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Subscribe to this threadMercury ever closer to getting the axe
(Page 1 of 1)
DriverG @ Sep 3rd 2007 5:39PM
Lincoln only sold about 120,000 cars in 2006 and that's with a reasonably distinctive product line - how is that nameplate any more viable than Mercury? For that matter, why is a resurgent Cadillac that is only going to sell about 200,000 units this year any safer? Sure, they make a few more bucks per car than Olds or Plymouth did - but those are hardly big-time sales numbers
L.A.G. @ Sep 3rd 2007 6:54PM
Luxury nameplates don't have to move as much volume as mainstream nameplates, nor are they expected to.
bw @ Sep 3rd 2007 5:56PM
Yea, Lincoln sells considerably less, and yet they are safe from the axe?
far jr @ Sep 3rd 2007 9:24PM
Isuzu, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Land Rover, Volvo, Jaguar, Audi, Saab, VW, Hummer, Acura, Lincoln, Subaru, and many other makes would also be on the chopping block in the American market if "US sales" was the only indication of success or death of a marque. Many brands support dealerships in the US while only moving 200,000 +/-.
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.
blogged to death @ Sep 4th 2007 12:12AM
Don't confuse brands that are meant for high volume, low margins (Mercury) versus luxury brands that are meant to provide lower volume, higher margins (Lincoln / Cadillac, etc.). If Mercury was something unique (such as Pre GM Saab or Subaru) and sold with higher margins then they can survive.
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.
Gary @ Sep 4th 2007 8:47AM
This is not to mention the fact that - as far as I know - there are no "Mercury" dealers, only Lincoln/Mercury dealers. Seeing as how the Mercury side of the showroom is responsible for 50% more sales than the Lincoln side, those MK-whatevers are going to have to make some siginificant strides in sales in order to convince the dealers to give up their volume leaders. Given that the rumor says it'll be five years before Mercury gets the plug pulled, this is probably what Ford is hoping for - but we'll see how that works out for them.