Mercury ever closer to getting the axe

[MarauderMark]

Found this here:http://www.autoblog.com/category/mercury/


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.

[03mara300b]

Mercury probably will fail. Ford has no clue. They dropped the Taurus name, which some analyst say was worth a billion dollars in the name alone in free advertising. Then they decide to drop the 500 name and call the 500 a Taurus. Stupid. They have no clue. The Marauder along with slightly weak performance ( debatable ) and no advertising failed to meet production numbers. Stupid. If they had advertised the Marauder prime time , TV spots etc. , It probably would have made the numbers. All of fords cars are boring and ugly except for the new Mustang.

[offroadkarter]

The only people keeping mercury alive are women drivers, ford has no idea that the general market doesnt just want hybrids and low ball V6 sedans. If they had some exciting products like the marauder, the XP8 explorer or the lightning, something that people would buy, they wouldnt be sucking *** right now.
Plus if they brought the FPV line over to a land where people can afford to drive and own one, well that'd help to.

Atleast GM still makes a fast impala SS, even if it is FWD its still 300hp! The only V8 car ford offers is the panthers and the mustang, and the gt 500 cant compare to a corvette, the mustang GT automatic has a horrible transmission, the 5.4L triton needs some power upgrades badly or itl always be #3 to the vortec and hemi, and how about not making every ford vehicle with a stupid chrome grill?

Thats just my 2 cents, the only ford's i like are the old fords, the expedition looked good when it came out, now it looks completely retarted, the explorer was one of the best selling mid size SUV's on the market, now it looks like crap, whats with all the crossovers! The F150 would be a nice truck if it wasnt get up and slow, and stop making hybrids out of everything. I dont want my car to grow from a mercury symbol i plant in the ground, if i wanted to drive a tree i'd go buy a toyoda.

Thats just my ranting 2 cents.

[quota]

When the new CEO was appointed, I remember that I wrote that FORD was definitely not in need of a beancounter...

Well, since then :
- 500 was rebadged Taurus. I had in mind that the Taurus market was closer to the Fusion's
- Montego became Sable. I thought that Montego was a good name, at least reviving the Mercury tradition, and the name was starting with "M" (Mariner, Marquis, Milan etc) for coherence
- no comment about the mess created in the Lincoln range
- the old Focus "1" is playing the prolongations here while the Focus "2" is boosting its sales in Europe for the 3 last years
- Aston Martin was sold for peanuts just after that Ford had built a bright new plant
- Volvo is for sale. It is a money maker
- Land Rover is for sale. The image of that manufacturer was never so high
- Jaguar...not a word about the ailing and always money loosing jaguar. Perhaps for sale too, but it will be hard to find a buyer paying for all the investments made by Ford. I read that Tata (from India) could buy it...for peanuts
- decision was taken to close (until further notice) the Russian Ford plant based in St-Petersbourg. The Russian market is boosting and the Focus (assembled locally) was selling very well
- not a word about the future of the Interceptor while Ford and Mercury are soon going to loose their panther based full size. The model which keeps Chrysler afloat is the 300. A full size...
- and now we read about the eventually closing of Mercury ! Come on ! Many car manufacturers have understood for a long while that they can make good money by sharing common platform. And by positioning some of their brands towards upscale markets. Skoda//SeatVW/Audi, Fiat/Lancia/Alfa, etc, are making more money by selling Audi's and Alfa's than by selling Skoda's or Fiat's. Same underneath, though, but clever marketing !

I like my MGM and my MM. I take a huge care of them and I even try to promote Ford to all my colleagues and friends. I am supporting Ford as much as I can and I would be ready to buy the Interceptor. I even convinced my wife to replace soon her Subary by an Escape or a by a Mariner or by ... where is the Edge in the Mercury range ? But enough is enough. Closing Mercury would be for me the last unforgiven mistake, that would kill my faith in that manufacturer. Move out asap that CEO. Please.
JP

[RCSignals]

Ford isn't saying they will end Mercury, the automotive media is, again.

I understood Volvo was not for sale?

[offroadkarter]

I understood Volvo was not for sale?



I heard that to, i dont think it is anymore, volvo played a part in the new Taurus i believe

[1of327]

:soap:

As a strong Supporter of Ford, as well as a Fomer Ford sales man, Classic mustang owner, and all around bleeder of Blue, I Hate The ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL , COCKAMAME, IDEAS , PISS POOR MARKETING , AND REALITY THAT THEY PUT MORE HYPE, AND EFFORT INTO THERE CONCEPT CARS THAN THEY DO THE MODELS THAT ARE IN PRODUCTION... WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THAT ANYONE SAW A SUPERDUTY, OF FREESTYE/ :banghead:oops/ TAURUS X COMMERCIAL. THEY NEED TO GET ALL OF THE EXECUTIVES AND DESIGNERS....LINE THEM UP IN FRONT OF THE ROGUE PLANT, AND SHOOT THEM ALL IN THE HEAD, AND START FROM NEW, LEAD BY MR IACOCA. MERCURY ISN'T FAILING, FORD IS FAILING MERCURY!!!
:mad2::mad2::mad2::mad2::mad2: :mad2::mad2:

[Aren Jay]

In Canada Mercury disappeared a long time ago. Might explain the Marauder sales. The Ford Grand Marquis has no Ford badges on it though, everything still says Mercury.