Like other '42s, the mostly chromeless, late-production "blackout" Mercurys are now prized by collectors.īefore war's end, Henry Ford II, Edsel's son and old Henry's grandson, returned from the Navy to run Ford Motor Company. The general effect was busier than '41, which had been busier than 1940. Parking lights shifted inboard to flank a still-pointy hood. Chrome was "in," at least before the government diverted it to war use.Īll '42 Mercs wore a broad, glittery two-section horizontal-bar grille, double chrome bands on each fender, and a bright full-perimeter molding at the beltline. America's entry into World War II limited model-year production to fewer than 23,000 units. Mercury tried harder for 1942 with a serious facelift, the aforementioned 100-bhp engine, and a new extra-cost semiautomatic transmission called "Liquamatic." The last proved very troublesome, though, and was quickly canceled. Styling, again in the Ford mold, was chunkier and less graceful despite a two-inch longer wheelbase with higher, bulkier fenders a divider-bar grille and fender-top parking lights. Models expanded to seven for '41 with a two/four-passenger coupe, business coupe, and wood-bodied station wagon. But four-door ragtops had waned in popularity, so this one was dropped for 1941. A $1212 convertible sedan was added for 1940, that year's heaviest and most-expensive Mercury. Initial offerings comprised two- and four-door "beetleback" sedans, a notchback sedan coupe, and a convertible coupe spanning a price range of $916-$1018. Styling for 1939-40 featured a crisply pointed "prow," beautifully curved fenders, and rounded body lines. A dashboard with strip-type instruments was also like Ford's, but Mercury's column-mounted gearshift was a talking point at the time. Mercury bowed on a 116-inch wheelbase, four inches longer than the '39 Ford's and sufficient to give its similar styling a "more-important" look. Well-tuned stock models were quicker than V-8 Fords, and were usually capable of turning close to 100 mph. Mercury quickly gained a reputation for performance appropriate to its name (after the winged messenger god in Greek mythology). Brake horsepower was 95 through 1941, then 100. A 239-cid L-head V-8, it was a slightly larger version of the Ford "V-8/85," having the same stroke but a larger bore. The Grand Marquis also offered other luxury options such as heated seats and real woodgrain accents.The original Mercury engine would remain in production through 1948. Regardless of the number of seats, they all boasted leather upholstery, as did the steering wheel. Some options gave the Grand Marquis five seats, with the front row being the standard bucket seats that are now standard nowadays. On top of that, rather than being a five-passenger car like most luxury sedans, the Grand Marquis could seat a half-dozen because it had two rows of bench seats (that’s right - three people in the front). According to Edmunds, the 2011 Grand Marquis was the type of car people would say, “They don’t make ’em like they used to.”ĭespite being a sedan, it was a large car that could comfortably seat its occupants. Though the Grand Marquis had been in production for decades, its final model year wasn’t radically different from the version its fans knew and loved. RELATED: Consumer Reports Reveals the Ford F-150 Hybrid V6 Engine Is the ‘Top Dog’įittingly, because the Grand Marquis was the brand’s best-selling model, it was also the last car Mercury made. The 2011 Grand Marquis was the last Mercury ever made So Ford announced the brand would end when the last model rolled off the production line in January 2011. However, like all defunct brands, Mercury kicked the bucket because of poor sales, and the popular Grand Marquis couldn’t save Mercury from that fate.īy the late 2000s, Mercury wasn’t selling enough cars. One of its most popular models, especially in the brand’s later years, was the Grand Marquis, Ford reports. Throughout its 82-year life, Mercury produced some hits, but it also made some flops. A Mercury car was a compromise between being practical and high-end. They weren’t as luxurious as cars from Ford’s other brand, Lincoln, but they were more luxurious than a regular Ford. Mercury sold a variety of cars, but they were largely luxury models. At $21,500, could this 1977 Mercury Grand Marquis be a grand statement? /anTmDayFnD- Jalopnik May 8, 2018įounded in 1938, Mercury was one of the oldest brands operating under Ford Motor Company.
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