During the mid-1930s, under the leadership of
Edsel Ford (1893–1943), son of
Henry Ford (1863–1947), the Ford Motor Company discovered that it needed to expand its brand footprint to match its largest competitors. In 1935, Ford offered only its namesake brand and the cars of its more expensive luxury vehicles of its
Lincoln Motor Company division. In contrast to the comprehensive line of brands available from
General Motors (seven) and the
Chrysler Corporation (four), Ford offered its
Ford Standard/DeLuxe V8 range and the
Lincoln Model K. In contrast to the Ford V8, the Model K was among the most expensive vehicles built and sold then in the United States, rivaled in price by the
Cadillac V-12 (and
V-16),
Duesenberg Model J, and the flagship lines of the
Germans'
Mercedes-Benz and the British of
Rolls-Royce. To address the gap between Ford and Lincoln, Ford Motor Company launched its own version of the late 1920s
General Motors Companion Make Program, leading the company to expand from two nameplates to five by the end of the decade. For 1936,
Lincoln-Zephyr was introduced as a sub-marque of Lincoln, giving the line a V12 car competing against the
LaSalle and
Buick, plus the notable revolutionary streamlining style of the
Chrysler Airstream and the
Airflow, along with the
Packard One-Twenty. For 1938,
De Luxe Ford became a sub-marque of Ford, offering a higher-price V8 car with a model-specific interior and exterior trim. personally selecting the Roman god's name from over 100 options – in spite of the name having been used just four years earlier for the
Chevrolet Mercury and no fewer than seven separate failed automobile companies from 1903 to 1923. In November 1938, Edsel Ford introduced four body styles of the
Mercury Eight at the
New York Auto Show. Along with a two-door sedan and a four-door sedan, the Mercury was also introduced as a two-door convertible and a two-door trunked sedan; the body design was overseen by
E.T. 'Bob' Gregorie. In response to the popularity of the model line, Ford revised its branding structure after 1940; De Luxe Ford was discontinued as a sub-marque (returning to its previous use as a Ford trim line), and all Lincolns became derived from the Lincoln-Zephyr (including the Continental) as Lincoln retired the Model K. For 1941, the Mercury underwent its first redesign; in another change, the model line adopted the
Mercury Eight nameplate used in sales literature. To consolidate development and production, the Mercury Eight shared much of its bodyshell with Ford, distinguished by its longer wheelbase. To further separate the two model lines, the Eight was given a model-specific grille, exterior and interior trim, and taillamps. For the first time, a decorative
wood-bodied station wagon (later nicknamed as a "woodie") was offered by the brand. Unlike Ford products where components originated from the
Ford River Rouge Complex outside Detroit, Michigan and shipped in knock-down kits to dozens of cities across the United States, all Mercury vehicles only originated completely assembled from River Rouge until 1952 when
Wayne Stamping & Assembly Company started production and was the only location that created Mercury components which were sent to only three cities that had dedicated assembly branch factories that completed Mercury vehicles until 1960. This approach was also used for Lincoln vehicles which only originated from the
Lincoln Motor Company Plant until 1958 when
Wixom Assembly Plant replaced the old Lincoln plant and completed assembly and became the component location for all Lincoln vehicles and the
Ford Thunderbird and sent knock-down kits to selected branch locations in the United States. Shared with Lincoln, Liquamatic proved complex and unreliable, with many systems replaced by conventional manual transmissions. Following the rise of
Henry Ford II at Ford Motor Company in September 1945, the divisional structure of the company underwent further change. On October 22, 1945, Ford merged Mercury with Lincoln Motor Company, creating the combined
Lincoln-Mercury Division. While functioning as a single entity, Lincoln-Mercury would continue to market both namesake model line. The Lincoln-Zephyr reentered production following the war, dropping the Zephyr nameplate; the Continental (and the V12 engine) ended production after 1948. On November 1, 1945, the first 1946 Mercury vehicles rolled off the assembly line. In contrast to competing medium-price brands from Chrysler and General Motors (and independents including
Nash,
Hudson, or
Packard), Mercury continued to offer the Eight as its sole model line. For 1950, the
Monterey name made its first appearance, denoting a special edition of two-door coupes (alongside the
Lincoln Lido and
Ford Crestliner). Intended to compete against the hardtop coupes from General Motors, the Monterey simulated the appearance of a convertible through the use of a canvas or vinyl roof (though with a pillared roofline). During the year, the one-millionth Mercury vehicle was produced. In 1951, Mercury regained an automatic transmission option (for the first time since the 1942 Liquamatic), with the "
Merc-O-Matic" 3-speed automatic (a rebranding of Ford Cruise-O-Matic). For 1952, Mercury redesigned its model line, with two nameplates replacing the Eight. The
Monterey returned as a distinct model line, slotted above the base-trim Custom; both shared bodies with Lincoln. In 1953, the expansion of the model line proved successful; after emerging from a war-depressed market, Mercury nearly doubled in sales, ranking eighth. In a move upmarket, the slow-selling Medalist was discontinued, with the Monterey becoming the base model Mercury. Previewed by the 1956
XM-800 concept car, the
