suv_guy_19 Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 I hope it is not more than $1.25.What has he done to help Ford? Heres whats wrong with Ford Bill Ford has no interest in cars, he's admitted to it. Mulally is not a car guy. There is no Iacocca at Ford today, pressing for product, overseeing marketing, and rallying the troops. Their product shows it, their sales show it, and their dealers know it. Mercury is on life support. Lincoln is wounded. And the best Ford can come up with is changing the name of the Five Hundred to Taurus. And that didn't help the sales slide one bit. Ford has no new product that gets customers excited. It's been said here many times what Mulally has already done. You have to be realistic. What can he really do in a year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 I hope it is not more than $1.25.What has he done to help Ford? Heres whats wrong with Ford Bill Ford has no interest in cars, he's admitted to it. Mulally is not a car guy. There is no Iacocca at Ford today, pressing for product, overseeing marketing, and rallying the troops. Their product shows it, their sales show it, and their dealers know it. Mercury is on life support. Lincoln is wounded. And the best Ford can come up with is changing the name of the Five Hundred to Taurus. And that didn't help the sales slide one bit. Ford has no new product that gets customers excited. You really haven't been paying attention, have you? Mulally's done more in a year than any CEO has done in the last 10 to help Ford. He just hired a new marketing guy away from Toyota. Fields is leading the product revolution but it won't happen overnight. The MKS, Flex, F150 and Mustang are due out next year (and maybe the CD3 refreshes). That will tell you what Ford is capable of given the right focus (no pun intended). The other changes (global platform sharing) won't be visible for another 2-3 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 restyle the Mazda CX9 and give it kinetic design with the "Mercury Style" What do you do with the Mountaineer then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShockFX Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 restyle the Mazda CX9 and give it kinetic design with the "Mercury Style" Seriously guys, look how well restyled product across 4 brands works at GM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LincolnFan Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Seriously guys, look how well restyled product across 4 brands works at GM. Name them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShockFX Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Name them? Sarcasm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixt9coug Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Sarcasm. Do they offer a Sarcasm SS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShockFX Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Do they offer a Sarcasm SS? No, but you can get a BOSS Sarcasm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukemullen Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 It seems like there might be a future for Mercury. Ford has been marketing Mercury toward the urban set and to women, a couple of large, important consumer groups. The styling is progressing, Ford just needs to continue down the path and further differentiate Mercurys from Fords (Lincolns too), and bring in models more in line with its marketing. The current lineup is pretty good, but more models are needed, and I question the current Mountaineer as to how well it fits with the urban/women market. A crossover like the CX-7, CX-9, Taurus X, Edge, or Flex would work better for Mercury than the Mountaineer. Give Mercury a version of the Focus (next generation, don't bother with the current warmed-over Focus) because it will work with the urban buyers who want a small but upscale car, a midsize crossover like the CX-7, and put the Mountaineer badge on one of the larger crossovers like the CX-9 or Flex. I've also read on this board that the Taurus X will dissappear when the Flex comes out. Is this true? If it is, why did Ford bother changing the name of a vehicle that would be dead in a couple of years? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UltimateX Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 My wife does not like the Ford styling but absolutely loves the Mercury styling. Ford is very bold and masculine where as Mercury is more refined and upscale. Mercury should match the upper end of the Ford lineup, and leave the lower end exclusively to Ford. Last I check about 50% of the buyers are female, that seems like a big market to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Last I check about 50% of the buyers are female, that seems like a big market to me. Hmmm...that would mean about 50% of the buyers are male too. Maybe they should market Mercury strictly to men instead? The whole idea of marketing a division toward a gender is ridiculous. Either put some serious effort into just making Mercurys DIFFERENT from their Ford counterparts or get rid of the division. A different marketing approach and a few different trim pieces isn't going to cut it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShockFX Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Hmmm...that would mean about 50% of the buyers are male too. Maybe they should market Mercury strictly to men instead? The whole idea of marketing a division toward a gender is ridiculous. Either put some serious effort into just making Mercurys DIFFERENT from their Ford counterparts or get rid of the division. A different marketing approach and a few different trim pieces isn't going to cut it. Amen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 i agree that mercury styling is way more refined and upscale than ford styling also, mercury logo looks way better than ford logo i know some people who dont want to buy ford just beccause of that logo on the steering wheel all the time. its not that the brand's image is bad, its that blue logo with the cursive Ford doesn't look very modern. this is not in the US, this is elsewhere where we have the great Focus. mercury looks way more modern and classy In your opinion. I hate Mercury's logo. I think it looks severely dated. Ford's logo is timeless, much like that of Coca-Cola. I do agree in part though and wish they'd take the blue oval off the steering wheel...just an embossed "Ford" script would look much better. I love the embossed "Cobra" on the airbag cover in my Mustang. