The Grim Reaper has come a call’n for vehicles riding on Ford’s D3 platform, with word coming down that a second model riding on Ford’s large vehicle platform will be killed early in 2009. The Blue Oval has already announced that it will discontinue the Taurus X next March and the Mercury Sable with face the same fate in April.
Ford spokesman Mark Schirmer revealed to Automotive News that the last Sable would roll off the assembly line in April 2009. “Basically, it’s the last call at the bar,” he said.
The Sable – which was sold under the Montego nameplate from 2004-2007 – is produced alongside the Taurus X at Ford’s Chicago assembly plant. Like the Taurus X, the Sable’s demise has been rumored for some time now, with sales down more than 20 percent this year.
The slack of the Sable will be picked up by the all-new 2010 Ford Taurus, which will likely make its debut at next month’s Detroit Auto Show. The Taurus and Sable have been sister cars since both models were launched in 1986.



12/05, 10:29 AM
posted by:
bigjimid
Ohh ****! The Sable is now a collector’s item. Get em while you can folks!
12/05, 10:43 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
The brand isn’t far behind. Or at least it shouldn’t be.
12/05, 11:02 AM
posted by:
DB9
The Sable!! Noooooo…. The scummers!! Geezus, the crown vic, the marquis and the town car and now this…too much to bear:*( Well at least there is buick:)
DB9
12/05, 11:03 AM
posted by:
casualobserver
This makes sense, there is not enough room between the Taurus and the MKS
12/05, 11:06 AM
posted by:
NismoSentraKen
==========>>hmmnn….anybody seen any updates on the Moutaineer?
12/05, 11:06 AM
posted by:
procrastinate now
Well, there’s a promising start. One down, a few more to go. This looks like they’re serious about making necessary changes.
12/05, 11:10 AM
posted by:
MercMark
I thought this was a better looking car than the Taurus (Mach 3)
12/05, 11:25 AM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
Some times I wonder if some one in the Big 3 read our comments… “SOME TIMES”
12/05, 11:28 AM
posted by:
A4
====================>>>> oh look the arrows are back! ****er
12/05, 11:31 AM
posted by:
idrinorbarsaku
thank god!
12/05, 11:50 AM
posted by:
Lariat Luxury Locomotive Liner No.3
I will be sad to see Mercury leave, but it should have exited the room a decade ago to aid in ensuring that Ford survives.
12/05, 12:24 PM
posted by:
JakeK66
Really, what’s the extra cost of having another badged product besides some extra advertising? I know personally I like some of the Mercurys better than their Ford counterparts and would consider them when buying a car and not the Ford version. I’m not a big Mach3 razorblade front end fan.
I’m a little biased due to growing up with my parents having many Mercury’s and, funny enough, Oldsmobiles because their dealers were always better and their product, while a small amount, always looked better and were equipped better than the Ford/Chevys back in the day and they would end up cheaper than the fords/chevys since there was less demand for them becasue people “assumed” they cost more.
12/05, 12:55 PM
posted by:
gehrhardt
Mercury has been gone from Canada for almost 10 years now. I don’t think anyone really misses them here.
12/05, 1:05 PM
posted by:
howsmydriving
Mercury is about as needed as a second asshole. Kill, kill, kill.
12/05, 3:30 PM
posted by:
phxhenson1
This is the first move in making Mercury a small car entity that compliments Lincoln, as reported earlier by Leftlane. It makes perfect sense, as long as you keep that in mind. Watch for a lux Focus and Fiesta next.
12/05, 3:56 PM
posted by:
global_lightning
So now it’s the Milan, Mariner, and Mountaineer. Milan and Mariner have been confirmed and nothing on the Mountaineer. Mercury needs its own unshared model ASAP or it’s no longer worth the extra tooling.
12/05, 4:00 PM
posted by:
jayjc08
Most people have a second asshole, or atleast something that spews crud. It’s called their mouth.
12/05, 4:02 PM
posted by:
jayjc08
I want to see Mercury come out with a small, sporty and good looking luxury vehicle. Sorta like Lexus’s IS, only better to look at.
12/05, 5:21 PM
posted by:
zoomzoomer
NismoSentraKen and global.. since the next Explorer will pretty much be a reskinned Taurus X, things don’t look too promising for the Mountaineer.. particularly since there was never a Mercury version of the wagon, and now the Sable sedan version is dying too!
