- Filed under: Minivan/Van, Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Ford, GM, Mercury
'Tis the season... for road salt. And with that, comes rust. And what does rust bring? Well, for Ford and General Motors, a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation. According to The Detroit News, NHTSA is looking into potential recalls issues with Chevrolet Express vans and Ford Freestar minivans.
The feds have received five complaints that rust has caused leaking fuel filler pipes on 2003 Express vans. Separately, seven complaints have been filed over excessive rust in the rear wheel wells of 2004 Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivans. The Freestar and Monterey went out of production in 2007. Neither issue has resulted in any crashes or injuries, according to the report.Feds open investigation into Chevy Express, Ford Freestar rust issues originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Sedan, Recalls, Safety, Ford, Mercury
Ford has announced a recall of certain Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan vehicles after an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A total of 128,616 2010 and 2011 models equipped with steel wheels may have been manufactured with wheel studs that could crack and split over time. If that happens, the vehicle may experience a wheel separation.
According to The Detroit News, the company is aware of a total of 30 wheel separation incidents, one of which occurred on the front of the vehicle. Even so, no injuries have been reported as a result of the defect.
The problem apparently stems from the fact that the mounting pads on the vehicles' steel wheels may have been faulty from the factory. In addition, the wheel mounting face on rear disc brakes may not have been installed properly. Ford will inspect the rear disc face and replace them as necessary. In addition, the company will replace all of the vehicle's wheel studs free of charge. Head to the NHTSA website for more information, and click past the jump to view the full recall notice.Continue reading Ford recalling 126,000 Fusions and Milans over wheel separation concern
Ford recalling 126,000 Fusions and Milans over wheel separation concern originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Concept Cars, Classics, Convertible, Performance, Auctions, Mercury
Never underestimate what you'll see on eBay Motors. Take this unique creation, for example. Near as we can tell, it's the same 2002 Mercury Marauder that was modified into a two-door convertible by Ford for the 2002 Chicago Auto Show. According to the seller, this car still boasts its Eaton supercharger bolted to a 4.6-liter V8 engine, and at the time of its debut, the engine was rated at a lofty 335 horsepower. We have a hard time believing that the extra ponies would do much to offset the weight of the additional frame stiffeners and top mechanism on the car, however.
The vehicle is currently offered for sale by a dealer in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, though the listing is mum on how the convertible managed to make its way from Ford's Windy City show stand into the seller's inventory. If you like what you see, the machine can be yours for the princely sum of $75,000 or best offer. Head over to eBay Motors to take a gander at the listing.eBay Find of the Day: Mercury Marauder two-door convertible originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Classics, Etc., Mercury, Specialty
eGarage has been teasing us for a while now. We've seen some interesting videos so far, but the website itself had remained light on content. No longer. eGarage is up and running, and the videos are good.
One we like in particular follows the build process of a custom 1950 Mercury coupe. The chopped and slammed project is the work of Zane Cullen and his Cotati Speed Shop, located in Santa Rosa, California. Cullen and his team have already put two years of work into this custom cruiser, and it looks like they might have another year ahead of them. Still, if this partly finished Merc looks this good now, we can't wait to see the final product.
Head over to eGarage.com to check out the video showing the progress made so far.eGarage goes live and brings video of custom Mercury Coupe build with it originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 27 Aug 2011 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Etc., Technology, Videos, Mercury
You read the title right, we're talking about the Mercury Beaver XR-7. No, Mercury never officially built a car called the beaver. This is the brainchild of upstate New Yorker Chip Beam, who owns and operates Beaver Energy, LLC. It runs on gases created by wood pellets fermented in a 2,400-degree furnace and fed to a supercharged Ford 4.6-liter V8.
By all accounts, it gets down the road just fine, and has pretty close to full power. The best part is, you can grow the fuel yourself and avoid patronizing big oil, if that's your thing. The only drawback that we can see to the Mercury Beaver XR-7 is the PVC pipe jungle occupying the space that would be the trunk under normal circumstances.
Still, if you're willing to smell like a mountain man and look like a bad Back to the Future knockoff, this ride is right up your alley. Click past the jump to see Translogic's take on this modified Merc.Continue reading Translogic drives wood-burning Mercury Beaver XR-7
Translogic drives wood-burning Mercury Beaver XR-7 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 31 Jul 2011 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Recalls, Safety, Ford, Lotus, Mercury
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received 17 complaints about an errant oil line in the Lotus Elise, and thus, has opened an investigation. The issue concerns the line on the front right cooler, which, having got loose, sprays oil either on the wheel or inside the engine bay.
This investigation pertains to around 4,400 of the little track-day wonders sold in the 2005 and 2006 model years. There have been no injuries, but one car did leave the road and catch on fire. A NHTSA investigation doesn't mean a full recall has been issued, just that your friends in the fed are looking into the matter.NHTSA investigating Lotus Elise for oil leaks originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Jul 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Ford, Mercury
Ford has announced through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that it is recalling nearly 3,000 examples of its Five Hundred and Mercury Montego (pictured) sedans from the 2007 model year.
