No that Ford has announced that the Mercury brand will go gently into that good night, it’s time to reflect on their 72-year history. As we discussed last week, when the company’s demise had yet to be set in stone, many of Mercury’s product has, over the years, been not much more than re-badged Fords. But that’s not to say the upscale brand didn’t improve on the styling from time to time. But which of them stood out as the best looking?
Mercury’s debut took place on November 5, 1938, and that car shared the transverse leaf spring suspension with its Ford brethren. Its body was unique, however, and Ford bored out the flathead V8 from 221 to 239.4 cubic inches for an improvement of 10 horsepower.
Henry Ford never wanted anything to do with Mercury, and left it to his son, Edsel to make the brand viable. Over the years he did just that, creating a worthy competitor to the Buicks, DeSotos and Hudsons of the day.
Mercury also carved out a small niche in performance cars helped by the 1949 chart almost-topper Mercury Blues. But even before then, the styling of Mercury cars had been equated to airplanes and Ford always gave Mercury the biggest motors they had.
In the early sixties, the Monterey introduced the reverse cant back glass with “Breezeway” lowering center portion. Around that same time, the hot Marauder fastback was introduced. Adding to Their performance cred, the Cougar leapt into the market with claws bared in 1967. The seventies and eighties showed the beginnings of Ford’s consternation over what to do with the mid-level brand. The European Capri and DeTomaso Pantera brought new customers to Mercury’s dealers, and in the ’80s for tried to even sub-brand their sub-brand with introduction of the funky Merkur cars. It didn’t take however when their mid-western dealers failed in pronouncing the new brand’s name.
Since the Euro-looking Cougar of the ’90s, Mercury hasn’t had a bespoke model they can tout to be their own. Despite that, some of their products – notably the Mountaineer -are arguably better looking than their Ford progenitors. But out of all the years, and all the models, which Mercury car do you think captured that lightning in a bottle the best? What car was the best looking Mercury of all time? And as there’ll be no future contenders, your choice really will be of all time.
Image sources: [Future Classics, Muscle Car Club]
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