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Adieu, Mercury. Which brand’s next? (Ford shutting down Mercury after 71 years)
MSNBC Online ^ | Paul A. Eisenstein

Posted on 06/03/2010 6:31:08 AM PDT by AAABEST

Analysts say there are too many brands chasing too few buyers

Mercury has come to that big garage in the sky, and there's a convoy behind it of what could be more disappearing brands.

After 71 years, the Mercury brand will vanish from the market with little more than a whimper, by the end of the year. The brainchild of automotive pioneer Edsel Ford, Mercury had become little more than an afterthought on the automotive sales charts in recent years, a costly and irrelevant distraction that company officials, after years of debate, finally decided to do away with.

The move is one more step in CEO Alan Mulally’s One Ford strategy which previously resulted in the sale of foreign luxury brands Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Jaguar, and will allow the Detroit-based carmaker to put a “laser focus” on rebuilding the struggling Lincoln brand, which has steadily lost ground to luxury leaders like Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and arch-rival General Motors’ Cadillac marque.

(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cougar; ford; grandmarquis; lincoln; mercury; tracer
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To: Responsibility2nd

I wonder if the designers of the MKS are the same Merkur douches.

I test drove the MKS, despite the snazy major tom commercial, the inside is bland and outdated.


41 posted on 06/03/2010 7:34:54 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: longtermmemmory

oops mkz (whatever)


42 posted on 06/03/2010 7:35:43 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: olereporter; Dr. Bogus Pachysandra
I remember hearing an older version than the Steve Miller song. So I did a quick internet search to find the proper credits.

By the way, I am more impressed with Dr. Bogus Pachysandra finding the original recording. Very cool!

43 posted on 06/03/2010 7:41:50 AM PDT by kosciusko51
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To: Rummyfan

I was just going to say, I’ll buy one if it will keep Jill Wagner appearing in those TV ads!


44 posted on 06/03/2010 8:01:16 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Rummyfan

Nice belt buckle!


45 posted on 06/03/2010 8:10:23 AM PDT by Piquaboy (Military veteran of 22 years in Navy, Air Force, and Army.)
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To: kosciusko51

Thank you! I’m on a lot of music related sites, and someone on this forum passed that site on to me.
http://www.guitarseminars.com/gs/viewforum.php?f=1
I have a few others if you’re interested.


46 posted on 06/03/2010 8:15:19 AM PDT by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ( Ya can't pick up a turd by the clean end!)
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To: AAABEST

Most of the Mercury models were simply Fords with a little more expensive trim.

However, the Marquis, while essentially a Town Car, was a hell of a lot cheaper and lots of older folks on a budget bought them to have a comfortable big car with a good ride.

You’d think that Ford might keep the models that were pretty good sellers but sell them under the Ford label.


47 posted on 06/03/2010 9:50:21 AM PDT by wildbill (You're just jealous because the Voices talk only to me.)
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To: wildbill
However, the Marquis, while essentially a Town Car, was a hell of a lot cheaper...

Yes - a somewhat scaled-back Town Car. Or, if you like, an upgraded Crown Vic.

You’d think that Ford might keep the models that were pretty good sellers but sell them under the Ford label.

Yes, you would think that. They're even discontinuing the Crown Vic.

48 posted on 06/03/2010 12:32:40 PM PDT by AAABEST (Et lux in tenebris lucet: et tenebrae eam non comprehenderunt)
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To: AAABEST

I think the decision to discontinue the Crown Vic may be because they could see the handwriting on the wall. Much of the Crown Vic sales volume was as a government contract like police cars. They had that franchise for a long time.

But when the government owns your competition (GM)maybe it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee.


49 posted on 06/03/2010 8:47:22 PM PDT by wildbill (You're just jealous because the Voices talk only to me.)
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