Free Republic

Mercury could soon be the latest Detroit car brand to disappear. Ford Motor Co. is assessing the future of Mercury, although a final decision on whether to kill the brand hasn't yet been made, a person familiar with the company's deliberations said Thursday. The person asked not to be named because the process is ongoing. During a trip to Washington to meet with lawmakers, Ford CEO Alan Mulally declined to discuss Mercury, saying the company has nothing new to announce. He added that Ford is continually reviewing all its brands. Several Lincoln-Mercury dealers contacted Thursday evening said they hadn't heard...

The last Ford Crown Victoria rolled off a Canadian assembly line Thursday, marking the end of the big, heavy Ford cars that have been popular with taxi fleets and police departments for decades. Since 1979, almost 10 million Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Cars — so-called Panther Platform vehicles — have been sold. Demand for better fuel economy and performance has choked off sales over the years. The Crown Victoria and Town Car get just 24 miles per gallon on the highway, a figure matched by some large three-row SUVs today. … The Crown Victoria and its...