The 2008 Mercury Sable returns as a more-powerful, restyled version of Mercury's Montego large sedan. The long-running midsize Sable was dropped after 2006. The '08 shares a basic design with a similarly updated Ford Taurus (formerly Five Hundred). It offers Base and uplevel Premier models with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. All use a new 260-hp 3.5-liter V6, replacing a 203-hp 3.0 V6. A 6-speed automatic transmission is standard; Montego's continuously variable transmission (CVT) is dropped. Other revisions involve front-end appearance, suspension tuning, and interior trim. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, front side airbags, and curtain side airbags. A navigation system and DVD entertainment are optional too. Also available is Ford's Sync voice-activated interface for cell phones and MP3 players.