Ford seems like it's aimming to turn Mercury into just a bunch of retrimmed Fords. Also seems Ford is hellbent on turnning Mercury into an extremely boring division. The Monterey mini-van is a Freestar with a different engine and more standard equptment, the Montego is a 500 with a different grill, there'll be a smaller FWD sedan that will be touched up version of the new Taurus, there is a regrilled Escape & Freestyle comming.

Yet, the sports coupe, though Mustang based, isn't aimed for production, the Mark X is so far on the back burner, it'll probally be 2010 befor it's made, a rebodied Lincoln version of the Thunderbird hit a wall, and the one interesting car that came out, the Maurader, can be spanked by Altimas and GTPs.

I'm begining to think that Ford should just kill off Mercury, and replace it with Volvo in their showrooms. Lincoln still seems to have a base of buyers & the LS is an excellent car (though seemingly mis-marketed). A Lincoln-Volvo dealer would have unique products, and would be a visual step up from Ford, not simply a matter a taste in grilles, or a car division completely devoid of life.

Perhaps even better, Ford killing Mercury, and combining ALL it's PAG cars under one roof. Lincoln as the entry level, followed by Volvo, Jaguar, and finally Aston Martin. That, I'm sure, would develop showroom traffic, move Lincoln upscale by association (since Lincoln is giving up trying to keep up with Cadillac).

The article that prompted my rant:
http://www.auto.com/industry/iwird14_20030214.htm

 

I don't think anyone will really mind, but it would have been nice to see the Mercury Messenger, that car looks really nice.

 

A Mercury has always been a re-trimmed Ford. Oddly enough, the future for Mercury is becoming brighter than it has been for years - despite the lack of creative product planning.

The FWD Cougar was the only Mercury-exclusive model in recent year, and oddly enough, was a complete disaster. It was too big and poorly finished for the European market. Stateside, it was too much of a Ford Probe replacement. The market had moved on, as indicated by the current generation Mitsubishi Eclipse, and nobody is going to miss the crapy Cougar.

When the rollouts are complete, Mercury will have a FWD LeSabre competitor (Montego), an upscale minivan (Monterey), a mid-sized crossover SUV , a small crossover SUV, and a Sable replacement (based on the Mazda-6). I'd say that's a good lineup for a tradition, slightly upscale domestic brand.

Turning Lincoln-Mercury dealers into "Lincoln-Volvo" dealers won't solve Ford's domestic woes. In fact, it would create marketing confusion and huge settlement to current Volvo franchisees. I'd say FOMOCO is giving Mercury a decent shot at a turnaround.

As far as the lethargic Marauder (0-60 in 7.5 seconds, top speed 118mph), I doubt a fix is on the way. The only way this car will get adequate power is if Ford designs a 1/2 truck transmission with greater torque capacity. It's sad, but the Marauder couldn't have been any other way. It's the slowest 300hp car I've ever come across. There again, I never understood how Chevy could get such awesome performance numbers out of the 260hp Impala SS.

 

Ford should sell a version of the new Mondeo here as a Mercury. I'd imagine that well built, euro-style midsize sedan could make it here. They gave up on the Contour, and I think a slightly more upscale Contour would be a hit for Mercury.

 

I see a new Mondeo in San Diego about every couple of weeks (they are sold in Mexico, and pretty much everything sold there, you can see here) and it's exactly what Mercury needs. It even looks like a Merc already.

The last Cougar did OK when it 1st came out, but it's sales just died suddenly. Merc showed some awesome Cougar ideas at LAs show a few years ago, but it never came to anything.

Mercury has always been redone Fords, but there has always been something in LM showrooms that would at least draw in 30 somethings. Hot Rod Mark VIIs, Supercharged Cougar XR7s, Capris (however badly executed they were), new Prob..er..Cougars.

Right now there really isn't anything there. The LS is the best hope, but Ford just sent the V8 model into the stratosphere price wise. Maurader looks the part, and is supposed to get a blower soon, but with Ford changing Lincoln Mercury's plans almost daily, I'll believe it when I see it.

It just seems by what I've read lately, Ford seems not to know what to do with LM, so they are treating it as an afterthought.

 

Ford's problem is they spent bazillions of dollars buying land rover, volvo, mazda and jaguar and now they have no idea what to do with Mercury and Lincoln. What identity do you give them thats not already taken?

