Mercury S-55

{{Use American English|date=April 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox automobile | name = Mercury S-55 | image = 1966 Mercury S-55.jpg | caption = 1966 Mercury S-55 2-Door Hardtop | manufacturer = [[Mercury (automobile)|Mercury]] ([[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]) | production = 1962–1963 1966–1967 | assembly = Main plant [[Wayne, Michigan]] (Branch assembly) [[Metuchen, New Jersey]] [[Pico Rivera, California]] [[Hazelwood, Missouri]] | class = [[Full-size]] | layout = [[FR layout]] | related = [[Ford Galaxie]] [[Mercury Monterey]] }}

The '''Mercury S-55''' is a car that was marketed by Mercury from the 1962 to 1963 model years and again from 1966 to 1967. The [[Full-size car|full-size]] version of the Mercury "S" (Special) range, the S-55 was a performance-oriented variant of the [[Mercury Monterey]], serving as a divisional counterpart of the [[Ford Galaxie#1960–1964|Ford Galaxie 500XL]]. Offered only as a two-door hardtop and convertible, the S-55 was marketed as an alternative to the [[Chrysler 300 letter series|Chrysler 300 "letter series"]].

At the end of the 1960s, the form factor for high-performance vehicles shifted away from full-size sedans, with model lines such as the S-55 falling out of favor as buyers shifted towards [[personal luxury car|personal luxury coupes]] and [[muscle car]]s. Following the 1967 model year, Mercury discontinued the S-55, largely replacing it with the [[Mercury Marauder#Second generation (1969–1970)|Mercury Marauder]], which was produced through 1970.<ref name="kowalke1997">{{cite book|last=Kowalke |first=Ron |title=Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946–1975 |year=1997 |publisher=Krause |isbn=9780873410960 |url-access=registration |url= https://archive.org/details/standardcatalogo00beve |access-date=January 17, 2026}}</ref>

== Mercury S (Special) Series == Ford Motor Company introduced performance-oriented trim packages for its Ford and Mercury divisions for the 1963 model year. Mercury featured the S (Special) line of sub-models. While the smaller [[Mercury Comet|S-22 Comet]] and [[Mercury Meteor|S-33 Meteor]] consisted primarily of exterior trim, badging, bucket seats, and floor-mounted shifters, the full-size S-55 offered the upgraded interior features along with a higher-performance powertrain.

==First generation (1962–1963)== [[File:Mercury Monterey S55 Marauder (1963).jpg|thumb|1963 Mercury Monterey S-55 Marauder two-door (aftermarket wheels)]]

The 1962 Mercury S-55 was introduced alongside the Mercury Monterey. As with the Ford Galaxie 500XL, the S-55 was available in two-door hardtop and convertible body styles. As a performance-oriented variant, the S-55 had bucket seats, a center console, a floor-mounted shifter, and special wheel covers.

The S-55 was powered by the two largest V8s available in the Monterey, a {{cvt|390|CID|L|1}} engine rated at {{cvt|300|or|330|hp|kW|0}}, or a {{cvt|406|CID|L|1}} version that was rated at {{cvt|385|or|405|hp|kW|0}}. The triple-carbureted version of the 406 was a special-order engine that achieved over {{cvt|95|mph|km/h|0}} in quarter-mile [[dragstrip]] tests by ''[[Road & Track]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.mercurystuff.com/articles/1962-S-55-roadtest/1962-S-55-roadtest.html |title=1962 S-55 Mercury Monterey Motor Trend Road Test (October 1962) |website=mercurystuff.com |access-date=January 17, 2026}}</ref> The hardtop was listed at US$3,488 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|3488|1962}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars {{inflation-fn|US}}) and 2,772 were sold.<ref name="kowalke1997" />

For 1963, the S-55 model line was expanded to include four-door hardtops. The previous notchback roofline was discontinued and replaced with the "Breezeway" design. This featured a reverse-slant retractable rear window. The "Marauder", a semi-fastback hardtop version, was continued. As in other Ford vehicles, the 406 V8 was replaced for 1963 by a {{cvt|427|CID|L|1}} engine rated at {{cvt|410|or|405|hp|kW|0}}. A special-order version producing {{cvt|425|hp|kW|0}} was intended for racing use.

Mercury discontinued the S-series line after 1963. Performance-oriented versions were available in 1964 with the 390 and 427 V8 engines and a Marauder fastback roofline. Bucket seats and console interior trim were extra-cost options known as the "Sports Package" for the luxury-oriented "Park Lane" two-door and four-door Marauder models.

