Tag Archives: concept cars

Weird Wheels: United Nude’s ‘Lo-Res Car’ Up for Auction

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<img data-attachment-id=”1776172″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/10/weird-wheels-united-nudes-lo-res-car-up-for-auction/16321666122a8bb67884d9388flores-11-scaled/” data-orig-file=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/16321666122a8bb67884d9388flores-11-scaled.jpg” data-orig-size=”2048,1366″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”0″,”credit”:””,”camera”:””,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”0″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”0″,”iso”:”0″,”shutter_speed”:”0″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”0″}” data-image-title=”16321666122a8bb67884d9388flores-11-scaled” data-image-description=”

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If anybody has a soft spot for wedge designs and the automotive future envisioned during the 1970s, it’s yours truly. While mainstream vehicles being manufactured during the Malaise Era often left a lot to be desired, the concepts were sublime and led to some of the most unique-looking production cars in automotive history. I’m talking about cars like the Lancia Stratos, Lamborghini Countach, Lotus Esprit, BMW M1, De Tomaso Pantera, and DeLorean DMC-12. Toss in the digital dashboards that were gradually appearing in standard passenger cars during the 1980s and you’ve reached the point where I would probably claim automotive styling reached its zenith after a few stiff drinks. But I’ve been told by those who can distinguish fetishization from appreciation that those designs weren’t perfect and kind of look the same when there’s enough squinting is deployed.

Apparently, someone took that premise and used it as a template for a modern prototype intended to help sell shoes. Though the company focused entirely on the basic shape of wedge cars, settling on a vehicle that resembles what a Countach might have looked like in a video game from two decades ago should the assets fail to load. Known as the United Nude Lo-Res Concept Vehicle, it’s probably one of the more-unique automobiles ever built and it’s yours for the taking now that the Petersen Automotive Museum doesn’t want it. 

<img data-attachment-id=”1776174″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/10/weird-wheels-united-nudes-lo-res-car-up-for-auction/163216654388f935ealores-12-scaled/” data-orig-file=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/163216654388f935ealores-12-scaled.jpg” data-orig-size=”2048,1365″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”0″,”credit”:””,”camera”:””,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”0″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”0″,”iso”:”0″,”shutter_speed”:”0″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”0″}” data-image-title=”163216654388f935ealores-12-scaled” data-image-description=”

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Currently listed on Bring a Trailer, chassis number three (of four) is comprised of 12 tinted clear polycarbonate panels intentionally styled to embody the now-retro wedge design in the most literal way possible.

From the listing:

This concept vehicle is one of four prototypes commissioned by footwear company United Nude for promotional purposes. Dubbed the “Lo-Res Car,” the vehicle was penned by United Nude founder Rem D. Koolhaas based on an abstract, low-resolution version of the Lamborghini Countach. It features clear tinted polycarbonate body panels over a steel chassis, and power is supplied by a KDS 5-kilowatt electric motor paired with a single-speed transmission. Additional equipment includes an electrically-actuated clamshell-opening body, front and rear light bars, tandem seating, and a chrome hexagonal steering wheel. The vehicle was acquired by the Petersen Automotive Museum around three years ago and is now being offered at no reserve in Los Angeles, California. It is not titled or registered for street use and is sold on a bill of sale.

Inspired by the design of the Lamborghini Countach, the first prototype of the Lo-Res Car achieved a Wallpaper Magazine Design Award in 2016. Subsequent prototypes were featured in various music videos and were also displayed at the 2018 Grand Basel automotive design showcase as well as the Petersen Automotive Museum’s Disruptors exhibition in 2019.

