Mercury Dead by 2012

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Mercury Dead by 2012

June 10, 2008, 09:20:02 AM

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=126901

SANTA MONICA, California — Although Ford officials still won't confirm the impending death of Mercury, supplier sources tell Inside Line that the midlevel luxury brand has no products planned after the 2012 model year.

The last model standing is likely to be the Milan midsize sedan as it will get a midcycle refresh early next year along with the Ford Fusion. Other models like the Montego, Grand Marquis and recently refreshed Mariner will continue until roughly the 2011/2012 model year as well.

None of this comes as a surprise, as Mercury has been absent from the auto show scene for quite some time. When Lincoln revealed the MKT crossover concept at this year's Detroit auto show, there was no mention of a Mercury version.

It was much the same story when a photo of the next-generation Ford Taurus leaked out last month. Ford's CEO Alan Mulally confirmed that a new Taurus was on the way for 2010, but said nothing about a Mercury version.

In a subsequent interview with Automotive News, Mark Fields, Ford's President of the Americas, was equally evasive about the future of Mercury. "We've laid out a strategy to focus a lot of our efforts going forward on the Lincoln side of the franchise," Fields said when asked about Mercury. "That's where a majority of our focus is going to be, and Lincoln will become the dominant portion of the Lincoln-Mercury franchise, which is a flip from the history."

What this means to you: Even Mercury advertising babe Jill Wagner can't save a brand that has no support from its parent company. Another all-American brand bites the dust in 2012. — Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor, Edmunds Inside Line

Mercury Dead by 2012

Reply #1 – June 10, 2008, 09:23:58 AM

That's a shame, but it makes sense. Just makes me love my Mercury even more.

Mercury Dead by 2012

Reply #2 – June 10, 2008, 10:13:59 AM

Quote from: oldraven;222839

SANTA MONICA, California — Although Ford officials still won't confirm the impending death of Mercury, supplier sources tell Inside Line that the midlevel luxury brand has no products planned after the 2012 model year.

This comes as somewhat of a surprise to me.

I didn't expect it to be around after model year 2010.

Brent
:cougarsmily:

Mercury Dead by 2012

Reply #3 – June 10, 2008, 10:48:15 AM

Another blog I was reading said Fields, when asked to describe Mercury, said they were "Fords.... that are a little bit different."

They're good at killing a brand, I'll give them that. Take the only two interesting cars you have (in the 80's, that was the Cougar and the Capri) and give it a last hurrah as an anemic, powerless and souless FWD compact. It was inevitable, though a Mustang stable-mate would have been so easy for the brand, and would have brought some much needed attention back to Mercury. The Messenger would have been even better.

How do you spell Tombstone?

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Mercury Dead by 2012

Reply #4 – June 10, 2008, 11:11:59 AM

Hey I really wanted one of those little 91-94 capris as my first car. 130hp in the turbo version in a car that weighs maybe 2400lbs. Now I could REALLY use a car that small with $4 gas.

Mercury Dead by 2012

Reply #5 – June 10, 2008, 12:39:58 PM

Ford really shiznit the bed with Mercury, but then again, I shouldn't be surprised - Ford shat the bed with Ford as well.

A Mercury sister-ship to the Mustang would have been so easy, and more important, so sensible. Ford could have given the Mercury version (let's call it "Cougar") a more modern body while using the same platform and drivetrains. It could have hit the market of people who want a performance coupe but don't want it to look 40 years old right off the showroom floor, which I'm gonna guess (and Hyundai is gonna prove), is a pretty big market.

Oh well. AFAIC, Mercury has been dead since '97. With a slight little bump in the flatline with the Marauder.

Mercury Dead by 2012

Reply #6 – June 10, 2008, 01:29:35 PM

The only thing that could save mercury is a brand new V8 cougar or at least i wish they would not kill them off 100% and only make cougars and still have a few people working for them and that the mustangs might even allow them to be made again close to americans favorite pony car and let mercury have a muscle car once again.

Mercury Dead by 2012

Reply #7 – June 10, 2008, 02:37:43 PM

:oldcougar: :oldcougar: :oldcougar: :oldcougar: :oldcougar: :oldcougar: :oldcougar: :oldcougar:

:disappoin :disappoin :disappoin :disappoin :disappoin :disappoin :disappoin :disappoin :disappoin :disappoin

Mercury Dead by 2012

Reply #8 – June 10, 2008, 02:50:11 PM

The cord needed to be cut about 3 years ago.

In Europe the last Cougars were Fords.....It can be done here as well.

Mercury Dead by 2012

Reply #9 – June 10, 2008, 03:00:40 PM

Quote from: V8Demon;222892

The cord needed to be cut about 3 years ago.

In Europe the last Cougars were Fords.....It can be done here as well.

I was thinking the same thing when reading Carmen's post.

Mercury Dead by 2012

Reply #10 – June 10, 2008, 04:03:35 PM

Regardless of what you think about Mercury, or any American brand for that matter, It's sad to see a name plate go away into history.

When Oldsmobile went away it was a sad day for GM.

Mercury Dead by 2012

Reply #11 – June 10, 2008, 04:12:52 PM

Quote

Regardless of what you think about Mercury, or any American brand for that matter, It's sad to see a name plate go away into history.

When Oldsmobile went away it was a sad day for GM.

EXACTLY. Same went for Plymouth.

When all you have is memories, though, it's time to let the division go. Their best-selling products were during the late 1960s through the early 1990s. It's hard to believe that 20 years ago, Mercury was one of the strongest-selling nameplates in the entire industry, with some of the highest quality rankings to boot. How times have changed...then again, Ford has rarely had any foresight, and they only have hindsight when they apply a "retro" theme to a vehicle.

We're already orphans in the car world anyhow. Might as well kill the nameplate to make it official.

Mercury Dead by 2012

Reply #12 – June 10, 2008, 04:59:38 PM

Also hard to believe that the Olds Cutlass Supreme was one of the best selling cars through the 80's...

Mercury Dead by 2012

Reply #13 – June 10, 2008, 05:03:08 PM

I can't imagine talking to the generation after me and hearing them say "mercury what's that?" It's like Packard...those owners/those who grew up with them must get soooo sick of "so...who made that GM?" Same deal, ever since I was about 5 years old and knew that my dad had a new company car 1992/3 i think Taurus...then saw something that looked almost the same but not quite, I knew what Mercury was. He explained it to me, didn't figure it out on my own at that age but whatever. :hick:

Mercury Dead by 2012

Reply #14 – June 10, 2008, 05:35:58 PM

Quote from: Thunder Chicken;222921

Also hard to believe that the Olds Cutlass Supreme was one of the best selling cars through the 80's...

Hey:flip: j/k I had a 84' Cutlass coupe. I LOVED that car. My senior year project in autoshop was to drop a 350 Chevy into that thing and rip out the 3.8L smog anchor. Mission accomplished. I miss that car.

Sold it when I bought my 92' 5.0 Mustang.:burnout: