Mercury On the Chopping Block?

[Joey D]

Could Ford's luxury brand be going the way of Oldsmobile? I can't say I would really be surprised if it happened, one thing I will never understand about American companies is why they have so many brands that essentially sell the same cars.

The writing's on the wall for Ford's pseudo luxury brand Mercury, which is now tipped to face extinction within the next couple of years. Flagging sales and no major new products in the pipeline mean Ford execs are likely to close the book on Mercury for good, and it could happen as early as 2012. Both industry experts and Mercury's own dealers are predicting the brand won't be around much longer. In fact, a recent survey of 125 dealers found that nearly four out of every five dealers were concerned that Ford is planning to dump Mercury.

Sales for Mercury last year totaled 180,848 units in the U.S., less than eight vehicles a month per franchise and the lowest total for the label since 1960. Remember, Chrysler killed the Plymouth brand because its sales dropped to 246,000 units per year and GM said goodbye to Oldsmobile when its annual tally dropped to 289,000 vehicles. So where does that leave Mercury? According to one expert, it leaves Mercury on life support. Of course, we've heard similar reports before, and yet Ford brass continue to pledge support for Mercury with their words. Too bad they refuse to do so with decent products.

 

[land sea air]

cant say I'm surprised, it takes more than a badge to define the difference between brands and frankly thats the only difference I see, too bad they dropped the messenger concept

 

[YSSMAN]

I think the problem here is that Mercury could be an excellent brand if FoMoCo decided to spend the money on it, much like what GM has done with Buick. There just isn't enough of a difference between the Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln models to make the brand seem that worthy of existence. Take a look at the Sable and the Milan and you can clearly see why the brand shouldn't be around.

My plan to "fix" Mercury:

1) Cut the unnecessary products, narrow it down to defined market segments that need representation
2) Keep prices above that of Ford, but low enough by comparison to Lincoln to make it worthwhile
3) Give them their own style, performance, and place in the market.

What models should they have?

- Milan: I like the car, keep it. Pack a few more luxury bits in and it might make a bit more sense. Sure, its product overlap, but its a nice-looking car.
- MKS-based large sedan: They don't need the Sable, and if they can do an affordable large car that actually has some luxury credentials (ala Buick Lucerne), it may actually stand a chance of selling.
- Cougar: Yeah, you heard me correctly. Take the Mustang, add luxury bits and pieces, change the bodywork, and make it a poor-man's GT car. What do they have to lose?

 

[Sage]

Axe it.

The Asian automakers, for the most part, get along fine with having one mainstream brand and one luxury brand. I mean, how many people think “Hmm, I want a car that’s more luxurious than a Ford, but less luxurious than a Lincoln, and I want it to be sold by a FoMoCo dealership”?

I can’t remember the last time I saw a new Mercury. Maybe at last year’s LA Auto Show… wait, no, I don’t think I would have bothered going to that section. Never mind.

 

[land sea air]

take the mustang, get rid of the back seat, make it lighter, sell it as the messenger...

get rid of the sable, its time

turn the milan into something buyers recognize as different, cut down on the lesser options and make more crap standard.

get rid of the trucks they are EXACTLY the same as their fomoco brothers

I have to agree with YSS about the cougar but I really like the idea of a Messenger as well, maybe do both?

 

[YSSMAN]

I'd think they'd have to decide between the Cougar or the Messenger, but not both. I'd personally pick the Cougar, making the Mustang as luxurious as possible, and selling it for right around $30K to start.

Thats what we shoot for, folks. I'm almost certain it would bring people into the dealerships...

 

[Philly]

Mercury? I think I've heard that before somewhere...

Oh wait, I saw one of those once!

The Milan doesn't seem like that bad of a car, but that's probably because I think the styling is at least somewhat interesting. The only other Mercury product I could name is the Mariner, and that's probably because the home baseball team are the Mariners. I honestly wouldnt' notice if Mercury disappeared off the face of the earth. It would take quite a while, and I would only notice because the Lincoln sign wouldn't have the Mercury one right below it.

