Mission Mercury

[CTYankee]

What would you suggest if Fomoco asked your help in How to improve Mercury (not IF they should)

I believe every brand has to have a unique identity and Mercury suffers from the absence of one other than Ford redux.

The market spectrum is broad enough to allow Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln a distinct place even if Ford retains Volvo. So here is how I'd suggest Ford approach it:

The Ford brand would be the everyman division with the charter of producing the trucks, affordable muscle, and mainstream sedans that would compete head to head with the other Detroit brands and with Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, et al, up to a $35K price threshold.

Mercury would be the near-luxury performance brand with the charter to directly take on BMW, Audi, Saab, Lexus, Infiniti, etc. within the $30K-$55K price range.

Lincoln would be the world-class luxury/performance division, competing above $50K base price and having the engineering and content to do so credibly. I could even see Lincoln-Volvo supplanting Lincoln-Mercury and giving Mercury it's own infrastructure wherever necessary to protect brand identity differentiation.

None of that should be taken to mean that Ford corporate couldn't leverage chassis engineering across all three brands, but what each brand can make of the common architecture in pursuit of its individual mission should be independent of corporate central.

Practical examples of my approach would be for Mercury to take the basic Fusion chassis (or even a Lincoln-oriented chassis) and turn the Milan into something that would seriously compete with the 3-series and the A4. Revive SVO and turn them loose on the Mercury-badged models. If there are solid performers anywhere in the Ford global lineup whose DNA (and market position) would make them Mercury candidates, then they should become Mercury models.

There would be no trucks or SUV's in either Lincoln or Mercury unless they conformed to the brand identity, regardless of what the dealers might want.

Finally, hold the brand executives accountable for a triangulated set of brand performance metrics. They must meet market share, profitability, and customer satisfaction metrics in equal measure in order to receive their full compensation packages or even to retain their positions.

Remember, Mercury was the messenger who moved swiftly from place to place. Let's reinterpret that as a performance and handling identity. It's not only a mission that's missing within Ford right now outside of Team Mustang, it's a mission that fits with Mercury's original place in the Ford hierarchy.

The mission I've outlined for Lincoln is also aligned with Lincoln's heritage, which Ford should work hard to retain and reinvigorate.

So that's my solution to the problem. Do I think Ford will follow that path? In a word, no. But I wish they would. It might even get us a new Mustang-based Cougar and then I'd have yet another car to put on my wish list!

[2b2]

Belated thanks, CTYankee - strong agreement here - main question I have concerns

Practical examples of my approach would be for Mercury to take the basic Fusion chassis (or even a Lincoln-oriented chassis) and turn the Milan into something that would seriously compete with the 3-series and the A4. Revive SVO and turn them loose on the Mercury-badged models. If there are solid performers anywhere in the Ford global lineup whose DNA (and market position) would make them Mercury candidates, then they should become Mercury models.

Since the Milan is 5-series/A6/E-class-size, are you suggesting a "value" approach (like forum-readers' CTS::3-series comparos) ie bigger for the price of the smaller 'competitor'? Or... ?

(for now I'm looking at interim steps: Milan » Meriniti M35/Mercura TL...
& my Milanetto/XR3 could 'stoop' as low as Mercubishi Evo & be 3er-size
)

[CTYankee]

The value approach could certainly work or the chassis could be modified to be closer to 3-series dimensions.

Another chassis could be used entirely if that made more sense and could produce the desired result.

