Jalopnik: Mercury

Watch a Mercury Grand Marquis go on a trackday

Raphael Orlove — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:00:00 EST

The death of the Ford Crown Victoria was one of the most important car stories of 2011, and we choose to remember the 32-year-old Panther platform with this video of the Ford's sister car, the Mercury Grand Marquis, taking to the track. More »

Proof used car dealerships were a lot more interesting in 1962

Tom Joslin — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST

They may have just been used cars back in 1962, but the lineup in front of Lancaster Lincoln Mercury has certainly aged well. Given the opportunity, the chances of us leaving Lancaster Lincoln Mercury without at least the red '58 Desoto and the '57 Plymouth wagon shown here would have been slim to none. More »

For $2,800, what’s your sign?

graverobber — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Scorpio is the eighth sign of the Zodiac and is also considered to be one of the water signs. Today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe Merkur Scorpio rocks a V8, but does its price mean the seller is all wet? More »

1971 Mercury Montego reminds us "they don't make cars like they used to"

Tom Joslin — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Who says they don't make cars like they used to? Certainly not this serious Mercury spokesman. According to this vintage ad 1959's best selling six passenger car (it's a Ford) and the 1971 Mercury Montego were around the same size and the same price. More »

Topless Mercury Marauder concept car on Ebay

Tom Joslin — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EDT

Although it is possible there are two nearly identical custom two door full size Mercurys in the world, it seems a lot more likely this topless Marauder is the same car shown by Ford at the Chicago Auto Show in 2002. There are no details whatsoever included in the Ebay listing for the car you see here, but this custom Marauder appears to be in nearly the same condition as the car shown in 2002. More »

For $8,000, riding the storm out

graverobber — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EDT

While Hurricane Irene has brought a world of hurt to the eastern seaboard this past weekend, not all storms are as disastrous nor expensive. Today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe contender is a Cyclone named Cale, and while it's more NASCAR than FEMA, will its price rain on your parade? More »

Buy this "Bugatti Veyron" for $89,000

Mike Spinelli — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 15:30:00 EDT

Replica builders are an odd breed — as dedicated to their craft as those guys who once built ships in bottles. A Florida man built this "Bugatti Veyron" from a Mercury Cougar, and it can be yours for $89,000. More »

Days may be numbered for old American cars in Cuba

Tom Joslin — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Authorities in Cuba have proposed laws that could mean an end for many of the classic American cars that are still in use in the country. Under current Cuban law, cars registered after the 1959 revolution cannot be bought or sold. As a result Cubans have used a mixture of ingenuity and backyard engineering to keep the fleet of pre-1959 American cars on the island running. More »

For $9,495, get the Mercury black and blues

graverobber — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EDT

During WWII, the B-26 Marauder gained the reputation as a Widowmaker due to its high-speed landing demands. Today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe Mercury Marauder should be less unsettling to one's spouse, but is its price too demanding? More »

Long term parking

Tom Joslin — Sat, 14 May 2011 12:30:00 EDT

If you are anything like me, the first thing that comes to mind when you hear "long term parking" is one of the best Sopranos episodes ever made. It turns out it is also the perfect title for this beautiful picture of a 1954 Mercury Monterey. While the title and photo are the work of Flickr user haydnseek, this Mercury also deserves a little credit for its contribution to this picture. The old four door appears, at least from this angle, to be holding up pretty well after years spent sitting. More »

1974 Mercury Cougar vs 1974 Oldsmobile Cutlass: Two slow luxury cars with nice interiors

Tom Joslin — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EDT

In 1974 the Mercury Cougar and the Oldsmobile Cutlass were two strong contenders in the midsized luxury class. As this vintage Car and Track comparison shows, what these two cars lacked in performance they made up for with nice interiors and semi-acceptable handling. More »

Believe in miracles with the 1979 Mercury Capri

Tom Joslin — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST

If you were to believe this advertisement, the new for 1979 Mercury Capri was capable of producing miracles wherever it went and was best described as "sexy". We aren't sure which was more of a stretch. More »

