Ford kills off pointless Mercury brand

Ford’s overcrowded stable of brands just got smaller, with an announcement that the Mercury brand will be killed off by the end of 2010. The signs were already there, considering how there is almost zero advertising for Mercury in this region, and that we’ve never driven one.

The rather pointless Mercury brand was started in 1939 as a slightly more upscale division when compared to Ford, but still below Lincoln. After decades of churning out rebadged Ford models which are barely any different from their Ford counterparts, the parent company will be shuttering the brand in favour of Lincoln. Lincoln already lost its premium positioning years ago, and its current range is already nothing more than a bunch of reskinned upscale Ford models. With the demise of Mercury, Lincoln is said to be benefiting from a larger model range in the near future.

For a look at the dead-man-walking brand’s current range, check out the Mercury buyer guide.