Turnpike Cruiser (the
pace car of the
1957 Indianapolis 500) was slotted above the Montclair, distinguished by its quad headlamps and retractable rear window. In line with Ford, Mercury station wagons became a distinct model line, with the
Commuter,
Voyager, and
Colony Park; all Mercury station wagons were hardtops. In 1958, to accommodate the introduction of Edsel, Ford revised its divisional structure, with Mercury, Edsel, and Lincoln forming a combined division (M-E-L). Coinciding with the discontinuation of the Edsel Corsair and Citation, Mercury produced its own body and chassis (for the first time since 1940). The division pared several slow-selling model lines, including the Turnpike Cruiser and Voyager; the two-door Commuter was in its final year. Mercury was one of the first American full size cars to adopt parallel-action windshield wipers. As with many medium-price brands, the Mercury brand was hit hard by the economy of the late 1950s. While remaining eighth in sales from 1957 to the end of the decade, To end the financial losses, several Ford executives (led by Ford President
Robert McNamara) proposed restructuring Ford down to its namesake division. McNamara (prior to leaving Ford to become Secretary of Defense) allowed the Lincoln-Mercury division to remain, under several conditions. With the closure of Edsel, Mercury was to share its body with Ford (on its own wheelbase). In place of the five divisional bodies produced in 1958 (Ford, Lincoln/Continental, Mercury, large Edsel, small Edsel), Ford produced two for 1961 (Ford/Mercury, Lincoln). For 1960, the division released the
Comet brand, its first compact car line. Originally developed for Edsel, the Comet was a divisional counterpart of the Ford Falcon (stretched to a 114-inch wheelbase); styled with four headlights (instead of two), the Comet was also fitted with wide tailfins. Coinciding with its Edsel origins and concerns about potential negative impacts of compact cars on the Mercury brand, the Comet was sold as a standalone product until the brands merged for the 1962 model year(similar to the first-generation
Plymouth Valiant). Vehicle Identification plaques of 1960 and 1961 models read 'Made in U.S.A. by Comet.' For 1961, Mercury released an all-new full-size range, dropping the Mercury-exclusive chassis in favor of sharing a chassis with the Ford Galaxie (extended to a 120-inch wheelbase). Though visibly sharing front doors with the Galaxie, the Mercury derived multiple elements of its styling from its 1960 predecessor. The Montclair and Park Lane were dropped in favor of the wider-selling Monterey; the Commuter and Colony Park station wagons returned. Slotted below the Monterey, the
Mercury Meteor (as with the Comet) was a model line inherited from the closure of Edsel; as the Monterey matched the Ford Galaxie, the Meteor was a counterpart of the Fairlane. 1961 also brought the first 6-cylinder engine to the brand. The 1961 Meteor 600 featured a standard Mileage Maker Inline-6. For 1962, Mercury brought its model range closer in line with Ford. The Meteor (after only one year of sale) was reintroduced as an all-new intermediate range (again following the design of the
Ford Fairlane). For non-station wagons, Mercury introduced "S" sub-models to market sportier content. Along with higher-performance powertrains, the option packages included full-length floor consoles, floor shifters, and bucket seats with the S-22 (Comet), S-33 (Meteor), and
S-55 (Monterey). For 1963, the Monterey was designed with two different rooflines for each body configuration. The standard design was a "
breezeway" reverse-slant rear window (similar to the 1958–1960 Continental), offered on all versions (except for the convertible). Introduced as a mid-year option, the "Marauder" fastback roofline was introduced for two-door sedans and hardtops (four-doors were added in 1964). Shared with the Ford Galaxie 500XL, the aerodynamically sleeker roofline helped Mercury gain ground in stock-car racing. By the middle of the decade, the fate of Mercury was no longer entangled with the failure of Edsel, with a secure future competing against Buick and Oldsmobile, the middle of the Chrysler range, and the top of the American Motors range. For 1964, the Montclair and Park Lane were reintroduced while the S-models were dropped. For 1965, the full-size line underwent a complete redesign. Though again derived from the Ford Galaxie, the Monterey/Montclair/Park Lane adopted many styling elements from Lincoln, with Mercury marketing the line as "built in the Lincoln tradition". For 1966, the Comet became the counterpart of the Ford Fairlane (effectively replacing the discontinued Meteor). After a two-year hiatus, the S-55 returned as a distinct higher-performance variant of the Monterey. In a design change, the fastback Marauder roofline was discontinued; the Breezeway design was dropped in 1967 (the latter, following the increasing availability of air conditioning units integrated within the ventilation system). In 1967, Mercury debuted its two most successful and longest-running nameplates: the
Mercury Cougar and Mercury Marquis. The Cougar was developed to bridge the gap between the
Ford Mustang and the
Ford Thunderbird, while the Marquis offered the division a competitor towards sedan lines such as the
Buick Electra,
Oldsmobile Ninety Eight, and
Chrysler New Yorker. For 1967, the Marquis was available as a formal-roof 2-door hardtop (derived from the
Ford LTD, but with its own roofline); the
Mercury Park Lane Brougham was offered as flagship Mercury four-door sedan/hardtop. In various forms, the Marquis nameplate would be used by Mercury until its 2011 closure. For 1968, the Mercury model range underwent two revisions to its intermediate range. The Mercury Montego (based on the
