History of Mercury Brand

The Mercury brand was a brand created by the Ford Motor Company to compete with other brands between the very cheap Ford and the more expensive Lincoln. Here is a quick summary of its history, from when it started until now, according to Classics & Beyond Auto Gallery in Wayne, Michigan.

Birth of the Mercury

The Mercury car company was named after the Roman god Mercury. He was the messenger of the gods and represented speed, skill, dependability, and eloquence. The first Mercury car was made in 1939. It had a V-8 engine and cost $916. Over 65,000 were sold that year.

After a production halt for WWII, the brand merged with Lincoln. One notable collectible model from this era is the 1946 Sportsman woody convertible. Only 206 were made. They also made a two-door woody station wagon which is less rare but still beloved by collectors.

A Hot-Rod Icon

In 1949, Mercury came out with a fresh, sleek look for their cars. This became very popular and is still remembered today. One example of this style is the James Dean movie '49 Mercury Series 9CM from 1955. Another popular model from that time was the coupe, which people often customized by lowering the suspension and roof to make it sleeker.

In the 1950s, Mercury became the first company to make a car with a fixed Plexiglas moonroof. This coincided with new and modern styling that made cars look wider, longer, and lower.

Cars from this era also looked a lot straighter. The 1960s were a time when performance was important in the American automotive industry. Mercury responded by making cars like the S-55 and Marauder which did well in races.

The Capable Comet

In 1960, the Comet was introduced. It was from the Edsel division, but it became successful. It was America's first mid sized car. In 1963, it played a role in combating some quality issues which dogged the Mercury label. For 24 hours a day, five redesigned 1964 Comets did laps, covering 100,000 miles each in 42 days.

 Four vehicles completed the stunt, with an average speed of 105 mph, including fuel stops, driver changes, and maintenance. This remarkable feat increased the sale of 1964 Comets significantly.

The Mercury Cougar was a popular luxury car that was introduced in 1967. It couldn't beat the success of the Ford Mustang, but it still had some fans. The Grand Marquis, Mercury's best-selling car, was introduced in the 1970s. In 1978, Mercury sold 580,000 cars.

The Mercury brand of cars stopped being made in 2011. That was the last year that a car from that brand was made. People who liked Mercury cars still like them today. If you are one of those people, please look through our online inventory and contact us if you have any questions. We are located in Wayne, Michigan.