[2b2]

well, rather than doing the chop I oughta do (see signature)
used a bit of a C-pillar/trunk-buttress idea I have for the D3 to chop the
'09 Milan

(sorry I don't have a larger pic - this one just wouldn't wait)


________________________

[ndwariga]

well, rather than doing the chop I oughta do (see signature)
used a bit of a C-pillar/trunk-buttress idea I have for the D3 to chop the
'09 Milan

(sorry I don't have a larger pic - this one just wouldn't wait)


________________________

Nice Chop 2b2, those rotors are massive. they fill the wheels

[2b2]

Thanks, NDW!
those brakes come standard on that donor model.
I changed very little - just the very front, C-pillar/trunk I mentioned, & the taillite
(you do know what the donor is, yes?
hint: it's probably about a half inch longer than the Milan)

((re: my 'oughta' chop - trying to talk myself into making it a 2+2......I hate when I do that))

[2b2]

just a cross-reference to the Sedan+Hatch idea in the VW-Skoda thread
mentioned in my 2010+ lineup posted on Nov.6
(direct link to 800x1351 schematic.jpg @ Auto.cz
...tho my version would have a one-piece hatch with an inset/separate trunk lid - think that'd be a stiffer/stronger way to do it)

[MaxLegroom]

Remember, Mercury was the messenger who moved swiftly from place to place. Let's reinterpret that as a performance and handling identity. It's not only a mission that's missing within Ford right now outside of Team Mustang, it's a mission that fits with Mercury's original place in the Ford hierarchy.

Some of the best words I've heard on this subject so far...

[MERCURYSABLE08]

It really breaks my heart to see my favorite car brand just being ignored and left to just fade away into the sunset.

This is what I think Ford could do with Mercury... #1 is my favorite

I have 3 Ideas....

1. Bring Euro and Aussie Fords over here to America and badge them as Mercury's

(Although this could get expensive)
(But I am 99% sure this would make Mercury a success)

2. Bring back Mercury's tradition meaning... Affordable RWD V-8 Powered Performance cars....

(Cougar, Marauder, Cyclone) (This may or may not work) (Since gas prices are over $3.00)

3. Keep all the current Mercury models....

But to differentiate them from their Ford counterpart give the Mercury a different interior design and features give Mercury different power trains and different window and door designs (make sure no sheet metal is shared)...

(This is probably the most affordable way to go and would most likely work and bring sales back into the 250,000 a year range which would be very good).

Or I hate to say this one.

Ford could just simply let the Iconic Mercury Brand just fade away into the sunset and lose millions of dollars and thousands of loyal customers which I would hate to see happen.

Its not that I don't love Mercury the way it is now because I do I just wish they had more products and vehicles that were completely different from what Ford has to offer. Because I feel in my heart that if Ford doesn't do something to help Mercury soon it may be too late.

[2b2]

after seeing the eXplorer-concept & GTDI pre-info,
imho we're gonna get a LOT of questions partially answered during NAIAS - tho we'll hafta keep reading between the lines...

1. Euro+Aussie
2. Mercury's traditional meaning
3. Keep the current models...

my take
1. Euro, Australian, AND NA models are getting unified; so that by itself won't differentiate Mercury
2. EcoBoost (& I believe diesels) will completely change what's under ALL the hoods
3. imho FML's 2011 lineup won't even resemble today's except for (some of) the names
(& just when I thought I was getting a handle on THE PLAN)
But maybe if we concentrate of each segment's goals, the new vehicles won't seem that unexpected...

Or I hate to say this one.
Ford could just simply let the Iconic Mercury Brand just fade away into the sunset and lose millions of dollars and thousands of loyal customers which I would hate to see happen.

That^s the one thing I can't accept. I've believed and said that any Mercury decision is on-hold for... ...well, 2008 more or less. Still think so
but disagree with it!
Since it would be SUCH a Waste to "kill Merc", >>then<<, as I've seen a few mis-guided posters suggest, create a New Brand to pursue new markets :shakes head:

"MERCURY" is Cool Name!, unlike some other mfg's divisions I could name (but don't need to).
Ford'll never come up with a better one imho - so yeah, keep it barely simmering on the back burner
But
I firmly believe a complete moratorium on New-NEW Mercs will hurt rather than help their higher priorities - kinda like letting a perfectly fine link-of-the-chain get rusty(er) while repairing the weakest Lincoln ...umm I mean LINK.

ps MERCURYSABLE08
I was blown away by how gorgeous (pix don't DO it) that dk. Blue Ink paint is in person,
your Sable must be completely spectacular!!!