Ford Torino) was gradually phased in to replace the Comet (dropped after 1969); the performance-oriented
Mercury Cyclone became a stand-alone model range, slotted above the Cougar. To further establish the brand in motorsport, the aerodynamically optimized
Cyclone Spoiler II was
homologated as the 1969 Mercury entry for NASCAR. For 1969, the full-size Mercury line was given an all-new body and chassis (again shared with Ford, on its own 124-inch wheelbase). The nameplates were again revised, with the Marquis becoming a full model range (replacing the Montclair and Park Lane outright) and the Colony Park as the only Mercury full-size station wagon. To differentiate the Marquis from the Monterey, Mercury introduced hidden headlights for the former. Replacing the S-55, the
Mercury Marauder became a stand-alone full-size two-door, competing against the Oldsmobile Toronado and Buick Riviera; an optional 429 cubic-inch V8 was offered. Though still sharing its chassis with the Mustang, the Cougar was configurable as either a pony car, personal luxury coupe, or a muscle car, with an "Eliminator" performance package featuring an available 428 Cobra Jet V8. File:1961 Mercury Meteor Hardtop.jpg|1961 Mercury Meteor 2-door hardtop File:1962 Mercury Comet 4-door sedan (black, front left).jpg|1962 Mercury Comet 4-door sedan File:1964 Mercury (3091099341).jpg|1964 Mercury Monterey Marauder File:1966 Mercury S-55.jpg|1966 Mercury S-55 File:1967 Mercury Cougar, Firemans Car Show 5-24-15a (18588469638).jpg|1967 Mercury Cougar (with after-market wheels) File:1968 Mercury Marquis cropped.jpg|1968 Mercury Marquis File:1969 Mercury Montego (15558121753).jpg|1969 Mercury Montego
1970s During the 1970s, the product line of the Mercury division was influenced by several factors that affected all American nameplates. While sporty cars would not disappear from the division, Mercury refocused itself further on its original purpose: building vehicles upmarket from Ford. 1970 marked the introduction of the
Capri, the first subcompact car sold by the division. In place of marketing a counterpart of the Ford Pinto
economy car, Mercury commenced
captive imports of European
Ford Capri from Cologne, Germany; the model line was among the first
compact sports cars sold in the United States. The first Ford Motor Company vehicle in North America offered with (an optional) V6 engine, the Capri was sold through Lincoln-Mercury, but carried no divisional branding until 1979. For 1971, Mercury gradually distanced itself away from performance vehicles. The Marauder was discontinued along with the Marquis convertible; the Brougham name made its return. The Cougar was updated alongside the Mustang, but was repackaged to compete more closely with the A-body coupes (
Chevrolet Monte Carlo,
Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme,
Pontiac Grand Prix) of General Motors. The Comet made its return as the smallest Mercury line, becoming a counterpart of
Ford Maverick (and sharing its underpinnings with its 1960 namesake). At the other end of the performance spectrum from the Capri, Lincoln-Mercury began imports of the
De Tomaso Pantera in 1971. Assembled in Modena, Italy, the Pantera was a two-door, mid-engine coupe powered by a 330 hp Ford
5.8L Cleveland V8. For 1972, the intermediate Montego line (based on the Ford Gran Torino) was redesigned with a body-on-frame chassis, creeping into full-size dimensions. After years of losing market share to the Cougar, the Cyclone was quietly discontinued, with Mercury moving largely to the Cougar for racing. The 1973 model year brought major functional changes to the Mercury line, the fuel crisis notwithstanding; in various forms, all Mercury cars were given
5-mph bumpers. The Marquis and Monterey were given an exterior update, adopting a "pillared hardtop" roofline (frameless door glass supported by a thin B-pillar). As American manufacturers shifted away from convertibles, the final convertible produced by Ford Motor Company during the 1970s was a 1973 Mercury Cougar. 1974 marked several changes, geared primarily towards the Mercury intermediate line. The Cougar underwent a redesign, growing in size to share the body of the Montego two-door hardtop and becoming the counterpart of the
Ford (Gran Torino) Elite. The Montego saw its GT two-door fastback body discontinued. Lincoln-Mercury ended distribution of the DeTomaso Pantera after 1974, as American production of its 5.8L engine ended. For 1975, the Mercury model range underwent a series of transitions. The long-running Monterey nameplate was discontinued, leaving the Marquis as the sole full-size Mercury. To expand its full-size offerings, a new Mercury Grand Marquis was introduced between the Marquis Brougham and the Lincoln Continental. Developed as the intended successor for the Comet, the
Mercury Monarch led to a completely new market segment: the luxury compact car. Both the Grand Marquis and the Monarch were met with success, with the latter used as personal cars among Ford leadership (including
Henry Ford II). 1976 saw the expansion of the smallest end of the Mercury model line. Introduced in Canada for 1975, the
Mercury Bobcat gave the division its own version of the Ford Pinto subcompact. The Capri (devoid of devisional branding) became the Capri II, following its redesign in Europe. Following its update, the Capri II became the second most-imported car in the United States (behind the
Volkswagen Beetle). For 1977, Mercury made significant revisions to improve sales to its intermediate model range (its slowest-selling models). While technically a mid-cycle model update, the Montego was renamed the Cougar, as the model line (a counterpart of the renamed