If you read into their comments, it sounds like they have very low aspirations for these brands.

Lincoln - will not go outside of North America, will not go upscale, not that many new models

Mercury - only the mildest of freshened ford products. (I know they've always been freshened fords, but they don't seem to be going very far)

The only thing I can see is casting Mercury as the "european" division - more of a competitor to VW, with upscale Focuses, Mondeos, Fusions, etc.

 

I am in complete agreement with redzed. Mercury may have a successful line up coming...especially if they have finally realised that Mercury can't survive strictly on Ford re-hashes. Mercury could benefit from a sense of greater style and more percieved power than it's Ford platform mates.

The Marauder, however, is somewhat of a dissappointment for me...I felt (as did Mercury) that it would do much better. The torquey 5.4L 3-valve truck motor would have been perfect for it. Maybeit still has a chance....who knows.

A version of the rumored Capri might also be good for Merc. Anything based off the Mazda 6 couldn't hurt either. The Ford Freestyle concept has "The New" Mercury written all over it.

I hope Mercury survives. We've already lost Plymouth and Olds. I don't want to see another American mark go.

 

Maybe they could have Mercury go FWD Luxury like Acura, and Lincon go all RWD Luxury. They could also have Mercury offer some AWD cars too.

 

Mercury needs to be put out of its misery like Plymouth and and Olds. Mid-priced cars are on their way of going extinct since the industry is fractioning into affordable (under $25 grand) and luxury (over $35 grand) and everying in between gets lost in the shuffle. Ford (affordable) and Lincoln (luxury) make sense but even some loaded Fords can almost reach the price of Lincolns making the logic of having the Mercury brand being priced in between them rather redundant.

I think Fords attempt to keep Mercury alive has more to do with legal resposibilities to its Mercury Dealer network by trying to keep the brand alive or Ford would be resposible for financially compensating Mercury dealers for killing off their source of income.


It appears that the current trend is that people buy/purchase cars that sell for under $30 grand and lease everything over that price . This leasing trend allows people to afford the monthly payment of a luxury car like a Lincoln or a Caddy for the same price of owning an Olds or a Mercury.

The 0% financing has allowed many people to actually buy more expensive cars and trucks which previously they would only be able to lease.

 

If Mercury was to be killed, the only thing that I would miss is the Messenger concept I saw recently. I would like to see more of that thing. Other than that.. good riddance.

 

When I was selling cars at a local Ford dealership who had just recently dropped Mercury only a few people really even cared.

Most people said they were happy we had more room for more Fords...

The only... and I really mean ONLY... complaint I ever heard was from older buyers who said they wanted a new Grand Marquis.

That was the only Mercury we consistently tried to keep in our used car lot... they sold pretty quickly, with the Cougars and occassional Sables just collecting dust.

Though I love Olds and have always been a big fan of the Cutlass from MOST years (the Supreme in more recent years), they got boring too... just a variation of every other GM and everyone knew it... the other cars looked better than the Olds. The only one I'd even consider was the Aurora, one car can't hold together a division.

Plymouth was seemingly given up on long before it's death... Dodge has the Neon and Plymouth has the... Neon?! What was that about? Add the Breeze to the lineup and you'll start to yawn almost immediately.

Other than the Marquis/Marauder there is nothing going on at Mercury that anyone really cares about... and for the latter that interest seems to have faded off all but completely.

 

My April 03 Motor Trend (p. 40) says Mercury is discontinuing the Marauder after MY04! Bummer. I'm not a fan of the car, but was hoping it would succeed to help spur on more cool GM cars. The article says the $35k price and lack of torque have been marketing liabilities. Can't fault them for trying at least.

 

Mercury wont die.The Messenger is going to be coming (not sure if it will look anything like that but...) it will be here in 2006 it most likely will be called the Cougar.
And for you to say Merc is just rebadged Fords is like me saying that 1/2 of GM's cars are the same thing.It is ludacris.
Mercury will have plenty new products out soon enough.
I can see guionM starting a new thread in the near future."DID YOU SEE THE NEW MERC'S!"


I wouldnt believe what M/T says about the Marauder just yet

 

This is news? This has been happening to Mercury since the early 1960s. And Lincoln is not much better.

Personally I woudn't miss Mercury or Volvo if both were discontinued.

 

And what the hell do you call Pontiac and Cadillac to Chevy?It is the same dam thing.
STFU with this non-sense.