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Ford Confirms Mercury Small Car For 2011

 
14 6,442 views Feb 14, 2010
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2012 Ford Focus, at 2010 Detroit Auto Show

2012 Ford Focus, at 2010 Detroit Auto Show

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Last month we reported Ford CEO Alan Mulally was in full support of keeping Mercury alive and that the future of the mid-level premium brand would be in smaller cars and crossovers. Today we get confirmation that the first of Mercury’s future models is coming in 2011 and will be based on Ford’s new C-car architecture--the same platform underpinning the 2012 Ford Focus (pictured) and the U.S.-bound Ford C-MAX.

Ford is determined to spin-off 10 different models from its C-car architecture and filling out versions for Mercury--and possibly even Lincoln--would take the burden off Ford from launching all the models alone.

The information comes directly from Ford’s president of the Americas, Mark Fields, who revealed the plans during a meeting with dealers at the annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) convention in Orlando, Florida.

"The trend toward more fuel-efficient vehicles is very important, the trend toward (small) cars in general is coming back. We are responding to that," Fields explained.

The new car is expected to be called the Mercury Tracer and should be revealed for the first time at this December’s 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show, before going on sale in the following year. Some of the cars it will be competing with are the Chevrolet Cruze, Honda Civic and even Ford’s own Focus.

[ABC News]





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Comments (14)

  1. By  cheap r4 ds Posted: 1/31/2010 7:05pm PST

    I would say Mercury is the last thing that Ford needs to invest in, it needs to be killed sooner rather than later. Devote those resources to elevating Lincoln to world class status and to continually improve the Ford brand name. Mercury is the only thing that worries me about Ford at the moment...
     
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  2. By NoNameDenton Posted: 1/31/2010 7:12pm PST

    Can bring back the fwd Cougar on this platform.
     
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  3. By dan aka 64chevyman Posted: 2/1/2010 6:17am PST

    I own a Merc Mariner and I bought it "right" but read rave reviews as to its nice touches over the Ford Escape. Ive since seen how it slightly outclasses most Escapes and Mazda variants. On a side note once I replaced the front sway bar end links @30,000 miles, the thing ran straight and true! Is Merc relevant I think yes.
     
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  4. By gojira Posted: 2/1/2010 7:28am PST

    I still think Mercury's biggest problem is that it needs to be differentiated more from Ford & Lincoln.
     
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  5. By bepsf Posted: 2/1/2010 10:41am PST

    Oh Boy - A new Mercury Tracer for 2011!
     
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  6. fb_100000275684479 avatar Michael Escobar Posted: 2/2/2010 2:44pm PST

    Haha, bepsf, beat me to it! Or it could be a new "Cougar" or even Capri. Personally, I think Ford should kill Mercury sooner rather than later. If the economy stays where it is, I am sure Mulally will have a change of heart.
     
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  7. fb_100000275684479 avatar Michael Escobar Posted: 2/2/2010 3:04pm PST

    And don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of Mercury. The Mercury of the 1960s, not the current Mercury. The orignal Cougar was probably the most beautiful car of the muscle car era, and even the early '70s Cougar managed to retain its elegance, if not its sportiness. The point is, Mercury's time has come. It is more like Oldsmobile as opposed to Pontiac. Pontiac's end came too soon. Mercury is a brand like Oldsmobile was in 2004, a once great name in automotive history, that has/had been irrelevant for a long time.
     
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  8. By Tommy Boy Posted: 2/14/2010 9:07pm PST

    I have a Mountaineer and have been in the auto and finance profession for years. I think Mercury is still very relevant - and we have a BMW and an Audi in our household. Not a day's trouble with the Merc since new - and it looks and runs like the day we got it - almost 7 years ago. But guys, C'mon! "Tracer"? That's the best the marketing department can do? The name Tracer reminds me of the beat-up low end, never-maintained trade-ins we used to keep at the back of the lot. No other new names - or more historically satisfying old ones than "Tracer". Geez. The wrong guys (and gals) get to work at the car companies.... How about "XR7"? "Cougar"? Christ, even "Montclair" would be better! than "Tracer"!!!!
     
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  9. By Buckle Bear Posted: 2/15/2010 8:22am PST

    I have no problem with smaller cars, as long as they look good. So many of these small cars look like shit with 4 wheels attached to them. Make them look sporty, even if they don't have the engine to back it up. At least it will be something nice to look at on your driveway. How bout that Aveo and Yaris? I feel like I could crap a nicer looking object than those two pieces. Hell, I went over to my friend Ralph's place the other day and he was making salmon! Can you believe that? Salmon, of all things! I love salmon. So I told him to buy an Audi.
     
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  10. fb_756493434 avatar Brian Parker Posted: 2/15/2010 10:23am PST

    @TommyBoy--
    I agree - There are many better Mercury names out there for a small car:
    Comet
    Capri
    Caliente
    Cougar (Tho that would sound too much like the Ford Kuga CUV)
    Montclair is a great name - IMO, better for a Taurus derivative
    (MKS would be a great Mercury - it's not a great Lincoln)
     
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  11. By bepsf Posted: 2/16/2010 9:25am PST

    Ford - I was being sarcastic about the Tracer name!
    Choose something else!
     
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  12. By Saabaru5 Posted: 2/17/2010 8:23am PST

    -Buckle Bear, that was awesome! Random, but awesome!
    About Murcury, they better make sure they look much different than the Ford models, and are well styled, or they are just digging the grave that Murcury should have been in two decades ago.
     
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  13. By Saabaru5 Posted: 2/17/2010 8:26am PST

    Whoops! *MERCURY* (See how much I care about them? I can't even spell it!)
     
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  14. By JillWagnerFanboy Posted: 3/11/2010 10:48am PST

    I saw an old Tracer on the way to work this morning. That name means "slightly-less-cheap-than-pitiful-old-Escort". They should give it a brand new name that means "even-more-classy-than-yummy-new-Focus". I want to see Jill introducing the all-new 2012 Mercury Medallion.
     
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