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suv_guy_19 Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 In your opinion. I hate Mercury's logo. I think it looks severely dated. Ford's logo is timeless, much like that of Coca-Cola. I do agree in part though and wish they'd take the blue oval off the steering wheel...just an embossed "Ford" script would look much better. I love the embossed "Cobra" on the airbag cover in my Mustang. I disagree with you on both points. Mercury has very nice logo, and having the logo on the steering wheel, the same way as on the front of the car, adds a touch of class IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BORG Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 I'm convinced Mercury is a good idea that deserves a healthy bit of reassurance from Corporate, but their behavior points to deletion. And even their admission that it's healthy sounds more like a conceit, focusing the attention on Lincoln in the same breath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SVT_MAN Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 I've also read on this board that the Taurus X will dissappear when the Flex comes out. Is this true? If it is, why did Ford bother changing the name of a vehicle that would be dead in a couple of years? That's easy. Mulally thinks anything with the name Taurus on it will sell well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMDEE Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 What do you with the Mountaineer? You do what Ford desparately needs to do with its heavy SUVs: you put in a modern, high tech diesel engine. It's looking more and more like a good diesel returns better fuel mileage and fewer headaches than any current hybrid design. By the the time you put in the electric motors and enough batteries to make a large hybrid practical, you've added so much weight to the vehicle that you're getting only small improvements in mileage, along with some significant handling deficits. A really good high torque diesel is a much better "green" SUV. Putting such an engine only in the Mercury line for a while makes sense. If it has teething problems, it won't bring down the whole Ford or Lincoln quality image. Mercury can become the green technology test bed for FoMoCo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Greene Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 What do you with the Mountaineer? You do what Ford desparately needs to do with its heavy SUVs: you put in a modern, high tech diesel engine. It's looking more and more like a good diesel returns better fuel mileage and fewer headaches than any current hybrid design. By the the time you put in the electric motors and enough batteries to make a large hybrid practical, you've added so much weight to the vehicle that you're getting only small improvements in mileage, along with some significant handling deficits. A really good high torque diesel is a much better "green" SUV. Putting such an engine only in the Mercury line for a while makes sense. If it has teething problems, it won't bring down the whole Ford or Lincoln quality image. Mercury can become the green technology test bed for FoMoCo. You beat me to this answer. My sentiments exactly. I hope Ford keeps the RWD BOF Explorer/Mountaineer. They just need a diesel. Like the Grand Cherokee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sranger Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 I see nothing wrong with a Mercury line up. It is basically a tarted up Ford with a more refined look. I personally like the look of a Mercury much better than the Ford. I think a waterfall grill on the Edge would look much better than the "disposable razor" inspired grill on the Edge. Also, for people who like a well optioned vehicle, the package deals in a Mercury can often be a better value than a loaded Ford. So, if Ford managemet is listening, I admit that I am willing to pay a little more to get a Mercury. However, I do not think the current Lincoln models are worth the difference in price ( MKZ is a possible exception ) I really do not believe that it cost much for Ford to do a Mercury model of a vehicle. It is basically just another trim level... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KinneticBrian Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 It seems to me as though Mercury definitely has a place in the Ford lineup. What would be really cool to see is Ford make this a near-luxury division to compete with Buick at GM or with Chrysler. Bringing out a new Marquis Brougham or Park Lane as an AWD sedan with a V-8 to compete with the Lucerne would be a nice addition. Maybe even something as screwy as a Miata based roadster called the XR-7 to bring new buyers into the showrooms. Then reskin the Grand Marquis and make it look a little more distinct and aim it at the livery companies. I'd sure hate to see Mercury die. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShockFX Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 It seems to me as though Mercury definitely has a place in the Ford lineup. What would be really cool to see is Ford make this a near-luxury division to compete with Buick at GM or with Chrysler. Bringing out a new Marquis Brougham or Park Lane as an AWD sedan with a V-8 to compete with the Lucerne would be a nice addition. Maybe even something as screwy as a Miata based roadster called the XR-7 to bring new buyers into the showrooms. Then reskin the Grand Marquis and make it look a little more distinct and aim it at the livery companies. I'd sure hate to see Mercury die. No, let it die. Near luxury is the worst segment. VW sales, DOWN. Chrysler sales, DOWN. Buick sales, DOWN. Selling cars based on price segments NO LONGER WORKS. Not when there are so many manufacturers and so many choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68Cougar Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 No, let it die. Near luxury is the worst segment. VW sales, DOWN. Chrysler sales, DOWN. Buick sales, DOWN. Selling cars based on price segments NO LONGER WORKS. Not when there are so many manufacturers and so many choices. Agreed! So many of the luxury brands have moved down market, and so many standard brands have moved up market with their price points, there is no use for the "middle" brands like Mercury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 It seems to me as though Mercury definitely has a place in the Ford lineup. What would be really cool to see is Ford make this a near-luxury division to compete with Buick at GM or with Chrysler. Bringing out a new Marquis Brougham or Park Lane as an AWD sedan with a V-8 to compete with the Lucerne would be a nice addition. Maybe even something as screwy as a Miata based roadster called the XR-7 to bring new buyers into the showrooms. Then reskin the Grand Marquis and make it look a little more distinct and aim it at the livery companies. I'd sure hate to see Mercury die. Marquis Brougham? Park Lane?? Did your computer miss its Y2K update? It's 2007, not 1907. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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