1955 Mercury Montclair Hardtop
Engine: V-8
Displacement: 292 Cubic Inches
Horsepower: 198 BHP
Cost New: $2,819
         The debut of the new top-of-the-line Mercury Monclair was in 1955. Powered by a new 292 CID V-8 engine, the Montclair was built on a slightly longer chassis and sported a larger, sleeker body than previous Mercury models. There were four Montclair body styles offered: a two-door Hardtop, the two-door Hardtop Sun Valley with a plexiglass top, a four-door Sedan, and Mercury's only convertible.
         The new Montclair was the style and performance leader for Mercury. This model had dual exhaust standard and, when added to the new 292 CID engine, the Montclair packed a punch. Thom McCahill, journalist and pioneer of the 0-60 MPH test, clocked the two-door Hardtop Montclair with a time of 12.8 seconds. Refinements to the suspension and the large and lower body gave Mercury a smoother ride and better handling than ever before.
         In addition to the new look and power, Mercury offered a long list of options to the brand. For the first time, you could get air conditioning in your Mercury. You could also add four-way-power seats and power windows, steering and brakes. The mix of power, style and luxury led Mercury to a seventh place in sales, moving 329,808 cars.