http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/ Autoblog Comments for Mercury ever closer to getting the axe http://www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/
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The number of dealerships, and the fact that there is little to differentiate a Ford from a Mercury. There-in lies your problem.

Good Bye Mercury! Godspeed.
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But from since I've known Mercury (since the 80's) it's just a knock a rebadged Ford with the same quality woes and pitiful depreciation.]]>Sep 4th 2007 12:12AMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/Sep 4th 2007 8:47AMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/Sep 3rd 2007 5:52PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/Sep 4th 2007 12:27AMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/
That kind of strategy may work with razors, but not with cars.]]>Sep 3rd 2007 8:46PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/Also, I like the Mercury Mariner so much better than the Escape.]]>Sep 4th 2007 12:28PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/Sep 3rd 2007 5:58PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/Sep 3rd 2007 9:36PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/
It's probably a good idea to get rid of Mercury, but Ford better have a plan in place so that it doesn't lose those customers, too. ]]>Sep 3rd 2007 6:10PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/Sep 3rd 2007 6:47PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/Sep 3rd 2007 6:48PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/Take some of the good Euro Fords as Saturn does with Euro GM's and rebadge them.
We all know the Contouor (SVT Contour rocked) and Mystique did not work and maybe that's why Ford is not doing this.
I really want to see some Euro Ford's over here and it's an excellent way to revive Mercury which used to mean at least a little somthing.]]>Sep 3rd 2007 7:20PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/
Ford has always been against Chevy. Lincoln vs Cadillac. Mercury has kind of been fumbled around as the nice Ford.

GM has been smart and listened to the wails for Euro-product here and is using the Saturn network with its terrific dealer experience reputation. Ford should use Mercury to bring over the kinetic design. The big arguement that Euro Ford costs more can be answered by branding as Mercury. Want a little better than the US Ford Focus, how about the Mercury Tracer (Euro Focus)?

Ford is still iving in the past, thinking of geographies as niches instead of geography as global, allowing for niche vehicles in multiple geographies.]]>Sep 3rd 2007 8:55PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/Sep 3rd 2007 9:50PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/03/mercury-ever-closer-to-getting-the-axe/
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A bold move would be to re-envigorate Mercury. Canning it might cut some slight costs, but won't do a single thing to re-juvenate FOMOCO as a whole. Cutting bait isn't the same as actually catching fish.

The name still has some market awareness, but the products are not much of a big deal. If any brand were situated to come back from the outfeild, it is Mercury.

Ford is Ford. People have an expectation of what a Ford is, like they do with Chevy. Americana mainstream, value priced normal cars.

Lincoln is going to have room to move back up market, after being pushed down-market by PAG, as Ford liqudates it, although I don't know why FoMoCo didn't allow Jaguar and Lincoln co-exist with their different design flavors, art-deco american for Lincoln, and classic european traditional and revival for Jaguar.

But Mercury is being ignored, and that is a shame. It always seemed before to be an individualistic and alternative version of Ford's lineup, more than just a name that starts with M, and a slightly different badge.

I think that took a dive with the advent of the Mercury Sable, which was a good car, but so was a Taurus. The killer was that the Sable wasn;t notably different. A keen eye can see some slight details different in the various generations, but they hardly had a real, tangible differentiation.

The Cougar was a different Mustang. Significantly different. The first '70s Capri was a german car, that is still a used car purchase in europe. The Fox capri was a Mustang, with just enough of a difference to make people feel like they were driving something that didn't look exactly like a mustang, but things started getting too "badge engineered." The cougar also was a less aerodynamic thunderbird. again, too close for real differentiation.

Through the Sable, now the Mounaineer, and Mariner, and even the Milan... Fords with grill badges. FAR TOO CLOSE to fords.

Mercury also imported the XR4Ti, which was the Ford of Europe Sierra platform-mate. That was an interesting car for the time it was sold, and was unlike other fords. but with the name Merkur, people didn't know what to make of it, and with the name XR4Ti, people didn't really want to find out, which is too bad.

Bringing the Euro Ford Mondeo, Focus, S-max, and others, maybe even the Aussie Falcon, they could have a unique, and sought after lineup, selling Global fords in the domestic market, all without diluting FORD brand image, or Lincoln's american luxury idiom, that also needs invigoration.

People say that the euro Focus is too expensive for the US. OK, so sell the Euro version as a mercury, at the appropriate price point above the US Ford version.

The new mondeo the same way, and the aussie Falcon.

Differentiation for Mercury, no dilution of Ford, and Lincoln is free to move up-market.

AND FoMoCo sells more units of good cars that are not available here otherwise.

Ford sells more cars, gets to a better position.

If FoMoCo cans Mercury, they don't sell any more units, we still don't get the premium products that entusiasts see, want, and can't get.

Which makes more sense, for both consumers, and for business? Are you listening, FoMoCo?]]>Sep 3rd 2007 8:12PM