page_title: Mercury Sable
section_title: First generation (1986–1991)
hierarchical_section_title: Mercury Sable / First generation (1986–1991)
caption_attribution_description: 1989-1991 Mercury Sable photographed in College Park, Maryland, USA.
context_page_description: The Mercury Sable is a range of automobiles that were manufactured and marketed by the Mercury brand of Ford Motor Company. Introduced on December 26, 1985 as the replacement for the Mercury Marquis, the Sable marked the transition of the mid-size Mercury product range to front-wheel drive.
  For its entire production life, the Sable served as the Mercury counterpart of the Ford Taurus, slotted below the Grand Marquis. From the 1986 to 2005 model years, the Sable was produced as a mid-size vehicle; four-door sedan and five-door station wagon body styles were offered. For 2006, the Sable was withdrawn, replaced by the full-size Montego and mid-size Milan. For 2008, the Sable was reintroduced as a full-size car, offered solely as a four-door sedan.
  Due to declining sales, the Sable was discontinued after the 2009 model year, leaving no Mercury counterpart of the sixth-generation Taurus. The final Sable was produced on May 21, 2009; in total, 2,112,374 Sables were produced during its 1985–2005 production.
  The Mercury Sable nameplate was derived from the sable, a weasel-like mammal from Russia that is valued for its smooth, dark fur.
context_section_description: In mid-1985, Ford unveiled the Mercury Sable alongside the Ford Taurus as a 1986 model.  In place of a traditional auto show unveiling, the launch was held an MGM Studios soundstage (where Gone with the Wind was filmed). Ford workers came into the room, which was decorated in space-age decor, holding cups shaped like flying saucers and the Taurus and Sable were sitting behind a curtain.   With the flashing of strobe lights and a drum-roll, the curtain was pulled back and the two cars were revealed to the public.
  Replacing the mid-size Marquis (Cougar prior to 1983) sedan and station wagon, to protect its investment, Ford produced both model lines for the 1986 model year.  While it would not outsell its Taurus counterpart, the Sable would prove successful during its production, competing with the Grand Marquis as the highest-selling Mercury model line.  As the Mercury brand was not sold in Mexico, Ford of Mexico marketed the Sable as the Ford Taurus.
  The Sable was on Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list on its release in 1986 and again in 1990 and 1991.
caption: 1989–1991 Sable GS
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