<img data-attachment-id=”1776168″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/10/weird-wheels-united-nudes-lo-res-car-up-for-auction/2017_united_nude_lo_res_16330379013bca08lores-129-scaled/” data-orig-file=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2017_united_nude_lo_res_16330379013bca08Lores-129-scaled.jpg” data-orig-size=”2048,1365″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”0″,”credit”:””,”camera”:””,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”0″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”0″,”iso”:”0″,”shutter_speed”:”0″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”0″}” data-image-title=”2017_united_nude_lo_res_16330379013bca08Lores-129-scaled” data-image-description=”

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Beautiful it is not. But the mere fact that someone turned this polyhedron into a functioning car is kind of amazing. It’s more Cybertruck than Cybertruck, except the Lo-Res offers the powertrain of a decent golf cart and the utility of a tricycle. These shortcomings are forgivable on what’s effectively a rolling piece of modern art, however.

On the inside, the polycarbonate panels (some of which look scratched) allow occupants to see out in every direction while the tint makes it nearly impossible to see into. Though there isn’t much to look at. Opening up the clamshell allows two people to climb into the non-adjustable seats and shows just how basic the cabin in. The driver has that odd hexagonal steering wheel, the necessary pedals, and some switches — most of which are used to control the vehicle’s numerous illumination options.

Instrumentation is limited to the state of charge and a basic digital speedometer. Air conditioning, a radio, or even seatbelts would be wishful thinking.

<img data-attachment-id=”1776176″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/10/weird-wheels-united-nudes-lo-res-car-up-for-auction/1632166693884d9388f935ealores-10-scaled/” data-orig-file=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/1632166693884d9388f935ealores-10-scaled.jpg” data-orig-size=”2048,1365″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”0″,”credit”:””,”camera”:””,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”0″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”0″,”iso”:”0″,”shutter_speed”:”0″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”0″}” data-image-title=”1632166693884d9388f935ealores-10-scaled” data-image-description=”

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Considering you can’t legally drive the Lo-Res on the street (and it would be a deathtrap if you did) that’s all fine. While the model’s front discs can presumably stop it in time to avoid most accidents, I’ve heard it has a hard time reaching 25 mph when carrying a passenger and it looks like it would disintegrate the moment it made contact with a real car.

Listed with no reserve, the latest bid at the time of this writing was a modest (?) $45,000. But the Lo-Res is probably best left to art snobs, rather than someone who might actually want to drive their collectables. I would argue that there are better ways for an automotive enthusiast to spend their money. Still, the United Nude design is so damn weird that we couldn’t help but show it.

<img data-attachment-id=”1776170″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/10/weird-wheels-united-nudes-lo-res-car-up-for-auction/2017_united_nude_lo_res_1633037908884d9388f935ealores-130-scaled/” data-orig-file=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2017_united_nude_lo_res_1633037908884d9388f935eaLores-130-scaled.jpg” data-orig-size=”2048,1365″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”0″,”credit”:””,”camera”:””,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”0″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”0″,”iso”:”0″,”shutter_speed”:”0″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”0″}” data-image-title=”2017_united_nude_lo_res_1633037908884d9388f935eaLores-130-scaled” data-image-description=”

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<img data-attachment-id=”1776180″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/10/weird-wheels-united-nudes-lo-res-car-up-for-auction/16321665763bca08lores-02-scaled/” data-orig-file=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/16321665763bca08lores-02-scaled.jpg” data-orig-size=”2048,1365″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”0″,”credit”:””,”camera”:””,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”0″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”0″,”iso”:”0″,”shutter_speed”:”0″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”0″}” data-image-title=”16321665763bca08lores-02-scaled” data-image-description=”

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[Images: Bring a Trailer]

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Porsche Mission R Concept

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Overview

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior - image 1014905

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior - image 1014905

Porsche claims that they are indeed the most successful brand in customer motorsport, with 30 one-make cups globally, over 4,400 911-based Cup cars manufactured to date, with 31 years of Carrera Cup racing in Germany. As a result, the folks at Zuffenhausen and Weissach are probably wondering as to what the future of customer racing using pure EV’s looks like.

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior - image 1014907

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior - image 1014907

The German brand clearly isn’t satisfied with Formula E. They are hence already looking ahead with the Mission R, which – on paper – looks like an electric 911 GT3 Cup car.

