Posted on 05/27/2010 1:10:15 PM PDT by Red Badger
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.
Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally emphasized the automaker’s namesake brand as he revived the only major U.S. automaker to avoid bankruptcy. The timing of Mercury’s demise depends on how fast executives can convince the brand’s dealers, who also sell Lincoln models, to close or merge with Ford showrooms, they said.
“Mercury is a forgotten brand,” said John Wolkonowicz, an auto analyst with IHS Global Insight in Lexington, Massachusetts. “Many Americans probably already think it has been discontinued. Mercury was too similar to Ford from the very beginning.”
Mulally also is unloading Ford’s European luxury brands, after the automaker failed to achieve a goal to have them generate one-third of automotive profits. Ford in March agreed to sell Volvo to China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Co. It sold off Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin in the last three years.
Detroit’s Departed
Mercury would join Pontiac, Saturn, Oldsmobile and Plymouth among the departed Detroit brands of the 21st century. Sales will end within four years, one of the people estimated. General Motors Co., as part of its U.S.-backed reorganization last year, sold or closed four of its eight brands sold domestically.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessweek.com ...
Then there is also the Meteor from Ca in the 50's.
46, 47, and 48 Mercuries could not be beaten. The chopped 50 Merc still will draw a crowd. Price one and see what I mean.
Now that Asset is well worth keeping.
No, the Cougar was the Mercury analog to the Thunderbird. It was related to the Mustang early on, but even then it was bigger, heavier and less performance oriented.
Cougar.
Too harsh. Mercury or Oldsmobile or Buick or Dodge weren't real brands. They were different product lines offered by the Ford, GM or Chrysler brands.
Escort.
Back in the Good Old Days, when cars still looked cool...I HATE today’s nasty little econoboxes. When I win the lottery I’m going to have SUCH a car collection. I can waste so much time fantasizing about what I’d like to have.
Lynx was the Mercury version of the Escort.
Anyone remember the XR4Ti?
My ‘rat city finds my free air museum to be a “public nuisance”. Be careful.
Apparently they agree with you...........
Dunno, but I have a Jackie Stuart sig on a Merkur brochure.
Save the Cougar!
First the Cougar, then the Capri.........then the Cougar again.....
I know a guy who has one of those in that exact color...........
“No, the Cougar was the Mercury analog to the Thunderbird. It was related to the Mustang early on, but even then it was bigger, heavier and less performance oriented.”
Yes, the later version of the Cougar was a Tbird sister car. But originally it was the Mustang’s sister. In the spirit of Mercury vs. Ford, the Mercury pony car was a hair bigger, nicer appointments, thus the sacrifice of performance. Sort of like, but not as drastic as the Cadillac XLR vs. Chevrolet Corvette.
See post #24. That is a Mustang sister car.
Had both of those. Loved the 91 Capri, like the ‘94 Cougar. The Topaz was great, the Mystique was fun(stick). Don’t like the present Mariner, as I loved the Escape. Husband is really sad to see the Mercury go, and thinks Ford is making a big mistake. Of course, Ford never listened to him for the 27 years he was there.
A long since sold pet project car of mine:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tysonneil/sets/72057594110045799/
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