It seems every automaker in Detroit has discontinued and reintroduced a model name from its portfolio. Sometimes it feels like a natural segue, while other times it’s egregious, as if there’s a lack of creativity. In rare instances, companies transferred the name from one brand to another. Here are several examples of the latter. Can you think of more?
Ford Parklane and Mercury Park Lane
When Chevrolet debuted the Nomad (and Pontiac the Safari), it was quite the unique wagon, what with its hardtop styling, radiused rear wheel arches (a distinguishing feature of the ’55), and premium trim. Ford scrambled to produce a competitor, but creating a new body style doesn’t come easy. In this case, Ford returned the serve with the 1956 Parklane wagon. It too was a “ultra-fashionable” two-door station wagon that “carries six big passengers in complete luxury,” with Ford stylists grafting on Fairlane side trim and stainless steel trim on the B-pillar; inside, you’d find a fully carpeted interior (“even in the load area”) and a privacy cover for cargo. Ford built 15,185 Parklanes (almost twice as many as the Nomad), then discontinued the model.
Mercury began using the very similar Park Lane name for its new top-of-the-line model for 1958. This lasted through 1960, when Mercury appeared to be confused and moved its marketplace position down a notch. For 1964, the Park Lane returned as Mercury’s top-line model, though the late 1960s brought evolution to Mercury’s portfolio as the Marquis, a personal luxury coupe introduced for 1967, was expanded and replaced the Park Lane as the top full-size Mercury.
Lincoln-Zephyr and Mercury Zephyr
Lincoln’s Zephyr was Ford Motor Company’s youthful, streamlined series that competed with LaSalle, Cadillac’s junior companion make, and the Packard One-Twenty. What distinguished the 1936 Zephyr from its eight-cylinder competition was its flathead V12. The Lincoln-Zephyr’s streamlined appearance came off better than most aerodynamic predecessors, although for 1938, it adopted more conventional styling in the Ford vein, though it was no less stunning. Though the Lincoln-Zephyr can stand on its own, it’s worth noting that it was the basis for the landmark 1940 Lincoln Continental convertible and coupe. While the Continental lasted through 1948, the Zephyr name ended in 1942. Once production resumed after World War II, these cars were simply referred to as “Lincoln.”
The Zephyr name was used by the British Ford beginning with the 1951 model year and lasted through 1972. In the States, Mercury revived the name for a Fox-bodied compact for 1978 that was a cousin to the Fairmont and replacement for the Comet. This car was replaced by the even more unloved 1984 Mercury Topaz. After hibernating for several decades, the Zephyr nameplate returned to the Lincoln fold for 2006 before being renamed the Lincoln MKZ for 2007.
Imperial LeBaron and Chrysler LeBaron
Founded in 1920 in New York City, LeBaron was one of the premiere design houses in the United States. Briggs Manufacturing Company bought LeBaron in 1926, which in turn was purchased by Chrysler in 1953. Two years later, Chrysler spun off the Imperial model to be an independent brand. Two years after that, the Imperial LeBaron played the role of the top-ranked Imperial. The Imperial LeBaron remained at the top of Chrysler’s premium brand through 1975, upon which the brand was discontinued until 1981.
For 1977, Chrysler christened its first small car the LeBaron. Based on the M-body platform (along with the Plymouth Volare and Dodge Aspen), the LeBaron deftly disguised its humbler origins until the model was applied to Chrysler’s version of the K-car for 1982. Variations of this vehicle would be produced through 1994.
Cadillac Calais and Oldsmobile Calais
Calais is a northern French port city right by the English Channel. It’s also the namesake of a forgotten Cadillac model that first appeared in 1965 as a replacement for the Series 62. As the entry-level Cadillac, the Calais never really caught on as a name with buyers (or collectors, for that matter), so it was discontinued after 1976; for 1977, with the introduction of the full-size, downsized Cadillac, the De Ville became the entry-level model and continued to kill it in sales.
Ironically, when Oldsmobile downsized the mid-size Cutlass series for 1978, the Calais became part of that series, a Euro-inspired coupe based on the Cutlass Supreme. It was produced through 1984, upon which it was replaced by the Cutlass Salon. For 1985, the Calais name was transferred to a brand-new compact that was chosen to pace the Indianapolis 500. For 1988, Oldsmobile—already drunk with “Cutlass Fever”—applied the Cutlass name to the Calais, and it was this Cutlass Calais that was laid to rest at the end of the 1991 model year.
Just so you Aussies don’t dox me, I should mention that the Calais name was also used on the top version of the Holden Commodore starting in 1984. It would continue through 2020, the year before Holden was discontinued as a brand.