Ford LTD II) added two-door and four-door sedans and a station wagon for the first time. The previous Cougar XR-7 also was updated and now paired with the redesigned
Ford Thunderbird; for the next two decades, the two model lines would share a common design. The change from Montego to Cougar was well-received, as sales of the model line nearly tripled. While V8 engines were now optional on some Buick and Oldsmobile model lines, the Grand Marquis remained with a standard 460 cubic-inch V8 (the second-largest displacement engine used in an American automobile). 1978 began a transition of the Mercury line that would lead into the 1980s. The
Mercury Zephyr compact replaced the outdated Comet as a version of the
Ford Fairmont. The Zephyr was an inaugural model line of the
Fox platform, a chassis architecture that would underpin multiple vehicles from all three Ford divisions from the 1970s into the early 2000s. Lincoln-Mercury ended importations of the Capri II in late 1977 (shortly before the introduction of the
Ford Capri Mk III), with leftover stock sold as 1978 vehicles. Of the 580,000 vehicles sold, one out of every 10 1978 Mercurys were Cougars. For 1979, Ford Motor Company released its
downsized full-size model lines. As American brands had shifted away from muscle cars at the beginning of the decade, the fuel crises of 1973 and 1979 had also sparked the decline of the
landyacht. Introduced two years after the redesign of the General Motors B-body and C-body lines, Ford introduced the all-new
Panther platform for a smaller Marquis/Grand Marquis. Though smaller than the Cougar sedan in its exterior footprint (except for width), the 1979 Marquis gained interior space over its 1978 predecessor. The Capri made its return, becoming a Mercury-brand vehicle; instead of a captive import, the model line was now a version of the
Ford Mustang hatchback (both adopting the 1978 Fox platform). Bolstered by the redesign of the Marquis and the popularity of Cougar XR7, the Mercury brand reached its all-time sales peak, with nearly 670,000 vehicles sold. File:Mercury Montego GT green.jpg|1972 Mercury Montego GT File:Mercury Comet 1973 ca 4100cc at Knebworth 2013.JPG|1973 Mercury Comet File:1975 Mercury Monarch GHIA, Dutch licence registration 43-FV-BH.JPG|1975 Mercury Grand Monarch Ghia File:Mercury Cougar XR-7 2-Door Hardtop.jpg|1975–1976 Mercury Cougar XR-7 File:MercuryCapri-front.jpg|1976–1978 Capri II File:1978 Mercury Colony Park station wagon, front left.jpeg|1978 Mercury (Marquis) Colony Park File:Mercury Bobcat Runabout 1978 (15482996372).jpg|1978 Mercury Bobcat
1980s As Lincoln-Mercury entered the 1980s, Mercury continued the renewal of its model line, redesigning its entire lineup between 1978 and 1982. Since the early 1960s, the continued use of platform sharing had left Ford and Mercury model lines move towards exteriors that held little visible brand differentiation between certain vehicles; some model lines were distinguished primarily by grilles, wheels, badging, and other minor trim. Though the practice maximized production resources, it had largely removed much previous identity held by the nameplate. Through the 1980s, designers sought to change course by reestablishing a brand identity for Mercury while continuing to maximize production resources through platform sharing. Initially associated with full-size sedans and personal luxury cars, Mercury began to diversify its model offerings. For 1980, Mercury downsized the Cougar, erasing the previous size overlap between it and the Marquis. Pared down to the XR7 coupe, the Cougar was redesigned alongside the
Ford Thunderbird as a long-wheelbase version of the Zephyr. Poorly received by critics and buyers, sales of the model line collapsed (to less than one-third of 1979 levels). Struggling to compete against newer competitors, the aging Bobcat and Monarch were both discontinued at the end of the model year. 1981 saw several model changes, largely in response to falling sales. To replace the Monarch, Mercury introduced a Cougar two-door and four-door sedan as its version of the redesigned Ford Granada; the non-XR7 Cougar was largely a Zephyr with a formal roofline and Marquis-influenced fascias. As in 1977, the rebranding nearly doubled Cougar sales (though far below its previous rate). The first front-wheel drive Mercury, the
Mercury Lynx was a version of the Ford Escort "world car". Offering the first (and only) diesel engine for a Mercury, the Lynx was produced as a three-door and five-door hatchback and as a five-door station wagon. For the first time, Mercury used its
GS and
LS trim nomenclature; in various forms, it would be used through the 2011 model year. In 1982, Mercury introduced the
Mercury LN7; the first two-seat Mercury, the LN7 was derived from the
Ford EXP. To distinguish the model line, the LN7 was fitted with a compound-curve window for its hatchback. The Zephyr wagon was discontinued, replaced by a Cougar station wagon (last seen in 1977), as Mercury sought to shift the wagon upward in price. In place of the previous 4.2L V8, the Capri RS received the 5.0L V8 of the Mustang GT. 1983 saw a major model revision within Ford and Mercury, involving both full-size and mid-size model lines. The mid-size Fox-platform lines underwent a mid-cycle model revisions (largely to improve exterior aerodynamics), with Cougar sedans and wagons taking on the Marquis nameplate (as the Ford Granada became the LTD); the Grand Marquis became a distinct model line (having become the most popular full-size Mercury since 1979) alongside the
