Founded by Edsel Ford to bridge the gap between the working-class Ford and the aristocratic Lincoln, Mercury was the style leader for the aspiring middle class. From the muscle car icon Cougar to the sinister Marauder, Mercury offered distinct American luxury and V8 power before its curtain call in 2011.
Explore the current production vehicles.
The quintessential 'gentleman's muscle car.' The Cougar was the sophisticated, more luxurious cousin to the Mustang, offering a unique blend of European-inspired style and American V8 power. A true icon of the pony car era and beyond.
The last of the great American land yachts. The Grand Marquis was the undisputed king of the traditional, body-on-frame V8 sedan, renowned for its incredible comfort, spaciousness, and legendary durability. The final chapter in a classic era.
The legendary, blacked-out muscle sedan that nobody saw coming. A true 'sleeper,' the Marauder was a Grand Marquis infused with the heart of a Mustang Mach 1, creating a menacing, full-size, rear-wheel-drive performance icon. A modern classic.
The stylish and futuristic sibling to the revolutionary Ford Taurus. The original Sable was a design icon with its signature front 'light bar,' offering a more premium and sophisticated take on the modern American family sedan.
The premium and luxurious version of the best-selling Ford Explorer. The Mountaineer was a pioneer in the mid-size luxury SUV segment, offering a more refined design, a smoother ride, and a host of upscale features for discerning families.
The sharp-suited and sophisticated mid-size sedan. The Milan was the stylish, more upscale sibling to the excellent Ford Fusion, offering a handsome design, available all-wheel drive, and an efficient hybrid model for the discerning buyer.
The compact SUV that blended everyday utility with a touch of Mercury's signature style. The Mariner offered a more premium and comfortable version of the popular Ford Escape, complete with a distinctive satin-aluminum grille and upscale interior trim.
The sophisticated and stylish minivan for a new generation. A joint venture with Nissan, the Villager offered a more car-like driving experience and a host of clever, family-friendly features, making it a popular and refined alternative in the segment.
The versatile compact that evolved into a true muscle machine. While it started as a sensible compact, the Comet, especially in its Cyclone and GT forms, became a feared street performer, packing big-block V8 power into a lightweight and aggressive package.
The pinnacle of 1950s and 60s 'Big M' style. These full-size flagships were rolling sculptures of chrome and jet-age design, from the Breezeway retractable rear window to their powerful Marauder V8 engines. The ultimate expression of post-war optimism.
A nameplate of two distinct personalities. The Fox-body Capri was the aggressive, bubble-back twin to the Ford Mustang, a true muscle car of the 80s. The 90s version was a fun-loving, Australian-built 2+2 convertible for sunny-day cruising.
The American compact with a European soul. The Mystique, a sibling to the 'world car' Ford Contour, was praised by critics for its sharp, athletic handling and sophisticated chassis, offering a more engaging drive than its domestic competitors.
The slightly more stylish and upscale sibling to the infamous Ford Pinto. The Bobcat offered a more formal grille and upgraded interior appointments, aiming to bring a touch of Mercury's premium feel to the subcompact market of the 1970s.
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In the vast hierarchy of the Ford Motor Company, Mercury occupied a difficult but vital spot. Founded in 1938 by Edsel Ford (Henry Fordâs son), it was designed for the American who had outgrown his Ford but wasn't quite ready to announce he was rich enough for a Lincoln. For over 70 years, Mercury provided a blend of performance and sophistication that defined "aspirational luxury."
While critics often called them "fancy Fords," enthusiasts knew better. Mercury often got the better engines, the better sound insulation, and undeniably, the better styling. It was the brand of James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause (a 1949 Mercury Coupe). It was the brand of cool.
The Ford Mustang started the pony car revolution, but the Mercury Cougar refined it. Launched in 1967, the Cougar was slightly longer, slightly more comfortable, and significantly more stylish than its Ford brother.
It featured one of the coolest design elements of the 1960s: hidden headlights that gave the front grille a menacing, continuous look. And letâs not forget the sequential turn signals in the rear taillightsâa feature so distinct that modern Mustangs have copied it today.
If you want a car that will survive the apocalypse, get a Mercury Grand Marquis. Built on the legendary "Panther Platform" (shared with the Ford Crown Victoria and Lincoln Town Car), this was the last true American land yacht.
