Dealers worried about Mercury’s future

Posted: May 27, 2008
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The decision of Mercury future has been pretty vague, but speculations of the brand being sold have dealers worrying. According to Detroit News, Mercury dealers are asking FoMoCo for a straight answer: Does Mercury have a future?

Basically dealers have asked Ford execs to outline their future strategy for Mercury. If the brand has a future dealers want to know what’s next and what products to expect. If not, they want to know how they can manage their businesses accordingly. Following that Ford had allegedly scheduled a meeting for April in Las Vegas. Ford supposedly canceled the meeting and moved it to September in Detroit.

“The company is in (the) process of developing a strategy and has committed to communicating this plan to the Lincoln Mercury dealer network in the fourth quarter,” a letter to its dealers said dated April 28.

So far, Ford has planned a hybrid version of the Milan and updated versions of current models due out later this year. Beyond that, dealers have heard nothing.

When questioned about Mercury’s future, Ford’s spokeswoman Jennifer Flake said: “We’ve been investing, and continue to invest, in new Mercury product.”

 

Source: Detroit News

[tags]Cars, Car, Auto, Automobile, Vehicles, Technology, Auto News, News, Automotive, Mercury[/tags]


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  • Matt

    I hate this. GM told Oldsmobile that its future was secure saying that GM without Olds is like Protor & Gamble without Tide. We all saw what happened next. Despite launching the brand new Aurora, they decided to sign Oldsmobile's death certificate. Then a month later launched the New Bravada. GM then continued to show the last concept Oldsmobile the O4 at auto shows as if to flaunt the dead brand. Mercury has been able to allow Lincoln dealerships lower end product to drive some business without having to tarnish the Lincoln brand. It is best if they hold on to Mercury, afterall Ford has announced they are going to be focusing more on cars and less on trucks. Mercury has always been better at selling cars, and desirable ones should help that. Ford has acknowledged that their cars have left little to be desired, the new direction will fix that if followed. I realize this is probably falling on deaf ears, so R.I.P. Mercury.

  • Ghidorah

    Mercury has less direction than Acura. Is it a rebadged lower brand than Lincoln (Grand Marquis/TownCar)? It is a rebadge upper brand of a Ford (Mystique/Contour)? It is the poor middle child a la Jan Brady. If they just gave it it's own strong identity the brand could do much better.

  • Matt

    I hate this. GM told Oldsmobile that its future was secure saying that GM without Olds is like Protor & Gamble without Tide. We all saw what happened next. Despite launching the brand new Aurora, they decided to sign Oldsmobile's death certificate. Then a month later launched the New Bravada. GM then continued to show the last concept Oldsmobile the O4 at auto shows as if to flaunt the dead brand. Mercury has been able to allow Lincoln dealerships lower end product to drive some business without having to tarnish the Lincoln brand. It is best if they hold on to Mercury, afterall Ford has announced they are going to be focusing more on cars and less on trucks. Mercury has always been better at selling cars, and desirable ones should help that. Ford has acknowledged that their cars have left little to be desired, the new direction will fix that if followed. I realize this is probably falling on deaf ears, so R.I.P. Mercury.

  • Ghidorah

    Mercury has less direction than Acura. Is it a rebadged lower brand than Lincoln (Grand Marquis/TownCar)? It is a rebadge upper brand of a Ford (Mystique/Contour)? It is the poor middle child a la Jan Brady. If they just gave it it's own strong identity the brand could do much better.