Motoryzacja

While the Mercury Mariner crossover and Sable sedan scored impressive gains in January, overall sales for Ford Motor Co.'s long-sinking Mercury brand were off by 35% during the first month. That's on top of a 7% decline in 2007 that left Mercury with just 168,422 sales last year -- exactly 1 percentage point of share in the United States. At its peak, in 1985,Mercury sold 528,033 vehicles.

After years of speculation it might be killed, Ford's 71-year-old brand finally appears headed to the graveyard.

The automaker is intensely reviewing the brand, a person familiar with the discussions said today.

Mercury stanie się kolejną ofiarą kryzysu. Marka może zniknąć z rynku w bardzo krótkim czasie. Pierwsze pogłoski u tym, iż Ford nie utrzyma marki Mercury pojawiły się już w 1998.

About 100 Lincoln Mercury dealers wrapped up meetings with Ford Motor Co. executives today to discuss the company's future, including Ford's ongoing plan to consolidate its 4,056 dealerships nationwide.