January3
Ford's Lincoln division — not Mercury — will receive a version of the upcoming Ford Flex crossover, a new report finds. The seven-passenger SUV was expected to be sold under the Mercury brand — in an effort to revive the slumping brand — but will be headed to the Lincoln division instead.
According to Car and Driver, the Flex will bow first — allowing it to build market share — with the Lincoln model following about a year after. No word on what the model will be called, although it will likely follow Lincoln's MK naming structure.
At the Los Angeles Auto Show, Mark Fields, Ford president of the Americas, announced that Lincoln would take over as the volume leader of the Lincoln-Mercury franchise. “We won’t walk away from Mercury,” Fields said, but “we have higher aspirations for Lincoln.”
Despite constant denials from Ford, it appears that the latest snub is just more proof that the Mercury brand is on its way out.
Mercury is almost dead
WHO HONESTLY GIVES A xxxx??????
It's almost becoming a game: the number of ways Ford can tell the world that Mercury is fine, but with each syllable twist a Ford-Lincoln-only knife in its gut.
We should start a poll…. I say there will be four more stories about Mercury not getting this or that, or Mercury not developing this or that, before the press release that Mercury will be shut down. And whenever the article drops, it'll be written like it was a surprise to Ford–"Despite award-winning styling and innovative technology, Ford has decided to end Mercury production by…."
Ford is so lame. The Ford version could have easily had an upscale market all to itself with a completely unique vehicle with various trim levels into the 40's, I would think. Now they completely devalue it with a Lincoln version, so it's perceived as the "cheap version" while the Lincoln is considered a "gussied up Ford". Ford dealers must want to kill whoevers making these decisions. Cadillac and Chevys are unique from each other now, if Ford ever cared to notice, hence their success.
Didn't we already know this like 6 months ago? Oh, wait, but now, this info is super-official!!!
Oh what a great news! Exactly what Ford needs in $4/gallon gas world! Another 7 passenger SUV that they will be able to give away. Oh yeah, change the brand name to Edsel to improve sales. What do they smoke, swallow, drink? They need Paris Hilton and Britney Spears as strategists. I think Hilton line of clothes is more profitable.
Look, they've already killed Mercury in Canada. No civil war. No outcry from French speaking leftist granola eating tree huggers. No new taxes. Pull finger out of nose and get on with it Ford!
Finger is not in the nose!
Signed Bill Ford, Jr.
So the Ford Flex does Not become the Mercury Meander but instead becomes the Lincoln Lump.
WHOOOOOPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Bring the european Fords in as Mercurys and bring in more exclusive, upscale products like the MKS to Lincoln and you will have a VERY interesting lineup in Lincoln-Mercury showrooms. It would be relatively cheap to do as well. Lets see what happens when Jaguar and Land Rover are sold - put some of that 2 billion into implementing a plan like this!
Why is it I want to cry?
So Ford wants to build up Lincoln, but they are going about it the same way that killed Mercury: rebadging every Ford car and calling it a day. Idiots.
"Chevy and Cadillac are unique" ????? Ever seen a Tahoe and an Escalade together?
The first gen Escalade was a GMC with bling badges and an extra $5000.000 tacked on!
Blakkarr - because you are a bitch?
And I am not sold on the Ford version yet, Lincoln version does not seem like a good idea. What is it supposed to be? A luxury wagon/minivan? I can't even call it a crossover
Yeah Arbiter the first-gen Escalade and GMC Yukon were pretty identical with the exception of a few subtle exterior differences, changed badge and difference in price. That was also the first gen Escalade that pretty much opened up the whole luxury SUV segment here in the U.S.
If you put a GMC Yukon Denali, Cadillac Escalade, and Chevy Tahoe all next to eachother they all have different front ends, and while the back ends are still very similiar there are enough difference to make them stand apart from eachother. As long as they don't look Identical like in the past GM has done something better.
Also I saw a white Ford Flex parked at a grocery store and I don't know if I'd call it an Cross over SUV because it looked like a tall wagon to me.
Mercury is dieing just take it off lifesupport ford, we dont want it.
Commodore,
That can't be it. I guess it's that feeling when you see someone have a heart attack or something and you just know they can't be saved. But I actually like FORD - in principle, but not so much anymore in practice.
Lincoln will take over as the volume leader between Lincoln and Mercury? Give it to us straight Ford.
Well it certainly needs to have all new styling. If it shares the main body and only has different facias and lights then thats not enough. The Flex, while interesting, is not pretty. The Lincoln version needs to look completley different or else I dont really see the point. Im not sure this type of vehicle suits the brand anyways. Shouldn't Lincoln focus on luxury sedans, coupes and the Navigator?
