How Did the Mercury Miss the Mark?\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>
Launched with a purpose in mind, the Mercury brand was meant to fill in a hole in the automotive industry. Serving as a middle ground between luxurious vehicles (such as Lincolns) and affordable cars (including Fords), Mercury was supposed to be the mid-range option; however, things didn't quite work out as planned.\u003C/p>
What are some facts about the Mercury brand?\u003C/strong>\u003C/p> Though Mercury was around for 72 years, it didn't offer much in the way of making a mark in the automobile industry. In fact, there weren't many noteworthy options, but the company's path has still been filled with interesting ups and downs.\u003C/p> What are some noteworthy Mercury models?\u003C/strong>\u003C/p> Some Mercury models that garnered interest included the Cougar, which was a restyled Grand Marquis model. The Cougar was a sporty, stylish car that served as a high-performance option. Mercury was also known for its line of minivans, which included the Villager and the Monterey. The brand also produced a crossover SUV that was meant to be upscaled, called the Mariner, while luxury sedan options included the Marauder and the Grand Marquis. Though the company did produce some standout vehicles and was known for quality and reliability, sales kept falling short, which would eventually spell doom for the longtime brand.\u003C/p> What were Mercury's standout features?\u003C/strong>\u003C/p> From the beginning, the Mercury's logo was the head of the god it was named for. Then, Mercury changed the logo to simply the letter "M." The constant changing of the logo was somewhat confusing, as the "M" was later replaced with a simple crest. Later, a cat was used, and the final logo featured three silver angles. One of the other notable features of the brand was its grille, which was a vertical waterfall design, making it different from other vehicles and a trademark of the Mercury brand. A reverse-slant roofline was also a standout feature in some of the vehicles produced in the 1950s and 1960s, which no other company used at the time.\u003C/p> What was the fate of Mercury?\u003C/strong>\u003C/p> The Grand Marquis had become a top seller for the brand during the 1990s, but its profits weren't enough to hold the company together. The brand simply wasn't attracting a key demographic, which was younger buyers, despite multiple marketing attempts by the company to change its identity. Ford attempted to revive the brand in the 2000s with upgraded minivans and a new sedan, focusing on larger, luxurious cars instead of smaller models. It produced new advertising aimed towards female drivers, which had the reverse effect, marginalizing male drivers and plunging sales into oblivion. After the brand was phased out, the Lincoln Division renamed itself the Lincoln Motor Company.\u003C/p>","contentType":"SEO_TEXT_BLURB"}]}]},"isSmall":false},{"f":1}]],"t":["b32sI9g"]})