| Not like Toyota, Hyundai, Mitsubishi and | | | | interior is also significantly updated with |
| other well known automobile names, Mercury is | | | | higher quality materials and more refined |
| one of the silent brands in the market today. | | | | features. The engines remain the same but the |
| Mercury is a brand of the Ford Motor Company. | | | | 3.0L Duratec V6 has been modified to reduce |
| In 1939, Mercury was founded to market | | | | fuel consumption by 10%. |
| near-luxury cars slotted between entry-level | | | | |
| Ford and luxury Lincoln models, similar to | | | | The first 2008 Mercury Mariner was unveiled |
| General Motors' Buick (and former Oldsmobile) | | | | at the Florida International Auto Show on |
| brand and DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler brand. | | | | October 6, 2006 and was tagged as a new |
| Today, all Mercury models are based on Ford | | | | direction for the Mercury Brand. |
| platforms. | | | | |
| | | | The model began its sale in February 2007. |
| There are five current Mercury models in the | | | | |
| market. These are the Mercury Grand Marquis, | | | | The Mercury Milan is a front-wheel drive |
| Mercury Mariner, Mercury Milan, Mercury | | | | mid-size sedan based on the Ford CD3 |
| Monterey, and the Mercury Mountaineer. | | | | platform. The Milan is an innovated model of |
| | | | the Ford Fusion, while being slotted below |
| The Mercury Grand Marquis is a full-size | | | | the luxury-spec Lincoln MKZ (formerly the |
| rear-wheel drive sedan, which is manufactured | | | | Lincoln Zephyr) sedan. |
| at the St. Thomas Assembly Plant in Canada. | | | | |
| It was also built in St. Louis, Missouri | | | | As compared to Fusion, Milan features unique |
| until 1985. | | | | front and rear small yet essential designs, |
| | | | larger rear doors, LED taillight clusters, |
| It is Mercury's flagship sedan and is | | | | projector head lamps and fog lamps, modified |
| essentially a slightly more luxurious version | | | | suspension, and an upgraded interior. It |
| of the Ford Crown Victoria. It comes in five | | | | served as the bridge between the Mercury |
| main trim levels: GS (base model), GS | | | | Mystique in 2000 and the Mercury Sable in |
| Convenience, LS Premium, LS Ultimate and the | | | | 2005. Milan is available in four packaged |
| LSE. The trim level can be identified by the | | | | variants: Milan I4, Milan I4 Premier, Milan |
| fifth, sixth and seventh digits in the VIN. A | | | | V6, and Milan V6 Premier. Both the Milan and |
| Grand Marquis GS is represented by "M74", | | | | Fusion, along with the MKZ, are derivatives |
| while a Grand Marquis LS/LSE is represented | | | | of the Mazda 6 sedan, while only sharing 40% |
| by "M75". | | | | of its parts. |
| | | | |
| Despite rumors to the contrary, Ford has | | | | The Milan four cylinders come standard with a |
| announced that they will continue to produce | | | | five-speed manual. It is available with |
| the Grand Marquis through at least 2010. | | | | optional five-speed automatic. All 2007 V6 |
| | | | Milans are equipped with the new six-speed |
| The company does plan on redesigning it along | | | | automatic transmission. All-wheel drive (AWD) |
| with the Crown Victoria sometime in the | | | | was added as an available option for the 2007 |
| future, likely retiring the Panther platform | | | | model year, but only for the V6 equipped |
| altogether and moving them to the Ford D2C | | | | vehicles. Also, a DVD navigation system has |
| platform used by the Ford Mustang. While Ford | | | | been added as an option. |
| would likely replace the Crown Victoria name | | | | |
| with something along the lines of "Fairlane", | | | | A website depicts the Milan it has sold |
| the Grand Marquis name could remain. | | | | exactly 46,732 as of February 2007 since it |
| | | | went on sale in October 2005. |
| The Mercury Mariner compact SUV was | | | | |
| introduced in 2005. It is similar to the | | | | The Mercury Monterey is a full-size |
| Mazda Tribute and Ford Escape, although it is | | | | semi-luxury car introduced in 1950. It would |
| slightly more up market than the other two. | | | | later share the same body style with the |
| Its engine is identical to the Ford Escape. | | | | slightly more upscale Marquis, and the Park |
| It also includes stylistic differences, such | | | | Lane and Montclair. The Marquis-Monterey body |
| as a two-tone interior, European-style turn | | | | was, in turn, shared with that of the Ford |
| signal repeaters, monotone cladding, and the | | | | LTD, Ford Galaxie, and Ford Custom. In 2004, |
| signature Mercury "waterfall" front grille. | | | | Mercury resurrected the Monterey nameplate |
| The Mariner is Mercury's first car-based SUV, | | | | for a minivan. It was essentially a re-badged |
| and is slotted below the Mountaineer in the | | | | Ford Freestar with added features and |
| lineup. | | | | modified cosmetic features. |
| | | | |
| According to a website, since Mariner went on | | | | Finally, the Mercury Mountaineer is a luxury |
| sale in September 2004, it has sold exactly | | | | SUV. It shares many features with the Ford |
| 80,295 as of February 2007. | | | | Explorer, and in terms of hardware, the two |
| | | | are virtually identical. Externally, they are |
| For the 2008 model, the Mariner is | | | | styled somewhat differently, and the |
| significantly updated with a new look. The | | | | Mountaineer is positioned with a more |
| changes will include a new grille, | | | | enhanced interior. It was mildly redesigned |
| headlights, taillights, a new lift gate, a | | | | for the 2006 model year due to a new frame, |
| higher beltline, new doors and wheels. The | | | | but looks very similar to its previous model. |