Seriously, get rid of it. Unless you are sure you can save it, it is serving no purpose.

 

[a6m5]

Yes, you could bring back Mercury...... but it's too little, too late. Ford let the brand go too long, I don't think Mercury version of twin-engined Ford GT could save the brand at this point.

 

[dylansan]

At first I thought they were thinking of getting rid of the planet like they did with Pluto. I'm glad the brand is possibly leaving though. I was getting really annoyed by the commercials. Who wants to see cool commercial for a bad car?

 

[V1P3R]

Kill it... along with Lincoln. Have you SEEN the new Navigator? :shudders:

 

[Jim Prower]

Meh, I don't even see that many Mercs around Domestic-oriented Central Il. I actually see more new Mercedes on a daily basis than new Mercurys. They're utterly forgettable.

Now, if they brought back the ORIGINAL Cougar concept, that'd be cool. But otherwise, it's time to axe the fat.

 

[TopHat]

Kill it... along with Lincoln. Have you SEEN the new Navigator? :shudders:

Are you crazy? Once they liquidate PAG, Lincoln can go back to being a super-luxury brand. That's very good.

 

[Danny]

Bring back the Sable!

Then axe Mercury.

 

[YSSMAN]

Are you crazy? Once they liquidate PAG, Lincoln can go back to being a super-luxury brand. That's very good.

Which brings up an interesting point; If Ford is completely ditching Jaguar, Volvo, Land Rover and Aston Martin, that leaves Lincoln at the top of the brand. Thusly they're going to need to have Ford and Mazda occupying the bottom of the ladder, and have Mercury split the difference between the (presumably priced) $35K+ Lincoln models.

If we wait for the MKS, to just get a general idea of what Ford wants to do with Lincoln, I think we can possibly find a better place for Mercury to fit in. I may be mistaken, but Mercury needs to go back to being the Buick-fighter like it technically always has been, and always should be...

 

[Tornado]

Which brings up an interesting point; If Ford is completely ditching Jaguar, Volvo, Land Rover and Aston Martin, that leaves Lincoln at the top of the brand. Thusly they're going to need to have Ford and Mazda occupying the bottom of the ladder, and have Mercury split the difference between the (presumably priced) $35K+ Lincoln models.

That would work if Ford was seriously interested in selling Volvo. While I'm sure they are counting down the days until they can dump Land Rover and Jaguar, I can't see Ford dumping Volvo. Especially not when they have made the products as intertwined with Ford as they are now. Volvo does nothing but make money, and current Volvo bits are very easily usable in the Ford's and Mazdas of now (and vice versa). They aren't gonna dump Volvo. Volvo's position could be changed, though (see two points down).

Kill it... along with Lincoln. Have you SEEN the new Navigator?

Actually, yes I have, and barring the fact that the front has too much chrome on it, the Navigator looks better now than it has been since 2002.

Anyways, regarding Mercury, Ford has been rumored to have killed Mercury many times before (in fact, since I've been born it has probably happened a dozen times). And even after both Daimler Chrysler and GM proved it was possible to kill off a historic brand, Ford has refused. To sum up? I don't see it happening at least until Ford dumps Land Rover and Jaguar, and even then I doubt it. Once those two are gone, Ford will have more maneuvering room then they do now. They can move Lincoln upmarket (probably even above Volvo if they tried, as Volvo is still mostly a sub-luxury brand just like Saab is to Cadillac) and Mercury would have much more breathing room. Just like Mercury of the 80's.

 

[JCE]

Axe Mercury, no one cares. Its way too late for Ford to have fixed them. They are all boring, overpriced, and ugly. Lincoln needs a better injection of luxury and "coolness", if they don't get that in 5 years I see Lincoln dying as well.

Oh, and Ford won't unload Volvo. I just get that feeling...

 

[Tornado]

Axe Mercury, no one cares. Its way too late for Ford to have fixed them. They are all boring, overpriced, and ugly.

I said many of the same things for Saturn. Its never too late to turn around a brand, so long as you do it right.