The Mission R could in fact go on to become the centerpiece of the Porsche single-brand cups in the not-too-distant future. The car embodies everything that makes Porsche what it is; They include attributes like Performance, Design, and in keeping with the times, Sustainability.

Bodywork with a focus on Sustainability

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior - image 1014909

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior - image 1014909

Upon first appearance, the concept resembles the very successful Le Mans 919 racer, although with a far more gracious-looking front and a rather stubby back. The rudiments of the Cayman floor unit are hidden under the shell. The car is 14’ long, which makes it shorter than the 718. A width of 6’6”, on the other hand, is notably more, while its height of 3’11″ is considerably lower than that car. The Mission R incorporates the most recent advances in active aerodynamics, both in the front and in the back, where a massive, two-section movable spoiler resides. The Mission R also features Porsche Active Aerodynamics (PAA) with Drag Reduction System (DRS) on the nose section as well as that giant rear wing.

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior - image 1014902

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior - image 1014902

Through the domed roof, a carbon-fiber superstructure visible from the outside may be viewed.

Instead of fitting a separate roll cage, this construction by itself acts as a supporting and load-bearing structure. Not only is it visually appealing, but it is also lightweight and stable, with room for an emergency exit hatch for the driver.

This robust structure also has a roof, which Porsche refers to as an exoskeleton. On top of that, body panels composed primarily of Natural Fiber Reinforced plastic (NFK) are used. Porsche uses the same material for the front splitter, diffuser, and side skirts.

“Porsche is the brand for people who fulfill their dreams. This is also true in motorsports. We experience our innovative strength on the race track, demonstrate courage in pursuing new avenues and delight car owners with sporting performance,” says Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG.

A sporty Bespoke Racing Cockpit

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Interior - image 1014911

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Interior - image 1014911

Porsche uses NFK On the inside, as well. The material is used to make the inside door scales, the rear bulkhead, and the seat, among other things. When it comes to the interior, the driver is the focal point. All controls are easily accessible to the driver.

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Interior - image 1014912

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Interior - image 1014912

The cockpit is influenced by cars used in gaming simulators. A helmet holder is also in place to dry and cool the driver’s helmet using the onboard air conditioning. The car features a steering wheel that incorporates the main information screen and is linked with another unit positioned behind, which complements the first one by showing the image from the rearview cameras. A third screen, to the right of the seat, displays the driver’s biometric information.

“In addition to our involvement in the Formula E World Championship, we are now taking the next big step forward in electric mobility. The concept study is our vision of all-electric customer motorsports. The Mission R embodies everything that makes Porsche strong: performance, design and sustainability.”

The Powertrain

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior - image 1014914

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior - image 1014914

The Mission R features two electric motors.
The motors are derived from the Taycan, but they were further improved for motorsport to the point that they are now virtually separate designs. It comes as no surprise that Mission R’s electric drivetrain exceeds 1,000 horsepower. Two motors, one on each axle, that produces 430 horsepower at the front and 644 horsepower at the rear. The race car’s standard continuous power output remains 671 horsepower. (This is nearly the same as the upcoming hybrid LMDh Le Mans car). While in qualifying mode,
the two motors produce1085 horsepower. A Four-wheel drive system transfers tractive force to the tarmac.

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior - image 1014917

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior - image 1014917

Porsche has also worked on the weight distribution. The battery pack is situated ahead of the rear axle, as opposed to the Taycan. Porsche refers to this as the e-core arrangement. This layout implies that the Mission R has driving characteristics similar to those of a mid-engine racer. The Mission R’s permanently excited synchronous motors have stators that are directly tempered with oil as a coolant. Speaking of cost savings, the Mission R does away without the Taycan’s two-speed transmission; acceleration from a standstill isn’t very important in customer motorsports. Also, there’s no limit to the power that drives with only one gear. The transmission and pulse inverter on both the front and rear drives are designed identically, saving both parts and money.