Ford LTD Crown Victoria. The Cougar XR7 underwent a complete redesign of the exterior, adopting a far sleeker body than its 1980 predecessor; while the Thunderbird was styled with a fastback roofline, the Cougar received a formal notchback roofline. The Capri underwent a visible change to its rear roofline, as it adopted a compound-curve window for its liftgate (requiring a redesigned rear fascia). Selling far under sales projections (less than 5,000 were sold for 1983), the two-seat LN7 was withdrawn in favor of its Ford counterpart. Buoyed by Cougar sales, Mercury was the fifth-highest selling brand in the United States for 1983 (the highest it would ever finish). For 1988, Mercury underwent multiple product revisions and updates. For the first time since 1979, the Grand Marquis underwent an externally substantial update (to slightly improve its aerodynamics); the rarely-produced two-door sedan was withdrawn. The Topaz sedan was redesigned, adopting a more "notchback" rear roofline than the Tempo; a grille (initially) replaced the lightbar. The Tracer line was expanded in the United States by the addition of a station wagon. 1989 saw the 50th anniversary of the Mercury division, producing various commemorative editions of the Cougar, Sable, and Grand Marquis. For the third time since 1980, the Cougar underwent a ground-up redesign, with the model line adopting an all-new chassis alongside the Thunderbird (with the notchback roofline returning). Growing significantly in wheelbase (to improve interior room and handling), the Cougar was benchmarked in design against European premium luxury coupes. The Sable saw a minor update (a revision to the bumper and lightbar to aid grille ventilation; the front parking lamps became clear). Far under sales projections, Lincoln-Mercury ended sales of the Merkur brand (see below). During the 1980s, Mercury had largely succeeded in modernizing its model line and gradually separating its brand identity between Ford and Lincoln. While Mercury was among the last brands to downsize and would have disastrous results downsizing its mid-size model lines (with the 1980–1982 Cougar), Mercury was among the first brands to integrate aerodynamic body design into its model lines and downsized its compact model lines (replacing the Zephyr with the Topaz). In contrast to other American automobile manufacturers, as the 1980s progressed, elements of Mercury design shifted further from divisional (Ford) counterparts. Originally intended for replacement, the Grand Marquis (the most profitable model line) saw little change in contrast to its smaller counterparts. File:Mercury Capri RS (4057395406).jpg|1979–1982 Mercury Capri File:1982MercuryLynx.jpg|1982 Mercury Lynx File:1982 Mercury Cougar GS wagon.jpg|1982 Mercury Cougar GS File:83-87 Mercury Grand Marquis 2.jpg|1983–1987 Mercury Grand Marquis File:1985 Mercury Marquis 1.jpg|1985 Mercury Marquis File:1987 Mercury Topaz Sedan.jpg|1987 Mercury Topaz File:1st-Mercury-Sable-sedan.jpg|1989 Mercury Sable
Merkur For the 1985 model year, Ford chose to revisit the success of the 1970s Mercury Capri, with participating Lincoln-Mercury dealers launching the
Merkur brand. Drawing its name from the German word for Mercury, Merkur sold German-produced captive imports designed by Ford of Europe, competing against European
executive cars sold in North America from
Audi,
BMW,
Mercedes-Benz,
Saab, and
Volvo (along with the launch of
Acura). The initial Merkur product line included the
Merkur XR4Ti sports coupe, a federalized version of the
Ford Sierra XR4i (renamed by Ford in deference the
GMC Sierra pickup truck). For the 1988 model year, the brand doubled its product range with the introduction of the
Merkur Scorpio, sharing nearly its entire specification with the
Ford Scorpio flagship sedan of Ford of Europe. Following the 1989 model year, Ford discontinued the Merkur brand. In addition to the combined model line falling far under sales projections, the cancellation resulted from several additional factors. At the time, the German assembly of the vehicles led to unstable pricing of the vehicles (partially due to an unstable exchange rate between the US dollar and the West German
mark at the time). As many examples of the Scorpio sold for over US$26,400 at the time (approximately $ in current dollars), despite its close appearance to the Mercury Sable, the Scorpio bore a price closer to the Lincoln Town Car and the Mark VII of the time. In addition, for the 1990 model year, cars sold in the United States were required to meet updated passive safety regulations, requiring the fitment of airbags or motorized seatbelts; neither the XR4Ti nor the Scorpio were designed with such features nor were they due for a redesign by Ford of Europe). At only five years, Merkur remains one of the shortest-lived brands in the modern American automotive industry. File:MerkurXr4ti.JPG|Merkur XR4Ti File:Merkur XR4Ti.jpg|rear view of Merkur XR4Ti, showing biplane spoiler File:Merkur Scorpio 2.9 Ghia (35762979256).jpg|Merkur Scorpio File:1988 Merkur Scorpio (15660298706).jpg|rear view of Merkur Scorpio
1990s Following the closure of the Merkur sub-brand after 1989, the Mercury division itself began its own major transformation during the 1990s. While Ford still intended to keep the division as part of the paired Lincoln-Mercury division, distinguishing its model lines from Ford and Lincoln counterparts became increasingly imperative, along with marketing a model line in touch with consumers. During the decade, Mercury would bring to market redesigns of its best-selling model lines and would diversify its product line, expanding into the minivan and SUV segments. For 1990, in response to passive-restraint regulations, the Sable and Grand Marquis both adopted standard driver-side airbags (requiring a redesign of the dashboards). The Topaz also offered a driver-side airbag as an option (as it had since 1984). For 1991, the division strengthened its presence in the compact segment through the return of two previously used model nameplates. For the second time, the
