Ford CEO Alan Mulally told talk-radio host Paul W. Smith that he had "nothing to add" to the discussion swirling about the automaker's Mercury brand, which is rumored to be killed off this year, MLive.com reported. After two unnamed executives spoke to Bloomberg News about a plan to wind down Mercury, plagued by middling sales and a lack of brand identity, by July, Ford has yet to confirm or deny if the 71-year-old brand is on the chopping block. "We continue to review all of our brands and all of our nameplates," Mulally told Smith Tuesday morning before changing the subject. In most dealerships, Mercury vehicles are sold alongside Lincolns, and killing the brand could hamper business at those lots. Ford is reportedly considering merging Lincoln dealerships with existing Ford dealerships. Mulally has reportedly been adamant about killing off Mercury since taking over as CEO in 2006. Global marketing director Elena Ford, great-granddaughter of Mercury's founder, Edsel Ford, has been one of the brand's biggest supporters.
Ford CEO on Mercury Shutdown Rumors: 'Nothing to Add'
More Industry
Used Autos Selling for More
A recent price spike due to several larger market forces, though it hasn’t dulled demand, is pushing more consumers to efficient models to squeeze in buys.
Read More →
Maryland Auto Group Sells
A group out West picked up the major D.C.-area collection, putting it in the upper tiers of private automotive groups in the U.S.
Read More →
Franchised Dealers Stand to Gain Service Business
Cox Automotive research shows both the opportunities and the challenges in turning consumers’ growing affordability needs into increased fixed-operations revenue.
Read More →
What Matters Most in Building Your Agency
The partner you choose for growth and expansion is key, because better is the ultimate goal instead of growth for growth’s sake.
Read More →
Service Drives Gen Z Loyalty
The dealership profit center plays an important role in customer retention, and generation Z customers are showing the highest loyalty rates, based on recent CDK Global data.
Read More →
Fake Auto Dealer Websites Frauding Consumers
The Point Predictive study traced a pattern across more than 100 websites it believes are being developed by an international theft ring.
Read More →
One of Earliest U.S. Auto Dealers Exits
The sale of two Minnesota franchises ends a rare multigenerational business while adding to one of the Midwest’s biggest auto groups.
Read More →
EV Sales Slide While Hybrids Climb
California, as usual, led the country in EV registrations in the fourth quarter, but the U.S. as a whole saw a 43% year-over-year volume decrease.
Read More →
New-Vehicle Sales Ride Tax Returns Wave
Forecasts show that the spring sales season is rising above overriding economic concerns, among them continuously rising car prices, trade tariffs, elevated interest rates, and now a war.
Read More →
2025 Dealership Buy-Sells a Record
The Kerrigan Index shows that despite a chaotic year of musical trade tariffs, high vehicle prices and more roadblocks, acquirers still flush with pandemic-era cash accelerated the consolidation pace.
Read More →