Blistering Performance

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior - image 1014916

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior - image 1014916

The Mission R will be able to sprint from 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds and reach speeds of over 187 mph.

The cells of the 80 kWh battery are also oil-cooled. Unlike in a typical electric motor where the coolant goes through a jacket outside the stator, the oil in direct cooling flows straight along the copper windings. More heat can be dispersed directly at the source as a result of this.

They run at 900 volts, which helps explain why the batteries can be charged from 5% to 80% in under 15 minutes during racing. Charging can be done at a rate of up to 340 kW. Such a short recharge time will enable the Mission R to confront a race weekend with free practice, qualifying, and the race without having to worry about range.

Conclusion

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior - image 1014918

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior - image 1014918

How exactly will motorsports evolve in the future? And how will interfaces withE-Motorsports change over time?. How plausible is this vision? Well, Porsche thinks they have an idea about where motorsports and the industry is headed.

Without a doubt, Porsche will be ready with an order book at the IAA in Munich and at the Porsche Motorsport desks. The maker has not yet stated when a probable manufacturing model will be available, but our guess would be somewhere between 2025 -2026.

You can watch Porsche reveal the Mission R below:

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Lexus LF-Z Concept Previews Brand’s Electrified Future

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2021 Lexus LF-Z concept front

 

The new LF-Z concept offers a hint of what’s coming from Lexus and its battery-car offerings.

Lexus will roll out nearly two dozen new models by mid-decade, including an assortment of hybrids, plug-ins and pure battery-electric vehicles. The new LF-Z concept offers a hint of what’s coming, both from a design perspective as well as the new technologies the luxury brand will bring to market.

Like other luxury marques, Lexus expects to see demand for electrified powertrain technology surge in the coming years. But in contrast to some of its key competitors, Toyota’s high-line brand expects buyers to continue seeking out a mix of solutions, ranging from conventional gas-powered products to those running entirely on battery power.

“Our main goal, moving forward, will be to look at each individual region and their specific needs and then to choose the best (powertrain) alternatives,” said Lexus Chief Engineer Takashi Watanabe, during a media roundtable Tuesday morning Japan time.

Early pioneer doesn’t want to get left behind

2021 Lexus LF-Z concept rear

 

The 2021 LF-Z concept is just the latest LF concept car shown by Lexus.

Lexus was the first luxury brand to offer a hybrid, a version of the old GS sedan. Like parent Toyota, it has been reluctant to bring out a pure battery-electric option. But, with most of its competitors set to enter the BEV space, Lexus doesn’t want to get left behind.

It has shown several all-electric prototypes in recent years. The new LF-Z is the latest. And it’s also the closest to what will wind up in Lexus showrooms before mid-decade, Watanabe and his colleagues hinted during the media backgrounder.

That includes the LF-Z’s design language which takes current Lexus styling cues in a new direction. There’s a hint of the familiar spindle grille framed by what might seem, at first glance, to be the big air intakes of the LF-C sports car. But this isn’t a standard grille, as there’s no need to feed air into the engine compartment. In fact, there is no engine compartment. The concept’s battery pack and motors are mounted within LF-Z’s skateboard-like platform.

The curvaceous shape of the crossover has a functional purpose, designed to minimize aerodynamic drag, said Watanabe. In turn, that improves performance while also boosting range.

Lexus Driving Signature

The LF-Z squeezes in 90 kilowatt-hours of lithium-ion batteries, enough for an estimated 600 kilometers, or roughly

2021 Lexus LF-Z concept cockpit

 

The LF-Z is the latest battery-electric concept using a yoke-style steering wheel.

375 miles, of range per charge. (That’s using the European WLTP test cycle. The numbers would drop 10% or more based on the more stringent test cycle used by the U.S. EPA.)

Power is delivered to two electric motors, one on each axle, according to Watanabe. They’re part of the brand’s new Direct4 drive system which splits torque between left and right wheels to achieve what the automaker calls the “Lexus Driving Signature.”