Mercury Capri made its return, developed as a competitor for the
Mazda MX-5. Assembled by
Ford of Australia (which sold a Ford-branded version), the revived Capri was a front-wheel drive four-seat convertible mechanically derived from the
Mazda 323 (as was the MX-5, though the Capri and MX-5 were unrelated to each other). After skipping the 1990 model year, the Mercury Tracer made its return. While again based on the Mazda 323, the Tracer also now served as a clone of the Ford Escort (with both model lines now becoming near-twins of the
Mazda Protegé). Alongside the body and chassis redesign, the Tracer model range underwent revision, now offered as a four-door sedan and five-door station wagon; the Tracer hatchbacks were discontinued (a body style still offered on the Escort). At the larger end of the size scale, the Mercury Cougar regained its V8 engine (dropping the manual transmission). Fundamentally unchanged since its 1979 downsizing redesign, the Colony Park wood-trim station wagon was discontinued after a short 1991 model year, as large station wagons had lost ground to minivans, full-size vans, and large SUVs. For 1992, Mercury would undergo another extensive update, releasing new generations of its best-selling model lines. Though retaining much of the style from the successful previous generation (and its chassis), the 1992 Sable actually carried over only the doors, roof, and powertrain from its 1991 predecessor. The 1992 Grand Marquis underwent a larger-scale redesign, sharing no body commonality with the previous generation. While the chassis was carried over, it underwent major handling upgrades; its all-new 4.6L V8 was the first overhead-cam V8 engine used in an American-brand car. Far more aerodynamic than its predecessor, the exterior of the Grand Marquis was styled more conservatively than its
Ford Crown Victoria counterpart (with the two model lines only sharing front doors). Better-received in the marketplace than the Chevrolet Caprice and Buick Roadmaster (and the Crown Victoria), sales of the Grand Marquis doubled from 1991 to 1992, leading it to become the best-selling Mercury sedan through much of the 1990s and beyond. Lincoln-Mercury gained its first minivan for 1993, introducing the Mercury Villager (see below). The first front-wheel drive van marketed by Ford Motor Company, the Villager was slotted between the two sizes of Chrysler minivans. With the exception of the Topaz compact and Cougar coupe, the entire Mercury line was renewed between 1991 and 1992, leading for sales to increase to over 480,000 (their highest level since the 1978 all-time high). 1994 saw the end of two long-running Mercury model lines. The Capri was discontinued for the third and final time; along with declining sales, its Mazda donor platform ended production. The Topaz (the oldest Mercury line) was also retired, remaining in production nearly unchanged since 1988 (1984 for the coupe). For 1995, the
Mercury Mystique was introduced to replace the long-running Topaz sedan (the Topaz coupe was not replaced). A counterpart of the Ford Contour, the Mystique was developed from the Ford Mondeo "world car" introduced in 1992. While the Mondeo was developed as a mid-size car in Europe, in North America, the Contour/Mystique fell closer in size to compact-size sedans, leading to negative receptions for small interior dimensions (in comparison to competitive vehicles). The Grand Marquis underwent a mid-cycle revision; along with minor updates to the exterior, the interior was redesigned. For 1996, the Sable underwent its second redesign. Though again derived from the Ford Taurus, the Sable grew further apart in design from its counterpart (with the two model lines sharing little more externally besides the front doors). The heavily rounded exterior was poorly received by both critics and buyers, leading for sales of the Sable to fall by one-third from 1996 to 2000. For 1997, Mercury debuted a new generation of the Tracer. Though using the Mazda-designed chassis of the previous generation, the 1997 Tracer sedan adopted an all-new body. In contrast to the Sable, the Tracer differed from its Ford Escort counterpart only through its grille, wheels, and badging. The Mercury Mountaineer mid-size SUV (see below) was introduced as the first Lincoln-Mercury SUV. Following the GM retirement of the Buick Roadmaster and Chevrolet Caprice, sales of the Grand Marquis increased nearly 20 percent over 1996 (as the model line competed largely against the Ford Crown Victoria, itself supported primarily through sales of fleet vehicles). At the end of the model year, the Cougar coupe was retired (alongside its Ford Thunderbird counterpart) as sales of large two-door coupes continued to decline. For 1998, the Grand Marquis received a second mid-cycle update, restyled with a larger grille and taillamps. In response to the 1992–1997 Grand Marquis receiving a better marketplace reception over its Crown Victoria counterpart, both model lines adopted the formal roofline design used by the Mercury. The Mountaineer underwent a minor revision to its front grille to further differentiate it from the Ford Explorer. For 1999, the Mercury line saw multiple major product changes. Discontinued the year before, the Cougar (see below) made its return in a far smaller and sportier form; for the first time since 1976, the Cougar was not produced alongside the Thunderbird (which remained discontinued). A second generation of the Villager was released, growing in size over its predecessor; in contrast to the Ford Windstar, a driver-side sliding door was standard equipment. The Tracer and Mystique were discontinued at the end of the model year (the latter was sold under a short run of 2000 production). File:89-90 Mercury Cougar.jpg|1989–1990 Mercury Cougar XR7 File:Mercury Capri Convertible (4836121633).jpg|1991–1993 Mercury Capri File:Mercury-Tracer-sedan.jpg|1992–1996 Mercury Tracer File:1994 mercury grand marquis ls.jpg|1994 Mercury Grand Marquis LS File:1995-1997 Mercury Mystique .jpg|Mercury Mystique File:96-97 Mercury Sable.jpg|1996–1997 Mercury Sable
