Mercury’s slow death…
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This picture is proof that Ford isn’t really planning on keeping mercury alive much longer.
The revised 2010 (or is it a 2009?) Milan will be the last “new” Mercury model.
This was supposed to be a Mercury version of the Ford Taurus X.
But, as you know, it never happened. As we can see here, the car was all ready to go.
So it was a last minute decision to just kill it.
But what did they expect really…. It was just a matter of time. Most people are pretty wise now when they are shopping for a new car. And a new front end doesn’t really make a new car.
GM got it right, finally. Aura and Malibu don’t really look alike. (although their SUVs all look the same. Old habits…)
when the Taurus-X is discontinued the MetaOne could still happen (suitably updated) – the Chicago assembly plant isn’t gonna be exactly overworked even with the MKS
OTOH the unibody Explorer could move to Chicago and get a Lincoln-Mercury version
my choice tho would be a 6-7 passenger Milan-ish Cuv… sort of like a CX-9 with cleaner/simpler style (& a waterfall grille of course)
imho more people than most might imagine (like Cubedtothex’s Dad) already would prefer a “bit nicer badge” to go with the “bit nicer features” that could be stuffed into a Ford – but there’s just no reason to kill Merc
& every reason to START re-building a brand that once sold 500,000 per year and could again with less “blue-tinged vision”
ps to Cubedtothex,
wonder how much it’d cost to stick a waterfall & Mercury/Sable-X badges on a TaurusX… 😉
I’m wondering how much money Ford is going to spend to kill the Mercury brand. I’m betting it won’t be as much as it cost GM to kill Olds since every Mercury dealership comes equipped with a Lincoln dealership.
I think Ford is steadily upgrading the Lincoln product lineup for the very purpose of muting dealer complaints when they give Mercury the Axe.
IMO it is really too bad. All Ford has to do is look over their shoulder at Saturn to see exactly what they need to do to save Mercury. Just start selling Ford of Europe products with Mercury badges. The Mondeo would be an instant hit.
good old mercury will out live most of you idiots
“ps to Cubedtothex,
wonder how much it’d cost to stick a waterfall & Mercury/Sable-X badges on a TaurusX… ;)”
I actually thought about this. I’m sure there’s a way it could be done.
Here’s a pic w/o cameo:My parents just purchased a 2008 Sable for my mom to drive. My dad likes the Taurus X and wishes there was a Mercury version to to w/ the Sable. He’s well aware that they are basically the same vehicle and would have loved to have a “Sable X” to match my mom’s car…but He’ll have to settle for a 2009 Taurus X instead. He doesn’t like the Flex at all.I wonder how much longer they are going to use (and how much they are going to S-T-R-E-T-C-H) the Volvo S80 platform?