“Direct4 precisely controls the delivery of drive torque from front and rear electric motors and braking force to all four wheels,” the automaker said when it first showed the technology last December. “By automatically adjusting the balance of front and rear-wheel drive, the system adapts the driving conditions to the driver’s intentions, changing the driving feel and giving the car the best driving posture.”

The Direct4 system is paired with a new steer-by-wire system that eliminates the traditional, mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the front wheels. The system, Lexus officials claim, provides a more intuitive connection between man and machine. The degree to which the wheels turn can vary depending upon factors such as road condition, vehicle speed and the rate at which the driver turns the steering wheel.

New technologies coming by 2025

 

The concept features a tinted, but not opaque, panoramic glass roof.

The yoke-like wheel anchors the minimalist cabin layout and incorporates switches that let a driver control the LF-Z much as a rider guides a horse by using the reins. The low instrument panel is topped by a large head-up display and makes use of augmented reality to enhance navigation and other vehicle operations.

While there’ll be no production LF-Z, “You will see some form of those technologies … in some of those vehicles … coming by 2025,” said Watanabe. That will include several all-electric products, as well as plug-in and conventional hybrids.

While Lexus plans to continue offering vehicles powered solely by internal combustion engines for the foreseeable future, all models will be offered with some form of electrified option by 2025, said Hiroo Tagahi, the brand’s communications chief. And he said Lexus planners expect that those battery-based models will, by mid-decade, generate the majority of the marque’s global sales.

All-new HQ

The shift to electrification comes at the same time Lexus plans major changes in its headquarters operations. It is building a new, multi-function complex at the Toyota Technical Center in Shinoyama, about 60 miles north of Tokyo. The new HQ will consolidate design, engineering and management into a single building, an approach Lexus officials hope will lead to greater creativity and flexibility. The complex also will add an assortment of new test tracks — even while retaining 70% of the center’s land in pristine natural condition.

The new Lexus headquarters is expected to open by mid-decade.

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BMW Does a Complete U-Turn on its EV Program

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The production version of the i4 Concept will reach the U.S. next year. It will use a shared platform.

A week before unveiling the all-new iNext battery-electric vehicle, BMW said it will “realign” its strategy and begin developing a unique architecture solely for “electric drives,” rather than sharing the same platform for vehicles using both battery and conventional gas and diesel powertrains.

That’s a complete about face for the Bavarian marque which, in recent years, had hoped to save money and simplify manufacturing by coming up with common architectures that could roll off the same line. But it also marks a return to BMW’s original strategy when electrified models like the all-electric i3 city car and plug-in hybrid i8 sports car used unique platforms.

“The aim is to create an overall optimum with the new architecture,” CEO Oliver Zipse said during BMW’s quarterly earnings presentation on Wednesday.

(BMW preps for i4 launch, confirms plans for all-electric 5-Series and X1.)

Over the past decade, the auto industry has gone back and forth on the appropriate approach to developing electrified vehicles, pure battery-electric models, in particular. Some, like the Ford Focus Electric and the Volkswagen e-Golf, shared common platforms with the gas and diesel versions of those vehicles. Others, such as the original BMW i models, as well as the new Ford Mustang Mach-E and VW ID.3, used unique architectures.

BMW says the production iNext should get nearly 400 miles of range per charge.

Each approach had both pluses and minuses. Shared platforms result in design compromises, often limiting the amount of batteries that could be stored on a vehicle – impacting range, among other things. But development costs can be held down, while increasing the flexibility of a company’s assembly lines.

Unique platforms, most adopting a skateboard-style layout with batteries and motors mounted below the load floor, can handle larger packs, increasing range and lowering a vehicle’s center of gravity. But that means additional development costs and the tooling up of plants dedicated solely to EVs.

With an upcoming wave of new products BMW had aimed for a compromise strategy. They use flexible platforms that can squeeze more batteries under the load floor for models like the all-electric i4 fastback due out next year. But there’s space for a conventional internal combustion engine for products such as the next BMW 4-Series.

