Mercury Sable
Mercury: What's the Point?
By : Charles Krome
Date : 07/28/2009
One of the acknowledged memes that grew out of the Motor City Meltdown is that Ford is ahead of the game now only because the company happened to run out of money before General Motors and Chrysler did — and before the credit market collapsed. As a result, Ford was able to raise its billions without going to the government, then also got a head start at putting that money to work. But otherwise, the company's still on the same track as the other two.
However, there does remain at least one interesting area in which Ford and the GM/Chrysler have parted company, and that has to do with its divisions. Chrysler, as you may recall, lopped off Plymouth back in 2001, and GM buried Oldsmobile in '04. And that was before leaving behind its four non-core brands — Pontiac, Saturn, HUMMER and Saab — as part of the bankruptcy process.
On the other hand, the Blue Oval, despite ongoing rumors to the contrary, has stubbornly held on to both Lincoln and Mercury. Lincoln I can understand. In theory, it offers the same kind of upscale alternative to Ford that Lexus does to Toyota and Infiniti to Nissan.
But then there's Mercury. Much like the element with which it shares a name, Mercury is a slippery bit of business. It used to be kind of the Buick of the Ford lineup, positioned higher than the company's mainstream brand but lower than its top-of-the-line division. But while GM has at least been able to provide Buick with some nice sheet metal to differentiate it from Chevrolet and Cadillac, Ford has been unable to do the trick with Mercury.
Its current stable of vehicles includes the Mercury Milan (see Ford Fusion/Lincoln MKZ), Mercury Mariner (see the Ford Escape), Mercury Sable (see Ford Taurus), Mercury Mountaineer (see Ford Explorer/Lincoln Navigator), and Mercury Grand Marquis (see Lincoln Town Car). It's already been announced that its game over for the Sable, and now Ford is saying it also will soon drop the Mountaineer and, unsurprisingly, the Grand Marquis.
On the plus side of the ledger, Mercury is apparently slated to get its version of the upcoming global Focus, along with a new, smaller Mariner, likely based on the architecture beneath the European Kuga crossover. And that plus the Milan makes three. Which, coincidentally, is about the number of Mercury vehicles Ford sold in June.
Nah, just kidding. Mercury tallied 7,332 sales last month and about 44,000 through the first half of 2009, with both number being off about 38 percent compared to last year. I know that's more than Lincoln sells, but Ford's luxury division continues to show both signs of life and signs of Ford investment, witness the MKS and the MKT. Mercury, as mentioned above, gets a knock-off Ford Focus — and I can't see even that doing much for the Blue Oval's return on investment.
Of course, the solution here is obvious. As long as Ford is committed to Mercury, the company might as well prop it up with a halo car of some sort. Perhaps, a sporty little RWD coupe called, let's see, how about the Cougar?
After all, Ford has a pretty nice rear-wheel-drive platform beneath the new Mustang, and it's not being used anywhere else at this time. A new Cougar would both reinvigorate Mercury and spread some of the Mustang development costs around. That might not make much sense from a fuel-efficiency standpoint, but if we stick to making sense, there's probably not much reason for Mercury to continue existing in the first place.
New Car Rebates and Incentives - June 4, 2009
By : Benjamin Hunting
Date : 06/04/2009
Click here for all new car rebates & incentives.
2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
0.0% Interest or $2,500 Cash Back
The 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac is a vehicle designed to act as a compromise for those who are looking for the utility of a mid-size pickup truck but who also require the passenger space and flexibility of an SUV. The Sport Track takes the standard Explorer sport-utility platform and grafts on 4.5 foot open cargo bed. The vehicle can seat up to 5 passengers, and the base Explorer Sport Trac is outfitted with air conditioning, cloth seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control and a full range of power equipment and accessories.
There are two engines available in the 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The entry-level truck features a 4.0 liter V6 that produces 210 horsepower and 254 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy for this engine is rated at 13 miles per gallon in the city and 19 miles per gallon on the highway. A 4.6 liter V8 engine is also on tap, and it pushes power up to 292 horses and 300 lb-ft of torque. Fuel mileage for the larger motor is identical to that of the V6, which comes with a 5-speed automatic transmission while the 8-cylinder is matched to a 6-speed auto. Two-wheel, four-wheel and even all-wheel drive editions of the Sport Trac can be ordered.
There is a financing incentive of 0.0% interest or $2,500 cash back on the 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac effective until 06/15/2009.
2009 Lincoln MKX
0.9% Interest and $1,000 Cash Back or $1,500 Cash Back
The 2009 Lincoln MKX continues Lincoln’s plan to move into a new era of design and relevance thanks to an overall improved product lineup. This interestingly-styled crossover SUV manages to combine classic Lincoln design cues with the kind of futuristic appearance that is needed to compete with offerings from Cadillac. Based on the same platform as the Ford Edge, the MKX takes things decidedly upscale with the inclusion of features such as heated front and rear leather seats, rear parking assist, and a 14 speaker sound system that makes use of not one but two subwoofers. The MKX is also a functional vehicle, with a towing package available for buyers who mean to put it to work.