No word on a name huh? MKV comes to mind. But the V is not for the roman number five. It's more like V for VAN. This doesn't look remotely close to a SUV.
TOZO is correct.. there was never really any question that Lincoln would get a version of the Flex, Mullally said so himself several months ago as he vowed that it would be the second Lincoln vehicle to have completely different sheetmetal from its Ford counterpart (the MKS being the first). I would call it the MKY.. as in WHY??
On the contrary, the Flex is a very safe car that's still a better alternative than the regular SUV's. With the addition of luxury and revised styling, it may be a strong contender to the Enclave.
Dude, we knew Lincoln was getting a Flex since those Bold Moves videos at least.
I think it's interesting how people keep hinting at Mercury getting the axe. I talked to a guy at a L/M dealer and while I'm sure there's spin on his side too, they say that Mercs are still flying out of their doors.
I don't entirely believe that, but it makes me wonder just how skewed the news can be.
The only way to save Mercury now is to follow the Saturn plan and import its whole range of cars from the succesful European and Australian branches.
I agree CA36GTP. It's like they never learn.
I'm gonna open the world's first (and only) Plymouth-Oldsmobile-Mercury Dealer. It will be the ultimate 'low-volume' operation.
Dean: The Flex is actually the best model Ford has right now. It has standard EPA rating, 5 star perfect crash test scores, and a functional design. Adding luxury should in theory makes it a perfect CUV. Not sure about the handling since I haven't test driven one myself so that could be the deal breaker.
Mercury is on life support. Despite all the denials issued by the Ford Corporation, the plug will be pulled soon. All the signs are there. Lincoln moving downmarket into a higher volume near luxury segment. Ford's eventual merging of U.S. and European design philosophies. No future product announcements for Mercury. There is no where for Mercury to go. The grave is dug, the headstone is in place, all Ford needs to do now is write Mercury's name on the death certificate and push them in the grave. It's a sad ending for the brand, but it is inevitable.
I agree with other people on this topic; hasn't this news already been announced and circulated? Everyone already knew that Lincoln would be receiving an "MK-Flex".
Ford really wants to trim down their brands to reasonable levels, or at least they want to make it so that each brand has their own distinctive market that they can still compete in. Brands that are in limbo or don't make much $ can go to hell for all they care. I have to agree with their cost saving strategy.
Hell, Ford shouldn’t even have a flex. Mercury is dead.
“According to Car and Driver, the Flex will bow first — allowing it to build market share — with the Lincoln model following about a year after.”
Since Ford insists on putting these things out, why not the Lincoln first?
“We won’t walk away from Mercury,’ Fields said, but ‘we have higher aspirations for Lincoln.’”
Talk is cheap, and actions show something else on Ford’s mind.
Scarface03: I say we bet on when the announcement will come that Mercury is getting shut down. I'm picking May 12, 2009.
rsg: “The Ford version could have easily had an upscale market all to itself with a completely unique vehicle with various trim levels into the 40s, I would think. Now they completely devalue it with a Lincoln version, so it's perceived as the ‘cheap version,’ while the Lincoln is considered a ‘gussied-up Ford.’”
Yep, and that’s why this becomes even more of a loser.
RSPINAJR: “Bring the european Fords in as Mercurys and bring in more exclusive, upscale products like the MKS to Lincoln and you will have a VERY interesting lineup in Lincoln-Mercury showrooms. “
That makes too much sense. I think if ford took a bunch of guys from this board, and put them on ITS board, the company would soon be on solid ground.
CA36GTP: “So Ford wants to build up Lincoln, but they are going about it the same way that killed Mercury: reading every Ford car and calling it a day.” If at first you don’t succeed, just do the same thing over and over until you do.
Arbiter: “Ever seen a Tahoe and an Escalade together?” Not a fan of the Escalade, but at least it’s a truck, and not a reading of the Cobalt as a ’Lac.
Veda: “The Flex is a very safe car that's still a better alternative than the regular SUV's. With the addition of luxury and revised styling, it may be a strong contender to the Enclave.” Possibly, but the Flex is ugly, and Buick doesn’t have another 7-seat crossover. Or another crossover at all.
global_lightning: "I'm gonna open the world's first (and only) Plymouth-Oldsmobile-Mercury Dealer.”
Good one. Don’t forget the Eagles, though.
Veda: as loathe as I am to give any weight to safety scores, they do sell a lot of vehicles.