, power sliding doors, tilting steering wheel and much more.
The all new Monterey also came with a great safety warranty. Standard occupant-sensing front passenger airbag, heated power-adjustable side mirrors that featured built-in warning/turn signals, perimeter anti-theft system, and Safety Canopy curtain and side-impact air bags. Optional features were Traction Control and Advancetrac electronic stability control.Jessica Donaldson
For more information and related vehicles, click here© 1998-2009. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The 1950 full-size near-luxury car Mercury Monterey represented a choice that the Ford Motor Company had to make. At the time General Motors and the Chrysler Corporation were producing a plethora of ‘hardtop convertibles' and Ford realized that it couldn't convert its year-old bodies into hardtop models at a reasonable cost. Determined not to stand idly by as GM and Chrysler attempted to dominate the car market with its attractive new pillarless coupes.
Ford decided that the only solution was to customize existing two-door bodies into a new line of specialty models. These included the Ford Crestliner, Lincoln Capri and Lido, and the Mercury Monterey.
All of these vehicles were developed from the same formula with grained top coverings that were harmonized with a very limited number of pain colors. Color-coordinated interiors also matched the external theme, while special trim and badging were used both inside and out.
Responsible for the Mercury Monterey's special touches, William Schmidt took over the design work. A choice of either canvas or vinyl roof coverings were offered on the all new custom coupe, along with either fabric-and-leather or all-leather seats. A deluxe steering wheel was showcased, and bright trim edged the windows on the inside.
The base price of a 1950 Mercury Monterey was $2,146. Mercury's flagship sedan from 1950 through 1974, the classic ‘Monterey' was considered to be '4,000 lbs. of Pure Decadence.' Still coveted even today, the sleek lines of those earlier models makes the Monterey a popular collectable classic.
Featuring the same chassis and running gear used on all other Mercurys, the Monterey featured a 118-inch wheelbase that ran between coil-and-wishbone suspension up front and leaf springs under a live axle in the rear. Achieving 110 bhp, the Monterey received its power from an L-head V-8 that displaced 255.4 cubic inches.
In early 1951, Ford decided to replace the Crestliner with the first hardtop, regardless of the cost. For 1952 Mercury and Lincoln came out with all-new bodies that were designed to include hardtops.
The Monterey name continued on, but on a premium series of Mercury's in three body styles. The Monterey later shared the same body style with the slightly more upscale Marquis, the Montclair, and the Park Lane. After the 1968 model year, the Montclair and Park were eliminated from the lineup. The Marquis-Monterey body eventually shared the same body as the Ford Galaxie, the Ford Custom and the Ford LTD.
From 1961 through 1963, the Mercury Monterey was sold in Canada as the Mercury Meteor. Available in three trim lines, the Meteor was sold as the LeMoyne, the Montcalm and Rideau. After the United States Monterey was retired, Canadian Meteors were still marketed from 1964 until 1976. They were re-badged Marquis models following the deletion of the U.S. model Monterey in 1974.
The Monterey nameplate was resurrected in 2004 for a minivan, though it was essentially a re-badged Ford Freestar with more features and newly modified cosmetic features. The Monterey comes with a high level of equipments and several styling cues from Mercury. These minivans were made to fill the gab in Mercury's vehicle lineup following the discontinuation of the Mercury Villager. Offered in only one trim level, for 2006 Mercury Monterey was offered in the fully-loaded Luxury edition.
The Luxury edition was featured in front-wheel drive, and is powered by a 4.2 liter V6 engine that was matched with four-speed automatic transmission and anti-lock braking system. The inside of the Monterey featured amazing standard features such as cloth upholstery, dual-zone air conditioning, first and second row captain's chairs, power sliding doors, tilting steering wheel and much more.
The all new Monterey also came with a great safety warranty. Standard occupant-sensing front passenger airbag, heated power-adjustable side mirrors that featured built-in warning/turn signals, perimeter anti-theft system, and Safety Canopy curtain and side-impact air bags. Optional features were Traction Control and Advancetrac electronic stability control.Jessica Donaldson
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