2007 Chicago Auto Show: 2008 Mercury Sable

Like the new Taurus and Taurus X, the Sable also used to be known by another name, Montego. The Sable has an updated front end, with a smaller grille and larger headlights, while the inside gets a slight upgrade in materials. Again, the big improvement is under the hood, where the same Ford 260-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 rests along with a six-speed automatic transmission. Like the outgoing Montego, the Sable will also have all-wheel drive available as an option. It will also have Ford’s new Sync music and mobile entertainment system available as an option.   

The Sable will go on sale this summer, and we’ll see if the name change, new engine and minor cosmetic surgery does the job.

Related:
2007 Chicago Auto Show: 2008 Ford Taurus
Next Up, Sable: Mercury to Rename Montego

Full report and live photos from the show floor.

Comments

[BJ]

Ford is losing their minds. The taurus and the sable are DEAD!!! Do they think that name is the key to move a product!!NO!!Solid built is what move a product!

[happymantis]

Although reviving the Sable and Taurus in my opinion is counterproductive, I hope the new engine and refits will help sell more of these units.

[Adrock]

I rented a base-model Escape last week, must have been roughly 2002 model year. The gauges look very similar to this. And I hated them. Too small, especially compared to my Mazda 6. GM did this from the 80s on up through the 2000s. I remember sitting in an '01 Tahoe and the buttons were almost the same as my buddy's 86 Grand Prix from back in the day. They sucked in 86 and in 01.

Point being, a car company needs more than just a name change a new front end to inspire.

[Tom L.]

Ford doesn't sell Mercurys up here in Canada, and maybe that's a good thing. Their trucks are great and the Mustang rocks, but their sedans??? Bland City, man. Apart from Nissan and maybe Honda and GM to a lesser extent, why don't the car companies try to make vehicles you can tell apart from more than 100'?

[Expat]

It is a cool redesign and will be popular as it has the family design of the Fusion. Some people will like it and some people won't as it happens with most cars. Look at the new Honda Civic, it was a car for everybody and now is a car which people loves or not.

By the way, Camry is a good car, but nobody buys one for its design, probably one of the blandest out there, so much plastic outside...

[Jeffrey Poulin]

Bland City

Alan Mullaly is listening folks, and while they were able to alter the underpinnings of the car for 2008, the body style changeover didn't come as fast as we would have liked.

I have seen some Photoshop sketches of a proposed 2010 Sable and conceptually the car is worlds apart from today's shape, more of a Mazda-esque sports sedan; some call it a large Mazda 3. The Bentley-styled slab sides remain, the belt line now higher, the canopy pulled down and tighter, the hood more rakish and scuplted, with large wheels. Overall the effect is striking, while retaining the presence of the current machine in terms of size and stance.

I bought a 2008 Sable as it represents outstanding value, well beyond the competition. I am more used to driving a sports sedan with better power/weight ratios, handling and looks, and eagerly anticipate Ford/Mercury taking this platform to the next level. They are one tweak away from world beater in my opinion.