Now, , “We will realign our vehicle architecture from the middle of the decade,” said Zipse, adding that, “Our new cluster architecture is geared towards electric drives” exclusively.

BMW’s i3 is one of the automaker’s best-selling electric vehicles. It uses a unique, rather than shared, platform.

“Our new plant in Hungary plays a key role here,” said the CEO, noting that production of “the new BEV-centered architecture will start there.”

(BMW and Mercedes suspend joint autonomous vehicle development program.)

The plan is to make the new strategy a high priority, an all-new product development operation reporting directly to Zipse. But it will be able to reach out to all other areas within the company, from engineering to sales and marketing which “gives us more control and makes us much faster,” he explained.

The shared platform strategy had come under intense scrutiny within BMW, noted German magazine Automobilwoche, Over the summer, Manfred Wochs, the head of the BMW Works Council, had warned that it resulted in “too many compromises” that could set BMW back competitively, especially in key markets like the U.S. and China.

BMW is racing to get a leg up in an emerging market segment that currently is dominated by the upstart Tesla – with an assortment of traditional competitors, as well as start-ups like Lucid, Fisker and Rivian, aiming to gain share.

But Zipse insisted that BMW will be ready when its new EVs hit market around 2025. “We anticipate that the demand for fully electric vehicles will continue to increase significantly from 2025 onwards. Exactly then – keyword timing – we will ignite phase III of our transformation.”

(BMW may go for a plug-in hybrid with upcoming X8 M.)

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Rare Rides: The Singular 1989 Mercury Sable Convertible

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<img data-attachment-id=”1734518″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible/117105860_2717858104982174_8488039729603534362_n/” data-orig-file=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-10.jpg” data-orig-size=”960,720″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”0″,”credit”:””,”camera”:””,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”0″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”0″,”iso”:”0″,”shutter_speed”:”0″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”0″}” data-image-title=”1989 Mercury Sable Convertible” data-image-description=”

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” data-medium-file=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-6.jpg” data-large-file=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible.jpg” class=”aligncenter wp-image-1734518 size-large” src=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible.jpg” alt width=”610″ height=”458″ srcset=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible.jpg 610w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-5.jpg 75w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-6.jpg 450w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-7.jpg 768w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-8.jpg 120w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-9.jpg 800w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-10.jpg 960w” sizes=”(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px”>Today we head deep into the purest sort of Rare Ride: A vehicle which exists as a singularity, a one-off. It’s a two-door convertible version of the first-generation Mercury Sable.

The lightbar will guide our way.

<img data-attachment-id=”1734526″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible/117013927_2717858464982138_7753399091940307748_n/” data-orig-file=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-16.jpg” data-orig-size=”960,720″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”0″,”credit”:””,”camera”:””,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”0″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”0″,”iso”:”0″,”shutter_speed”:”0″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”0″}” data-image-title=”1989 Mercury Sable Convertible” data-image-description=”

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” data-medium-file=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-12.jpg” data-large-file=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-1.jpg” class=”aligncenter size-large wp-image-1734526″ src=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-1.jpg” alt width=”610″ height=”458″ srcset=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-1.jpg 610w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-11.jpg 75w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-12.jpg 450w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-13.jpg 768w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-14.jpg 120w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-15.jpg 800w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-16.jpg 960w” sizes=”(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px”>Taurus and Sable were a big risk for Ford when it introduced its new midsize twins for the 1986 model year. The company went big on cohesive product development, aerodynamics, and a new, modern take on a family sedan and wagon. Six years in development paid off: The Taurus and Sable were an instant hit. They readily found favor with customers eager to leave their boxy rear-drive sedans behind.

