You've GOT to Take Mercury Off Your List: Sable RIP

The Detroit News reports that Ford’s wind-down of its Mercury brand continues apace (i.e., very slowly). Now that the mothership has eliminated its standalone Mercury franchises, they’re using the same process of attrition to grandfather the brand’s models to death. As of Thursday, Ford will no longer build the Mercury Sable. I know, it’s a crime, right? “Ford only sold 1,158 Sables last month, down 37.8 percent compared to April 2007.” Yup, the Sable’s another D-platform loser. “That will leave Mercury with just four models,” the DetN writes, displaying an uncanny knack for numeracy, “including the Mountaineer and Grand Marquis, both of which are scheduled to be killed over the next couple of years. Mercury is supposed to get a new small car, but Ford has no other models planned for the brand at this time.” At this time? Brrrr. Will someone please close that door? Hang on; what’s this?

As we reported in our most recent Ford sales blog, Mercury outsold Lincoln last month. The margin: 7,772 vehicles (Mercury) to 5,793 (Lincoln). And while the aforementioned 1,158 Mercury Sable sales suck, that’s only 50 fewer cars shifted than the Lincoln MKS. And check this: the Milan outsold EVERY Lincoln model made (or, you know, sitting in inventory), at 2,272 units.

Here’s the deal: Ford’s longstanding and lamentable inability to take Lincoln upmarket has left Lincoln-Mercury conjoined twins. Or, if you prefer, co-dependent cannibals. Without a leg to stand on. Starving to death. Given that the new MKT and MKS look set for failure at such lofty price points, one begins to wonder if Ford isn’t killing the wrong brand. In other words, life without Jill Wagner may not be worth living.