The Freestyle is too good of a design to kill. It's a little too good for a "Ford" badge. It needs to be a specialty crossover and it's better suited to Mercury. With that hot babe selling it, I'm sure they'll move a lot more of them.
If only Ralph could see this :)... Mercury survives brush with death... AGAIN.
It appears Mercury AGAIN has survived yet another brush with the axe. According to Ford officials, the brand maintains just enough profitability, that it brings in MORE money than it would cost to eliminate it (dammit). So it appears Ford has FINALLY gotten the message that you cant just slap a different bow on poop and call it roses.
Looks like they are actually contemplating killing the Freestyle as well(!!) and then using a unique platform based on the original Freestyle platform to give Mercury its own crossover vehicle.
Id be sad to see the Freestyle go... but hell if it means turning Mercury into something WORTHWHILE, then Im all for it. The last time Mercury almost died it only stayed because Elena Ford saved it.
It does piss me off a little that one of the biggest reasons for not just letting the brand die is possible litigation from dealers. Look... Mercury has been around forever, there isnt a contract stating Ford has to maintain the brand... Ford should not have to worry about litigation when it tries to structure its brand portfolio to keep it healthy. In my opinion, Jaguar and Lincoln need the most attention right now, but Ill give Mercury an honest shot one last time.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051127/AUTO01/511270326
Looks like they are actually contemplating killing the Freestyle as well(!!) and then using a unique platform based on the original Freestyle platform to give Mercury its own crossover vehicle.
Id be sad to see the Freestyle go... but hell if it means turning Mercury into something WORTHWHILE, then Im all for it. The last time Mercury almost died it only stayed because Elena Ford saved it.
It does piss me off a little that one of the biggest reasons for not just letting the brand die is possible litigation from dealers. Look... Mercury has been around forever, there isnt a contract stating Ford has to maintain the brand... Ford should not have to worry about litigation when it tries to structure its brand portfolio to keep it healthy. In my opinion, Jaguar and Lincoln need the most attention right now, but Ill give Mercury an honest shot one last time.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051127/AUTO01/511270326
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Without Mercury, all present L-M dealers will go out of business, with the slim exception of those in New Jersey, New York, Ct., Mass., Florida, Texas & California...IF those can even make it. This will be followed by mega law suits, for failure to provide necessary product to sell. If you look MOST present Caddy dealers are dualed with either Buick, Pontiac, Chevrolet, GMC or a combo thereof. Now, can you imagine just Lincoln alone ? Poof, gone! Don't say give 'em Ford dealerships along with their Lincoln, as every Ford Dealer will immediatly file suit for territorial infringement ! From the other side of the fence, it don't work that way.
Lincoln Dealers now then given Ford Deals = :crowded: :crowded: :crowded: :crowded: VS :brutal: = FORD Dealers
Lincoln Dealers now then given Ford Deals = :crowded: :crowded: :crowded: :crowded: VS :brutal: = FORD Dealers
Thats true... Man putting L and M alone together was dumbest thing I ever heard of. And youre right... MOST of the time the Ford dealer owners dont have an L-M franchise, and vice versa (though alot of them are teamed, like Bluebonnet in central Texas). So yea, thats true without Mercury nothing but flies would hang around Lincoln dealerships. That does suck.
Trying to keep L-M afloat without OUTSTANDING ALL NEW product is like trying to lose weight ona diet of Hot BlueberryPie & Vanilla Ice Cream (Sorry, my #1 fav)....
Money + Investment of NEW IDEAS + upgraded development & manufacturing and a sit down with old Tyme dealers so that they understand the division is being re-born and they'll have to change or get left behind are the ONLY things that will save L-M and at best, with sheer perfection at all levels it will take 4 years. Committment to be the best, to seriously challenge Caddy and others, to begin anew with a clean sheet of paper, to forget the old & design totally new, World Class cars for Mercury & Lincoln and MAKE the Mercuries LOOK totally difffernt from the under the skin Ford equals. Pitch them to differnt buyers. At present pricing levels, NO Ford Car should exceed $ 25,000 FULLY CONTENTED with EVER last OPTION! Mercury, at present pricing should begin at $ 27,500 and go to $ 35,000. Lincoln Should start, stripped, at $ 39,000 and go to $65,000 like the Caddies. So, for that kinda $$$ They HAVE to provide World Class High Tech Drop Dead Beautiful Elegant Lincolns.
Do or Die Time.
Money + Investment of NEW IDEAS + upgraded development & manufacturing and a sit down with old Tyme dealers so that they understand the division is being re-born and they'll have to change or get left behind are the ONLY things that will save L-M and at best, with sheer perfection at all levels it will take 4 years. Committment to be the best, to seriously challenge Caddy and others, to begin anew with a clean sheet of paper, to forget the old & design totally new, World Class cars for Mercury & Lincoln and MAKE the Mercuries LOOK totally difffernt from the under the skin Ford equals. Pitch them to differnt buyers. At present pricing levels, NO Ford Car should exceed $ 25,000 FULLY CONTENTED with EVER last OPTION! Mercury, at present pricing should begin at $ 27,500 and go to $ 35,000. Lincoln Should start, stripped, at $ 39,000 and go to $65,000 like the Caddies. So, for that kinda $$$ They HAVE to provide World Class High Tech Drop Dead Beautiful Elegant Lincolns.
Do or Die Time.
The only legal obligation for Ford would be to give ample notice that the Mercury line was being eliminated, and actually provide dealers with the number of vehicles they tell the dealers will be alloted prior to the final production date.Sandy said:Without Mercury, all present L-M dealers will go out of business, with the slim exception of those in New Jersey, New York, Ct., Mass., Florida, Texas & California...IF those can even make it. This will be followed by mega law suits, for failure to provide necessary product to sell.
That's the same thing GM did with Oldsmobile. Even if Ford anounced tomorrow that Mercury was going away, it would take 2 years for it to actually happen. All dealers would have plenty of notice and a more than reasonable understanding that they would have to close or find other product. Dealers aren't under a union contract.
I sort of forget that L-M exists sometimes. Mercury... is it a sporty brand? Youth brand? Luxury brand? Women's brand? I dont get it.
Mercury typically has a few more luxury appointments than Ford, or as I sometimes refer to them (affectionately of course) 'Over-glorified Fords'.
So much potential lost.
I hope a Mustang based retro-style Cougar is in the works!
Other than the Cougar and the '49 Merc, what is their claim to fame?
I hope a Mustang based retro-style Cougar is in the works!
Other than the Cougar and the '49 Merc, what is their claim to fame?
Marauder?? I think its a pretty nice looking auto...don't know about a claim to fame though...HotRodSaint said:So much potential lost.
I hope a Mustang based retro-style Cougar is in the works!
Other than the Cougar and the '49 Merc, what is their claim to fame?
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