Featured in this article is the 1965 Mercury Comet Caliente Hardtop. The Mercury Comet models came out in response to smaller and lighter automobiles being produced by GM. During the early 1960’s the Big Three automakers were all introducing compact and mid sized automobiles with each trying to one up the other.

1965 mercury comet caliente specs — 1965 Mercury Comet Caliente

The Comet came out in 1960, the same time that Ford introduced the Falcon. Both midsize models used the unibody platform. Over the next fifteen years the Mercury Comet would be transformed several times. The Mercury Comet was at times a compact car and at times an intermediate vehicle.

Interestingly enough, the Comet model was originally developed to be part of the Edsel lineup. As it turned out, after the demise of the Edsel theÂ Comet would find aÂ home with Ford’s Lincoln-Mercury Division.

The Mercury Comet Models

Mercury built the second generation midsize Comet for only two years. The 1964 and 1965 cars are considered by many car collectors as the most desirable years.

The Mercury division came up with a great advertising campaign to promote their second generation Comet in 1964. They called it the durability challenge. First, they ran the cars for dn therislt://indowLd it the durabRullenge