12/05, 6:17 PM
posted by:
olds307
Acura is about as needed as a second asshole. Kill, kill, kill
12/05, 7:40 PM
posted by:
DrFill
The people that would buy a Sable, but not a Taurus
That’s some stupid stuff right there!
No car is more about compromise than a Ford Taurus
The Sable is the same stupid car, made by the same stupid company, sold by different bad salesmen in a gisebo
Just as dumb are the people who would buy a Sierra, but not a Silverado
It’s not like the Taurus was almost perfect, and the Sable made the cherry on the f’n sundae!
No wonder the domestics are going under
Stupid people can’t get bought anymore
DrFill
12/05, 8:49 PM
posted by:
jayjc08
DrFill- “No car is more about compromise than a Ford Taurus”
Huh?
And hey, it’s just a matter of taste… People just like the Sierra’s looks more than the Silverado. It’s not like their charging them a huge premium. I like the Sable more than the Taurus, it looks good in black imho.
12/05, 9:10 PM
posted by:
DrFill
You heard me!
Is the Taurus sexy?
Fast?
Great seat comfort?
Luxurious?
Fun?
Or is it a compromise of many different necessities, which is every family sedan’s design philosophy?
Sable certainly isn’t where a sane man would draw the line on automotive compromise
DrFill
12/05, 11:26 PM
posted by:
jayjc08
I’m still honestly not sure what your point is… Saying a family sedan’s design philosophy is to compromise isn’t exactly what their meant to do… their meant to meet the necessities of a family, not compromise on them.
And also, for $20k… I would say the Taurus isn’t compromising, at all.
12/05, 11:39 PM
posted by:
jdasch1
Dr Fill= Toyota lover. At least this story let the real Fill come out. “the same stupid company”…Dr Fill. Idiot
12/06, 1:29 AM
posted by:
tyler_is_aero_tt
Yeah it would be great if Mercury was a small, fun to drive, and sort of classy brand of vehicles rather than copy-cats of Ford.
12/06, 1:34 AM
posted by:
geobaum
This is not very surprising since Ford announced that Mercury would be making premium small cars with European styling, and also since there were no spy shots or any hints at a new Sable in the works unlike the Taurus. Milan will be the largest Mercury with the imminent death of Grand Marquis. My guess is a new Focus-sized Mercury will come when the next global Focus arrives, and Fiesta-sized Mercury sometime after that. Also, it is likely that there will be a C-Max, S-Max, or Kuga based Mercury model or possibly all three of those models coming as well. To zoomzoomer, the next Explorer will not just be a re-skinned Taurus X. There are mules running around of the new Explorer that are clearly a combination of the Taurus X body from the A pillar back and the Flex body from the A pillar forward along with a noticeably higher ride height. Ford reported yesterday that the Taurus X is being canceled anyway with the Flex being a suitable replacement. This doesn’t really show anything about Explorer styling and platform other than that in the early development and testing stages this Taurus X/Flex combination is the closest thing to a production Explorer. Ford has confirmed that the next Explorer will be a car-based unibody platform and I am guessing the overall styling will also mainly reflect the Explorer America concept.
12/06, 1:48 AM
posted by:
DrFill
Tough words from a man with Ford stock
I’ve done more for Ford than you or anyone you know
I’ve washed my hands of them
I work with winners
DrFill
12/06, 11:10 AM
posted by:
jayjc08
geobaum- Think a Mazda5 replacement for Mercury.
12/06, 12:49 PM
posted by:
Get Real
Bland interchangable body designs lost in a parking lot of cars with a different headlights and tail lights.
Copy the Japanese and you too will be as lost as GM and Ford.
Chrysler is trying….but nobody wants to buy design with bad quality.
12/07, 4:05 AM
posted by:
wagon
I totally forgot about Mercury. They don’t exist in Canada and I think for a good reason, they are the same cars as Ford’s with a different look. Seems like Ford is trying to save some money. They will save on all those Mercury parts they don’t need to make anymore. Ford needs to kill Mercury, useless brand. I know American’s love their choices but Canadian’s don’t have that choice anymore and I don’t think they care. If you like Ford, buy a Ford. If you like Ford and want to get ripped off buy a Lincoln.