Overview & Reviews

Mercury was a division of Ford Motor Company marketed as being somewhat more upscale than Ford. Throughout the latter part of its 71-year history, Mercury's vehicles were essentially Fords with unique styling details and special features meant to enhance their desirability relative to similar Ford products.

It all started in the 1930s, when Edsel Ford, Henry Ford's son, saw an opportunity to create an additional brand within the Ford hierarchy, one that would exist between the everyman Ford Deluxes and premium Lincoln Zephyrs. To achieve this, Edsel felt the vehicles of this new brand should offer distinctive styling along with innovative features and better capabilities. He named the new division "Mercury," after the Roman mythological god. The 1939 Mercury Eight was the division's first car. It distinguished itself from similar Ford products via a 95-horsepower engine that offered 10 more horses than the Ford V8.

The Eight proved to be a hit, with more than 155,000 sold by the early 1940s. Production stopped during World War II; after the war, the brand was realigned more closely with Lincoln. The company grew from strength to strength in the '50s, establishing itself as a maker of vehicles offering style, performance and cutting-edge technology. A dash of glamour was added to the automaker's image when James Dean appeared onscreen in a Mercury in the film Rebel Without a Cause.

The 1960s saw the introduction of Mercury's Comet and Meteor vehicles. The Comet featured diminutive dimensions and luxury accoutrements, while the Meteor was a midsize family car that followed the trend toward more reasonably sized cars. Racetrack wins boosted awareness of the Comet and helped the model make a big splash in terms of sales. By the end of the decade, the iconic Mercury Cougar, a variation of the Mustang, had been rolled out, its Eliminator version taking its place in the pantheon of legendary early muscle cars.

Hit hard by that decade's oil crisis, consumers during the 1970s were hungry for smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles. Mercury responded with a new, smaller Comet and the Bobcat, the former a fancier version of the Ford Maverick, the latter a fancier version of the Ford Pinto. The brand's sales grew during a decade that was filled with turbulence and uncertainty for many competing marques. Mercury further expanded its lineup in the '80s, this time including the small, Ford Escort-based Lynx. Mercury enjoyed success with the 1986 launch of the Sable, a fraternal twin to the Ford Taurus whose sleek, aerodynamic lines and futuristic "light bar" front end styling set it apart from the Ford.

Mercury's sales hit an all-time high during the 1990s that would never again be matched. Minivans and SUVs were a big reason for that as Mercury introduced its Villager minivan and Mountaineer SUV. Late that decade it introduced a new Cougar, which differed from its predecessors by being a front-drive sport compact that also holds the distinction of being the last Mercury that wasn't a rebadged Ford.

The years following the new millennium were challenging for the brand, as changing consumer tastes and a lack of differentiation between Mercury and Ford vehicles hurt sales. Pundits often proclaimed the end of Mercury was near, but Ford kept stating it would keep Mercury around despite offering no hope for any unique future vehicles from the brand. Finally in 2010, Ford pulled the plug on Mercury, putting an end to more than 70 years of car-making heritage.

User Reviews:

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  Grand Marquis LS 1998 - 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By cg20_20 - August 14 - 10:00 am

  I wouldnt even consider buying another type car. This is the "poormans" Towncar, yet it delivers equal comfort and quietness with additional handling capabilities.

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  Buy it - 2001 Mercury Sable
  By Hap - August 14 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car! After 11,000 miles, we have not returned to the dealer once, for anything. This car is surprisingly quick and smooth and it runs on regular gas. We got every feature there is for less than the base price of a SUV. Its an incredible value and really very nice to drive. The re-design in 2000 was a necessity; we would not have purchased this car othewise.

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  Best Car Ever Owned - 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis
  By RayA446 - August 14 - 10:00 am

  This is an automobile that would make a road hogging grouch tame and dosile. The ride, fuel economy (just off trip FL to WV - 29.7 MPG). This car rides and performs like its big brother the Lincoln. Only difference between the two are that you could own his and hers for the same price as the big brother. I only hope they never quit making the Grand Marquis.

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  97 Mounty - 1997 Mercury Mountaineer
  By NYgeorge - August 10 - 2:00 am

  Very happy with this truck so far. 101k and counting, I bought it used and was definately a good deal. The market is flooded with explorers which hurts the Mountys value as well, so you can get quite a deal.

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  I like it! - 2004 Mercury Sable
  By larrybud - August 10 - 2:00 am

  Good car! Solid! I dig it!

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  Great Car!!!! - 2006 Mercury Montego
  By Matt - August 8 - 11:33 am

  This is a great car. It just was ranked the safest large sedan and feels safe when you drive it. This safety allows a sense of confidence to overcome a driver min inclement weather. The Montego is also fun to drive. It has very good acceleration and turns well. The best feature of the car is how comfortable it is to drive. It is a great car and I highly recommend it.

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  Everything I expected and MUCH more. - 2003 Mercury Marauder
  By RobBrad - August 8 - 10:00 am

  Tremendous automobile . Successfully blends a Mustang SVT Cobra with the full size luxury of a Lincoln Town Car It is fast, fun , comfortable, luxurious, AND gets LOADS more " street comments " than I expected. Plus it is an absolute stealth fighter for anyone who does not have a clue how fast it is , or is just trying to find out.

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  Fun To Drive When Its Not In For Repair - 2000 Mercury Sable
  By jammb - August 8 - 10:00 am

  This is my final Ford "Fix or Repair Daily" product. I am so tired of bringing the car in for various recalls and other problems (in fact, I need to call the dealer tomorrow to find out why my car is now leaking transmission fluid). Time in the shop is compounded by an inept dealer repair shop. Problems are not fixed right the first time. When its not in the shop, the car is actually very pleasant to drive - great pickup and very smooth even at high speeds. However, its just not worth the effort anymore. We also own a Hyundai Santa Fe, which has had zero problems, and has a better warranty.

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  Meets all my requirements and then some - 2008 Mercury Milan
  By Rick - August 4 - 9:20 pm

  Great looking, right size, comforable with enough power to get up and go when needed. Gets many complements. Its fun to drive. Had cars from T-birds to Mustangs plus many others. The last was a Honda Accord. Hated it, ride hard and uncomfortabe large heavy doors making access and exit difficult. My Milan beats it by a more than a mile.

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  best mercury yet - 2006 Mercury Milan
  By dd - August 3 - 10:13 pm

  I picked up my Milan this week with all the options. Its a great sedan -- very comfortable, sound system rocks, seems very well built with a great solid design.