Ford reported that the Mercury name had a 74% decline in sales since 2000. Those are low numbers indeed, but the Merc label did retain some brand loyalty – the same company which gave us the Cougar muscle car and 1940’s Hot Rod Mercury Coupes.

The company began as a Ford offshoot in 1939 by Edsel Ford. “The All New Mercury” started off selling two-door coupes and large family sedans, all made without a huge influence from Ford design. During the muscle car era, Mercury became infamous with its sexy and fun to drive Cougar. That model continues into the late 90’s, before it (the last original Mercury vehicle) was laid to rest.

Mercury tried to re-imagine itself over the past few years – with sexy lady Jill Wagner (pictured above, shooting a Mercury Tracer at 500 rounds per second) selling you the Milan and Mariner. But alas – no one was buying. Why get a Mercury Milan when you can buy a Ford Taurus? Then the gas crisis came. Then the economic crisis came. Then…cash for clunkers. It was a no win scenario.

But why are we poorer for losing a non-original make like Mercury? Because it was American, it was iconic and patriotic. We have already lost Pontiac, a company that had potential, but none were brave enough to invest.

Like them, Mercury has plenty of ideas, they could have taken chances – when your back is against the wall all you have left are chances. But it is easier for the auto companies to close assembly lines, lay off employees and cut production – try to salvage any bit of green so their Christmas bonuses are fat. And in the end, we lose a bit of what it means to be a motorhead in America. That makes us poorer.

Originally posted on our sister site, Automopedia.org

After a long standing relationship for 71 years with loyal customers, and the introduction of such icons as the Cougar, Mercury will join a the list of canceled brands including Saturn, Pontiac and Hummer. Declining sales and inability to differentiate itself from Ford are the key factors that help put one final nail in Merc’s coffin.

According to The Wall Street Journal: “Ford spokesman Mark Truby said the company’s plans for Mercury haven’t changed, meaning a previously outlined strategy for turning Mercury into “a smaller niche brand” remain intact. But niche brands typically survive only if they offer something special.”

It’s with a sad heart we report this news – and hope the rumor continues to me just that. I can remember fondly my time with the Mercury name plate – driving my 1993 Topaz all over the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. I must have put 100,000 miles on the Merc before giving it up to another buyer, as I watched it pull away with someone else’s license plates attached I couldn’t help but wonder if I made a mistake. One day we may see a rebirth of Mercury (maybe we are putting it to an early grave) – but for now we sing a song to honor her on the way to automotive heaven:

1960 Mercury Comet:

1961 Mercury Comet:

1962 Mercury Comet:

1963 Mercury Comet:

1964 Mercury Comet:

1965 Mercury Comet:

Ford President of the Americas Mark Fields said during a meeting with U.S. auto dealers at the annual NADA convention – “The trend toward more fuel-efficient vehicles is very important, the trend toward (small) cars in general is coming back. We are responding to that.”

Along with new small car production at Ford / Mercury, it’s also been reported the American auto maker will gear vehicles towards hybrid and alternative energy sources, and focus more on diesel truck development.

Source: Finchannel

That’s right – looks like Ford/Mercury are holding a spot for the …umm, classic…Mercury Tracer. Mercury Tracer, first introduced in 1987, was a compact car sold by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company. It was based on the platform of the Mazda 323, replacing the European-derived Mercury Lynx, and was Mercury’s version of the Ford Escort. Stay tuned for updates on the Return of Tracer and thanks to BlueOvalForums for the find!

We at Mercurypedia came across this great interview via Automotive News, on the dying of Lincoln-Mercury dealers. Since Ford’s dealership reduction efforts began in 2006, the number of stand-alone Lincoln-Mercury dealerships is down more than 42 percent. The biggest driver of the reduction has been the push for Lincoln-Mercury and Ford stores to merge in metro markets, something the automaker previously discouraged.

At the beginning of 2009, there were 357 Lincoln-Mercury stores in the United States, down from 619 three years prior. Ford CEO Alan Mulally talked about the future of Lincoln and the stand-alone Lincoln-Mercury dealership with Associate Publisher Peter Brown, Editor Jason Stein and Staff Reporter Amy Wilson.

The number of Mercury nameplates is shrinking. You’re pushing for more dual Ford-Lincoln-Mercury stores. What is your intention for stand-alone Lincoln Mercury dealerships? Is eliminating them part of the strategy?

Our focus is on a distribution network where they can be profitable. Many people really like the volume and the breadth of having Ford-Lincoln-Mercury together.

But is there enough for the stand-alone Lincoln Mercury dealers?

I think in the future you will see more and more dueling of the dealerships.

Will we eventually see the stand-alone Lincoln Mercury store go away?

I think we’ll see more Ford-Lincoln-Mercury dealerships.

Any tips for how the remaining stand-alones can stay in business and make a profit?

I think we’ll just see more Ford-Lincoln-Mercury dealerships.

But does that make sense in the metro areas?

I think we’ll see more Ford-Lincoln-Mercury dealerships.

Volvo will soon be sold. How do you create a credible luxury business with Lincoln when those dedicated Lincoln-Mercury dealerships are declining? What’s the plan for Lincoln?

Lincoln is a great brand. And many people believe we have the finest Lincoln family now that we’ve ever had. And we’re going to keep enhancing it. They’re not just rebadged Fords going forward. We really believe Lincoln has a great name in the United States and a lot of people believe it would be a good brand worldwide, too.

Is there a chance you could expand it globally?

Yeah, but our focus right now is to really make a compelling luxury United States Lincoln brand.

In the U.S., is the goal to compete head-to-head with Cadillac, with Lexus?

Lexus and Cadillac are two good brands.

Stand-alone Lincoln-Mercury dealers are worried about their brands declining as Lincolns and Mercurys become sales tools to sell Ford vehicles in dualed stores.

I’ll share a recent experience: I was driving a Lincoln MKS and visiting a stand-alone Ford store, and I was sitting in the car in front of the showroom for a few minutes. There was a salesman outside on the sidewalk right in front of this Lincoln MKS, and he starts talking it up to a customer, but then the punch line was: “Well, this is pretty much the same as the Taurus, the Taurus actually looks even better. I have the Taurus around the side, and it costs $10,000 less. Come look at the Taurus.”

That wasn’t a Ford-Lincoln-Mercury store, but that salesman saw that Lincoln and he jumped right on it to use it as a sales tool.

I understand. And the answer clearly is the brand promise. Maybe in the past, there hasn’t been as much differentiation between a Lincoln and a Ford. But clearly with what we’re doing going forward, that Lincoln product is going to be a more of a luxury brand promise. The whole bar’s moving up because the Ford vehicles are getting better and all the luxury brands are getting better.

But part of the brand promise is the experience at the dealership.

Most people that dual have an enhanced experience with the dealership, too, with the service. If you go to the ones that are really successful with that, they really provide the extra attention and care that the Lincoln buyers really expect and really value.

But you have to get them to buy the Lincolns first. And if the sales guy thinks it’s easier to sell him the Ford, you’re going to sell fewer Lincolns, won’t you?

I know your one example. But we’ve got a lot of people that are buying Lincolns, and they love Lincolns. The people that have dualed stores know they want to have an experience that fits the vehicle that they’re selling, so they’ll do it to be successful. They’ll have two different experiences.

Even within the same store?

Yeah, if you go to the stores that are doing it well, they really have an enhanced experience. A lot of stores are doing it very well. But it absolutely starts with the product itself. And I think that’s a neat thing that you’re capturing. It has to be a different brand promise. You just can’t have a warmed-over Ford and have a luxury brand called Lincoln, not in today’s environment.

Original piece: Auto News

Milan’s Hybrid drive is gas & electric. “As the most fuel-efficient midsize sedan in America, Milan Hybrid helps you go farther on a tank of gas – more than 700 miles on a tank of fuel in city driving. Milan Hybrid propulsion is supplied by a combination of two sources: a permanent magnet electric motor powered by an innovative nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery, and the next generation of the 2.5L Atkinson-Cycle I-4 Hybrid engine. The electric motor can propel Milan Hybrid up to 47 mph and combines with the gasoline engine when extra power is needed. Combined power rating is 191-net horsepower. The 2.5L Atkinson-cycle I-4 Hybrid engine features late intake valve closing (LIVC), as well as advancements in processor technology for seamless transitions from gas to electric mode.”

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Jill Suzanne Wagner was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She was raised by her father, a former Marine, and attended/graduated North Carolina State University in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in management. She entered acting/modeling around the turn of the century, appearing in Stuff magazine following her national debut in 2003 as a cast member on the MTV series Punk’d. Wagner ranked #90 on the Maxim Hot 100 Women of 2004. In January 2007, Wagner stated that she had been interviewed about the possibility of portraying Wonder Woman in the upcoming movie version, saying, “I met with the guys over at Silver pictures about some things and Wonder Woman was one of them.” Her filmography, listed below via Wikipedia, shows her short yet flourishing career in both TV and Film. But it’s the Mercury ads we are most interested in. Before Kate Walsh came along in her Cadillac CTS, Jill showed off the Mercury Mariner, Mercury Sable and all new Milan. Don’t know what we’re talking about? Check out some of her Mercury TV Spots below:

TV & Film:
* Junebug (2005)
* Shifted (2006)
* Splinter (2008)

* Punk’d (6 episodes, 2003)
* Quintuplets (1 episode, 2004)
* Monk (1 episode, 2004)
* Dr. Vegas (2 episodes, 2004)
* Blade: The Series (12 episodes, 2006)
* Stargate Atlantis (2 episodes, 2007-2008)
* Bones (1 episode, 2008)
* Wipeout (27 episodes, 2008-present)