Edsel Ford’s Mercury cars became hot rods

TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO

The Capri (1972 shown) was imported from Ford Germany for 1971-74 model years. At its peak, Capri sales in North America were the highest of any import, save for the VW Beetle.

Mark Toljagic

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

As Henry’s only child, it was Edsel Ford’s destiny to assume the family business — already one of the largest industrial ventures in the world when young Edsel was named CEO of Ford Motor Co. in 1919.

Within 20 years, the son created the Mercury brand that was to sell 20 million vehicles before being assigned to the automotive scrapyard this year.

Unlike his straight-laced father, Edsel had a keen eye for flashy cars. He bought the first British-made MG exported to the United States and, in 1922, Edsel recommended the acquisition of the Lincoln Motor Co. to inject some life into Ford’s moribund product line.

Edsel had an aluminum, boat-tailed V8 speedster custom-designed for himself by Ford’s principal designer, inadvertently creating the world’s first hot rod in 1932.

In 1935, Edsel commissioned a more luxurious version of a Ford that he planned to call the Falcon, but as it took shape, Edsel realized he needed a whole new brand to bridge the gap between the lunch-bucket Fords and luxury Lincolns.

Edsel christened it Mercury after the speedy Roman messenger and god of commerce. Outfitted with a 95 hp V8, the inaugural 1939 Mercury sold more than 65,000 units at $916 a piece.

During the 1940s and 1950s, Mercury strived to shake off its “gussied-up Ford” image by crafting its own body designs.

In 1949, Sam Barris built the first definitive “lead sled” from the popular 1949 Mercury Eight. The heavily customized coupe spawned a hit song, “Mercury Blues,” which has been covered numerous times by rock and country acts to this day.

Mercury’s flair for stretching and lowering existing Ford platforms won over buyers, but it peaked early: Mercury earned a 5 per cent share of the U.S. market in 1953. It was down hill after that.

To give Canadian Lincoln-Mercury dealers a wider array of vehicles to sell in our vastly dispersed cities and towns, Ford green-lighted the Meteor sedan and Mercury trucks exclusively for Canuckistan. ?

At first, all that distinguished a Mercury from a Ford pickup was the lettering and distinctive medallions, but over time the Mercs gained a heavily chromed grille and bumper treatment and slightly better cabin materials, in keeping with their upscale image.

With the introduction of the free-trade Auto Pact, Ford of Canada phased out its Mercury truck line by 1968. Mercury trucks, including the rare Meteor Ranchero, are coveted by collectors on both sides of the border today.

During the muscle-car era, Mercury produced some competitive models, such as the full-size S-55 and the Marauder, which used the same frame and mechanicals as the Ford Galaxie 500/XL.

Mercury even became a formidable force on NASCAR speedways in the 1960s and ’70s, with such driving talents as Cale Yarborough and Bobby Allison behind the wheel and the Wood Brothers wrenching in the pits. New wheelbase regulations compelled Ford to retire the Mercury nameplate from NASCAR after 1980.

The 1970s oil crises ushered in downsizing and Mercury was not immune to the new emphasis on fuel efficiency. Canadians got the Pinto-based Bobcat in 1974 sporting larger tail lights, an upright Lincolnesque grille and enhanced interior and exterior trim. The three-door hatchback and wagon sold so well that U.S. Mercury dealers began retailing the Bobcat in 1975.

Mercury dealers also dabbled in Ford’s international fare. Starting with the Ford of Germany’s Capri, there was a succession of European products that showed up in Mercury showrooms, including the exotic, wedgy De Tomaso Pantera.

The Merkur line included the XR4Ti (a rebadged Ford Sierra) and the Scorpio luxury sedan. They were never big sellers on this side of the pond and, with new laws requiring passive safety restraint systems, the German imports were curtailed in 1989.

Other brave experiments by Mercury included the Tracer, a restyled Mazda 323 that was assembled in Mexico, and the Villager minivan, the product of a joint manufacturing venture with Nissan.

Ford of Canada pulled the plug on its Mercury dealers in 1999, citing slow sales. Last week, Ford headquarters announced plans to shutter its American Mercury showrooms by year’s end, preferring to focus its energy expanding the Lincoln line of luxury vehicles.

After selling 20 million vehicles over its lifetime, Mercury is joining the scrap yard alongside other discarded brands, such as Pontiac, Saturn and Plymouth, as automakers streamline their operations to do battle with the growing number of import brands.

If Canada’s experience is any indication, Mercury will barely be missed.

1967-73 Mercury Cougar

The 1967 Cougar was based on the first-generation Mustang, but with a 76 mm longer wheelbase and fresh sheet metal. Hidden headlamps and unique sequential turn signals in the rear fascia gave the Cougar a distinct presence on the road, along with its long hood/short deck styling that was popular at the time.

The two-door Cougar remained a well-disguised Mustang twin for seven years, and similarly could be optioned as a genuine muscle car, complete with a monster 390 hp V8. There were six V8s available in total — and not a single six-cylinder on the option sheet.

The fun ended in 1974 when Mercury adopted the larger Ford Torino chassis and turned the Cougar into a bloated “personal luxury” car. The cat had been effectively neutered.

1971-77 Mercury Capri

Built in Cologne by Ford of Germany, the 1971-74 Capri and 1976-78 Capri II were Mercury’s sporty captive imports. At its peak, Capri sales in North America were the highest of any import, save for the Volkswagen Beetle. More than half a million European Capris made the ocean crossing.

Buyers could choose between a 2.0 L OHC four-cylinder (a 1.6 L four debuted in the earliest examples) and a popular 2.6 L V6 that arrived in 1972. The two-door coupe was handsome and drove smartly, impressing automotive critics at the time.

The Capri II was the second-generation model, built as a hatchback. Ford put the kibosh on the import experiment in 1978, when it dictated the next-generation Capri would adopt the new Mustang’s Fox platform and be built in America.

Freelance auto writer Mark Toljagic can be reached at toljagic@ca.inter.net

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