DEARBORN, Mich., June 2, 2010 – Ford Motor Company will expand and enhance its Lincoln brand lineup with seven all-new or significantly refreshed vehicles in the next four years as part of an aggressive growth plan focused on standout product design, class-leading technology and new powertrains – all aimed at competing with Cadillac and Lexus in North America.

Ford also will end production of Mercury vehicles in the fourth quarter of this year to fully devote its financial, product development, production and marketing, sales and service resources toward further growing its core Ford brand while enhancing the Lincoln brand.

“We have made tremendous progress on profitably growing the Ford brand during the past few years. Now, it is time to do the same for Lincoln,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas. “The new Lincoln vehicles will transform luxury for North American premium customers through an unexpected blend of responsive driving enjoyment and warm, inviting comfort. We will also offer our customers a world-class retail experience through a vibrant retail network.”

 

Honestly isn't that taking away the crowd that need the less expensive vehicle? Like they are taking away their less expensive vehicles and pumping out their top notch above average costing vehicles. I myself haven't been a big fan of mercury vehicles anyways but I feel that this as a whole was a bad economic decision especially at this time. Any of you agree?

 

(fyi thread started a day or two ago)

https://www.f150online.com/forums/ge...p-mercury.html

 

I understand Ford wants to save money, but answer this: They shut down all of the aftermarket products like different colored emblems and other Ford copyrighted badges, but for some reason will not sell those products themselves. Why not? Seems like Ford has millions to gain by doing so!

 

Not really. They still have the less exensive brand. It's called Ford.`As far as I know the Taurus, Escape, and Explorer aren't going anywhere. They're simply no longer wasting money to make a different set of badges, grills, and tail lights and have separate sales and marketing for the Fords that they sell re-badged as Mercuries.

This old school way, being a big and expansive comany just for the sake of being big and exansive, multiple different brands with no meaningful differentiation, 2-4 different versions of the same car with different grills and tail lights...this was not a good thing and the automakers are moving away from it. It is unnecessarily costly and was part of the problem, not the solution. You will notice, they're starting to realize less is more and it's better to focus on doing a good job with a few core brands than to have 10 different name plates for the same car just to show what a huge company you are.

 

Because they know they over price things so people would want to stay away from them. I went through patriot because they have really good prices.