| It is sad that the list of car names is shrinking faster | | | | year by Chrysler's discontinuance of the DeSoto. |
| than the auto makers can close dealerships. Ford | | | | Following this the US car market went through a |
| Motor Company announced the 71-year old Mercury | | | | period of adjustment during which GM capturing the |
| brand was about to be dropped from its lineup. This | | | | lion's share of the business. |
| was not a surprise to many market analysts, but for | | | | However, as gas prices rose and foreign cars offered |
| consumers it means one less choice for those | | | | functional economy, competition entered from both |
| interested in buying an American car. | | | | coasts. European luxury cars started to take market |
| The history of the Mercury can be traced back to | | | | share, too. When gas became less of a factor, many |
| 1939, when it was introduced as the step up from Ford | | | | US buyers balked at the over-sized cars the "big |
| but not pricey like Lincoln. In the beginning, a Mercury | | | | three" car makers were offering. This opened the |
| looked pretty much like a Ford; however it had | | | | door for off-shore manufacturers, particularly the |
| features that made it competitive to mid-priced | | | | Japanese. With the exception of the SUVs, the US |
| General Motors cars. The war stopped all auto | | | | lagged behind foreign producers in consumer accepted |
| production until 1946. The post-war cars were pre-war | | | | innovation for many years. |
| models with some cosmetic changes. Soon after that | | | | Now auto makers worldwide are in trouble. Two of |
| bold new designs and more powerful engines became | | | | Detroit's own had to be bailed out by the government. |
| the vogue. | | | | This resulted in GM, which had already discontinued |
| Mercury built a bigger car, one that could compete | | | | Oldsmobile, dropping Pontiac and Saturn from its lineup |
| favorably with GM's Oldsmobile, Pontiac and even | | | | along with Saab leaving Hummer on the chopping |
| Buick, as well as Chrysler's Dodge and DeSoto. The | | | | block. Chrysler had stopped making Plymouth earlier |
| era of car featuring big fins, tri-colors, chrome and low | | | | this decade. Ford, which has not taken government |
| gas mileage was in, and American's were buying most | | | | funds, has also sold off Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo. |
| anything Detroit rolled into dealer showrooms. During | | | | There is talk that Lincoln will try to survive by hooking |
| this time lesser brands, such as Studebaker, Hudson | | | | up with Ford dealers; a move that will close dealerships |
| and Kaiser, fell from the seen. And, sportier cars like | | | | nationwide. |
| the Chevy Corvette and the Ford Thunderbird were | | | | In spite of these issues, Ford is the healthiest US car |
| developed with great success. | | | | company. For American consumers, the passing |
| In the later part of the 50's, Ford Motors introduced the | | | | Mercury marks the loss of yet another proud |
| Edsel at the price level between Mercury and Lincoln. | | | | automotive brand. With this in mind, is comforting to |
| Due to lack of consumer appeal, the Edsel suffered a | | | | know that there still could be a Ford in your future? |
| horrible and swift death. This was followed the next | | | | |