Rust In Peace: Ten Cars That Died In 2010

Keith Barry, Wired Autopia — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST

Despite what the song says, some old acquaintances should be forgot and never brought to mind. Keith Barry of Wired's Autopia does the dirty work of remembering these ten departed models of 2010. — Ed. More »

Lincoln Gets All Of Mercury's Ad Money

Ray Wert — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 08:45:00 EST

All your Mercury ad dollars are belong to Lincoln. [AutoNews] More »

Jill Wagner Loses Her Mercury Wings

Justin Hyde — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 08:45:00 EST

Tuesday was Jill Wagner's last day as an auto spokesmodel. Sad Mercury Girl is sad. (H/T to Rhozn!) More »

California Woman Lets Corpse Ride Shotgun For 10 Months

Justin Hyde — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EDT

Say you open your '97 Grand Marquis and discover a homeless woman dead in your passenger seat. Do you call someone? Or do you get a box of baking soda and keep driving? A California woman chose the latter. More »

For $5,000, Get Ready to Take Out the Euro Thrash

graverobber — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 08:00:00 EDT

With Mercury moribund, not only does its slate of badge-engineered American cars fade into history, but also a series of Euro imports. That makes today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe Merkur an orphan's orphan, and it's seeking a Daddy Warbucks. More »

1965 Mercury Park Lane Breezeway

Murilee Martin — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Welcome to Down On The Mile High Street, where we admire old vehicles found parked on the streets of the City That Rust Sorta Ignored: Denver, Colorado. It's too bad the Mercury brand is going away- no future Breezeways! More »

Patriots QB Tom Brady Intercepted By Minivan In Boston Wreck

Justin Hyde — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 08:45:00 EDT

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was involved in a two-car crash this morning in Boston, when his Audi S8 tangled with a minivan. Brady declined medical treatment, but reports say he suffered multiple injuries.UPDATE:New details below. More »

Shady Grass, Superchargers, Kids Screaming: It's A Sunday Car Show In Anytown U.S.A.

Rob Krider — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EDT

As a car guy, there is nothing more relaxing that walking through a park and watching other car guys polish endlessly to keep their cars shiny while eager children feel the need to touch everything. More »

Mercury Grand Marquis: At Home On The Track!

Murilee Martin — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 16:00:00 EDT

When life gives you a rented Mercury Grand Marquis, you might as well take it out for a few rainy laps at Stafford Motor Speedway! More »

Detroit, We Love You

Sam Smith — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EDT

Letterboxing, flames, a sled, and whitewalls. Some things just make you glad to be an American. [via FuckYeahCarburetors] More »

Man Wrecks Three Cars In Five Seconds On Dealer Test Drive

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:30:00 EDT

A man test driving an F-150 at a Missouri dealership accidentally put the truck in reverse, hit the gas and destroyed two Milans. Though, as Mike Levine points out, it's one way to "Get rid of excess Mercury inventory." [KMBC] More »

An Ode To The Mercury Grand Marquis

Ben Wojdyla — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:30:00 EDT

Mercury is dead. Ford made several half-hearted attempts to re-imagine its middle brand but it was always defined by the Mercury Grand Marquis. Here's a take on grandpa's camouflaged cop car from one passionate owner. [CarLustBlog via Instapundit] More »

It's Not A Mercury, Dammit!

