The all-new 2004 Monterey, Mercury's first long-wheelbase luxury minivan, is the first of four new vehicles coming to the brand in the next three years. On sale this fall, Monterey offers upscale design, innovative features, exceptional comfort and a segment-exclusive Safety Canopy™ side curtain air-bag protection system with rollover sensor that's standard on the Luxury and Premier versions.

Featuring contemporary Mercury styling with a family resemblance to today's Mountaineer, Monterey is modern design, smartly done. Mercury has tripled its investment in interior design, and Monterey is a direct result.

Monterey has a standard 4.2-liter V-6 engine with greater torque than any other vehicle in the minivan segment. Monterey features exceptional safety with the full-length Safety Canopy™. This system provides side curtain air bags to protect all three rows of passengers, plus rollover sensors.

Replete with unique styling and exclusive features, Monterey is available in Convenience, Luxury and Premier trims. The use of superior materials and textures creates an ambiance of luxury and quality.

Monterey has a Mercury signature waterfall grille, satin aluminum accents and monochromatic body-side cladding. The interior includes a fold-into-floor third-row seat, one-hand-folding second row, versatile out-of-sight storage and both woodgrain and chrome accents.

Front and Rear Parking Assist, and Heated and Cooled Seats
Monterey offers innovative features like front and rear parking sensors, front heated and cooled seats, a premium audio system, rear-seat DVD entertainment system, tri-zone temperature control and power-adjustable pedals with memory. A power liftgate will be available later in the year.

Standard 4.2-liter Engine with Best-In-Class Torque
Monterey has a standard 4.2-liter V-6 engine for excellent acceleration, hill climbing and towing. This powertrain features triple hydromounts for quietness and the latest generation of fast transmission hydraulics for quicker and smoother shifting. It delivers 201 horsepower, 263 foot-pounds of torque and tows up to 3,500 pounds. A 26-gallon fuel tank allows for a round-trip drive from Detroit to Chicago without refueling - a range of more than 500 miles.

Comprehensive Safety Equipment
In addition to the segment-exclusive three-row Safety Canopy™ side curtain air-bag system with rollover sensor, Monterey offers a comprehensive safety package with more than 30 safety and security features, including an occupant-sensing passenger air bag, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, a reinforced structure designed for offset frontal impacts, AdvanceTrac™ stability control system with traction control and panic brake assist, three-point safety belts and head restraints at all seating positions, plus a tire-pressure monitoring system and available self-sealing tires. Based on internal tests, Mercury expects the new Monterey to receive high marks in government and independent crash tests.

The minivan market represents approximately 1 million units in the United States, and further growth is expected in the $30,000-plus luxury market. The new Monterey is aimed at a more mature buyer who desires the functionality of a minivan but is not willing to compromise on luxury.

"Mercury is revitalized and re-energized - the new Monterey is just the beginning of a multiyear strategy to update and expand our product offerings," says John Fitzpatrick, general marketing manager, Lincoln-Mercury. "We'll follow the Monterey with a compact SUV and two distinctive new cars - four new products in three years."

The Monterey complements the freshened 2003 Grand Marquis and the Mercury Mountaineer, which was all-new for the 2002 model year.

"Monterey begins to define the design path Mercury is taking," says Susan Pacheco, director of Lincoln-Mercury programs. "This new minivan delivers elegance and energy, distinct Mercury cues and intelligent functionality that consumers will love."

Monterey is manufactured in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.

EDSEL FORD'S ORIGINAL VISION FOR MERCURY: MODERN DESIGN, SMARTLY DONE

• Monterey is the next step in a return to Mercury's founding philosophy
• Monterey is the first of four new Mercury vehicles to be launched in the next three years
• Mercury styling is distinctive, consistent and dramatic

As Ford Motor Company celebrates its centennial year, Mercury is re-energizing its personality and purpose - going back to the philosophy of 1935, the year Ford began work on what would become the Mercury brand. The Monterey is one step in a return to Mercury's founding design philosophy.

