It's Official: Bye-Bye Mercury

[TrainTrac]

FORD TO EXPAND LINCOLN LINEUP AND BRAND EMPHASIS; MERCURY PRODUCTION ENDS IN FOURTH QUARTER OF 2010



* Ford is expanding its Lincoln lineup with seven all-new or significantly refreshed vehicles in the next four years including its first-ever C-segment vehicle

* Lincolns plan accelerates with more investment and attention on standout product design, class-leading technology and powertrains delivering top performance and fuel efficiency

* Lincoln product development, marketing, sales and service resources expanding as the brand competes with Cadillac and Lexus in the marketplace

* Ford 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 Lincoln

* Existing Mercury owners to receive continued access to parts and service support at Ford

and Lincoln dealers; current Mercury vehicle warranties and Extended Service Plans will be honored; special offers available on new Mercury vehicles through the summer

* Affected dealers to receive specialized support during the transition, as the company continues its transformation to a more profitable dealer network

Full article can be found here: <A HREF="http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=32749">http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=32749</A>



<A HREF="http://www.scribd.com/doc/32384961/Mercury-History">Mercury History</A>

<A HREF="http://ford.wieck.com/db/*query?mercuryhistory&source=FRD">Mercury Historical Photos</A>

 

[Roger Batts]

Funny thing is, last week, Ford sent a message to the dealers saying don't believe the hype from the MSM. You will be the first to know if we do anything like that. About a week later, they tell the press and the dealers at the same time. :smack:

 

[Jim Johnson]

It's a shame that all these old brands are disappearing, but I guess the Grand Marquis has been the only vehicle unique to Mercury for some time now. The others are just re-trimmed & re-badged Fords. There's not much incentive to pay more for a Mercury when you could spend less for a nearly identical Ford.

 

[Rodger Tellefson]

 

[swshawaii]

Yesterday (1970) and Today.



The Mercury name lives on.



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[Andy Cabrera]

Well...

Guess I own an obsolete brand name as well LOL



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[EddieS'04]

Steve,

the first pic, is the mercs I saw racing on the SanJacinto river. Man did those motors scream when wound up. You could hear them a mile away. I dont know much about boats and motors. At the dock he had them on tilt. The props were very small.

 

[swshawaii]

Eddie- The right (starboard) motor was mounted on the transom of this 13 foot Kober Kat tunnel after Bill Sirois won the Outboard World Championship in 1970.

One of twenty 1350 Hi-Port Stacker prototypes made for Team Mercury, only one is known to exist today. Loudest outboard ever made, by far.

The reason for the small diameter hi-rake prop is the gearing was direct 1:1 ratio, or at a slight reduction. (Prop touching anything but water was usually catastrophic)

Testing props and lower unit gearcase ratios in Kaneohe Bay, had noise complaints from more than seven miles away.

Burned 100/130 AvGas mixed 25:1 using Quicksilver two cycle oil @ 27 GPH. (100 CID 7850 RPM)

This boat could enter a single pin turn at 87 MPH pulling almost five G, and accelerate from 68 to 117 MPH in under three seconds. (One mile course, two turns)



Imagine the scream of those nitro burning Cox models in full scale. Not far off. Unbelievable.



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[Mark Stadnicki]

Won't miss them. They still have Lincoln...or rebadged Fords.

 

[Gavin Allan]

Sad...

 

[David Ponder]

This Stinks...

Times are a changin'... Plymouth, Oldsmobile, Saturn, Pontiac, and now Mercury



:sad::sad::sad::sad::sad::sad::sad::sad::sad:

 

[Gavin Allan]

Don't forget AMC and IH!

 

[MARVIN McINTYRE 2]

They should re-badge the ST and STA and make them a LINCOLN truck!:banana::driving::haveabeer::supercool:

 

[H D]

I'm with you Cabrera. Love my '69 Cougar XR7. I guess now is as good a time as any to show her off.



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Guess I'll never get to see the return of a V8 RWD Cougar as I had been holding out hope for...:sad: