Ford will unveil a new trim line for its Mercury brand at the South Florida International Auto Show today in Miami. Dubbed VOGA — Italian for vogue — the new trim line is intended to appeal to Mercury’s more style-conscious customers. While not a new model, the VOGA option will add features such as unique color schemes, embroidered leather interior and other subtle design cues to give the air of style to current Mercury vehicles.
“It’s not a huge investment. It doesn’t cost us a lot. (But) Mercury is bringing in so many new customers that would never go near a Ford dealership,” Peter Horbury, Ford’s North American design chief, told The Detroit News. “It’s for people who really do care about style. VOGA takes it a step further.”
The new VOGA line could be an indication that Ford will keep the Mercury brand, contrary to earlier reports that Ford would kill off Mercury in the coming years.
The VOGA trim line will first be available on the 2008 Mariner and is expected to spread to the Milan shortly after. Ford failed to mention how much the new option will cost.