It was in 1935 that a project began taking shape in Dearborn's brand-new Ford Design Studios. The project was a decidedly upscale Ford car that would have distinctive styling and features than any other Ford product.

As the project neared completion in 1938, Edsel Ford decided that the car, at one point to be named the "Ford Falcon," didn't fit in the traditional Ford lineup. Edsel saw the need for a line of cars that filled the existing gap between the Ford Deluxe and the Lincoln Zephyr. He decided to create a new brand, one that would complement the two existing Ford Motor Company standards.

Edsel Ford chose the name Mercury based on the imagery of the winged messenger of the Roman gods. Mercury was the god of commerce who symbolized dependability, eloquence, speed and skill. Ford's vision for Mercury was added styling combined with "improved ride, handling, stopping distance and internal noise."

The formula for success is the same today as it was in 1939 when the first Mercury went into production. Mercury fills an important role in Ford Motor Company's portfolio and is a critical element in the success of the Lincoln-Mercury franchise.

Today, Ford Motor Company is going "back to basics" by implementing a product-led transformation plan for its North American operations with a strong emphasis on its core North American brands: Ford, Lincoln and Mercury. Additionally, in 2002, Lincoln-Mercury vehicles were reinstated into the Ford Product Development system.

Mercury Design "DNA"
The modern interpretation of Mercury styling - laid down by the 2002 Mountaineer and built upon by the Mercury Messenger concept vehicle - is taken to the next level with the 2004 Mercury Monterey.

"From its signature waterfall grille to the satin aluminum taillamp bezels, the new Monterey heralds Mercury," says Darrell Behmer, chief designer, Mercury vehicles. "Our vehicles are evolving and adopting distinct Mercury DNA - what you see on the Monterey is just the start."

Following the introduction of the Monterey, the Montego sedan and Mariner SUV to be introduced during 2004 will further demonstrate the new Mercury DNA. Another car will follow in 2005.

All new Mercury vehicles will feature proportion and package efficiency with optimized surface language that is clean and simple, lean and taut, possessing a drama of attitude and produced with a product design approach.

Interiors will provide a technically advanced contemporary environment: innovative seating, comfort with simplicity and high-tech materials. Driver and passenger interfaces will be logical, and storage opportunities will be creative.

On the outside of the all-new Monterey, these design goals are attained by the generous use of satin aluminum finishes on all door and liftgate handles, on the bezels around the fog lamps, on the roof rack and taillamps, on the waterfall grille and on all vehicle badging. Unique machined wheels match the look of the satin aluminum accents.

"The look of the new Monterey is distinctive," says Behmer. "We combine value, space and superior entry and egress with what is definitely a premium-looking minivan."

Ford Motor Company has tripled its investment in interior design - and that investment pays off in the all-new Monterey. "Everything you see and touch has a high level of craftsmanship," says Behmer. "This is a story of using superior materials and textures to create an ambiance of luxury and quality. The interior look is upscale, with a feeling of symmetry, balance and harmony."

Susan Pacheco on Monterey Function and Design
"The Monterey begins to define the path Mercury is taking," says Susan Pacheco, director of Lincoln-Mercury programs. "This new minivan delivers elegance and energy, distinct Mercury cues and intelligent functionality."

Pacheco is an engineer, an MBA and a mother of two. As she leads Lincoln-Mercury Product Development, she believes her life experience and perspective were valuable in the development of the Monterey minivan.

"As a very active woman - and someone who drives a lot - I certainly appreciate the interior comfort and feel of luxury within the Monterey," Pacheco says. "Also, the functionality of the new third-row seat is amazing because of the flexibility it provides in my life - when coaching the kids' teams and driving them to practice and hauling the soccer balls that go with it. Being a mom, I appreciate there is the stuff of life that we all need space for - which for me includes the computer and briefcase I lug around every day."

