An enormous automotive with a propensity for luxurious is commonly referred to as a “land yacht.” Our Choose of the Day is a automotive that may stake that declare higher than simply about each vehicle on the market: a 1968 Mercury Park Lane convertible with the Colony Park Paneling possibility. It’s on the market on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Hopedale, Massachusetts. (Click on the hyperlink to view the itemizing)

In 1968, Mercury provided extra full-size fashions than you might keep in mind. The standard ones had been Monterey, Montclair, and Park Lane, however Mercury additionally provided the Marquis and Brougham, each which had been launched the 12 months earlier than. The Marquis was a personal-luxury coupe with additional emphasis on luxurious. It was solely out there as a two-door hardtop and featured the formal C-pillar that was utilized by the Ford LTD. The Brougham took the Park Lane one additional with luxurious inside appointments, out there solely as a four-door hardtop and sedan till a two-door coupe was launched mid-year 1968.

One other mid-year addition was the Colony Park Paneling possibility, an applique out there on the Mercury Park Lane two-door hardtop and convertible, and the Brougham two-door hardtop. “In as we speak’s style-conscious advertising and marketing, there’s a clear demand for the wealthy, pure look of wooden,” mentioned E.F. Laux, Mercury’s basic supervisor on the time. “That is evidenced by the rising reputation of simulated wood-grain inserts in automotive interiors and on the trunk lids of most of the new fashions.” The choice, in fact, was influenced from Mercury’s top-of-the-line wagon, the Colony Park, with its beneficiant use of wooden paneling. Because the Colony Park had risen from three p.c of Mercury gross sales from 10 years earlier to greater than 15 p.c, Mercury thought it might be logical to use the “yacht-deck paneling” to a few of its different upscale choices.

Ultimately, Colony Park Paneling grew to become out there for the Monterey two-door hardtop as properly. In keeping with Marti Auto Works, 943 full-size Mercurys had been constructed with the Colony Park Paneling possibility, together with 215 Park Lane convertibles — that’s a beneficiant 19.33 p.c of Park Lane convertibles out of 1,112 constructed.

This 50,000-mile 1968 Mercury Park Lane convertible is one in all 82 painted Lime Frost (equivalent to Ford’s Lime Gold), of which 42 of these featured a Darkish Ivy Gold Ruffino vinyl bench seat. It’s additionally one in all 874 Park Lane convertibles constructed with the 390 four-barrel engine, although it at present is powered by a brand new 460 crate motor. “The rear bumper is superb, however the entrance is displaying its age,” claims the vendor. “Pretty new white energy convertible prime with prime boot. Was born with black prime.” Inside, the “inside has held up extraordinarily properly. Deluxe steering wheel, lovely sprint, AM radio, and seat belts.”

Land yachts will all the time have a spot within the collector automotive market. “Make a copy of the Marti Report with you. The doubters will probably be out in power,” provides the vendor, which solely means this 1968 Mercury Park Lane is a really attention-grabbing automotive that will get folks speaking. Wish to be the speak of the city? For $27,500, you may direct the narrative.

To view this itemizing on ClassicCars.com, see Choose of the Day.