Source: Ford Motor Co.
Edsel Ford believed there was a golden marketing opportunity to produce a line of vehicle that would fill the price gap between Ford and Lincoln. The vehicles would be large, stylish and modern, yet still economical.
Edsel originally had many ideas about what to name his new vehicle line. After much deliberation, he chose the Romain god, Mercury -- the fleet-footed winged messenger and god of commerce who symbolized dependability, eloquence, speed and skill.
Bob Gregorie, Ford's first design chief, worked closely with Edsel to develop the first Mercury, the Mercury Eight. Its 95-horsepower engine offered 10 more horsepower than the Ford V-8, making it a robust performer. Design-wise, the Mercury Eight was considered to be among the most aerodynamic cars of its era. It was one of the first Ford production cars designed using a full-scale clay model. Dubbed The Super Ford, the Mercury Eight boasted the industry's first two-spoke steering wheel. In 1939, production reached more than 17,000 vehicles.
By 1941, more than 98,000 new Mercurys were built to meet a staggering demand, for a total of 155,000 vehicles sold since the introduction of the Mercury Eight. From 1942 to 1945, Mercury halted most of its production due to World War II.
After the war, Henry Ford completely separated Mercury from Ford and established Lincoln Mercury. For the first time, Mercury had its own vehicles. Because of the war, Mercury's 1946 models were slightly modified 1942 models. 1947 saw production increase to more than 86,000 vehicles. On April 29, 1948, Lincoln Mercury introduced the first all-new portwar Mercury vehicles.
1950 was Mercury's highest production year to date with 344,081 vehicles built. In August of 1950, Mercury sold its one-millionth car. Mercury was now truly earning a reputation for performance and innovation.
In 1951, the first automatic transmission - the Merc-O-Matic - was added to all models. Other stylish appointments followed, including "frenched" (fitted flush with sheet metal surround or behind grille) headlights, airfoil bumpers, monopane windshields, jet-scoop hoods, aircraft-style instrumentation and hideaway gas caps.
In 1955, James Dean drove a customized 1949 Mercury in the movie "Rebel Without A Cause." The '50's closed out with the "Big M" dominating the racetrack and the sales charts.
In 1960, Mercury introduced the Comet and Meteor lines. The Comet was a luxury compact and the Meteor was a downsized full-sized vehicle that reflected a trend toward smaller cars. The Comet made a big splash at the 1963 Daytona International Speedway Durability Run. Over the 40-day race, a fleet of Mercury Comet Calientes covered 100,000 miles at speeds averaging more than 105 mph. As a result, sales went through the roof.
In 1967, the Cougar was introduced and became an icon with muscle-car enthusiasts, winning Motor Trend's "Car of the Year" Award.
The oil crisis of the 70's sent gas prices skyrocketing - which had consumers looking to buy smaller cars with better fuel efficiency. Mercury responded by adding the European-built 1971 Mercury Capri. Another addition was the Bobcat.
The late 70's brought about a completely redesigned Cougar XR-7. From 1977-1979, Cougar experienced a great increase in sales, the most impressive being in 1978 when sales reached 213,270 units. Overall, sales continued to climb. Mercury sold more than 621,152 units and earned a 6.75 percent market share.
In the 80's, Mercury tried to capture a wider audience with a range of vehicles that included the Capri, Cougar, Lynx and the Grand Marquis. The biggest success came in 1986 with the launch of the Mercury Sable. The car featured a radical aerodynamic design that reduced drag to increase fuel efficiency. This involved long-term planning of a kind never before seen in the auto industry. In the process, Ford engineers tore apart hundred of competitors' cars, a process called "reverse engineering."
The early part of the 90's brought about the introduction of the all-new minivan, the Mercury Villager. Customers loved its spacious interior, exceptional car-like ride and upscale amenities. In 1997, Mercury introduced its first SUV, the Mountaineer. This vehicle achieved great success in attracting young buyers to the market.
Mercury continued to turn heads with its all-new 1999 Cougar. It offered new-edge styling that contrasted smooth aerodynamics with crisply intersecting surfaces, and was a big success.
The future of Mercury came to light with the revamped 2002 Mountaineer. America's favorite muscle sedan returned in 2003 as Mercury introduced the 300-hp Marauder. In the fall of 2004, Mercury introduced the all-new Mariner and Montego -- marking a bold new era in technological excellence. With such features as unsurpassed interior space, available all-wheel drive and a Continuous Variable Transmission, Mercury Montego was greeted with critical acclaim. Mariner fared equally well, offering the public available Intelligent four-wheel drive, side-curtain and front-seat side-impact airbags and a 200-hp V-6, among other amenities. For 2006, Mercury is opening new doors.
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