 

[a6m5]

I said many of the same things for Saturn. Its never too late to turn around a brand, so long as you do it right.

IMO, Ford does not have the manpower, funds, or time to make it happen. If I were in charge of Ford, my full attention would be on the rebuilding of Ford Motor Company, and putting together game plans of attack to sell more Ford cars.

Also, I don't see Mercury as a semi-luxury brand slotted between Ford and Lincoln. Mercury name has been tarnished by the boring, mediocre, or Ford clone cars for too long. Their brand name would be a handicap in luxury car business.

 

[Gil]

I don't really see the point in Mercury anymore.
I know that there are those brand loyal folks that just swear there is a difference.
I know that the Mercury Marquis is for those folks that want a "classier" car than a Crown Vic, but can't afford a Lincoln Town Car. (It doesn't matter that the Marquis gets mistaken for a Crown Vic 99 times out of 100.)
But if you want to "revive" Mercury, lengthen the frame on the Mustang, give it a notchback and call it a Cougar (it worked in the '60's.), or something else, and market it as a Lincoln, and axe Mercury.
And if it was good enough, it would obliterate the memory of the last poor excuse for a Cougar.

As for the Sable/Taurus, it is coming back!
The Five-Hundred has been re-badged as a Taurus. I assume that it will also be badged as a Sable, with some added chrome, and a different set of wheels.

 

[land sea air]

As for the Sable/Taurus, it is coming back!
The Five-Hundred has been re-badged as a Taurus. I assume that it will also be badged as a Sable, with some added chrome, and a different set of wheels.

It already has, I have seen at least 2 on the road, front actually looks better than the new taurus

 

[YSSMAN]

They very easily could do a comeback, but Ford just needs to take the time and money and actually do it. Its actually not difficult at all, particularly when you see what the new MKS is like, and generally speaking, what most of the new Lincolns are like. The problem is, Ford never pushed Lincoln far enough ahead (like Cadillac) with Jaguar around, and with Jaguar soon to disappear, my guess is that will be fixed.

People were certain that Buick would overlap Cadillac when Oldsmobile died, but it hasn't been a problem. The Buick turnaround has been quite good thus far and promises only to get better as the world-class models begin to filter in (remember, Buick in China is really a LUXURY brand). FoMoCo could do much the same with Mercury, but they also need to fix Lincoln while they're at it.

Trust me, a modern Cougar, maybe a re-do of the Cyclone (use the Falcon!), and a MKS-based Grand Marquis makes a lot of sense. They just need to restrain it enough where it is clearly better than the Ford counterpart, but not nearly as "soft" as the Lincoln.

 

[Gil]

Well, I've been a "Ford guy" almost since birth.
But I have to say that Ford has done a number of dumb things over the years:
Rebadging the LTD as a T-Bird in the '70's
Taking the Mustang Based Cougar, and turning it into a T-Bird based Cougar
Messing up the Euro based Capri, and turning into a Mustang based Car
Was the original Sable really necessary?
Bringing back the T-bird--good idea, Pricing it in the Lincoln "realm" -- bad idea.
Had it been 7-10 grand cheaper it would have sold like the proverbial hotcakes.
And let's not forget the Edsel a car entirely too far ahead of it's time and not all that pretty to boot. Then by 1960 it looked a lot like a 1960-62 Galaxie.

 

[High-Test]

But Gil, the Last Edsel was 1960! And they Ditched the Corsair model!

I wouldn't mind seeing a new E-400 or E-475 though.

 

[Gil]

But Gil, the Last Edsel was 1960! And they Ditched the Corsair model!

I wouldn't mind seeing a new E-400 or E-475 though.

Earlier post edited.
Yes, but if you watch the Old Andy Griffith Show the police car is an Edsel. It was a later model with out that funky (but kinda cool) "guitar pick" nose!
It resembles the Galaxies that went to 1962 before the Galaxie body style changed.

 

[JCE]

I don't really see the point in Mercury anymore.
I know that there are those brand loyal folks that just swear there is a difference.

