Ford’s Mercury brand has been largely neglected over the last several years, but the ‘tweener brand is slated for at least one new model in the coming year. However, like Mercury’s current lineup, the new model will be based on an existing Ford product.
Speaking to Automotive News at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Ford America President Mark Fields revealed that Mercury will be launching a new small car in early 2011. Based on the recently unveiled 2012 Ford Focus, the Mercury derivative will begin production later this year.
No other details were offered on the Mercury-badged Focus, but expect the transformation to closely mirror that of the Ford Fusion-based Mercury Milan. Powertrains will likely carryover unchanged, but look for the Mercury version of the Focus to receive Mercury’s signature waterfall grille, slightly altered front and rear fascias and a bit more standard content. The Mercury-badged Focus will also carry a small premium over its Ford counterpart.
Although the decision to add the Focus to the Mercury lineup doesn’t make much sense on paper, it’s likely tied to Ford’s dealership structure. Lincoln-Mercury dealerships are often lumped together in stand-alone stores, giving those franchise owners at least one small car to populate showrooms.
