1950 Mercury 4-door Sport Sedan

"All over America, this big, brawny Mercury is gaining more ground than ever before! And it should! It's the big value for your money – and a big money-saver, too! Sweepstakes Winner of the Mobilgas Grand Canyon Run, Mercury is 'America's No. 1 Economy Car!' No wonder it's such a favorite everywhere. See it at your Mercury dealer's. Get behind the wheel and call the signals yourself. Mercury will score a touchdown with you, too!"

"Long, broad, sturdy – the 'better than ever' 1950 Mercury Sport Sedan is sure to be a hit with style-wise people wherever it's seen." This catalog statement of one of the more remarkable cars of the decade sounds quite predictive in hindsight. Mercury's first new post-war design, introduced in 1949, became soon the welcome base for many "custom cars" when the fashion of Hot-Rodding erupted in the U.S. Interesting enough, we didn't see any serious custom car in Cuba yet, maybe because of the special relation of many cubanos to their cars. Here, the car usually was the ultimate achievement for the ones who had made it, and as such it was almost divine, not to be touched except when being polished...

Starring in the movie "Rebel Without a Cause" with James Dean at the wheel, the 1949 Mercury became the cult-object of a whole generation, as soon as the youngsters could afford it as a used car. Since then, many Mercurys got chopped, channeled or frenched, and received flashy paintjobs, pinstriping, fender skirts or appletons. Hot-Rodder's language sure is as eclectic as their creations.

1950 just saw a subtle facelift with prouder parking lights and Mercury-signs on the bonnet. For 1951, the lineup received another mild facelift and a bigger rear window. Anyway, there was no real need for change, as the design of the "Bathtub"-Mercury inherits a timeless elegance still today. Or, as the catalog put it: "Those smooth, sleek lines make the six-passenger 1950 Mercury Sport Sedan a car to be admired at first sight."