It was body-on-frame. It had a solid rear axle. It had a lazy, unkillable 4.6L V8 engine. It floated down the highway like a cloud. While the rest of the world moved to unibody front-wheel-drive cars, the Grand Marquis kept the old-school flame alive. It is arguably the most comfortable vehicle you can buy for under $5,000 today.
In 2003, Mercury decided to go out with a bang. They took the boring Grand Marquis, painted it black (almost exclusively), raided the Ford Mustang Cobra parts bin, and created the Marauder.
The Marauder is a cult classic. It looks like a cop car that turned to the dark side.
It was a heavy, four-door sedan that screamed. It was Mercuryâs final love letter to the muscle car era, proving that a "grandpa car" could still burn rubber.
By 2010, the "middle ground" had disappeared. Customers either bought the cheaper Ford Fusion or the luxurious Lincoln MKZ. Mercury lost its identity. The brand was discontinued in 2011 as part of Fordâs restructuring. But the cars remain.
Mercury offers some of the best values in the classic car market. A Cougar gives you Mustang performance with more rarity and style. A Marauder is a legitimate collector's item that is still affordable. Mercury proves that being the "middle child" didn't mean being average; it meant having the best of both worlds.
Mercury was discontinued in 2011 as part of Ford Motor Company's "One Ford" restructuring plan. As the quality and features of standard Ford models improved, the gap between Ford and the luxury Lincoln brand narrowed.
Mercury, which sat in the middle (similar to Buick or Oldsmobile), lost its unique identity and sales volume. Ford decided to focus resources on revitalizing the Lincoln brand instead.
The Grand Marquis is widely considered one of the most reliable vehicles ever built. It is built on the legendary Panther Platform, shared with the Ford Crown Victoria and Lincoln Town Car.
With its body-on-frame construction and the bulletproof 4.6L Modular V8 engine, these cars can easily surpass 300,000 miles with basic maintenance. They are prized for their durability and comfortable "living room on wheels" ride quality.
The Mercury Marauder (specifically the 2003-2004 revival) is a rare, high-performance sedan that has become a collector's item.
It looks like a Grand Marquis but features a blackout look and the high-output DOHC 4.6L V8 engine (shared with the Mustang Mach 1). It offered significant suspension upgrades and high-performance handling, serving as a modern interpretation of the 1960s muscle car philosophy.
Generally, no. Because Mercury was a division of Ford, the vast majority of mechanical parts (engines, transmissions, brakes, suspension) are identical to high-volume Ford models.
For example, a Mercury Mountaineer uses the same parts as a Ford Explorer, and a Mercury Sable is mechanically a Ford Taurus. However, specific cosmetic parts (like grilles, tail lights, or emblems) specific to Mercury are becoming harder to find as supplies dry up.
Historically, yes. The first-generation Mercury Cougar (1967) was the "gentleman's Mustang." It shared the Mustang chassis but had a longer wheelbase, hidden headlights, and a more luxurious interior.
However, over the decades, the Cougar evolved into a personal luxury car (Thunderbird sibling) and finally into a Front-Wheel Drive sport compact (1999-2002), moving away from its pony car roots.
The Mountaineer was Mercury's version of the Ford Explorer. The main differences were cosmetic and feature-based.
The Mountaineer typically featured a "waterfall" grille, different tail lights, and a more upscale interior with standard wood-grain trim and leather options. It was positioned to compete with premium SUVs like the Jeep Grand Cherokee or Buick Rainier.
Yes, but they are very rare in the United States. The Mercury M-Series trucks were sold primarily in Canada from 1946 to 1968.
These were essentially rebadged Ford F-Series trucks with unique grilles and trim. Because many rural Canadian towns had a Mercury dealer but not a Ford dealer, the M-Series allowed the company to sell trucks in those regions.
The Mercury Capri nameplate was used on three very different cars:
The "Light Bar" grille was the signature design feature of the first-generation Mercury Sable (1986). It was a futuristic, illuminated panel that replaced the traditional grille.
This design, along with its aerodynamic shape, was revolutionary in the 1980s. While the Ford Taurus looked modern, the Sable looked like a spaceship, helping to redefine American automotive design and move away from the "boxy" cars of the 70s.
The final vehicle produced for the retail market was a Mercury Mariner. However, the very last Mercury to roll off the assembly line (in January 2011) was a white Grand Marquis.
This signaled the end of over 70 years of history. That final "Grand Ma" was sold to a fleet customer, marking a quiet end to a brand that once symbolized middle-class success.