It would be interesting to know who within Ford thought this was a good idea for a Mercury concept car. How many other really bad ideas did this person have before being shown the door? There are many examples of bad ideas from Detroit, and this Mercury Sable convertible is a perfect example. While the Sable and sibling Taurus were praised on many levels and helped to lift Detroit out of its malaise, this was not a good idea. The most boring concept car ever is for sale. This 1 of 1 Mercury Sable ‘Vert is a unicorn so odd it could be worth a fortune.

But you don’t have to pay a fortune for it. It is for sale on Facebook Marketplace for only $21,900. With less than 10,000 miles on the ticker, it would probably be a good buy as a straight-up commuter car. What can you get with 10,000 miles for around $20,000? The fact it is a custom-built convertible and the only one ever created would be just the cherry on top. 

These Mercury Sables only came as sedans and station wagons, so what’s this?

Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable vehicles came as either four-door sedans or station wagons. Debuting in 1982 they were a radical shift from the folded sheetmetal design to a much more organic presentation. And they immediately hit a vein with consumers. The Tarsus became the best-selling sedan for years.

Mercury Sables diverted with a different upper and the elimination of the design line just below the beltline. By the end of the 1980s, they were everywhere. GM ridiculed them as “jellybean styling” but they were kicking sand on every GM sedan. You could say they were the right car for the right time.

This was created for the 1989 SAE International Congress and Exposition in Detroit

This Twilight Zone Sable was created for the 1989 SAE International Congress and Exposition in Detroit. Why? We’re not sure. It was made by Cars & Concepts in Brighton, Michigan. C&C was the go-to place for convertible and other prototypes in Detroit. The Camaro T-tops, many convertibles, and other short-run vehicles had their origins there.

C&C was converting Mustangs into convertibles, so they were the obvious origin of this one-off Sable. It is currently owned by an Austin, Texas, dealership. The Marketplace ad strives to explain that the Sable ‘vert has been expertly maintained. From the ad, the listing reads. “I have had the car fully serviced in my service department and it’s been kept waxed and clean by my detail department. The car is in great shape but needs a little light touch up.”

As bland as it appears it entailed a ton of effort to create

Besides whacking the top off of a sable sedan C&C had to create new doors and quarter panels. That’s because this was only available as a four-door sedan. So both the front doors and rear quarter panels needed to be lengthened. As bland as it appears it entailed a ton of effort to create. 

Obviously, the doors had to be constructed, the unibody strengthened, and the convertible top tied into the body. While it looks “meh,” it is actually quite an extensive custom car. A boring custom car, but a hand-built custom car nonetheless. 

Let Motorbiscuit know if you buy it. We’d love to let one of our editors take a spin.