New for 2006

• Simplified series strategy with one well-equipped model

• Optional 17-inch, nine-spoke bright machined aluminum wheels

• Dark Toreador Red Clearcoat Metallic and Smokestone Clearcoat Metallic join list of paint choices

• New design for standard leather- and-wood steering wheel

Overview

The 2005 Monterey offers class-leading safety technologies and innovative cargo management solutions in a long-wheelbase luxury minivan. Monterey offers upscale design, innovative family-friendly features, exceptional comfort and the optional Safety Canopy™ rollover curtain air bag protection system.

Featuring contemporary Mercury styling, Monterey is modern design, smartly done for those who want a little more. The innovative front- and-rear parking assist feature is standard equipment.

Monterey comes with a standard 4.2-liter V-6 engine with more torque than any other vehicle in the minivan segment.

This year, Monterey will be offered in one well-equipped Luxury trim. It is built in Oakville, Ontario.

Design and Equipment

Monterey has a Mercury signature waterfall grille, body-color moldings and satin-aluminum accents. The interior includes a fold-into-floor third row seat, one-h and-folding second row, versatile out-of-sight storage and both wood-grain and chrome accents. The use of superior materials and textures creates an ambiance of luxury and quality.

This year, Monterey will come in the well-equipped Luxury trim with standard power driver seat, one-h and-folding second row seats and standard fold-into-floor third-row seating. The third row can also be tipped rearward for tailgates and picnics. Leather seating surfaces with Preferred Suede insets and heated and cooled front seats are optional.

This year, a wood- and leather-wrapped steering wheel is standard equipment, and a 17-inch, nine-spoke bright machined aluminum wheel is a new option. Two new paint colors include Dark Toreador Red Clearcoat Metallic and Smokestone Clearcoat Metallic.

Monterey is loaded with innovative features such as segment-exclusive front- and rear- parking sensors, optional power liftgate, premium audio and DVD entertainment choices, tri-zone temperature control and power-adjustable pedals with memory.

Powertrain and Chassis

Monterey has a standard 4.2-liter V-6 engine for excellent acceleration, hill climbing and towing. This powertrain features triple hydromounts for quietness and the latest generation of fast transmission hydraulics for quicker and smoother shifting. It delivers 201 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque and tows up to 3,500 pounds, when properly equipped.

A 26-gallon fuel tank allows for a roundtrip drive from Detroit to Chicago without refueling.

Making Monterey's cabin very quiet was a top engineering priority. Special attention was paid to the body and door sealing, sound insulation and powertrain mounting technology. Notable sound insulation treatments include thick front side windows, a noise-absorbing dash panel and a sound-blocking technology called Conformable Constrained Layer Damping.

Safety and Security

The new Monterey earned the highest marks – five stars – in frontal crash tests by the government and Best Pick by the independent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for frontal offset crash performance.

In addition to the segment-exclusive three-row Safety Canopy™ system, Monterey offers a comprehensive safety package with more than 40 standard and optional safety features, including an occupant-sensing passenger air bag, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, a reinforced structure designed for offset frontal impacts, AdvanceTrac® stability control system with traction control and panic brake assist, three-point safety belts at all seating positions, plus a tire-pressure monitoring system and self-sealing tires.

Major Features and Options

4.2-liter V-6 engine, 4-speed automatic transmission, anti-lock brakes, tilt wood- and leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and speed controls, dual-zone climate control with rear controls, front console cup holders and storage, folding third- row-cloth bench, forward and reverse park assist, power-adjustable pedals, driver and passenger heated/memory mirrors, anti-theft system, side air bags and Safety Canopy, first row floor console storage, third row reading lamps, roof rails and power sliding doors.

Options include a DVD rear entertainment system, self-sealing tires, AdvanceTrac, heated and cooled seats, leather seating surfaces, towing package and power liftgate.

by Mercury

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 its 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 make the Monterey a popular collectible 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. In 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 equipment and several styling cues from Mercury. These minivans were made to fill the gap 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 a 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 airbags. Optional features were Traction Control and Advancetrac electronic stability control.

by Jessican Donaldson