But you and I know there isn't a difference. Mercury has pretty much been dead for over a decade (or two?) [or three?] {or four?}. The last gen Cougar that was put on the Mondeo plaform was hideous and slow. Not a real Cougar.

I know that the Mercury Marquis is for those folks that want a "classier" car than a Crown Vic, but can't afford a Lincoln Town Car. (It doesn't matter that the Marquis gets mistaken for a Crown Vic 99 times out of 100.)

Thats actually 100% true. I talked with a customer at my Ford dealer why he bought the Grand Marquis and he said "its nicer inside and rides better". I promptly took him on a test drive of a Crown Vic and showed him that it was indeed exactly the same in almost every way and he pretty much insisted the GM was better than the Vic. Oh, and surprisingly (not) he was elderly.

But if you want to "revive" Mercury, lengthen the frame on the Mustang, give it a notchback and call it a Cougar (it worked in the '60's.), or something else, and market it as a Lincoln, and axe Mercury.
And if it was good enough, it would obliterate the memory of the last poor excuse for a Cougar.

The new Mustang + different body panels + slightly different interior + a few luxury features that the Mustang can't get = a new Cougar that would flat out rock.

As for the Sable/Taurus, it is coming back!

Save us all from the insanity!

The Five-Hundred has been re-badged as a Taurus. I assume that it will also be badged as a Sable, with some added chrome, and a different set of wheels.

The Sable is already out--and its still hideous.

 

[Gil]

But you and I know there isn't a difference. Mercury has pretty much been dead for over a decade (or two?) [or three?] {or four?}. The last gen Cougar that was put on the Mondeo plaform was hideous and slow. Not a real Cougar.

Too true unfortunately.

Thats actually 100% true. I talked with a customer at my Ford dealer why he bought the Grand Marquis and he said "its nicer inside and rides better". I promptly took him on a test drive of a Crown Vic and showed him that it was indeed exactly the same in almost every way and he pretty much insisted the GM was better than the Vic. Oh, and surprisingly (not) he was elderly.

I will say that if the "Marauder" platform was offered as a Crown Vic, it would have rocked! But that's the only GM that's different from the CV.

The new Mustang + different body panels + slightly different interior + a few luxury features that the Mustang can't get = a new Cougar that would flat out rock.

If they kept the price reasonable, I would buy one.

The Sable is already out--and its still hideous.

I haven't seen one yet. But I maintain that it only needs to be one car.
The Taurus gets my vote, as it has always been prettier than the Sable, and the Taurus name is more widely accepted among us "Ford Guys" than "Five-Hundred".
That sounds like a replacement for the Buick Electra 225!

 

[a6m5]

They very easily could do a comeback, but Ford just needs to take the time and money and actually do it.

You say easily, but where is the money coming from? I already said this in my post, but I don't think Ford has any money to rebuild Mercury. They didn't even have the money to revive the Ford Motor Company, they had to borrow billions.

I guess from Ford's point of view, Mercury's failure didn't used to be that serious, because the brand is just piggybacking Lincoln dealer network, selling rebadged Fords.

 

[JCE]

I will say that if the "Marauder" platform was offered as a Crown Vic, it would have rocked! But that's the only GM that's different from the CV.

Now, you can get the LX Sport pack that has the center console as what was in the Marauder. So you could theoretically turn a Crown Vic into a Marauder if you had the funds to do the bumper/wheel swaps along with the power increase.

But honestly, this is one of the best looking Mercury's I've ever seen.

And I'll go further and say I wish this was produced even if it was in VERY limited numbers.

That's just awsome.

If they kept the price reasonable, I would buy one.

If they kept the price of the new Mustang sourced Cougar reasonable it would sell like hotcakes. It would possibly save Mercury as a company. I'm not joking either.

 

[a6m5]

That's just badass.

That pretty much sums it up, yeah.

 

[JCE]

Let me fix that for the people who don't know what that America saying means. You made it sound like I was saying that it's "ass" was "bad".