New market segments For 1993, the
Mercury Villager was launched as the first Lincoln-Mercury minivan. Completely different from the
Ford Aerostar, the front-wheel drive Villager derived its name used for wood-trim Mercury station wagons. The product of a joint venture with Nissan, the Villager was produced by Ford alongside the
Nissan Quest; both model lines derived their chassis and drivetrain from the
Nissan Maxima. Sized between the two sizes of
Chrysler minivans, the Villager was developed as a competitor for the
Chrysler Town & Country and
Oldsmobile Silhouette. While more successful than its Nissan counterpart, the Villager would later decline in sales, primarily in response to newer competitors (including the
Ford Windstar,
Honda Odyssey, and redesigns of Chrysler and GM minivans). At the beginning of the decade, Lincoln-Mercury was made part of
Premier Automotive Group (PAG), which combined all Ford Motor Company subsidiary brands (outside the namesake Ford brand) under a single organizational structure. Following the 1999 revival of the Cougar as a sports coupe, Mercury underwent an extensive revision of its model line in the early 2000s. The Tracer and Mystique were discontinued during the 2000 model year; alongside the Villager and Mountaineer, Mercury sold only the Cougar, Sable and Grand Marquis; each vehicle line was marketed to widely different buyers, with no common brand styling. For 2002, Ford reinstated Lincoln-Mercury as a distinct Ford division, ending its status within the PAG (which concentrated towards European Ford brands). The Mountaineer underwent its first complete redesign; while again a counterpart of the Ford Explorer, the redesign brought substantial functional upgrades. Sharing only its roofline and doors with the Explorer, the 2002 Mountaineer launched a design identity used by Mercury through the end of the 2000s, including a rectangular waterfall grille and clear-lens headlamps extending into the hood; interior chrome was largely replaced by silver and satin trim. For the final time, Mercury retired the Cougar and Villager nameplates. After the loss of the Cougar from its model lineup, Mercury launched multiple models to expand its line beyond the Sable, Grand Marquis, and Mountaineer. For 2003, the
Mercury Marauder made its return (for the first time since 1970) as a high-performance variant of the Grand Marquis, serving as a 2000s rendition of the 1994–1996
Chevrolet Impala SS (as with the Chevrolet, the Marauder was styled with a nearly monochromatic exterior, with most examples produced in black). Alongside the Marauder, the Grand Marquis underwent its largest model update since 1992; while the exterior and interior underwent a modest facelift, the chassis underwent a near-complete redesign to upgrade its road handling and durability. Mercury returned to the minivan segment for 2004, as it replaced the Villager with the
Mercury Monterey (a nameplate last seen in 1975), the first Mercury minivan produced by Ford. A counterpart of the
Ford Freestar, the Monterey directly challenged the
Chrysler Town & Country and
Oldsmobile Silhouette (and its
Buick Terraza successor) directly in size for the first time; in a segment first, the Monterey introduced heated/cooled front seats. During the 2005 and 2006 model years, Mercury underwent a near-complete transformation of its model line. For 2005, the Mountaineer was joined by the
Mercury Mariner; a counterpart of the
Ford Escape and
Mazda Tribute, the Mariner was the first Mercury with a four-cylinder engine since the 2002 Cougar. The Mountaineer underwent a redesign for 2006; while largely evolutionary in exterior changes, the new generation was upgraded with many features from the discontinued
Lincoln Aviator. The smaller Mariner Hybrid was introduced, serving as the first Mercury hybrid-electric vehicle. The replacement of the Sable after 2005 commenced the launch of two model lines over two years. The 2005
Mercury Montego (dormant since 1976) was the larger of the two, serving as a counterpart of the
Ford Five Hundred; while only slightly larger than the Sable, the interior of the Montego more closely matched the Grand Marquis in size (though only offered with 5-passenger seating). The 2006
Mercury Milan was a counterpart of the
Ford Fusion, sized closely to the original 1986 Sable. As Mercury did not market a version of the
