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2011 Mercury Tracer

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Apparently, it’s the best name they found to call the new Focus based Mercury sedan.

If this scan sent to me by a reader is anything to go by, don’t expect a brand new car.
The Tracer could just be a slightly fancier Focus. Just like the Milan is a Mercury Fusion.
I guess it’s better than nothing in order to keep Mercury alive.
Maybe they’ll get different models later.
Lincoln is also supposed to be getting a small car based on the Focus, but it will have its own design.

Conversation 18 comments

  1. Why? Why? Why is the question. Get rid of this brand that really has no identity. Work on making Lincoln better.

  2. I think that the Lynx was a better name for a small Mercury. The Tracer means nothing. I really wish that this car was something other than a rebadged Focus. Mercury really needs a purpose for being, if not Ford should just let it go away.

  3. Was hoping Mercury would go back to cat names starting with the Lynx. Also was hoping for something a bit different then a regrilled Focus.

    The on and off of life support for Mercury still seems to be holding in balance. It seems that as Lincoln gets more products and hopefully more sales Mercury will be on it's way out.

    Reading two articles this past week in the Free Press it seemed in my reading between the lines and jumping to conclusions that Mercury would have been dead if Lincoln' sales had caught some traction.

    It'll be interesting to see if Mercury joins Olds, Pontiac and Saturn.

  4. I think it's better that they use an old name than come up with a new one. The new names they invent tend to be pretty dumb and have a short shelf life. And I really can't stand that ridiculous aliteration thing they do (where all the Ford cars have to have model names that start with F and Mercurys with M), so at least Tracer avoids that. There's nothing wrong with doing a Mercury version of the Focus. Some people want a car that's a little less common, so it lets them still get a Focus without having a car that's everywhere on the street.

  5. don't expect a brand new car.

    The next focus & this Mercury are based on the same ALL NEW CAR.

    Kinda like when Toyota/Lexus or Acura/Honda introduce an all new platform with 2 different sheetmetal/interior facades to differentiate the 2 brands and help justify 2 price levels. Like them; the Mercury will probably have a higher level of standard equipment than the Ford.

  6. I think this looks pretty good. This chould be an all new car if it's based on the NEW Focus….however, badge engineering is alive and well apparantly.

    I agree with a previous comment that Ford Inc needs to….pardon the pun….ahem…focus more on Lincoln. To me Lincoln is still in the $h!tt@r. The new MK???? Sorry I cant remember the last letter….the Taurus based car, is the ONLY good offering from Lincoln. The crossover is nice too, especially the interior of it, but I don't like the front end. The MK…Z? Is OBVIOUS badge engineering, with an old looking body and a weird front end. And then there's the MK…uh…Navigator, excuse me I just threw up a little in my mouth. Lincoln still has a LOT of work to do. AND GET RID OF THOSE STUPID MK NAMES!!!! I don't know what vehicle is what. How much did they pay a marketing team to confuse everyone?!

  7. I think this thing is silly. Premium price a Focus (which is going to get 98% of the attention anyway) for a weird grill?

    To me it looks like a small Buick.

    I DO think that there could be a case to make the Lincon version of this a true 3 series fighter – IF the right amount of effort went into it (ecoboost, fit and finish equal to that of the new CUV, etc)…THAT would bring me to a Lincon showroom.

  8. It's half-a**ed and ugly, just like all Mercury products. Mercury could be one sweet little niche brand if FoMoCo would put some effort into it. With Ford of Europe developing multiple C-platform variants, Mercury could surely have something unique that can't also be found under the U.S. Ford brand.

    I'm convinced that FoMoCo is keeping this brand going to give stand alone Lincoln/Mercury dealers more affordable options to sell. If and when FoMoCo can combine all three brands into a single dealership configuration, Mercury will be toast.

  9. I don't understand where Mercury is supposed to fall. In my opinion, Lincoln is an entry level luxury company, comparable to Buick. With that said, Ford has no true products to compete with BMW, Mercedes, Audi, even Cadillac. So if Ford cars are for the average person, and Lincolns are for entry level luxury, then what is Mercury? Kind of average pseudo luxury? WTF? I really can't see paying a premium over a Focus for this Mercury rebadge. There's no clear distinction between Ford and Mercury, and so consumers feel confused and just go with the Ford (cheaper) products.

  10. even if the tRACER (the "t" is silent ;)) is a complete rebadge like Vince's chop,
    at least it's a rebadge of the freaking gorgeous Focus 🙂

    &
    for Anon Feb17,8:57am,
    look at the Equinox/Terrain.
    I MUCH prefer the distinctive Terrain styling…
    …hope the Merc tRACER gets its own style!

    ps to VINCE
    Have you heard anything about an EXTREMELY early MCE for the very-next 2011my MILAN & MKZ??

  11. Very pathetic! If Mercury's sole mission is to provide Lincoln/Mercury dealers with affordable rebadged U.S. Ford products, then why bother making any silly alterations or changing the name? Just slap a Mercury badge in the grille and call the gosh darn thing the Mercury Focus. Platform sharing is fine, but this slightly modified rebadged clone nonsense is tired and played out already. Stop the insanity!

  12. I'm hoping this is a chop and not the real thing. I would be very disappointed to see another re-badged ford for mercury. The name is a little cheesy, but it doesn't matter all that much to me.

  13. February 17, 2010 6:23 PM

    Very pathetic! If Mercury's sole mission is to provide Lincoln/Mercury dealers with affordable rebadged U.S. Ford products, then why bother making any silly alterations or changing the name?

    Same reason that Honda, Toyota & Nissan's sole missions are to provide poor people with rebadged Acura, Lexus, & Infinity cars. In marketing we call it increasing "shelf space". More exposure for your R & D dollar.

  14. It's frustrating that it still appears that Ford doesn't know what to do with Mercury. They're just slapping stuff together to fill the Mercury showroom. Not only is the brand integrity of Mercury completely destroyed, they are de-valuing the appeal of the Focus as well by doing this.

  15. I have a Mercury, and as much as I like the car- I really wish that Ford would give it reason to exhist. They need to target a customer and develop cars for that person. I actually think that Mercury could have more potential than Lincoln, since Ford has yet to shed the "old man car" image that Lincoln projects. Cadillac has done a great job of it. Mercury could be like an Audi to Ford. But if they keep slapping waterfall grills onto Fords,they might as well let Mercury go.

  16. Look if there's any car from the Mercury marque that needs a comeback, there's only one that deserves it: Cougar.

    They need to bring the Cougar back. They need to take that new Mustang platform give it's own body (like a modernized/retro futuristic version of the '67-'70 version) and voila! A Cougar!

    Otherwise… put this brand to sleep.

  17. Mercury should be Ford's VW, Buick, and Hyundai Entry level Luxury fighter.

    Lincoln should be an American Audi. Lincoln needs to move upmarket, its that simple while mercury needs to stay the same but move uptempo.

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