For 1962 Mercury didn't just update the Meteor — it shrank the nameplate from a full-size car onto an all-new intermediate platform, effectively inventing Mercury's mid-size segment.
Lead trim: Meteor 170 cu in Thriftpower six (101 hp) · up to 164 hp
Mercury Meteor1962–1963
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Mercury Meteor yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactFor 1962 Mercury didn't just update the Meteor — it shrank the nameplate from a full-size car onto an all-new intermediate platform, effectively inventing Mercury's mid-size segment.
For 1962, Lincoln-Mercury again consolidated the full-size Mercury line and adopted the Meteor nameplate for a newly created intermediate-size car (the forerunner of mid-size cars of today), bridging the size gap between the Monterey and the Comet: again a counterpart of the Ford Fairlane, on a 115.5 inch wheelbase (197.6 in long, 71.3 in wide, 2,930–2,970 lb). For 1962 it was offered as a two-door and four-door sedan with "jet-pod" taillights; alongside the standard Meteor and higher-trim Meteor Custom, the Meteor S-33 was a trim package for two-door sedans with premium exterior trim, bucket seats and a center console (the counterpart of the Fairlane 500 Sports Coupe). For 1963 a four-door station wagon (in both trims; Meteor Custom wagons were branded the Mercury Country Cruiser with simulated woodgrain trim) and a two-door hardtop coupe (Meteor Custom and S-33, the latter no longer a two-door sedan) were added. Sales were less than expected and the model was discontinued at the end of 1963, its role revived for 1966 as the Comet grew into the intermediate segment. The standard engine was a 170 cubic-inch inline-six producing 101hp, with a 145hp 221 cubic-inch V8 and a 164hp 260 cubic-inch V8 optional; a three-speed manual was standard, with overdrive and a "Merc-O-Matic" 3-speed automatic optional, and a four-speed manual an option for 1963.
Collectors Spotted in the Mercury Meteor Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Mercury Meteor yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
3 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meteor 170 cu in Thriftpower six (101 hp) | 1962–1963 | 2.8 L Inline-6 | 101 hp | 156 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Meteor 221 cu in Windsor V8 (145 hp) | 1962–1963 | 3.6 L V8 | 145 hp | 216 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Meteor 260 cu in Windsor V8 (164 hp) | 1962–1963 | 4.3 L V8 | 164 hp | 258 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
For 1962 Mercury didn't just update the Meteor — it shrank the nameplate from a full-size car onto an all-new intermediate platform, effectively inventing Mercury's mid-size segment.
This was the first full-size Mercury ever sold without a V8 as standard -- the 1961 Meteor shipped with a 223 cu in inline-six, with V8s as the upgrade.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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