Pacheco says her husband and two children are the most important part of her life. Time with family and friends is a priority, as is involvement in the community. It's all these special experiences that she brings every day to her position at Mercury.

"With Monterey, I think we have developed a vehicle that many customers will absolutely love," she says.

MONTEREY: SAFETY, CONVENIENCE AND QUALITY

• Monterey builds on a legacy of Ford minivan safety with the segment-exclusive Safety Canopy™ side curtain air-bag system with rollover sensor
• Premium features and the performance of a standard 4.2-liter engine set Monterey apart
• Quality measures help ensure a quiet driving experience and long-term satisfaction

Mercury Monterey, like its Ford Freestar cousin, is designed to be the safest, most convenient and highest-quality minivan Ford Motor Company has ever produced.

In terms of safety - a key priority for minivan customers - Monterey builds on a legacy of Ford Motor Company minivan safety leadership. It adds a segment-exclusive Safety Canopy™ side curtain air-bag system with rollover sensor, a reinforced structure designed for offset frontal impacts, an advanced restraint system, three-point safety belts and head restraints at all seating positions, and a low-tire-pressure monitoring system.

Monterey safety features include:

• Full-length Safety Canopy™ with rollover sensor - a segment exclusive - standard on Luxury and Premier
• Reinforced structure to improve offset crash protection
• "Smart" air bags with Occupant Classification Sensing on passenger side
• Three-point safety belts for all passengers
• Ford Motor Company's BeltMinder™ system for driver and front passenger
• AdvanceTrac™ stability enhancement system - standard on Premier
• Four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, with Panic Assist on models with AdvanceTrac™
• Premium Feature Content and Elegant Interior

Monterey is loaded with innovative features like front and rear parking sensors, front heated and cooled seats, a premium audio system, rear-seat DVD entertainment system, tri-zone temperature control and power-adjustable pedals with memory. A power liftgate will be available later in the model year.

Mercury has tripled its investment in interior design - and that investment pays off in the all-new Monterey. The materials used have a quality feel and appearance, and the assembly quality is noticeably high. The interior is upscale, with a feeling of symmetry, balance and harmony. Overall panel gaps have been reduced to 1 millimeter - from 3 mm on previous Ford Motor Company minivans - with a tolerance of only 0.5 mm compared with the previous 2 mm. This was achieved with focused attention to detail as early as the clay mockup design phase. Special coordination features aid in minimizing any variance in fit.

Driving Experience
Customers want a minivan to be responsive, feel nimble and handle confidently in all situations. Monterey meets these expectations with a standard 4.2-liter V-6 engine, direct and precise steering, powerful brakes and a specially tuned suspension.

Key to the driving experience are:

• Standard 4.2-liter engine: more torque than any other minivan
• Automatic transmission with "fast-acting" hydraulics
• Suspension tuned for special driving character
• Sound deadening for a quiet ride
• Luxury Begins with Quality

Ford Motor Company engineers went to great lengths to ensure the quality and refinement of the new Monterey. Improvements in design and manufacturing - and attention to detail - have already improved quality by more than 20 percent on minivans being produced today at Ford's Oakville Assembly Plant in Ontario, according to independent analysis. In the Monterey, quality and refinement will be taken to an even higher level.

Engineering the front structure for outstanding offset crash performance and the rear structure for the fold-into-floor third-row seat required new stamping equipment for Monterey's sheet metal. This modern equipment improves the consistency and stiffness of the body.

The amount of air that leaks out of a vehicle when tested in a pressure cell has been reduced to a minimum thanks to special task forces at the Oakville Assembly Plant, as well as improved design and sealing material application. This translates directly to reduced wind noise - and better heating, air-conditioning and defroster performance.

In addition, special mounts isolate the passenger compartment from engine vibration and road impacts.

