page_title: Mercury Park Lane
section_title: First generation (1958-1960)
hierarchical_section_title: Mercury Park Lane / First generation (1958-1960)
context_page_description: The Mercury Park Lane is a full-size automobile which was produced by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company. While not officially introduced as the replacement of the Mercury Turnpike Cruiser, the Park Lane became the flagship of the Mercury model line upon its introduction. The second-generation Park Lane was positioned above the Mercury Montclair.
  In 1969 the Mercury Marquis was expanded to a full model line and replaced the Park Lane in the Mercury range.
context_section_description: The Mercury Park Lane was introduced for the 1958 model year as a premium model line for the division.  In design, it was conceptualized as a Super Mercury that would compete with General Motors' Buick Roadmaster.  Available in two-door and four-door hardtop and two-door convertibles, the Park Lane offered the same body styles as the Turnpike Cruiser, though its distinctive "breezeway" rear window was adopted by the Continental Mark line.
  Sharing its chassis with the Colony Park station wagon (and Edsel Citation/Corsair), the Park Lane had a 125-inch wheelbase (3 inches longer than the standard Mercury chassis).   In 1959, the Park Lane wheelbase was stretched to 128 inches (2 inches longer than other Mercurys).  For 1960, the Park Lane wheelbase was again changed, matching the 126 inches of the standard Mercury line.
  The Park Lane was powered by a single engine: a 430 cubic-inch Ford MEL V8.  Initially rated at 360 hp for 1958, the Super Marauder engine option package allowed any Mercury with the 430 to increase its output to 400 hp (the first mass-production engine in an American automobile to be rated at 400 hp).  For 1959, the Super Marauder was discontinued, with the standard engine rated at 345 hp, retuned to 310 hp in 1960.  All Park Lanes were equipped with a 3-speed Merc-O-Matic automatic transmission.
  For 1960, the Park Lane saw a minor styling update distinguished by new taillamps, rear fender skirts, 5 chrome accent bars ahead of the rear wheel openings, wide rocker panel moldings, and the addition of a padded dashboard.
  In 1961, the Park Lane name was dropped (along with the Montclair) as the division reorganized its marketing efforts towards the better-selling Monterey alongside the introduction of the Mercury Comet compact.
caption: 1959 Mercury Park Lane 2-Door Hardtop Cruiser
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