Filed under: Coupes, Sedans/Saloons, Hatchbacks, Mercury
Mercury repositioned to complement Lincoln, new small car coming in 2010
What's a Mercury? That's a question that's been on the lips of senior execs at FoMoCo for some time. Positioned between Ford and Lincoln, the badge-engineered brand has been lacking defined products for over a decade, but according to the Derrick Kuzak, Ford's global product chief, that's going to change.
Mercury will be repositioned as an entry-level premium brand that will still slot in below Lincoln, but will be made up entirely of small vehicles and crossovers. Lincoln dealers, on the other hand, will be stocking mid-size sedans and larger vehicles, while Mercury will focus on smaller, more fuel-efficient products.
The first move on Mercury's part to reestablish itself will come in the form of a new small car, derived from an unnamed Ford vehicle, which is slated to go on sale in 2010. The Milan and Mariner will remain, but the Sable, Moutaineer and Grand Marquis might be nixed since they won't fit in with Mercury's newest makeover.
[Source: Detroit News]
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 4)
DKB_SATX 6:18PM (7/28/2008)
What're you, new? Mercury has been badge-engineered from USDM Ford models for years. It looks like the New Mercury will be more or less badge-engineered from the European Ford models autobloggers have been clamoring for. Essentially, for the USDM, they'll be unique models unless/until Ford starts marketing some of the euro models under the Ford badge.
HDFL 9:49AM (7/28/2008)
The first thing they need to do is to design a new logo, because the current one says nothing. A look at any of the winged figures from past models would help.
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FamilyGuy 9:52AM (7/28/2008)
Not bad looking. I do see a little bit of Volvo C30 in it. Hopefully that HUGE grill won't be on there if it makes to production.
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tanooki2003 9:58AM (7/28/2008)
Please do kill the Sable, Mountaineer, and the Grand Marquis (especially that god awful eye sore Grand Marquis).
it's a good step in the right direction. There needs to be more done than this, however at least doing something about instead of letting this go on for another 5 years until death is a sign of a good start.
Let's see some action Ford and please God's sake try to reduce the "putting a new skirt on an already selling Ford car" business practice. It seriously gets rather old and unappealing, not to mention it does not really help to boost sales if people are not typically fond of that car sold under Ford. They will not like it any better if it was dress as a Mercury.
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John 10:12PM (9/12/2008)
The Grand Marquis, though not your particular cup-o-tea, is Mercury's best selling model and has been for years.
awlin 10:03AM (7/28/2008)
they need to dissolve mercury.
waste of money and resources for Ford.
keep the small cars with Ford badging and let Lincoln take care of the "luxury" segment. Done.
no need to cannibalize and try to do too much and degrade the quality of the overall auto brand ...
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DC_1 12:08PM (7/28/2008)
I agree!!!
Kill Mercury and get it over with!!
Txhick817 1:36PM (7/28/2008)
If you really look into it this plan makes a lot of sense. Ford's are sold at higher prices over in Europe bc of the better quality parts and materials. It never made sense to bring one over before bc small cars meant cheap cars for so long. Now adays, they could either 1. redo the interior to lower the cost for Ford's use or 2. save money by keeping the the interiors and just changing the exterior somewhat (badge-swapping). Which doesn't hurt since its from Europe.
Now why not make it a Lincoln? Who knows really but my best guess is they are going for a Mini-BMW relationship. Meaning no major gas saving ideas for Lincoln.
Gstill 10:08AM (7/28/2008)
What Ford is saying is,
"We're not going to kill Mercury. We're going to give it the Buick treatment."
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Frylock350 11:23AM (7/28/2008)
Isn't that what Mercury was supposed to be all along? Ford's Buick?
I also don't see how Mercury is shadowing Buick in this new plan.
Buick is offering mid-sized to large "affordable" ($40k for an Enclave isn't affordable in my book) luxury crossovers and sedans. The hallmarks of a Buick are quietness, smooth ride, comfort over performance, and excellent reliability.
Mercury seems like its going more Saab now. Premium small cars that are efficient, yet powerful and luxurious. I'd say Ford wants to slot it in between Saab and Saturn.
mk 1:29PM (7/28/2008)
I am not sure what "premium compact cars" have as a resemblance to Buick.
if ANYTHING is getting the Buick treatment, it is Lincoln.
Mercury is probably going to be getting the new Saturn treatment.
Galley 10:14AM (7/28/2008)
"entry-level premium brand" - isn't that an oxymoron?
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Randy 5:27PM (7/28/2008)
As much as Porche Boxter is! :)
CT-Jake 10:30AM (7/28/2008)
2010 is going to be a fabulous year for cars if you are to believe the manufacturers. Everything from clean diesel, new hybrids models to new sheet metal is happening that year. I can hardly wait - but i will since there isn't that much at there worth making the effort for.
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Jonathan 10:54AM (7/28/2008)
Probably too late, but if they're going to try Mercury desperately needs an emblem that doesn't look so 1987..
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phil 11:13AM (7/28/2008)
Good to hear they finally have a plan for Mercury and its not going away. They should make a compact/midsize sedan and coupe based off of the Mustang. That would be interesting and could be built for cheap. They could do that for the Milan's replacement..
I don't see anything wrong with "M"ercury's waterfall "M" emblem.
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Frylock350 11:25AM (7/28/2008)
I don't think a Mercury Mustang would fit this idea. The Mustang is NOT premium. Its all about in your face raw power.
tanooki2003 12:21PM (7/28/2008)
Seriously Phil rebadging a ford car into a Mercury is what they need to get away from. Rebadging is just all around bad business practice, especially when faced with heavy foreign competition. Rebadging a Mustang as a Mercury is just as bad, if not one of the worst ideas ever. Think about it. If someone does not like the Mustang, what makes you think they will like, or buy the Mercury version any better?
What they need to do is continue on the path of introducing new tastes and styles to the market because there are more than just Focus, Mustang, Taurus, and big ass land barge people out there looking to buy.
phil 1:12PM (7/28/2008)
When I said based on the Mustang I meant just the platform. Not a rebadge, that would be retarded.
Using the Mustang platform as a base would be inexpensive and keep the Milan from being a rebadged Fusion or MkZ which it's sold along with.
Also, when they say entry level premium brand I'm pretty sure they don't mean BMW level. I don't expect to see $30k+ Mercurys..
ghost 11:36AM (7/28/2008)
I think Mercury should be Ford's American brand but still mainstream. The "premium" brand is kind of a grey area, which didn't work very well for other manufacturers.
Instead, move the current Ford North America cars and SUVs line-up (which lots of people still like) to Mercury and use Ford brand for the world models (Euro Ford models). Few existing models already have Mercury correspondents (Mariner, Milan), just add the remaining models -Focus, Edge, Flex and whatever truck-based SUVs they see fit carrying forward. Do NOT re-badge Ford models at all. The truck division should stay Ford due to its heritage. This way Ford can make everybody happy: Euro cars and traditional American buyers. Ford would have something in the store for everybody. Price wise, the Mercury should remain at mainstream prices even though at the higher side of the spectrum.
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