boom3 Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Ford has shed other divisions, like GM has. The gap between Ford and Lincoln will get narrower and I am afraid that will kill Lincoln as well. Although I've owned two Grand Marqs, I was never under any illusions that they were anything but gussied-up Crown Vics, which, itself was just the baseline "Panther" chassis which, in various guises, was the Crown Vic, the Interceptor, the Marauder, the Grand Marquis, and the Lincoln Town Car. Of course, a lot of Interceptors got recycled into taxi cabs after their police departments were through with them. I have always wanted one of the Grand Marq L models that was only made for the Middle East. It's back leg room is 6 inches longer than normal, and is a junior version of the Town Car L which was rarely bought by anybody except the limo trade. Still, Ford sometimes used Mercury for a bit of innovation, like the Monterrey S-55 sporty big sedan of the mid 60s, which for a few years had no direct sibling in Ford. Not to mention the Breezeway sedans of the mid 60s, which used leftover power back glass from late 50s Lincolns. My father owned one. I never drove it, being 14 when he traded in on a 1969 Buick Skylark that mechanically was a POS. The Buick became my first car and so of course has a nimbus of nostalgia around it that it's build quality did not deserve. I will keep my 2001 Gran Marq for a while. I kept its predecessor, a 1989 model, until 2003 (I bought it in 1992), and so the 2001 has miles to go before it sleeps. Contrary to folklore, my cars did not/do not have a homing instinct for early bird buffets or bingo parlors. Maybe in a few years I will trade it for a hybrid Something, but nothing can replace the land yacht feel on my many errands up and down I-10. These Mercurys may not have been the Messenger of the Gods, but at least they were/are the messengers of Me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 I still miss my 1990 police Caprice. The 5.7 litre B-body was always a pleasure to drive, especially in police trim, and reasonably quick and nimble for a big "non-sporty" car. However, it was a product of its time and that time is over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 What do I know, but I always thought Mercury should have been more a distinctively upscale car than a feebly uptrimmed Ford. This comes from my all time favorite car, the 1950 Mercury -- the only car I've ever owned that stayed comfortable throughout 13-hr. drives. Ford had two main "body shells" -- Ford and Lincoln. Mercury around that time used the Lincoln "shell," moderately trimmed down. I believe it worked for the market then, and my perception is that '49 and '50 Mercurys are still more renowned than Fords of that era. 1950 Mercury: It wasn't too many years before Mercs went indistinctive Ford. I think they lost their way. I like your idea of the junior version of the Town Car, but of course that's kind of dinosaur, so maybe that's the problem. 1950 Lincoln: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 ...but of course that's kind of dinosaur, so maybe that's the problem. Butthe ride is sooooo smooth! The mileage on the later models isn't really bad on the highway, and they are great for a long trip.Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplummer Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 I still miss my 1990 police Caprice. The 5.7 litre B-body was always a pleasure to drive, especially in police trim, and reasonably quick and nimble for a big "non-sporty" car. However, it was a product of its time and that time is over.I'll second that one, The quickest and fastest police car I ever had was a 90 Caprice with an LT-1 Corvette engine. Never lost a pursuit with that one, two of which were Ninja style bikes[Y]. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boom3 Posted May 28, 2010 Author Share Posted May 28, 2010 The demographics are part of Ford's angst. The attached article says the average Grand Marq owner is around 70. However, I think there will always be a market for highway cruisers like the big Fords/Chevys and their clones. Parallel parking my car is not fun, so if I lived in a big city I probably would buy a smaller beater to drive around town and keep the whale-mobile for road trips. It's interesting to see that the low-profile tire/gold rim/lift kit "pimp my ride" guys are starting to tart up the Panthers. The first time I saw a late 90s Grand Marq is bright purple, lifted 6 inches, with gold rims and skinny tires my eyes popped out. Ford Said to Plan End of Mercury After Seven Decades (Update2) - BusinessWeek.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 Yah... it's a shame.... Memorial services being held at all the retiree RV parks around town.... But the demographics are the key. Ford was the only one not to borrow money from the feds, and has been pretty ruthless in their operations over the last 2 years to keep the company profitable. Shame though, at least from a nostalgia point of view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 Honestly I liked the Crown Vics...........good ride / Power.............. Ford should have shuttered this Brand 20 years ago............... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Adams Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 Hey boom - When you're runnin' up & down I-10, keep an eye out for my Dad. Can't miss him. He's the 89 year old guy in the 1998 Lincoln Town Car Cartier Edition with retired Air Force tags doing 67mph (thankfully in the right hand lane). LOL...... Everytime we visit my parents and ride in that car I tell me wife to take both of our cell phones so we can talk to each other from the front and rear seats!! Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Not to undermine the thread but does anyone actually like the new ford direction with the fiesta and the fusion 2012 international model? I wouldn't mind if they brought the Mondeo over as well and kill the ugly fusion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 i Like the Idea that the Fiesta get 40 mpg and 30 in the city. Not wild about the Alien Looking front or the colors though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 According to the report, executives at Ford are preparing a proposal to kill the brand, to be reviewed this summer. The two- to four-year wind down would include the eventual transition of all Lincoln products -- currently sold alongside Mercury vehicles in distinct dealerships -- to Ford showrooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 I build my own mdeneen [] computers that is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Top Gear tested it 2-3 years ago and gave it stellar remarks for which not many cars impress Jeremy Clarkson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 Strange that a vehicle so Popular in Europe over the last 3 years was not brought over here sooner. This would have really helped Ford, who is once again playing catch up with other more popular gas saving models ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 Ford Europe is loved in well Europe. They make economical and fun to drive cars that looked sharp enough.Hell they even turned a profit. The biggest problem was the labor costs as most of Ford Europe was designed and built in Europe as the Fiesta was built mostly in Germany and England, since then Ford ramped up a plant to built Fiestas in Mexico. The new focus is finally the european focus. http://www.fordvehicles.com/cars/focus/2012/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Favog Posted June 1, 2010 Share Posted June 1, 2010 My first car, a 1975 Mercury Montego MX. A mut of an automobile with the nose of a Cougar and the tail of Torino. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triceratops Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 The best thing about a Mercury is you can crank up the "Mercury Blues" while you're driving: Well if I had moneyTell you what I'd doI'd go downtown and buy a Mercury or twoCrazy bout a MercuryLord I'm crazy bout a MercuryI'm gonna buy me a Mercury And cruise it up and down the roadWell the girl I loveI stole her from a friendHe got lucky, stole her back againShe heard he had a MercuryLord she's crazy bout a MercuryI'm gonna buy me a MercuryAnd cruise it up and down the roadWell hey now mamaYou look so fineridin round in your Mercury 49Crazy bout a Mercurylord I'm crazy bout a MercuryI'm gonna buy me a MercuryAnd cruise it up and down the road Well my baby went outShe didn't stay longBought herself a Mercury, come a cruisin homeShe's crazy bout a MercuryYeah she's crazy bout a MercuryAnd cruise it up and down the roadWell if I had moneyI tell you what I'd doI'd go downtown and buy me a Mercury or twoCrazy bout a MercuryI'm gonna buy me a MercuryAnd cruise it up and down the road Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Favog Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 I used to play disco in mine while sitting at stop lights......oh, the wierd looks I would get. LOLOLOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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