The five Lincoln concept models that we told you about on Friday will be joined by the 2003 Mercury Messenger concept at the RM's Sports & Classics of Monterey auction on August 12th.
The two-seater sports coupe prototype of the soon-to-be discontinued Mercury brand broke cover at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit back in 2003. It was supposed to herald a new and more stylish design language for the company while some had also suggested that it may inspire a production model - unfortunately for Mercury, that never happened.
Influenced by the Cougars of the late sixties with a rakish roofline that recalls Ford's GT supercar, the rear-wheel drive Messenger Coupe was designed to be powered by the Dearborn automaker's familiar 4.6 liter V8 engine (the study is not fitted with a powertrain). The folks over at RM Auctions estimate that the Messenger can fetch between US$75,000 and $100,000.
Here's an excerpt from the Ford's 2003 NAIAS press release:
"At the North American International Auto Show, Mercury is a brand sending a message that modern design will lead its rejuvenation, beginning with its new Messenger concept coupe.
Mercury is returning to its roots as a design leader introducing the Messenger concept, a distinctive and energetic high-performance two-seat sports coupe.
The Messenger concept car represents the first expression of Mercury's new design DNA with a clean, technical appearance that begins to establish the look of Mercury products still to come. Mercury will introduce four new products over the next four years including a minivan, a small sport utility and two cars.
"The body surface reflects the car's power and grace, with flowing body lines that are accented with purposeful air intakes and outlets," says Gerry McGovern, design director, Lincoln Mercury. "The dynamic fluidity of the Messenger's lean and taut form is expressed at rest as much as it is in movement."
source:tp:www.carscoop.blogspot.com
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