Mercury Monterey in Context
A Mercury Monterey overview for this period places the car at the entry point of Mercury's full-size lineup, beneath the Montclair and Park Lane. Mercury positioned itself between Ford and Lincoln, so the Monterey offered more presence and trim than a Ford of the same year without the cost of the senior models. Styling followed the late-fifties fashion for wide grilles, sculpted sides and expansive glass, and the car was built to be a comfortable, roomy family cruiser with a V8 and a relaxed highway manner.
Understanding 4 generation
The 1959 cars are grouped separately within Mercury Monterey generations because the body and platform were reworked again for the following year, making this a short-lived series. The four Mercury Monterey body styles reflect how American buyers of the time chose a car: hardtops for glamour, convertibles for open-air driving, and the two- and four-door sedans for practicality and price. Collectors value the convertible most, but the sedans represent how the majority of Montereys actually left showrooms and were used day to day.