Rumor: Ford to End Mercury Brand

[cjforumadmin]

http://www.bangshift.com/blog/Rumor-Ford-to-End-Mercury-Brand.html

[Weldangrind]

Re: Rumor: Ford to End Mercury Brand

As a point of useless trivia, my wife and I once had an '89 Mercury Sable that I thought was identical to the Taurus. It wasn't until I read a book on the development of the Taurus that I realized the trunk on the Sable model was longer than the Taurus. Apparently the design authourity made that move to distinguish the Mercury product.

You couldn't tell unless you parked a Sable and Taurus side by side.

[oldrustycars]

Re: Rumor: Ford to End Mercury Brand

Seems like the correct decision. Rest in peace Merc. The originators of the flip top funny car.
Here's a Merc I first saw at Oswego Dragway in 1973. It's still around.

[V10Mercury]

Re: Rumor: Ford to End Mercury Brand

It was bound to happen sooner or later.
I was a tech at a Lincoln Mercury dealer for about 10 years and the owner told us back in 2006 that this was coming. Its funny, now that I dont work at a dealership anymore I am kinda switching brands of choice. The wife currently drives a Trailbazer SS and I really want to get a Pontiac G8.
If I was forced to pick my favorate car that I have owned it would be our 95 Mercury Grand Marquis with a twin turbo V10 in it. That car did it all, for us.

[studemax]

Re: Rumor: Ford to End Mercury Brand

Awesome Merc - looks great with the wheels up.

It's sad, but I'm not surprised - Mercury hasn't done much the last couple years.

[squirrel]

Re: Rumor: Ford to End Mercury Brand

hopefully they start selling crown vics again after the grand marquis goes away.....

(crown vics have been fleet only the last few years)

[JRoberts]

Re: Rumor: Ford to End Mercury Brand

The saddest part of this news is the folks that will be out of work because of it. Dealerships closing, manufacturing jobs gone, etc.

[studemax]

Re: Rumor: Ford to End Mercury Brand

The saddest part of this news is the folks that will be out of work because of it. Dealerships closing, manufacturing jobs gone, etc.

'Tis true, brother Joe.

[Matt Cramer]

Re: Rumor: Ford to End Mercury Brand

Not sure how many manufacturing jobs will be gone when Mercuries are all built on the same line as Fords...

But Ford has pretty much been letting Mercury die. They need some way to distinguish their products more from Fords. The Milan isn't a bad car for an appliance, but is little more than a restyled Fusion. If they were to try saving Mercury, they'd need to come up with some new models for it ASAP - not doing so would pretty much be killing Mercury without announcing it. I'm thinking what might fit best would be something like a sportier, high tech Lincoln. Maybe offer a new Cougar on a stretched Mustang platform with a more upscale interior, a Taurus SHO based thing with aluminum bodywork called a Cyclone, stuff like that.

[starterguy]

Re: Rumor: Ford to End Mercury Brand

Not a real big loss, there won't be many jobs lost if any because they were built on Ford assy lines. As for the Dealers if it is anything like we experienced up here in Canada you won't notice a thing.
When they eliminated the Mercury line up here years ago I was working at a Lincoln/Merc dealer and all we noticed was one day there was a Merc sign and the next it was a Ford sign. Some letterhead changed and life went on as usual I wouldn't worry if I worked at a Merc dealer right now,besides what do they make other than the Grand Marquis and Mountaineer anyway ???

[fast Ed]

Re: Rumor: Ford to End Mercury Brand

As a point of useless trivia, my wife and I once had an '89 Mercury Sable that I thought was identical to the Taurus. It wasn't until I read a book on the development of the Taurus that I realized the trunk on the Sable model was longer than the Taurus. Apparently the design authourity made that move to distinguish the Mercury product.

You couldn't tell unless you parked a Sable and Taurus side by side.

It used to be that a Mercury would always be a few inches longer than the comparable Ford model. I think that the 1st gen Taurus / Sable were probably the last ones to carry on that tradition. The thinking was, if you were paying more for a Merc than a Ford, you should get more car. ;)


cheers
Ed N.

[antmnte]

Re: Rumor: Ford to End Mercury Brand

The XL100 on the blog is beautiful and its because of the lack of cars even remotely resembling cars like that is the reason we keep losing brands.I will say again- crap styling, and when they finally wake up its too late.

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: Rumor: Ford to End Mercury Brand

The XL100 on the blog is beautiful

IMHO one of the most underappreciated cars ever turned out of Detroit. I'd LOVE to have one!

[Not A Duster]

Re: Rumor: Ford to End Mercury Brand

Mercury's been gone in Canada for a number of years. Really hasn't affected anything - really neither has the loss of Pontiac or Plymouth.

Nameplates from the past.

[fast Ed]

Re: Rumor: Ford to End Mercury Brand

In Canada, the dealers that used to sell Mercury then got access to the Ford product line. Partly it was Ford of Canada's backhanded way of reducing the total number of dealers, and getting rid of the underperformers ... suddenly you have two or more dealers in the same territory with the same product line, a bit of "survival of the fittest". I imagine a similar shakeout would happen in the U.S., but with more lawsuits. :D


cheers
Ed N.