ERGONOMICS EXPERTS INCREASE COMFORT, ADD FEATURES ON NEW MONTEREY

• Standard fold-into-floor third-row seating and easy-entry second-row seats
• Tilt steering, available power-adjustable pedals and height-adjustable power driver's seat
• Available power liftgate and sliding doors with easy-to-grip release handles

From its standard one-hand-folding second- and third-row seats to its customizable driver's position, power liftgate and convenient controls, Mercury Monterey is designed to be the most comfortable, easy-to-operate minivan Ford Motor Company has ever built.

Standard Flexible Seating Operates With One Hand
Fred Lupton, Ford Motor Company Ergonomics supervisor, says the Monterey's most impressive ergonomic feature is easily its standard rear seating system. "Monterey's second- and third-row seats make owners' lives so much easier," he says. The standard folding third-row seat can be neatly stored in the vehicle's floor - with just one hand - when not in use, freeing space and creating a completely flat load floor. The struggle typically associated with removing a heavy, cumbersome seat is eliminated, and the clever design even allows the seat to fold without removing the head restraints.

An additional advantage of the third-row seat is increased cargo room afforded by the well into which the seat folds. Roomy enough for a golf bag or several large potted plants, the spot is also perfect for smaller items that might otherwise slide around in the vehicle during transport.

For remarkably easy access to the third row, the second-row seats are easily moved out of the way with one pull of a lever. Standard dual captain's chairs have a fold-and-tumble feature so that passengers can easily access the third row. When occupied, they are fore/aft and rake-adjustable for comfort. For maximum cargo capacity, they can be removed without tools.

Customizable Driving Position
Mercury Monterey has been designed to fit a range of drivers from a petite, 5th-percentile woman to a towering 95th-percentile man. Available power-adjustable pedals allow further customization of the driving position for shorter and taller drivers alike. With the touch of a button, the brake and accelerator pedals can be adjusted up to 3 inches fore and aft. A standard adjustable steering column and available height-adjustable power driver's seat also help drivers of all sizes be more comfortable behind the wheel.

Power-Operated Doors and Liftgate
"Without a doubt, our available power doors tremendously improve ergonomics," says Lupton. Later in the 2004 model year, a power-operated liftgate will be offered. At launch, power-sliding doors are available. Both doors and liftgate are operated by rugged, pull-through handles that allow the user to grasp the handle from above or below. "This handle design is very important for people with arthritis," says Lupton, "but everyone benefits from doors that are easily opened and closed."

Ford Researchers Use Creative Ergonomics Tools
Lupton is a young man, but he uses innovative bodysuits to step into the body of a pregnant woman - or a man three times his age.

The Empathy Belly, a multi-component, weighted garment, allows Ford engineers to gain a realistic understanding of the demands imposed by pregnancies. It contains a rib belt that constricts lungs; two 7-pound lead weights that are inserted into the belly and represent fetal limbs, and a 6-pound pouch that attaches on the underside of the belly and simulates the fetal head resting and applying pressure on the bladder. A suspended weight inside the belly mimics mild fetal kicking, and the pregnant belly area houses approximately 14 ounces of water.

By wearing the Empathy Belly pregnancy simulator, engineers can experience and understand several difficulties pregnant women face like awkwardness in body movements, postural changes, shifts in center of gravity, limitations in reach and more. Empathy Bellies are used by ergonomic engineers early in the vehicle design process across all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles.

"A woman who is pregnant probably tends to sit farther from the steering wheel," Lupton says. "We now have power pedal adjustment controls that actually bring the pedals closer to the driver." Mercury engineers had pregnant women and older drivers in mind when they designed a strap to help fold the Monterey's third-row seat flat into the floor.

Lupton also has used Ford's breakthrough Third Age Suit in his research. The suit is made of materials that add bulk and restrict movement in key areas of the body such as the knees, elbows, stomach and back. Together with gloves that reduce the sense of touch and goggles that simulate cataracts, the Third Age Suit gives engineers and designers a feel for the needs of an older generation as they design new vehicles.

