To add to what I said above, I categorized almost everything under a "Ford" name, simply because they own all the brands (Mercury, Lincoln, etc.).

I think the Falcon (both coupe and ute) should come to the US under Mercury's label. Their interiors are more refined than we gringos typically expect in a common "Ford", and their potential performance is beyond the entry-level "Ford" too. This all serves to make them prime fodder for the Mercury brand, which has historically been associated with a "more refined Ford".

Lincoln should mean luxury IMO. Not performance. This is where Lincoln should divest from Mercury (and Ford) vehicles. Their Mark LT pickup is a good execution - it's an extremely luxurious pickup, and it's not a Lightning.
Lincoln could do just fine with 4 or 5 basic models that are basically derivatives of Ford-brand vehicles, but with radically different interiors, cockpit controls, suspensions, and even some fascia. People readily pay $10-more for a bottle of Kendall Jackson over a bottle of Martini & Rossi because it is more refined - I think they would pay $2k-8k more for a Lincoln over a Ford if the proper refinements were there too. The secret is in execution and proper marketing.
One thing though - don't kill off the Lincoln Town Car. There are old folks who have struggled and worked for 50 years with the sole intention of buying themselves a brand new Town Car when they retired... and they are doing just that. The secret is to do as GM has done with the Caddy, and make it appealing to younger buyers too. to GM for executing a great plan there.

I think Ford could carry the Lincoln and Mercury brands equitably, if they will just define their brands clearly, and get them some saleable product ASAP.
To me, it should be like this...
Ford - the economical, reliable, no-frills transportation provider. Fusion, Focus, Mustang, F-series, Ranger, Crown Vic, Fivehundred and their respective variants (like Mustang LX and Mustang GT, Five hundred 2wd and AWD, etc).
Mercury - a "Ford with Flair". Performance IS an option here, a.k.a. Marauder, Cougar, Comet, etc. Cougar should be a Mustang with more leather and less plastic inside. More technology like HUD and NAV systems (that I fight so staunchly AGAINST in Mustang!!!). As said above, the Falcon could come here as a Mercury brand - rename it the Comet, we know that name here already and associate it with performance. 1970 Comet Cyclone 1966 Comet Cyclone Pace Car
Lincoln - Select Ford and Volvo platforms with top-level luxury as the driving personality of their line. Town Car, Mark LT, Navigator are all good fits. A Fivehundred variant wit exceptional trim should fit in too. Something like the Volvo S70 with Lincoln-level leather, wood trim, and appointments would also fit in IMO - something to replace the LS with as a somewhat "sporty" luxury coupe.

This would give all three brands their own distinctive personalitites, and each one would have several models within to choose from, but would eliminate alot of the confusion and cross-shopping that happens now.
Clearly defining their products alone would do wonders for each brand's sales IMO.

 

Ford also needs to get the Euro focus here ASAP. A First time new buyer needs a car that makes them want to stay with Ford (Fusion is a good car), not the 7 year old Focus. Cobalts, Mazda 3, and Civics make the Focus look like a waste of money. At this rate they are going to do to the focus name what they did to Tuarus, Escort, and Ranger.

I like the Ford Edge,F-150, Mustang, and Fusion, but the rest of ford has fallen on bland time ('06 Explorer, 500, Freestar)