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Thanks for your your questions for Episode #181 of the Autoblog Podcast. This week,Chris, Sam, Dan and Alex take them on. News topics we cover are a little more on the shuttering of Mercury, Ed Whitacre's management bushwacking at GM, a lively gas tax discussion, Ohio cops with radar guns for optic nerves, and the dieselphiles among us just had to kibbitz about the new Range Rover diesel that was apparently originally destined for the Ford F150. We wrap it up by tearing up a particular message from one of you dear listeners, so be sure to hang out till the end.

Autoblog Podcast #181 - Mercury, Ed Whitacre, Gas Tax and Guessing Cops



In the Autoblog Garage:

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Ford Transit Connect
Lexus ES350

News:



Hosts:
Chris Shunk, Dan Roth, Sam Abuelsamid, Alex Nunez

Runtime: 1:22:10

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Autoblog Podcast #181 - Mercury, Ed Whitacre, Gas Tax and Guessing Cops originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autoblog podcastAutoblogPodcastEd WhitacreEd Whitacre CEOEd Whitacre General MotorsEd Whitacre General Motors CEOEd Whitacre GM CEOed whitacre product planningEdWhitacreEdWhitacreCeoEdWhitacreGeneralMotorsEdWhitacreGeneralMotorsCeoEdWhitacreGmCeoEdWhitacreProductPlanningfeaturedgas taxGasTaxkilling mercuryKillingMercurymercurymercury closingmercury deadMercuryClosingMercuryDeadohio copsohio speeding ticketOhioCopsOhioSpeedingTicketpodcastrange rover dieselRangeRoverDieselTue, 08 Jun 2010 17:15:00 ESTAutoblog Podcast #181Autoblog1:20:10 http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19508456/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/06/08/autoblog-podcast-181-mercury-ed-whitacre-gas-tax-and-guessi/19508456/article-detail.xml 19508456 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/autoblog-podcast-3_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/autoblog-podcast-3.jpg <![CDATA[Ford offering dealers up to $200k to stop selling Mercury]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/04/ford-offering-dealers-up-to-200k-to-stop-selling-mercury/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/04/ford-offering-dealers-up-to-200k-to-stop-selling-mercury/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/04/ford-offering-dealers-up-to-200k-to-stop-selling-mercury/#commentsFiled under: ,



Ford is getting out of the Mercury business in a big, fat hurry, and that means no 2011 models, no more Jill Wagoner commercials and cash compensation for the 1,700+ dealers who sell Ford's long-abused step-brand. Automotive News quotes unnamed sources who say dealers will receive up to $200,000 to stop selling Mercury cars and crossovers, along with money for any new service parts they have lying around.

Ford sales boss Ken Czubay tells AN that the company has worked out a formula for compensation that calculates the three-year average of Mercury vehicles sold at a dealership as a percentage of overall Ford, Lincoln and Mercury sales. The formula also calculates the cost for dealer signage and parts. An AN source claims that dealers who sell zero to 25 percent Mercury products receive $1,500 per unit retailed annually. The number shoots up to $1,650 per unit at 26 to 50 percent of sales and $2,000 for dealers at 51 to 75 percent. The dealer repayment program tops out at $2,500 for dealers who averaged a high 76 to 100 percent Mercury sales over the past three years. Dealers will also get 100 percent of their money back for Mercury parts purchased, and the dealers get to keep those parts free and clear.

Ford President Mark Fields called the dealer payoff "reasonable and fair," adding that it is "beyond what the franchise agreement states. It is beyond what state law states. It's well beyond what other competitors have done in the marketplace."

Some dealers, of course, say the payment is far too small to cover their investments in the Mercury brand. One dealer, who didn't want to be identified, reportedly told AN that he would be losing money even if Ford gave him $500,000.

[Source: Automotive News, sub. req.]

Ford offering dealers up to $200k to stop selling Mercury originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ford kills mercuryford mercury saleFordKillsMercuryFordMercurySalemercurymercury deadmercury dealer 200k buyoutmercury dealer compensationmercury dealersmercury killedMercuryDeadMercuryDealer200kBuyoutMercuryDealerCompensationMercuryDealersMercuryKilledFri, 04 Jun 2010 10:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19502726/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/06/04/ford-offering-dealers-up-to-200k-to-stop-selling-mercury/19502726/article-detail.xml 19502726 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/gyi0060619213opt-1275662594_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/gyi0060619213opt-1275662594.jpg <![CDATA[Why did Ford choose to kill Mercury now?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/03/why-ford-chose-to-kill-mercury-now/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/03/why-ford-chose-to-kill-mercury-now/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/03/why-ford-chose-to-kill-mercury-now/#commentsFiled under:



It's a question few are asking the day after Ford announced that Mercury - named after the "messenger of the gods" in Roman mythology - would wind down production after 70 years of business. Why? Mercury lost its way so long ago that being shuttered at some point was a foregone conclusion. The only question was when. And now we have the answer.

