Topic: Ford Said to Plan End of Forgotten Mercury After Seven Decades

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May 27 (Bloomberg) -- Ford Motor Co. is preparing to wind down the Mercury line, created in 1939 by Edsel Ford, after sales plunged 74 percent since 2000, said two people familiar with the plan.

The automaker’s top executives are preparing a proposal to kill Mercury to be presented to directors in July, said the people, who asked not to be indentified revealing internal discussions. Mercury, losing two of four models next year, will be starved of products and promotion, the people said.

Article continued at link:

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-27/ford-said-to-plan-end-of-forgotten-mercury-after-seven-decades.html

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Mercury has been discontinued in Canada for a good ten years now, and given the brand's decade long decline in sales, it doesn't surprise me that they are finally ending the brand.  There was speculation recently that Mercury would be given a makeover and receive a variant of the upcoming 2012 Ford Focus, however it's clear now that any chance of that happening is zilch.

[tenpenny]

I think the days of Mercury meaning anything are long gone, by 20 or 30 years.  They're simply rebadged Fords with slightly different trim, really, it's a waste of resources.

[G0dspd]

It's long overdue.  Mercury is like GM's Oldsmobile before it was discontinued.  The brand had no direction or unique products.  The only brand worth anything is Lincoln ... maybe.  They'll eventually need to pull a Cadillac and stop the cloning.

Mercury has been discontinued in Canada for a good ten years now, and given the brand's decade long decline in sales, it doesn't surprise me that they are finally ending the brand.

Mercury was phased out in 1999 but the Grand Marquis was sold here until 2008.  It was renamed the Ford Grand Marquis and it was replaced in the line-up by the Ford Taurus (5th gen).

[Ice]

Not surprising and probably a good move.  I did see Mercuries when I was in Michigan or Ohio but anywhere else I've been I've never really seen them (maybe I wasn't looking ).  The odd one shows up on the streets around here with a US plate (almost always Michigan in my experience).

It'd be better for Ford to focus on the Ford and Lincoln branded products.  Lincoln needs to pull a Caddilac for sure.  Actually Lincoln could do really well with adding some sort of RWD sport sedan to the mix.

[TopGun]

Is it easy to do in the US given the dealers are Lincoln-Mercury?

Can they just be transitioned to Lincoln Ford?  Hey, where's our Milan afficionado Mitlov anyway?

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Mercury has been discontinued in Canada for a good ten years now, and given the brand's decade long decline in sales, it doesn't surprise me that they are finally ending the brand.

Mercury was phased out in 1999 but the Grand Marquis was sold here until 2008.  It was renamed the Ford Grand Marquis and it was replaced in the line-up by the Ford Taurus (5th gen).

Don't forget the "Ford Maurauder" and the "Ford Cougar"!

[MMMB89]

Not surprising and probably a good move.  I did see Mercuries when I was in Michigan or Ohio but anywhere else I've been I've never really seen them (maybe I wasn't looking ).  The odd one shows up on the streets around here with a US plate (almost always Michigan in my experience).

It'd be better for Ford to focus on the Ford and Lincoln branded products.  Lincoln needs to pull a Caddilac for sure.  Actually Lincoln could do really well with adding some sort of RWD sport sedan to the mix.

They tried to with the Lincoln LS, however it got replaced by the MKZZZZZZZZZZZZZ 

They could easily modify the Mustang's platform (which in turn used a few bits from the LS' DEW-98 platform) to create a rear-drive sport sedan.  Either that or use the Australian Ford Falcon's RWD platform.

[Erik]

It's long overdue.  Mercury is like GM's Oldsmobile before it was discontinued.  The brand had no direction or unique products. 

Actually, that is not a good comparison at all. Oldsmobile likely had the best vehicle line up in GM, and the loss of those cars was pretty disastrous to GM as a whole. "All" they need to do was put on a good quality push, and Olds could have done well. All water under the bridge now...

[WpgMonty]

Hmmmm, about all I will miss of Mercury will be Jill Wagner. The hottest Cougar ever.

[safristi]

they used to say MERCURY cured syphilis ...... now it gets a bum wrap.......................them PROBES  takes yer TEMPO'ture and leaves ya sweatin' wif tha OLDIES........

[carcrazy]

Another long overdue step in the right direction for Ford.