Why don't they at least do a "Mercury Trim" package? Keep some of the heritage in some form?

 

I'm 45 years old and have no idea what "Mercury Heritage" might entail beyond gaudy trim and a soft suspension on a regular Ford vehicle -- thus the reason the brand has withered on the vine for so many years.....

 

I really, don't know where to point on this one...
I said trim package, and you pointed out, thats all its ever really been.

so kill the "brand"

offer the "trim"


???

also, at some point in time, didnt Merc's offer more powerful packages??

 

I'm glad they're doing this. I always felt the line was pointless.

 

Originally, they were scaled down versions of the Lincolns. Some of the pizzaz and flare, but not as costly. You could see similarities in the body styles, so the comsumer wanting a Lincoln and unable to afford it, could buy a Mercury. Then, they evolved over to being rebadged, upscale Fords. That is when they lost thier reason for existence and should have been killed.

 

My dad always told me when he was a kid the Mercury line was much nicer quality than Ford (then)

also, seems to me for example they'd offer a hotter version of the same motor too.

 

I had a 1987 Cougar several years ago. It was the 20th anniversary addition, all the bells and whistles. I loved that car...sad to see the lineup leave, they made some nice cars in their time.

 

I never liked those Mercury Capri's that were supposed to be like the Ford Mustangs of the 1980's... I had a 1986 FORD Mustang GT and the same year Capri never looked right to me.... The only Mercury line that looked good in my mind was the old Cyclone's of the late 60's, early 70's from NASCAR...

Mitch

 

The writing has been on the wall for this for some time. The news really shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody. When I was much younger, I asked my now current father-in-law what the difference was between his Cougar and a T-bird besides the appearance. His description was the Mercury was a more luxury oriented Ford. My next thought was if all they did was add a few luxuries, why even have the car around. If you have been watching over the last few years as car models were being redesigned some were just completely left off the Mercury line up, to where there are only four Mercuries left, and since the Crown Vic is going the way of the dodo that leaves three.

As counterintuitive as it might seem, I could see Ford offering a "Mercury" trim package that included some of the most sold features on the current Mercuries. It would still save a lot of money, since they would no longer have the entire division needing support and would still work to keep the current Mercury customers. Their advertising budget would go down to a two second blurb in a commercial and a lot overhead people would no longer be needed.

 

I bet if Mercury had manual transmissions in their vehicles they would be thriving.

 

I agree, Lincoln needs to make something worth wanting. And I had a LSC back in the early 90s that was great except for the air bag suspension.

 

I'm not surprised to see them go, but I take no pleasure in seeing another American brand name bite the dust.

Some of the first generation Cougars were pretty good looking, and I'd love to have a '69 or '70 Eliminator with a Boss 302! I knew a guy with a '69 Boss Eliminator, and he LOVED that car and forever regretted selling it.

And I'd be proud to own a Mercury Cyclone with a 428.

My dad had a loaded 1980 Capri turbo with the TRX package. Drove pretty nice and he got a lot of miles out of it, but working on it was a nightmare.

 

Too funny FatherFord.

Lincoln makes some of the best cars I've seen and driven. Not all are that good, but some are. There is no reason to kill that brand.

 

If they killed Lincoln, what would the Mafia drive?

 

Pickups with manual transmissions, like their boss?