The suit is used to keep pace with the demands of baby boomers who will be aging over the coming decades. Demographics show that the number of people in the United States between ages 55 and 74 will almost double by 2030 - rising from 40 million to about 74 million.

Kid-Friendly Cup holders
Ergonomic research spans all ages and body types. "Sure," Lupton says, "we've designed the Monterey with older customers in mind. But we also gave our cup holders square cutouts for juice boxes. Kids love those."

FRONT AND REAR PARKING AID BRINGS MINIVAN CONVENIENCE TO NEW LEVEL
Standard on the Monterey is the convenience of a parking aid system with sensors at the rear and front of the vehicle - a feature typically available only on luxury sedans. Front and rear parking aid is an example of how Mercury offers customers a little more.

Monterey has as standard equipment a parking aid system typically offered only on luxury sedans. The system uses sensors in the front and rear bumpers that detect objects and assist in negotiating distances during low-speed parking maneuvers. Front and rear parking aid is a key example of how Mercury offers its customers a little more.

As the vehicle approaches large stationary objects like other vehicles or obstacles in a driveway, warning beeps sound. The rate of beeping increases as the object is approached, until a solid tone is emitted at a distance of about 10 inches.

"This is a feature that typically is not found on minivans," says Susan Pacheco, director, Mercury Programs. "Now we are bringing this helpful front and rear parking aid to our customers." Monterey is one of only two minivans in the segment to offer a forward and reverse object sensing system - and the only minivan to have it as standard equipment across all trim levels.

The system works through the use of high-performance ultrasonic range finders fitted to the front and rear bumpers. These sensors form a detection zone as wide as the vehicle that extends approximately 2.5 feet in front and approximately 6 feet behind. When the vehicle speed is below approximately 6 mph, the front sensors are automatically activated, and their signals are monitored by the control unit. If an object is detected within the sensing range, an alert tone sounds from the instrument panel; the rate of beeping increases as the vehicle approaches the object.

In reverse gear, the reverse sensors are automatically activated. To distinguish between front and rear obstacles, the alert tone for the rear sensors is an octave lower in pitch and emanates from the cargo area.

The system can be deactivated by a switch on the instrument panel. For a clean appearance, the parking sensors on the Mercury Monterey are color-coordinated to match the bumpers.

A SEAT FOR ALL SEASONS: MONTEREY'S SEGMENT-EXCLUSIVE HEATED AND COOLED SEATS
Monterey is the first minivan to offer the luxurious convenience of heated and cooled driver and front passenger seats - an example of how Mercury offers customers a little more.

It's a 95-degree August day and the pavement is hot enough to support an outdoor episode of Iron Chef, but the Mercury Monterey's leather-trimmed driver's seat is cool to the touch.

The new Monterey offers a minivan-exclusive luxury feature: heated and cooled front seats. First introduced as a feature on the Lincoln Navigator, the seats provide a gentle convective flow to almost immediately help ward off perspiration in hot climates and take the edge off cold winter temperatures.

The secret is a tiny thermo-electric device mounted to the seat frame. It has no moving parts, but its temperature changes when supplied with an electrical current. A small electric fan inside the seat directs air over the device and channels it through perforated leather on the seat cushion and backrest. Electrical current in one direction provides a cooling effect; reverse the current and heat is produced.

Linked with the tri-zone climate control system, Monterey's optional Imola leather-trimmed climate-controlled seats provide exceptional comfort in extreme temperatures. The climate control system is automatic for set-it-and-forget-it convenience. In manual control, two heating modes and two cooling modes are available.

The integrated heated and cooled seat is the first system of its kind. It uses no CFCs or other environmentally harmful coolants and is microprocessor-controlled for optimum performance. A similar system is available on the Lincoln LS, Aviator and Navigator, as well as the Ford Expedition.