But that doesn't answer why Ford chose June 2, 2010 as the day to announce the death of Mercury. What's so special about this year and this time in the auto industry that made Ford pull the trigger? Follow the jump to find out.

Continue reading Why did Ford choose to kill Mercury now?

Why did Ford choose to kill Mercury now? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fordford mercuryFordMercurymercurymercury deadmercury end productionmercury killedmercury phased outMercuryDeadMercuryEndProductionMercuryKilledMercuryPhasedOutwhy mercury dead nowWhyMercuryDeadNowThu, 03 Jun 2010 19:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19502116/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/06/03/why-ford-chose-to-kill-mercury-now/19502116/article-detail.xml 19502116 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/3824863725e6993a2ddbbopt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/3824863725e6993a2ddbbopt.jpg <![CDATA[Mercury: It was the Best of Times, it was the Worst of Times]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/02/mercury-it-was-the-best-of-times-it-was-the-worst-of-times/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/02/mercury-it-was-the-best-of-times-it-was-the-worst-of-times/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/02/mercury-it-was-the-best-of-times-it-was-the-worst-of-times/#commentsFiled under:

Mercury: 1939-2010 - Click above to see the Five Best and Worst Mercury Models of All Time after the jump

Mercury could'a been a contenda'. In fact, there was a time - long, long ago - when Mercury was a brand to be reckoned with. As far as we're concerned, Mercury hit its zenith in the early 1970s, as you'll see in our image galleries below.

First launched way back in 1939 by none other than Edsel Ford himself, Mercury was initially intended to offer a slightly upmarket option to those for whom the traditional Ford badge was too plebian.

By 1945, Mercury was in full swing and the brand was merged in with the Lincoln division so it could further differentiate itself from Ford, from which the automaker had historically gleaned its platforms. And therein lies the rub... Mercury vehicles have nearly always been too closely tied to their Ford stablemates, with a few notable exceptions.

As such, unlike the recent death of Pontiac, which was met with wails and great gnashing of teeth from brand loyalists, we doubt the shuttering of the Mercury brand will be met with a similar well of tears.

In order to illustrate this point, follow along as we jolt the memory banks with a look back on the both Mercury's Best of Times and the Worst of Times. Hit the jump to see the Five Best Mercurys of All Time, followed by a reminder of how Mercury got itself into its current plight with the Five Worst Mercury Rebadges of All Time.

Along with each image in after the jump you'll find a brief explanation as to why the car is on its corresponding list. As always, we encourage reader participation. Have an idea of the best or worst Mercury in history? Leave it in the comments.


Gallery: Five Best Mercury Models of All Time

1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator

Gallery: Five Worst Mercury Rebadges of All Time

This is the Mercury Bobcat. It was first built in 1975. It is based on the Ford Pinto. Yes, it also had a propensity to burst inHere we have the Mercury Topaz. Does the idea of a slightly upmarket version of the unloved Ford Tempo strike you as an odd ideaTo be fair, the Mercury Grand Marquis totally hit its intended target. The only problem is that the target was set way back in 1Hey, what is that thing? Oh. It's a Mercury Monterey. Apparently it was a minivan produced between 2004 and 2007. Who knew?And finally we have the Mercury Montego. You may also know it as the Mercury Sable or the Ford Five Hundred, which was a perfect

[Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]

Continue reading Mercury: It was the Best of Times, it was the Worst of Times

Mercury: It was the Best of Times, it was the Worst of Times originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Jun 2010 20:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best mercuryBestMercuryMercurymercury closemercury closedmercury closuremercury deadmercury deathmercury divisionMercuryCloseMercuryClosedMercuryClosureMercuryDeadMercuryDeathMercuryDivisionworst mercuryWorstMercuryWed, 02 Jun 2010 20:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19500774/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/06/02/mercury-it-was-the-best-of-times-it-was-the-worst-of-times/19500774/article-detail.xml 19500774 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/mercury-x_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/mercury-x.jpg <![CDATA[Officially Official: Ford kills Mercury to expand Lincoln lineup]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/02/ford-kills-mercury-to-expand-lincoln/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/02/ford-kills-mercury-to-expand-lincoln/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/02/ford-kills-mercury-to-expand-lincoln/#commentsFiled under: , ,


