Mercury History

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Mercury is a division of Ford Motor Company marketed as being somewhat more upscale than Ford. Throughout the latter part of its 71-year history, Mercury's vehicles were essentially Fords with unique styling details and special features meant to enhance desirability. However, this limited-scope strategy led to a diminishing market share over the years as shoppers found little reason to choose a Mercury. By the time it was discontinued in late 2010, Mercury was but a shell of its former self.

It all started in the 1930s, when Edsel Ford, Henry Ford's son, saw an opportunity to create an additional brand within the Ford hierarchy, one that would slot vehicles between the everyman Ford Deluxes and premium Lincoln Zephyrs. To achieve this, Edsel felt the vehicles of this new brand should offer distinctive styling along with innovative features and better capabilities. He named the new division "Mercury," after the Roman mythological god. The 1939 Mercury Eight was the division's first car. It distinguished itself from similar Ford products thanks to a 95-horsepower engine that offered 10 more horses than the Ford V8.


The Eight proved to be a hit, with more than 155,000 sold by the early 1940s. Production stopped during World War II; after the war, the brand was realigned more closely with Lincoln. The company grew from strength to strength in the '50s, establishing itself as a home of vehicles offering style, performance and cutting-edge technology. A dash of glamour was added to the automaker's image when James Dean appeared onscreen in a Mercury in the film Rebel Without A Cause.

The 1960s saw the introduction of Mercury's Comet and Meteor vehicles. The Comet featured diminutive dimensions and luxury accoutrements, while the Meteor was a midsize family car that followed the trend toward more reasonably sized cars. Racetrack wins boosted awareness of the Comet and helped the model make a big splash in terms of sales. By the end of the decade, the iconic Mercury Cougar, a variation of the Mustang, had been rolled out, taking its place in the pantheon of legendary early muscle cars.

Hit hard by that decade's oil crisis, consumers during the 1970s were hungry for smaller vehicles that offered improved fuel efficiency. Mercury created vehicles like the Capri and the Bobcat to fill this need. The brand's products were well received, and its sales grew during a decade that was filled with turbulence and uncertainty for many competing marques. The brand took a stab at broadening its consumer base in the '80s by diversifying and expanding its lineup, which grew to include vehicles like the subcompact Lynx. Mercury enjoyed success with the 1986 launch of the Sable, a fraternal twin to the Ford Taurus whose sleek, aerodynamic lines served to diminish drag and improve fuel efficiency.

Mercury's sales hit an all-time high during the 1990s that would never again be matched. Minivans and SUVs were a big reason for that as Mercury introduced its Villager minivan and Mountaineer SUV. It also introduced a new Cougar, which differed from its predecessors by being a front-drive sport compact and holds the distinction of being the last Mercury that wasn't a rebadged Ford.

The years following the new millennium were challenging for the brand, as changing consumer tastes and a lack of differentiation between Mercury and Ford vehicles hurt sales. Pundits often proclaimed the end of Mercury is near, but Ford kept proclaiming it would keep Mercury around despite offering no hope for any unique, future vehicles that would differentiate the brand in a meaningful way. Finally in 2010, Ford announced it would pull the plug on Mercury, putting an end to more than 70 years of car-making heritage.

Ford says that existing Mercury owners will continue to receive access to parts and service via Ford and Lincoln dealerships. Current warranties will also be honored.

Source: Edmunds.com

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