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

[nggallery id=1]

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)

This past week marked the assembly of Mercury’s final Sable. Ford has discontinued the 23 year old model. As nostalgic as one can get I figured it would be an opportune time to give my personal run-in with a friend’s 2002 Mercury Sable.

It was 1 am in Northern New Jersey – and we gathered at the local Wawa for supplies – Red Bull, chips, hoagies, coffee and gasoline. We were driving the 7 to 8 hr ride up past the US/Canada border all the way to Montreal, La Belle Province.

You wouldn’t expect a Mercury Sable to comfortably seat 4 people, luggage and all that gas station convenience store food. Not only did we plow through the snacks, but the Sable went up I-87 at speeds upwards of 100 miles per hour. You wouldn’t know it sitting behind the driver, because its smooth ride was so comforting I fell asleep at least twice during the trip.

We rolled into the city of Montreal roughly 7 hours later, and after driving around the old port, a little lost, we reached our first sit-down destination and long break from our travels – a topless breakfast place, which MTL is famous for. I don’t recall much of the trip back in our fair Sable – I was probably very hung over. They love strong beer in Canada, as much as we love the Mercury Sable. You will be missed, dear automobile.

…And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. Yes Mercury sedan fans, it is a mournful time for us all, as Ford exclaimed their long-selling Mercury Sable will be no more after its 2009 season.

Mercury’s Sable was for years a rebranded Ford Taurus, many times a more luxurious version containing V6, leather seating and automatic extra features. Over the past few years Merc tried their Montego sedan out on the public, and after moderate sales decided to renamed the car a 21st century version of Sable. As of Spring 2009, thanks in part to Ford’s restructuring plan, the Sable will be no more. God speed midsized sedan!