<img data-attachment-id=”1734522″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible/117018365_2717858261648825_4065848823506835085_n/” data-orig-file=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-22.jpg” data-orig-size=”960,720″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”0″,”credit”:””,”camera”:””,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”0″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”0″,”iso”:”0″,”shutter_speed”:”0″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”0″}” data-image-title=”1989 Mercury Sable Convertible” data-image-description=”

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” data-medium-file=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-18.jpg” data-large-file=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-2.jpg” class=”aligncenter size-large wp-image-1734522″ src=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-2.jpg” alt width=”610″ height=”458″ srcset=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-2.jpg 610w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-17.jpg 75w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-18.jpg 450w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-19.jpg 768w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-20.jpg 120w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-21.jpg 800w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-22.jpg 960w” sizes=”(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px”>The twins’ first generation ran from model years 1986 to 1991, and cars were available solely in sedan and wagon body styles. Sable remained in its original guise until 1989, when it was lightly refreshed via some new parking lamp lenses and different tail lamps. But over at Cars & Concepts, some designers had an idea for additional Sable development sans roof.

The project started with a standard Sable sedan that wore silver paint and a burgundy cloth interior and was powered by the reliable Vulcan 3.0-liter V6. Extensive surgery was required to turn the sedan into a convertible, and the first order of business was ditching the rear doors. Front doors were then made longer to aid rear-seat access, which meant the interior door panels were reworked entirely. A redesign of the rear suspension also occurred.  Somewhere in the process, the roof and windows went away too.

<img data-attachment-id=”1734524″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible/116900387_2717858314982153_7366365930932568073_n/” data-orig-file=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-26.jpg” data-orig-size=”598,800″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”0″,”credit”:””,”camera”:””,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”0″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”0″,”iso”:”0″,”shutter_speed”:”0″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”0″}” data-image-title=”1989 Mercury Sable Convertible” data-image-description=”

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/754163072013786/

” data-medium-file=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-24.jpg” data-large-file=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-3.jpg” class=”aligncenter size-large wp-image-1734524″ src=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-3.jpg” alt width=”456″ height=”610″ srcset=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-3.jpg 456w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-23.jpg 56w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-24.jpg 262w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-25.jpg 90w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-26.jpg 598w” sizes=”(max-width: 456px) 100vw, 456px”>

Many engineering hours were spent to design a fully automatic hydraulic convertible roof. It folded behind the rear seats and was hidden by a solid tonneau cover. And speaking of the rear seats, tiny 3-inch televisions were added to entertain passengers who found Gameboy screens slightly too small.

<img data-attachment-id=”1734520″ data-permalink=”https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible/116927955_2717858494982135_1603542097836061345_n/” data-orig-file=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-32.jpg” data-orig-size=”960,720″ data-comments-opened=”1″ data-image-meta=”{“aperture”:”0″,”credit”:””,”camera”:””,”caption”:””,”created_timestamp”:”0″,”copyright”:””,”focal_length”:”0″,”iso”:”0″,”shutter_speed”:”0″,”title”:””,”orientation”:”0″}” data-image-title=”1989 Mercury Sable Convertible” data-image-description=”

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/754163072013786/

” data-medium-file=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-28.jpg” data-large-file=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-4.jpg” class=”aligncenter size-large wp-image-1734520″ src=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-4.jpg” alt width=”610″ height=”458″ srcset=”http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-4.jpg 610w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-27.jpg 75w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-28.jpg 450w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-29.jpg 768w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-30.jpg 120w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-31.jpg 800w, http://gagetruck.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rare-rides-the-singular-1989-mercury-sable-convertible-32.jpg 960w” sizes=”(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px”>The convertible transformation was finished in time for the 1989 SAE Expo, at the very first edition of the NAIAS. There’s no evidence to suggest the project was anything other than Cars & Concepts showing off what they could do. The concept was put in a warehouse for many years until it was titled properly and sold via eBay in 2006. It’s currently for sale via a car dealer in Austin, who used the Sable as a display at his dealership.

The car has accumulated slightly less than 300 miles between 1995 and today, and its odometer presently reads 9,800. This very unique Sable is all yours for $18,900 or thereabouts.

[Images: seller]