Mercury Park Lane, for sale in Charlotte, North Carolina, for $20,995.

With the Marauder occupying the performance end of the Mercury showroom, the Park Lane was the luxury version. With the same potent powerplants and every power and convenience item in the book, this lovely Park Lane convertible was far more luxurious than any Ford, and a lot faster than anything from Lincoln. Only 2546 were built in 1966, which makes it a lot rarer than any of its corporate cousins, too.

Finished in soft code F Tiffany Blue (you get one guess where that name came from), you can easily imagine some lovely Bond girl behind the wheel in a tropical setting, only to have 007 take the helm and unleash all 330 furious horsepower. Well, it seems that this one has never been used like that, what with such straight bodywork and good panel alignment, and it's clearly never been rusty, since it hails from sunny California. Styling is crisp and angular, which contrasts nicely with the more rounded Ford models, giving the Mercury its own look that might be more reminiscent of a big Imperial than a Lincoln. There's plenty of bright ornamentation, most notably a set of freshly restored bumpers and a band of stainless that still shines nicely. All-in-all, this is a very handsome full-sized ragtop.

Contrasting dark blue bench seats offer accommodations for six and nobody will be complaining. The exceptionally cool ribbed dash mirrors the front grille and side trim, and is full of handsome gauges with brushed stainless faces. The steering wheel is a very slick combination of clear Lucite and blue plastic that was all a part of the jet age '60s and used to great effect. Noteworthy options include a tilt wheel, factory A/C with a brand new compressor, a power antenna on the rear deck, power steering, power brakes, and a recent white vinyl power top overhead. Underfoot there are new carpets fore and aft, and the massive trunk is nicely upholstered so you won't be afraid to show it off at the next cruise night.

The 410 cubic inch Marauder V8 was a new option in 1966, and a significant step up from the standard 390 in terms of performance. With a single 4-barrel carburetor and 10.5:1 compression, it makes 330 horsepower and a towering 444 pounds of torque, which allow this big convertible to cruise almost effortlessly. The engine bay is a combination of factory and rebuilt components, and shows a high degree of originality. Ford Blue paint covers the air cleaner and engine block, and there are indications of regular maintenance throughout. An optional 3-speed Merc-O-Matic automatic transmission delivers power to a bulletproof 9-inch rear, and even the older single exhaust system remains whisper quiet. There's no sign of structural rust on the super-clean west coast chassis, and modern whitewall radials help enhance the comfortable ride and handling.

Unusual, powerful, full-size convertibles never go out of fashion, and this big Mercury with big performance will get second glances simply thanks to its rarity. Call today!