When is Mercury dead?
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Joined: Dec 2005
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So while it would take real money to "do it right" for Pontiac, Mercury could exist effectively with very little investment. I would love to see a unique "Cougar" or "Capri", but otherwise nobody expects anything better than rebadged Fords.
And if Ford can't make money selling Mercurys, who cares? I'm guessing few readers here were into to the Mariner Voga Hybrid.
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From: The Golden State
I'm not dismissing the possibility if Lincoln continues to grow in models. I just do not feel it's going to happen before mid-decade. Say after 2012.
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From: The Golden State
Pontiac (the division you point out had a solid performance heritage and strong muscle car image) had the highest percentage of female buyers of any automotive brand sold in the US, domestic or import.
Mercury was quite a bit down the list from Pontiac. If memory serves, it has fewer female buyers than Mitsubishi and Honda by quite a ways.
If you need a testosterone test for any vehicle you purchase, buy a Dodge. It has the highest percentage of male buyers of any brand sold in the US.
Even the Dodge Magnum "station wagon" sold to far more men than women.
Regarding Mercury's future, this is from almost a year ago.
By Robert Farago
July 26, 2008
Well, finally. The Blue Oval Boyz promised to unveil a new product plan for their Mercury brand on the same day their financials were revealed. Nope. I guess FoMoCo didn't want to steal the "thunder" of the press release re: the 2010-or-bust-and-maybe-even-then Mexican-built (but Euro-style) Ford Fiesta and Focus.
Anyway, enough scene setting (it was a dark and stormy car market). Here's Mercury's new theme song, as sung by Derrick Kuzak, Ford's global product chief, [via The Detroit News]: "Ford Motor Co. will reposition Mercury as an entry-level premium brand that will support Lincoln [which] will no longer get any smaller vehicles, as had been planned, while Mercury will only get smaller cars and crossovers."
In practice, the Sable dies, the Mercury Mariner and Milan live (with hybrid versions) and the brand gets a new, new-Focus-based sedan as and when. MA Lincoln Mercury dealer Chris Lemley responded to the revelations from the bowels of the Faint Praise Department. "Not only is some product news better than no product news, but some Mercury strategy is better than not having one." How great is that?
July 26, 2008
Well, finally. The Blue Oval Boyz promised to unveil a new product plan for their Mercury brand on the same day their financials were revealed. Nope. I guess FoMoCo didn't want to steal the "thunder" of the press release re: the 2010-or-bust-and-maybe-even-then Mexican-built (but Euro-style) Ford Fiesta and Focus.
Anyway, enough scene setting (it was a dark and stormy car market). Here's Mercury's new theme song, as sung by Derrick Kuzak, Ford's global product chief, [via The Detroit News]: "Ford Motor Co. will reposition Mercury as an entry-level premium brand that will support Lincoln [which] will no longer get any smaller vehicles, as had been planned, while Mercury will only get smaller cars and crossovers."
In practice, the Sable dies, the Mercury Mariner and Milan live (with hybrid versions) and the brand gets a new, new-Focus-based sedan as and when. MA Lincoln Mercury dealer Chris Lemley responded to the revelations from the bowels of the Faint Praise Department. "Not only is some product news better than no product news, but some Mercury strategy is better than not having one." How great is that?
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From: NC
And in the next generation, Ford should try to grow Lincoln upmarket (like they attempted to do with the LS back in the day) to compete with the top tier brands. And Mercury should mature a bit further to compete with the likes of Acura and Infiniti.
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From: Albany, NY
IMO, you're exactly right.
And in the next generation, Ford should try to grow Lincoln upmarket (like they attempted to do with the LS back in the day) to compete with the top tier brands. And Mercury should mature a bit further to compete with the likes of Acura and Infiniti.
And in the next generation, Ford should try to grow Lincoln upmarket (like they attempted to do with the LS back in the day) to compete with the top tier brands. And Mercury should mature a bit further to compete with the likes of Acura and Infiniti.
Ford couldn't make Jaguar work in the top tier luxury market, Lincoln would be even bigger of an up hill battle.
Ford is perfect where it is, but I think Lincoln should cover the $30K-$60K market. Let those that want something in between (which there really isn't) or those who only will buy a foreign brand buy a Mazda or Volvo.
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Joined: May 2001
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I've often wondered what's going to happen to Mercury as well. I think Mercury has a great name and I sometimes like their rebadges over their Ford counterparts (i.e. Mountaineer vs Exploder)
Interesting that the other day I saw a somewhat flashy sedan. I did a double take and saw that it was a Lincoln MKS.
Not bad at all, but it simultaneously made me wonder why Merc isn't getting any flashy new cars.
Interesting that the other day I saw a somewhat flashy sedan. I did a double take and saw that it was a Lincoln MKS.
Not bad at all, but it simultaneously made me wonder why Merc isn't getting any flashy new cars.
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I wouldn't call Mercury feminine oriented in the same sentence as Pontiac.
Pontiac (the division you point out had a solid performance heritage and strong muscle car image) had the highest percentage of female buyers of any automotive brand sold in the US, domestic or import.
Mercury was quite a bit down the list from Pontiac. If memory serves, it has fewer female buyers than Mitsubishi and Honda by quite a ways.
Pontiac (the division you point out had a solid performance heritage and strong muscle car image) had the highest percentage of female buyers of any automotive brand sold in the US, domestic or import.
Mercury was quite a bit down the list from Pontiac. If memory serves, it has fewer female buyers than Mitsubishi and Honda by quite a ways.
I guess to some extent Mercury has that split persona too, but as the Grand Marquis and other larger models die off, I think the remaining customer base will be heavily female. Almost all of Mercury's advertising is woman-oriented.
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: NC
Not now. But maybe *if* Ford actully tried and didn't take the typical pessimist/defeatist Detroit attitude. Same thing could be said about Buick.
Ford and Mazda are going seperate ways for the most part as Ford reduces it's share of the company. They certainly should compete with Mazda.
Volvo will be sold. I think Ford was on the right track with Lincoln and with renewed focus could really make it happen now, especially with the no bankruptcy 'goodwill'
Mazda cars are already based on Fords so there is no point competing with them, that is just a waste of money.
Plus Ford has Volvo in that near luxury Acura type segment.
Last edited by FUTURE_OF_GM; Jun 17, 2009 at 12:39 AM.
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