Ford Plans to Kill Storied Mercury

It is certainly sad to see Mercury go but this is a bright move for Ford. The market can no longer support redundant car models with different badges. This would explain the overall success of Toyota, Honda et.al. who never bought into this concept of the Big 3. Reminds of my old Chevy Chevette and how I longed to upgrade to the Pontiac T1000.

Ford Motor Co. is preparing to phase out its 71-year old Mercury brand, adding to the list of storied Detroit nameplates that reached the end of the road in recent years as the industry has become more competitive.

Ford Chief Executive Alan Mulally and his top lieutenants have won the backing of key members of the Ford family and are expected to seek approval from the car maker's board to kill Mercury after years of dwindling sales, a person familiar with the matter said Thursday.

Mercury was created in 1939 by Edsel Ford, the son of legendary founder Henry Ford. It was prompted by General Motors Co.'s strategy of building a "ladder of brands" that included Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick and Cadillac. That allowed GM to appeal to a wide range of customers and move them up the brand and price ladder as their incomes rose, enabling GM to pass Ford as the world's largest auto maker

online.wsj.com...

Bye Bye Mercury and hello to the continued success of Ford without the aid of govt. bailouts.

reply to post by jibeho


I think I'm going to buy a new car this weekend. Looking at a fusion, focus, or maybe fiesta. Tough call, though, as Ford has some really nice things in the pipeline for 2011. Let's hope they continue to bring back plants and jobs as they grow....

Best,
SN

Originally posted by jibeho
It is certainly sad to see Mercury go but this is a bright move for Ford. The market can no longer support redundant car models with different badges. This would explain the overall success of Toyota, Honda et.al. who never bought into this concept of the Big 3. Reminds of my old Chevy Chevette and how I longed to upgrade to the Pontiac T1000.

Honda = Acura
Toyota = Lexus
Nissan = Infinity

What was that about redundant models with different badges?

Originally posted by abecedarian

Originally posted by jibeho
It is certainly sad to see Mercury go but this is a bright move for Ford. The market can no longer support redundant car models with different badges. This would explain the overall success of Toyota, Honda et.al. who never bought into this concept of the Big 3. Reminds of my old Chevy Chevette and how I longed to upgrade to the Pontiac T1000.

Honda = Acura
Toyota = Lexus
Nissan = Infinity

What was that about redundant models with different badges?

Ford=Lincoln in your analogy. Lincoln is their upscale model. Mercury was really redundant.

Best,
SN

Originally posted by abecedarian

Originally posted by jibeho
It is certainly sad to see Mercury go but this is a bright move for Ford. The market can no longer support redundant car models with different badges. This would explain the overall success of Toyota, Honda et.al. who never bought into this concept of the Big 3. Reminds of my old Chevy Chevette and how I longed to upgrade to the Pontiac T1000.

Honda = Acura
Toyota = Lexus
Nissan = Infinity

What was that about redundant models with different badges?

Last I checked Acura does not re-badge the Honda civic or the Fit. Those are clearly luxury lines that you mentioned. I see your point but they don't compare to Ford/mercury or Chevy/Pontiac and others.

Ford Pinto = Mercury Bobcat although I think the Bobcat offered more options for action striping on the side panels.

I dont know about anybody else but i would hardly call this breaking news....ford sux anyway go chevy!!

Calling Mercury a "storied line" is kind of a stretch. What was the last Mercury that had any praise or prestige tied to it at all? I never understood why anyone would buy a Mercury.

And Ford still has redundancy with Mazda but the Mazda name isn't nearly as sullied as Mercury is / was.

reply to post by skunknuts


My neighbor works at the local Ford plant and has been very pleased with his Fusion. The Fiesta seems pretty innovative though I just can't figure out why they brought the Fiesta name back to life.

Behold the 1976 Fiesta

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/d4681a605b9c.jpg[/atsimg]

WOW i always wnated a mercury* i never drove one, but have a vibe n feel for them.
IDe opt for the FORD forcus..i saw tv adds on it, and it really looks like a great car! however...do yuor homework first. remember, at least form what ive learned, car salemen can be ruthless liars and bulls#$*t artists, trying to get you to sign a deal. Find out how well the car really is made, especially its transmission. few years ago, GM replaced a $7 rubber seal in the transmission with a $5 plastic seal to save costts. the result..failing automatic transmissions at around 75,000 miles.
I have a 95 plymouth neon. it has a weak suspension..but ther trasnmissions, properly taken care of, have been known to last well over 400,000 miles!!! Ford, went the same route as GM with the seals, starting with the Taurus series cars. so do yuor research! you should never buy something based on how it looks, its whats on the inside that counts*
HOndas always have an excellent reliable reputation, as well as their fuel economy! to an extent, so do Toyotas...at leat prior too 2002.

I know i said you should never buy something based on how it looks* but damn the FROD focus make me eat my own words

Originally posted by ziggy1706
I know i said you should never buy something based on how it looks* but damn the FROD focus make me eat my own words

I really like the look of the current Focus coupe:
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/7d5d1a00e348.jpg[/atsimg]

However, they are doing a complete redesign due out in early 2011:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/d0d24e5600e5.jpg[/atsimg]

Were you talking about the current model, or the soon to be out one?

Best,
SN

[edit on 5/28/2010 by skunknuts]

reply to post by jibeho


Yeah, I know what you mean about the Fiesta name. When I was learning to drive (in 1995), the driving school had Fiestas which were pretty much the crappiest imaginable car at that point.

I think the new Fiesta needs about a year or two to really mature in the U.S. I know a lot of people were mad that the 3-door european model wasn't introduced this year....

However, I'm a sucker for the yellow color they offer it in, so I'm giving the 5-door a chance.

However, it will likely come down to fusion vs. focus. Does your neighbor have a hybrid? I'm more partial to the inefficient 'sport' model myself, lol.

Best,
SN

Best,
SN

damn skunknuts! now thas what im talking about! I really think ford went all out wiht he focus. im temtped so bad to buy one righ now, regardless..

Mercury was the upscale Ford in between Ford and Lincoln.

Back when I was very young back in the early 60's. But was always a car fan from early on. I actually taught myself to read by reading car names. I was later the best 1st grade reader in my entire school.
All from learning to read the nameplates on cars !!

My Native American Choctaw Indian Grand Dad had a turquoise Blue, interesting color as far as its relevance to Native American history, and white 1956 Mercury Monterrey with Leather interior, with white inserts.
(This car pictured doesn't have that interior option. )

In it's day it was quite a fast car with a 312 Cubic Inch V8 and a 4 Barrel Carburetor and dual exhaust it was an early muscle car!

But the car did move and sounded so nice with that Ford V8 Gurgling under the hood and through those dual exhausts.

He replaced it with a 63 Impala V8 so this is going waaaaay back.

Fond memories of classic cars gone by.

Here's what she looked like.





People don't know this but The Choctaw were actually the first to have used their Native Language to encode messages during WWI to prevent the Germans from translating them !

Even before the Navajo Code Talkers of WWII !!



[edit on 28-5-2010 by nh_ee]