Murilee Martin — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EDT

If you ever needed proof that the Mercury marque suffered from puzzling, left-handed FoMoCo branding strategies over the years, the first-gen Capri will serve nicely. Sold by Mercury dealers in North America, but not as a Mercury... what the hell? More »

Ten Cars That Killed Mercury

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 17:01:00 EDT

Officially, Mercury's dead, but Ford's special platform prostitution diet doomed the brand from the start to a life of mediocrity. But, if we believe the 71-year-old brand ever truly lived, then here are the ten cars that killed Mercury. More »

Mercury, A Eulogy: Death By Indifference

Sam Smith — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:30:00 EDT

Seven decades after its birth, Mercury is dead. We don't mourn the loss, but we don't rejoice, either. To be honest, we don't feel a thing. Do you care? Does Ford? Does anyone? More »

Ford Kills Mercury

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:00:00 EDT

UPDATE #2: It's official. Ford's killed the 71-year-old Mercury brand. The last wing-footed car will roll off the assembly line in the 4th quarter of this year. More »

For $14,800, Find Out What Dating a Cougar is Like

graverobber — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EDT

The '71-'73 Cougar is the last one you could honestly call a pony car, although its size makes it pretty horsey. Today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe XR-7 puts its top down, but will its price make you pony up? More »

What Was The Greatest Mercury Of All Time?

Murilee Martin — Sun, 30 May 2010 21:00:00 EDT

As you know, rumor has it that Ford is gearing up to axe the Mercury marque. Actually, those rumors have been around for about 40 years, but they seem more credible nowadays. More »

Hawaii 5-0 Is Back In New CBS Remake

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 18 May 2010 08:30:00 EDT

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CBS just gave the green light to 5-0, a reboot of classic island cop show Hawaii Five-0 written by the team behind the recent Star Trek revival. Better news? Jack Lord's actual '74 Mercury Marquis is making an appearance. More »

Ford's Super-Rare Taurus SHO-Powered Aluminum Super-Sable

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EDT

Ford hand-built 20 second-generation Mercury Sables with lightweight aluminum bodies and potent Taurus SHO V6 engines. The few of these rare rolling all-aluminum technology testbeds still around are now potentially headed for a Ford crusher. This is their story. More »

Customized Kuwaiti Grand Marquis: No Women No Cry

Murilee Martin — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 14:00:00 EDT

When you're rollin' Grand Marquis style in Kuwait, laughing at the suckas in their effete Benzes, you need to let the world know how you feel about… well, we can't quite figure that out. More »

Why Yes, That Is A Cougar Trike

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EDT

Superstar commenter mytdawg was shopping for wheels over the weekend and spotted this gem of a jalopy: the hind-end of a Mercury Cougar mated to what look like Honda forks, all powered by a GM V8. Excellent. Details below More »

Buy a New '81 Mercury, Pay Just 12% Interest!

Murilee Martin — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EDT

After a few years of double-digit annual inflation in the late 1970s, Americans had become accustomed to Malaise Era interest rates. That's why Mercury's offer of a mere 12 percent APR sounded pretty good. More »

Careful, Don't Let the 134-Horsepower '80 Cougar Out Of Its Cage!

Murilee Martin — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EDT

Malaise Era engine power numbers always provide entertainment, especially when you consider that the 134-horse 302 engine was the 1980 Mercury Cougar's optional V8. The standard 255 made 119 horsepower. Meow! More »

Cougars On A Cougar In Overly Literal Excess

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:30:00 EDT

The 1977 Mercury Cougar's a masterpiece of malaise-era bloated excess. What better way to improve upon perfection but by festooning an example with murals of cougars? The answer is there's no better way to improve a 1977 Cougar. More »

Eight Vehicles You Probably Didn't Know You Could Still Buy New

Ray Wert — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:20:00 EDT

Eight vehicles you probably didn't know you could still buy new. [Automobile] More »

San Francisco Neighbors Breathe Sigh Of Relief: DOTSBE Detroit Iron Sell-Off!

Murilee Martin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST

There's this incredible collection of street-parked vintage Detroi cars residing in San Francisco's Western Addition… yes, one of the most parking-challenged neighborhoods in the City That Parking Forgot. It appears that the owner of these cars is making some room. More »

Seven Liters Of Punching Power: Cougars For '68

Murilee Martin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST

Sure, the 1968 Cougar was really a Mustang with 400 pounds of additional Mercury gingerbread, but just look at it! More »