This was bound to happen sooner or later. Over the last ten years, Mercury's sales numbers have plummeted, and currently, the brand only accounts for 0.8 percent of Ford Motor Company's overall market share. In a press conference this afternoon with Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas, and Derrick Kuzak, group vice president of product development, the automaker has officially announced that Mercury will be discontinued in the fourth quarter of this year.

With all of the forward momentum that Ford has been experiencing over the past few years, no brand-specific models were introduced to the Mercury lineup. What's more, the vast majority of recent Mercury purchases were made through discounts offered to retirees, friends and family. Mercury's dealer network (coupled with the Lincoln brand) is currently in the process of being notified about Ford's decision, and owners are reassured that existing Mercury products can still be serviced at any Ford or (newly standalone) Lincoln dealer.

But it isn't all bad news down in Dearborn - Ford is using Mercury's demise as a better reason to seriously beef up the Lincoln brand. Including the 2011 MKZ Hybrid and refreshed 2011 MKX, Ford is expanding the Lincoln lineup with the addition of seven all-new or wholly refreshed vehicles, including the brand's first-ever C-segment vehicle, possibly related to the C Concept that we saw at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.

Furthermore, Lincoln will be offering EcoBoost powertrains across the entire lineup, including the next-generation Navigator full-size SUV. Ford is committed to making Lincoln substantially more prosperous in America, saying that the brand will house more useful features and technology than any other competitor, as well as offering the most fuel-efficient lineup of luxury vehicles.

For full details about Mercury's demise and Lincoln's expansion, follow the jump to read Ford's official press release.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Officially Official: Ford kills Mercury to expand Lincoln lineup

Officially Official: Ford kills Mercury to expand Lincoln lineup originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingfordford kills mercuryFord Motor CompanyFordKillsMercuryFordMotorCompanyMercurymercury deadmercury killedMercuryDeadMercuryKilledWed, 02 Jun 2010 16:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19500884/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/06/02/ford-kills-mercury-to-expand-lincoln/19500884/article-detail.xml 19500884 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/twinsln9opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/twinsln9opt.jpg <![CDATA[We got nothin': Supplier says no more Mercury past 2012]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/10/we-got-nothin-supplier-says-no-more-mercury-past-2012/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/10/we-got-nothin-supplier-says-no-more-mercury-past-2012/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/10/we-got-nothin-supplier-says-no-more-mercury-past-2012/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Ford's mouthpiece continues to deny there's any plan to smother Mercury with its own pillow, but a Ford supplier has whispered something different in the ear of Inside Line. According to IL and its source, the last Mercury to die will likely be the handsome and likable Milan sedan, which will receive a mid-cycle refresh that shall carry the model through to 2012. The Sable will likely expire in 2010 when the new Taurus rolls out without a Mercury counterpart. Ford rhetoric, however, still holds that Mercury and Lincoln are being repositioned, with Abe's brand taking over as the volume-seller of the pair.

We'd buy the seemingly banal explanation a bit more if there were actually some product in the Mercury pipeline besides the Milan Hybrid, but there's no mention of anything else pending. With suppliers right now securing contracts for those programs that have Job One dates in 2010 and 2012, they might serve as a canary in the coal mine for us. Mercury can't build vehicles without any parts, and if they're not putting in orders now, it will likely be sometime in 2012 that we'll hear some real news about Mercury's future from Ford. Hey, what else are we supposed to think when the last spy shots of a Mercury were back in 2006, hiding the Montego to Sable transition? Thanks for the tip, DC.

[Source: Inside Line, Photo: Blogcrypt.com]

We got nothin': Supplier says no more Mercury past 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ford mercuryFordMercurylincoln mercuryLincolnMercurymercurymercury 2012mercury axmercury deadMercury2012MercuryAxMercuryDeadTue, 10 Jun 2008 10:34:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1220626/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2008/06/10/we-got-nothin-supplier-says-no-more-mercury-past-2012/1220626/article-detail.xml 1220626 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/06/coffin_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/06/coffin.jpg -1 2