Ford Motor Co. is preparing to wind down the Mercury line, created in 1939 by Edsel Ford, after sales plunged 74 percent since 2000, said two people familiar with the plan.


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The automaker's top executives are preparing a proposal to kill Mercury to be presented to directors in July, said the people, who asked not to be indentified revealing internal discussions. Mercury, losing two of four models next year, will be starved of products and promotion, the people said. CEO Alan Mulally emphasized the automaker's namesake brand as he revived the only major U.S. automaker to avoid bankruptcy. The timing of Mercury's demise depends on how fast executives can persuade the brand's dealers, who also sell Lincoln models, to close or merge with Ford showrooms, they said. "Mercury is a forgotten brand," said John Wolkonowicz, an auto analyst with IHS Global Insight. "Many Americans probably already think it has been discontinued. Mercury was too similar to Ford from the very beginning."

Source: Ford preparing to wind down Mercury? [Poll]

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