In addition to providing 68 cubic feet of total cargo space, the 2009 Lincoln MKX includes a 3.5 liter V6 engine that is good for 265 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque. A 6-speed automatic transmission is the only gearbox choice, but the MKX can be ordered in either front-wheel or all-wheel drive trim. The crossover SUV’s fuel economy numbers come in at 17 miles per gallon in the city and 24 miles per gallon during highway cruising for the two-wheel drive edition.
There is a financing incentive of 0.9% interest and $1,000 cash back or $1,500 cash back on the 2009 Lincoln MKX effective until 06/30/2009.
2009 Mazda Mazda6
0.0% Interest or $1,000 Cash Back
Completely new inside and out for the current model year, the 2009 Mazda Mazda6 is the automaker’s flagship four-door sedan. Bearing a more windswept look than the previous model, the Mazda6 manages to look both sporty and practical at the same time. The larger interior of the new sedan is comfortable enough for four adults on long trips, although five will fit in a pinch, and the trunk can hold an impressive 16.6 cubic feet of cargo. All editions of the Mazda6 come with air conditioning, power windows and door locks, and a folding rear seat, while buyers who crave more comfort can upgrade to leather hides, heated seats, rain-sensing windshield wipers and HID headlights.
The 2009 Mazda Mazda6 features 4 and 6-cylinder engine options. First up is a 2.5 liter, 4-cylinder unit that generates a peppy 170 horsepower and 167 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy for this motor shows as 20 miles per gallon in the city and 29 miles per gallon on the highway. The vehicle’s 3.7 liter V6 motor cranks out a much stouter 272 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque, and drops fuel mileage to 17 miles per gallon in stop and go traffic and 25 miles per gallon on the highway. The 4-cylinder can be ordered with a 5-speed auto or manual transmission, while the V6 can only be had with a 6-speed automatic.
There is a financing incentive of 0.0% interest or $1,000 cash back on the 2009 Mazda Mazda6 effective until 06/30/2009.
2009 Mercury Sable
0.9% Interest or $1,500 Cash Back
The 2009 Mercury Sable is one of the best-built domestic family sedans on the market. Fresh from a substantial redesign that occurred in 2008, the Sable makes use of an excellent platform shared with both the Ford Taurus and the Volvo S80 luxury sedan. The vehicle is roomy and the suspension compliant and it can be equipped with a host of convenience features such as the Microsoft SYNC entertainment and communications system, voice-activated navigation, heated leather seats and dual automatic climate controls.
Buyers of the 2009 Mercury Sable won’t be overwhelmed with engine choices. The only option remains a 3.5 liter V6 engine that is good for both 263 horsepower and 249 lb-ft of torque. There is however the chance to order the Sable in either front-wheel or all-wheel drive, which is quite helpful to those drivers trapped in the snow belt. A 6-speed automatic transmission is standard equipment, and fuel economy for the front-wheel drive version of the Sable is rated at 18 miles per gallon in the city and 28 miles per gallon on the highway.
There is a financing incentive of 0.9% interest or $1,500 cash back on the 2009 Mercury Sable effective until 06/30/2009.
2008 Kia Rondo
0.0% Interest and $1,000 Cash Back or $4,000 Cash Back
Not everyone who needs to haul a big load of passengers is interested in purchasing a full-size minivan, and for this demographic the 2008 Kia Rondo does a good job of picking up the slack. Capable of accommodating up to 7 occupants, the Rondo features a short wheelbase that doesn’t compromise leg or headroom but does make the vehicle more of a pleasure to drive than the heavier vans it competes against. The entry-level Rondo comes with air conditioning, cruise control and a full load of power equipment, although some of these features can be deleted for even more cost savings. Heated front seats, front and rear spoilers and side skirts can be added to the Rondo to give it a sportier look and feel.
The 2009 Kia Rondo comes with a 162 horsepower, 2.4 liter 4-cylinder as its base engine. Capable of producing 164 lb-ft of torque, the unit turns in fuel economy of 20 miles per gallon in the city and 27 miles per gallon on the highway. Drivers can upgrade to a 2.7 liter V6 that provides 185 horsepower and 182 lb-ft of torque, along with very similar fuel mileage. A 4-speed automatic transmission is mated to the smaller engine, while the top of the line Rondo sees the addition of a 5-speed automatic.
There is a financing incentive of 0.0% interest and $1,000 cash back or $4,000 cash back on the 2008 Kia Rondo effective until 06/30/2009.
Recent Articles
The Best Cheap But Luxurious Family Sedans of 2009Over-the-top styling...
03/03/2009