==Second generation (1966–1967)== [[File:1966 Mercury S-55 Convertible.jpg|thumb|1966 Mercury S-55 Convertible]]

For the 1966 model year, the S-55 made its return as a stand-alone model (becoming the only S model to make a return). As in 1962, the model lineup consisted solely of two-door hardtops and convertibles. Again based on the Monterey, the S-55 featured a bucket-seat interior with a floor-mounted shifter and a higher-performance powertrain. Styling accents include unique body side-striping, deluxe wheel covers and the distinctive S-55 emblem on rear quarter panel and 428 V-8 emblem on the front fender sides. As with the previous generation the retail price and number of hardtops made was similar at US$3,292 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|3292|1966}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars {{inflation-fn|US}}) with 2,916 sold.<ref name="kowalke1997" />

In place of the 390 and 427 V8 engines, the 1966 S-55 was powered by a single engine. A 345 hp <nowiki>''</nowiki>Super Marauder<nowiki>''</nowiki> 428 cubic-inch V8 was paired to a 4-speed manual transmission or 3-speed [[Cruise-O-Matic|<nowiki>''</nowiki>Merc-O-Matic"]] automatic transmission. This was the same engine that powered the [[Ford Galaxie|Ford Galaxie 500 7-Litre]] of the same year.

For 1967, poor sales of the S-55 demoted the model to become the "S-55 Sports Package".<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Mercury/1967%20Mercury/album_001/1967%20Mercury-15.html|title=1967 Mercury brochure |website=oldcarbrochures.com|access-date=2019-09-19}}</ref> The Mercury full-size line saw a major exterior update, changing its flat-fendered sides to a more rounded shape. During the model year, the S-55 Sports Package would be dropped; the division would concentrate its two-door efforts on the smaller [[Mercury Cougar]] and more luxurious [[Mercury Marquis]]. In various forms, the Cougar and Marquis would become the two most successful nameplates ever sold by the Mercury brand.

==S-55 Data Sheet / Statistics== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year<ref name="kowalke1997" /> ! Car Line and Series Name ! Body Style ! Body Style Code ! Price ! Production Numbers ! Engine Choices |- | 1962 | Monterey S-55 | 2-door Hardtop | 65C | $3,488 | 2,772 | 390-CID V-8 (4V) (300 or 330 |- | 1962 | Monterey S-55 | 2-door Convertible | 76B | $3,738 | 1,315 | horsepower); 406 V-8 (4V or 3-2V) |- | 1963 | Monterey S-55 | 2-door Hardtop with Breezeway Design | 65C | $3,650 | 3,863 | 390-CID V-8 (4V)(300 or |- | 1963 | Monterey S-55 | 2-door Marauder Hardtop | 63C | $3,650 | 2,317 | 330 horsepower); 406-CID |- | 1963 | Monterey S-55 | 4-door Hardtop with Breezeway Design | 75C | $3,715 | 1,203 | V-8 (4V or 3-2V); |- | 1963 | Monterey S-55 | 2-door Convertible | 76B | $3,900 | 1,379 | 427 CID V-8 (4V)(2-4V) |- | 1966 | S-55 | 2-door Hardtop (Fastback) | 63G | $3,292 | 2,916 | 428-CID V-8 (4V)(345HP) |- | 1966 | S-55 | 2-door Convertible | 76G | $3,614 | 669 | 428(4V) 345 HP |- | 1967 | S-55 | 2-door Hardtop (Fastback) | 63G | $3,511 | 570 | 428-CID V-8 (4V) |- | 1967 | S-55 | 2-door Convertible | 76G | $3,837 | 145 | 428-CID V-8 (4V) |}

==References== {{Commons category}} {{Reflist}} * {{cite book | author = Ford Motor Company | date = June 15, 1965 | title = ''"Mercury 1966 move ahead with Mercury in the [[Lincoln Continental]] tradition" - Complete Model Line Description Brochure'' | edition = 1st | pages = 1–33 | location = Dearborn, MI }}

[[Category:Mercury vehicles|S-55]] [[Category:1960s cars]] [[Category:Rear-wheel-drive vehicles]] [[Category:Full-size vehicles]] [[Category:Cars introduced in 1962]] [[Category:Convertibles]] [[Category:Coupés]] [[Category:Sedans]] [[Category:Motor vehicles manufactured in the United States]]