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2005 Mercury Montego Preview

Has Mercury Missed the Mark or Is the Montego the Right Car for the Times

While I had hoped for more differentiation between Ford and Mercury products, as promised, a new clone car for the fleet Greek brand is better than no Mercury division at all. And the Ford Five Hundred-based Montego is at the very least a solid entry into the large-sedan segment.

Solid mostly due to its size. Like the Five Hundred, the Montego offers massive interior dimensions and the largest trunk in its class, making it almost ideal for limousine conversions. Almost ideal? Ford Motor isnt about to give up its full-size Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car models due to an outcry from fleet customers who demand Ford keep making the old-tech cruisers due to their body-on-frame construction and simple front engine,

While I hoped for something more unique, the Ford Five Hundred-based Montego is better than no Mercury at all. (Photo: Ford Motor Company)

rear-drive layout. Theyre easy to stretch for conversion purposes and cheap to maintain by taxi cab outfits, despite a propensity to burst into flames as charged by police forces.

Ford says its targeting import car buyers with its new brand managed twins though, which seems more of a stretch than a Holloways Elite 7200. Its not that the car isnt good enough to compete with the likes of Honda, Toyota and Volkswagen, but import buyers tend to stay import unless

Despite what Ford says, the Montego is too large to be a direct competitor to anything in the midsize class. (Photo: Ford Motor Company)

lured by something truly bold and dynamic like Chryslers 300 - more on that threat to follow. The Japanese, with the exception of the Toyota and its Avalon, dont have anything in the Montegos class either, at least size-wise. The Accord doesnt come close, nor does the Camry. Mitsubishis Galant offers similar rear seat room, but nothing can touch the Montego and Five Hundred for trunk space. I dont see the Ford/Mercury duo as a direct competitor to anything in this class, probably why Ford will be bringing its new Fusion to market in 2005 to replace the Taurus

Delivering good old American luxury, the Montego offers a lot of size, features and plastic wood. (Photo: Ford Motor Company)

- no word on a Mercury version yet however.

Maybe the Montego is targeting the Koreans, which have boldly entered large car territory with the Hyundai XG 350 and Kia Amanti. These models dont have much of a chance of pulling Toyota Avalon buyers away from their trusted mounts either, but they offer a lot of size, features and unique style for their owners.

The Montego offers a lot of size, features and, well at least more unique style than the conservative Five Hundred, while delivering good old American luxury to America, a factor that once again will attract domestic buyers

The Montegos class-leading rear seat head and legroom will make it ideal for families as well as those needing the extra space for work. (Photo: Ford Motor Company)

not those who normally opt for imports.

But who cares if Ford, or in this case Mercury is targeting an import or domestic buyer. Those that like it will buy it for there own reasons, and it will most likely serve them well. After all, its class leading rear seat head and legroom will make it ideal for families with extremely large children, or real estate agents that want their clients to be beyond comfortable. The cars high H-point rating, referring to the pivot point of the human hip making it easier to get in and out of the Montego than most other cars, will be a bonus for back seat riders as well.

The cars 21 cubic foot

The new Mercury borrows some chassis architecture from Volvos flagship S80 sedan. (Photo: Ford Motor Company)

trunk will hold up to eight golf bags according to Mercurys press material. While impressive, a car that carries only five occupants hardly needs three more sets of woods, irons and putters, but the point is clearly made that you wont be strapping the fifth bag onto the roof in order to take another colleague along for a round. If its a trip to Home Depot to pick up some 2x4s or a guard railing the Montego can accommodate as well, due to 60/40 split folding rear seatbacks and a flat folding front passenger seat - a feature that is becoming more prevalent in the latest generation of new cars.

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