Ford Freestyle, the division no longer offered a station wagon of any kind (for the first time since 1940). In what would be its final exterior revision, the 2006 Grand Marquis underwent its fourth update since 1992 (adopting the rectangular-style grille seen in smaller Mercury vehicles). Though sharing common rooflines with their Ford counterparts, Mercury vehicles had transitioned into a design theme consistent across the entire model line. After 2007, Mercury ended sales of the Monterey, exiting the minivan segment for the final time. Both the Monterey and its Ford counterpart had struggled to gain market share against more established vehicles in the segment; after 21 years, Ford ended production of minivans in North America. For 2008, Mercury underwent significant revisions to its full-size sedan line. The Montego underwent a model update, becoming a revived Mercury Sable (alongside the return of the Ford Taurus); the update included a more powerful drivetrain and greater styling distinction from its Ford counterpart. Alongside poor sales of the Montego in the marketplace (outsold by the Grand Marquis nearly five-to-one for 2007), new company management insisted upon a nameplate with greater brand recognition. A second-generation Mariner was released, with Mercury increasing brand-specific exterior and interior design. In contrast to the rest of the Mercury line, the Grand Marquis had outsold its Ford Crown Victoria counterpart for over a decade (with production of the latter supported nearly entirely by fleet sales); after 2007, Ford ended retail sales of the latter model line. During 2008, the Grand Marquis was overtaken in annual sales by the Milan as the best-selling Mercury line (a position held since 1996). In 2009, Ford began to make the final revisions to the Mercury model line, phasing out nameplates at the end of their model cycles. At the end of the model year, Mercury retired the Sable permanently, as it remained the slowest-selling Mercury sedan by a wide margin; the
2010 Ford Taurus was developed with no Mercury counterpart. The Mountaineer was retired at the end of 2010; along with its status as the slowest-selling Mercury line, the Mountaineer was not included with the release of the
2011 Ford Explorer. For 2010, Mercury released its final model update, releasing a mid-cycle revision for the Milan. Alongside a substantially revised front fascia, a Milan Hybrid was introduced as the first Mercury hybrid sedan. As part of the announced closure of Mercury in 2010, the division released a model line for a shortened 2011 model year, offering the Mariner, Milan, and Grand Marquis. Regardless of the fate of the brand, the Grand Marquis (last redesigned for 1992) had already been slated for retirement after 2011, as Ford had announced the closure of its
St. Thomas Assembly facility that produced the model line (alongside the Crown Victoria, Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, and Lincoln Town Car). After 2011, the model line was no longer legal for sale in North America, as federally-mandated
electronic stability control was unable to be integrated with the Ford Panther chassis that had underpinned the model line and its Ford/Lincoln counterparts since 1979. File:2001-2002 Mercury Cougar -- 03-30-2011.jpg|2002 Mercury Cougar File:Mercury Montego 2006.jpg|2006 Mercury Montego Premier File:05-07 Mercury Mariner.jpg|Mercury Mariner File:3rd Mercury Mountaineer -- 03-05-2010.jpg|2006-2010 Mercury Mountaineer File:BlackMonterey.jpg|2007 Mercury Monterey File:2008 Mercury-Milan 002.jpg|2008 Mercury Milan File:2011 Mercury Grand Marquis (6255947466).jpg|2011 Mercury Grand Marquis
Discontinuation In 2008, Ford introduced an advertising campaign starring actress
Jill Wagner that focused exclusively on attracting female drivers to the Mercury brand in hopes of making it more relevant and profitable (standing in stark contrast to its late 1960s "The Man's Car" ad slogan). The campaign was a failure, narrowing the brand image and buyer appeal of the division even deeper, and sales continued to fall. After 2000, Ford began to phase out its practice of releasing direct Mercury counterparts of its Ford car lines. Following the retirement of the Tracer and Mystique, no version of the Ford Focus was developed as a Mercury. Later on in the decade, Ford did not develop Mercury counterparts of the Ford Freestyle/Taurus X (previewed as the
Mercury Meta One concept car), Ford Edge, or the Ford Flex (the latter two would enter production as the Lincoln MKX and MKT, respectively). With the exception of the Grand Marquis (which had largely overtaken and replaced the Crown Victoria in retail markets since 1992, with Ford restricting the latter to fleet sales in 2008), following the 1999 Cougar (which began life as a 1999 Ford Probe), each Mercury sedan/wagon and SUV was developed with a direct Ford divisional counterpart. On June 2, 2010, Ford announced the closure of the Mercury line effective at the end of 2010; the company intended to concentrate its marketing and engineering efforts on the Ford and Lincoln model lines. After selling under 93,000 vehicles for 2009, Mercury had sold fewer vehicles than either Oldsmobile or Plymouth prior to their discontinuation. For its two slowest-selling model lines, Mercury retired the Sable and the Mountaineer after the 2009 and 2010 model years; the two vehicles completed their model cycles without replacement. The Mariner, Milan, and Grand Marquis were produced through the end of 2010 for a shortened 2011 model year. At the time, Mercury vehicles were sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico,
Puerto Rico,
U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Middle East. For 2010, 93,165 Mercury vehicles were sold, nearly 265,000 fewer than in 2000. As Ford announced the closure of the Mercury brand, signage related to the brand began to disappear from Lincoln-Mercury dealers. To reflect the change completely, in December 2012, Ford renamed the Lincoln Division as the Lincoln Motor Company (its name before World War II). The final Mercury automobile, a 2011
Grand Marquis, was manufactured by Ford of Canada at
St. Thomas Assembly on January 4, 2011. With nearly 2.8 million Marquis built, the longest-produced Mercury model line was second only to the Cougar in overall sales. As of 2019, Mercury remains an active, registered trademark of Ford.
Sales figures == Leadership ==