Mercury dying: No updates planned past 2010
There's further proof that Ford's planetary division could soon wave goodbye, according to Automotive News. While we've already reported on the apparent lack of supplier deals for the ailing upmarket brand from Ford, some further dissection reveals just how close Mercury may be to the brink of extinction. For instance, no Mercury vehicle currently exists which isn't a mild rebadge of a Ford product. While we have had hints of new models wearing the Blue Oval badge, not a peep has been provided regarding future Mercury products. Lincoln too has gotten some love as of late with its new MKS sedan, but a Mercury flag-bearer is conspicuously absent.While the Mariner and Milan could arguably justify their positions in Ford's lineup, the Sable, Grand Marquis and Mountaineer seem completely irrelevant. Are two models really enough to justify an entire brand? While no official announcements have been made regarding the death of the Mercury brand, the new product silence is deafening enough for many to conclude that there's just not enough money in Ford's pockets to worry about anything past its bread-and-butter Ford brand and the ailing Lincoln luxury marque.
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
martin 2:12PM (7/15/2008)
probably for the best, not so sure the dealers will give up without a fight though.. are there any just mercury dealers or are they all mercury, ford, lincoln dealers now.
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P.V. 2:54PM (7/15/2008)
There was an article a while ago (on Autoblog: http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/18/last-mercury-stand-alone-dealership-closes/) about the last owner of a Mercury-only dealer closing up. Now all Lincoln or Mercury dealerships are Lincoln-Mercury.
baffledu2 3:21PM (7/15/2008)
I find it very interesting given all the Lincoln bashing on autoblog that anyone would think Lincoln could be a stand alone brand.
Here is the future lineup for Lincoln.
MKZ - good entry premium car gets a refresh for 2010
nobodye thinks it is a standout,
MKS - new full size luxo vehicle that everyone here
panned as a fancy Taurus.
MKT - coming in 2011? Lincolns fancy Flex will look
nothing like Flex but will still get panned as a
rebadged Ford
Navigator- DOA will still build a few
Town Car - gone in 2010 - primarily a fleet vehicle now
How does a dealer survive with that lineup??????????
Mercury has always (in the past) provided the volume at a Lincoln/Mercury franchise.
If Lincoln survives you will see a severe SEVERE reduction in retail outlets. In Michigan there are currently two Infinity dealers would not suprise me to see under ten Lincoln dealers by 2012.
Dude 3:28PM (7/15/2008)
This is how I think it's going down.
1) Combine all Lincoln and Mercury dealers
2) Combine all Ford and Lincoln-Mercury dealers
3) Drop Mercury from lineup
4) ???????
5) Profit
baffledu2 3:31PM (7/15/2008)
OOPS
Forgot the MKX crossover ... sales of crossovers way down last month acroo the board. Nice vehicle but still panned as a rebadged Edge
Daniel 4:24PM (7/15/2008)
If FoMoCo kills Mercury it will start the death spiral for the whole company. Why go out of your way to piss off long time loyal customers?
Mercury should be the up-scale Euro-Sport brand for FoMoCo using Ford platforms with Ford of Europe body styles. It makes perfect sense to have a volume brand (Ford), a lux brand (Lincoln) and a mid level brand (Mercury). This allows loyal customers to go through the progression over 30 years or so starting with a Ford subcomact and ending in a big top of the line Lincoln.
It would not be expensive to make Mercurys on Ford platforms but with high style sheet metal.
David Pearson and the #21 Purolator Merc LIVES!!!!!
Randy 11:40AM (7/16/2008)
Lincoln will be fine!
Jared 2:15PM (7/15/2008)
Wrong tense. Mercury died 10 years ago; Ford just hasn't seen fit to give it a proper burial.
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Dude 2:25PM (7/15/2008)
This
DC_1 3:55PM (7/15/2008)
LOL
TriShield 2:17PM (7/15/2008)
Decades overdue. Mulally and Ford are being smart about their handling of Mercury, quietly phase it out instead of making a big announcement. Just like Chrysler did with Eagle and Plymouth.
Being stretched thin over too many brands that complete directly with and cannabalize each other is a huge problem for GM. As expected Wagoner's "plan" unveiled today does absolutely nothing to address the fundamental brand issue at the RenCen.
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Xcountryflyer 2:52PM (7/15/2008)
Agree, focus on Lincoln and Ford.
Torrent 2:19PM (7/15/2008)
Too bad. Besides the Mountaineer and Grand Marquis, they have a good lineup. Mercury should be to Ford what Saturn is to GM. Just import some euro cars and badge them as Mercurys. If you have to make the Imports Mercuries AND Fords, just make them look different like the Milan and Fusion, Escape and Mariner, Explorer and Mountaineer, etc. They've sold pretty well the fact being that they are basically the same car.
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Dave 2:24PM (7/15/2008)
When Ford allowed Mercury to be it's own brand and allied it closer to Lincoln they were an entity to consider.Since the '60's Mercury was an overdressed Ford, but did build some butt kicking performance machines.
Now Ford needs to realign it's mindset with Ford as their major money maker, Lincoln as the uptown version, keep Mercury as the performance arm of both brands and Mustang as a halo brand - much as Corvette is to GM.
Fiesta, Focus and Fusion for Ford. Capri ( Taurus/Sable),
Lincoln (MKZ) and Continental (MKS) for Lincoln division.
Future platforms could be intergrated w/o look alike styling. In MHO.
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edison 2:24PM (7/15/2008)
I happend to like Mercury styling but yeah only the Milan and Mariner sell. Maybe when the Fiesta comes out they re-badge it as the Tracer or Verve.
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Johnny 3:08PM (7/15/2008)
My god Tracer would be the worst name to resurrect
Gregg 2:24PM (7/15/2008)
Mercury is dead. Ford will keep it until nobody at all any longer cares. Then it will cost them no money to turn off the lights at this brand. There are no Mercury only dealers anymore. Mercury offers nothing that Ford does not. No lawsuits, no whimpers, that's what they want.
BTW, really slow news day??? This isn't news at all.
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Lichtronamo 2:27PM (7/15/2008)
There are no more stand alone Mercury dealers - I remember a the last closed not long ago. I assume the plan is to stock Lincoln with more product so that there is nothing to complain about when they finally do stop.
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Tool 2:31PM (7/15/2008)
It's pretty clear that Ford Motor Company is going to have two main brands, Ford and Lincoln.
Now if GM could only do the same and have only the Chevy and Cadillac brands. Today would have been a good day to announce that strategy, which would solved the too many models/too many divisions/too many dealers problem that currently exists.
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TriShield 2:31PM (7/15/2008)
Mercury should be to Ford what Saturn is to GM?
You mean Ford should waste a huge sum of money they can't really afford to spend on giving Mercury a unique lineup of cars that nobody will buy just like GM did with Saturn?
Brilliant.
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