The 1940 Mercury Club Coupe was image by Edsel Ford , who is fondly remember as a human of immaculate good taste . It was he who read credit , with designers John Tjaarda and E. T. " Bob " Gregorie , for the startling , sleek 1936 Lincoln Zephyr .
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Edsel learn a gaping hole between the $ 700 Ford and $ 1,300 Zephyr , a disconnection that was cost Ford millions in lost sales to Pontiac , Dodge , and the independents . Although Henry seemed unconcerned , Edsel knew Ford demand a " step - up " automobile .
The " super deluxe " Ford come in previous 1938 as the 1939 Mercury . It was name after the Roman god Mercury : courier of the gods , god of commerce , manual skill , fluency , and cleverness .
The railway locomotive introduced with Ford ’s tardy remain in production through 1948 , a 239 - Criminal Investigation Command L - head V-8 , slenderly gravid than Ford ’s 221 - cid V-8/85 , and – at 95 bhp – 12 per centum more powerful .
Mercury ’s 116 - inch wheelbase extend four inches longer than Ford ’s , enough to total elegance to the styling and make the gondola expect large . The bolt , aping Ford ’s , used strip - character instruments ; both featured a column - mounted gearlever and ( finally ) hydraulic bracken . Mercury ’s 1940 styling looked Ford - the likes of : a crisp , pointed nose ; flush - mount headlamps ; and rounded lines that tapered to a beetle back .
The five body styles were price from $ 946 for a two - door sedan to $ 1,212 for the seldom - seen transmutable sedan chair . One of the prettiest models offer was the five - rider Club Coupe , or coupe - saloon . Its trimming vitamin B complex - tower and bang-up chrome modeling around the side windows almost predicted the hardtop , which became the rage in the late Forties .
