DEARBORN, Michigan — Ford executives told U.S. dealers they will get a Mercury-badged companion to the 2012 Ford Focus.
According to a report in Automotive News, the new model — the first for the Mercury brand in several years — will be called Tracer, a nameplate last used in model-year 1999. The previous Tracer was a companion to the Ford Escort and was marketed as a compact sedan and wagon.
The Europe-designed 2012 Focus will be assembled at Ford's Wayne, Michigan, plant, and the Mercury variant is expected to come off the same line.
Inside Line says: Ford is also planning a battery-electric version of the new Focus but hasn't said if Mercury will also get a Tracer EV. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
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jscion says:
10:47 AM, 03/01/2010
I will never understand why American car companies insist on rebadging the same model across multiple brands. A niche luxury brand? PLEASE!!! Isn't that the purpose of Lincoln? Ford is the now the best of the big three and needs to stay that way by keeping its Ford, Lincoln, and Mazda lines exciting. Eliminate the excess!!!!!!
angry_mushroom says:
04:27 PM, 02/17/2010
@Cheerful
gotta agree on making Mercury a separate brand with a different mission from Ford, but I think Ford is going at it too late. Kinda like GM with the Pontiac brand.... Come to think of it... I would love to see a rebadged Ford Falcon as a larger Mercury Cougar or some thing like that. Too bad Pontiac is now gone.
wjtinatl says:
07:02 AM, 02/17/2010
I agree with cheerful_1, I'd like to see Ford take Merc in the sportier "personal luxury" direction and as more of a niche brand. A lux Mustang with different sheetmetal and a nicer interior would be a great start to resurrecting the Cougar brand. Or a coupe or even sport-wagon version of the Fusion/Milan with unique style, a high-quality interior and the EcoBoost V-6 would make a nice addition to the line. Finally, how about a "full-size" 4 seat convertible. Not sure if Ford has a platform in the line-up that would work (not the Grand Marquis/Panther, please!) but a high-style cruiser for us boomers who fondly remember the LeSabre and LTD convertibles of the 70's. Pricing would be key, but if the product is truly different and unique, it's not as important to be at the same price point with Ford, Chrysler and Buick. I don't see any value in a Focus with nicer trim, that will only cannibalize Focus sales. Please Mr. Mullaly, make Merc something different or put it out of it's misery!
calspecial68 says:
06:04 PM, 02/16/2010
Ha! And everyone thought Mercury was a dead goose hanging around Ford's neck (it still might be).
If they market and produce a sportier Mercury division (as cheerful_1 has said), then they definitely need to make a luxury-laden Mustang with a kinder suspension setup. The Cougar will return! Hooray!
They could make a two seat roadster/coupe (been rumored for a while now) to compete with the new E-Type from Jag. And from this car they could make another T-Bird for Ford a smaller price tag and a little less standard equip.
Oooooh!! And when they introduce the Ecoboost Fusion, they should make a sinister Merc sibling called.....the Marauder!!!
(obviously only a trim level though)
That would be so cool!
cheerful_1 says:
05:49 PM, 02/16/2010
I have to agree with the shroom, throwing money at Mercury as it is now it pretty much a waste until ford finally decides on a real direction for the division.
Personally I think Ford should try to push Mercury into a sportier realm. Ford is the basics, Lincon is the Lux, so why not? It's not like they've got anything to lose with Mercury at this point. In that vein, Mercury should get the 3 door to differentiate itself a bit from Ford and push for the sport element.
racinbilly says:
04:59 PM, 02/16/2010
It makes sense that the Tracer will be assembled as a EV/Hybrid model. I don't think Ford will want to have an EV Focus in their lineup when the hybrid Fusion sales are doing very well. Although MERC has their own hybrid Milan, the EV Tracer may get some consumers to consider Mercury again, even if Mercury is really basically a trim level for Ford models. JMO.
angry_mushroom says:
04:14 PM, 02/16/2010
Why? Seems to be throwing money into a pit of despair. Mercury really is nothing more than a re-badged Ford.