The action, which affects 2,945 vehicles, is due to potentially defective welds between the filler neck and the fuel tank, a condition that could result in a fuel leak or the smell of gasoline reaching the occupants. In the worst-case scenario, a leak could cause a fire. Cars with the affected fuel tank problem could see an illuminated dashboard warning light as a result of the evaporative emissions leak being detected.
Ford will inspect and replace the fuel tank at no cost to owners (those who have already had the procedure done at-cost can apply for reimbursement), and the Dearborn automaker will begin notifying Five Hundred and Montego owners beginning August 15. Check out the official NHTSA press release after the jump for further details.Continue reading Ford recalls Five Hundred, Mercury Montego sedans over fuel tank woes
Ford recalls Five Hundred, Mercury Montego sedans over fuel tank woes originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Coupe, Etc., Bugatti, Mercury, Humor, Specialty
Bugatti Veyron kit car - Click above for high-res image gallery
If you've got a pulse in your wrist and a snapping brain cell in your head, chances are you wouldn't mind parking a Bugatti Veyron in your garage. But for most mere mortals, scrounging up the cash for a physics-bending piece of 16-cylinder glory would require all sorts of unpalatable tasks. Fortunately for those who want to look the part without having to participate in human trafficking, the kit car universe has stepped in to save the day. All you need is a 1999-2002 Mercury Cougar, a boat load of fiberglass and a little patience.
Oh, and $89,000.
Is that cheaper than an actual Veyron? Sure. Is it $73,000 more than we'd pay for this car? Absolutely. For that low price you'll get all the looks of the Bug with a fraction of the actual performance. Buyers can look forward to a blistering 170 horsepower from a 2.5-liter V6 kicking at the front wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission. Don't expect much else.
This particular machine is up for bid via eBay Motors, with four days left on the auction. Act now.
[Sources: PistonHeads, eBayMotors]Kit Cat: Mercury Cougar makes perfect Bugatti Veyron substitute originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury
The signs have come down and retail production ended back in October of 2010. Now, the very last Mercury model has rolled off the assembly line. This last Mercury somewhat fittingly takes the form of a Grand Marquis reporting for fleet duty. It was built at the St. Thomas plant in Ontario, Canada, which is the same facility that continues to produce the Ford Crown Victoria and Lincoln Town Car for fleet and livery duty.
St. Thomas' days are numbered, however, as the factory is slated to close on August 31. When it goes, the Panther platform is likely to follow. So long, and thanks for all the fish memories.
[Source: Autoweek]Fitting Retirement: Grand Marquis last Mercury off the line originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Ford, Mercury
Now that the curtain has closed on Mercury, Ford Motor Company will redirect all of its marketing dollars for the oft-overlooked brand to the Blue Oval's luxury outpost, Lincoln. In speaking to Automotive News, the chairman of the Lincoln National Dealer Council, Bob Tasca, Jr., said, "You'll see a lot stronger presence in the advertising of Lincoln in 2011."
Lincoln spokesperson Christian Bokich reminded AN that the automaker is "preparing the way for seven new or significantly refreshed vehicles" that will be launched over the next four years, and the largest ad blitz in 2011 will focus on the refreshed MKX crossover, as well as the MKZ sedan and its hybrid counterpart. Following that, Lincoln has plans to launch a completely overhauled version of its Navigator SUV, an all-new C-segment vehicle and the overhauled 2013 MKZ, which Tasca says will be "strikingly different from its Ford Fusion sibling."
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req. | Image: John Neff/Autoblog/AOL]Report: Lincoln getting all of Mercury's ad dollars originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Ford, Mercury
The process of shutting down the Mercury is complete. Ford officially made the decision to close its mid-level brand in June of 2010. In the months that followed, Ford offered its dealers money to stop selling the cars, with production shutting down in September. The last Mercury, a Mariner, rolled off the assembly line in the beginning of October and former spokesperson Jill Wagner said her good-byes to both the car and her job. Now the last piece of the brand has come down as dealers are removing any and all Mercury signage from their lots.
[Source: Detroit News]Curtain officially comes down on Mercury as dealers remove signage originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Etc., Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Mercury, Celebrities
Jill Wagner has officially given up her crown as the queen of Mercury. With the Ford middle child on its way to the scrap heap, Wagner no longer has any automotive hardware to promote. Given her varied talents, we wouldn't be surprised to see her pick up where she left off with another automaker.
And here you thought you'd never be upset about Mercury's passing.
Thanks for the tip, Gregg!
[Source: Twitter]Jill Wagner retired as Mercury spokeswoman originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: SUV, Plants/Manufacturing, Mercury, Earnings/Financials
Ford is already well into winding down its Mercury line, and the autoamker has announced that the very last of the soon-to-be dead brand's products built for retail sales was manufactured on Sunday, October 3. The final Mercury Mariner rolled off of the assembly line at the company's Kansas City facility, putting an end to a brand with over 70 years of history behind it.
Even after the Mariner heads off into the automotive sunset, Ford says that it will continue to manufacture a handful of Mercury models for fleet and government service for a while longer, though mum's the word on how long we can expect that practice to continue.
Interestingly enough, according to USA Today, most incentives on Mercury vehicles have all but dried up, even as the brand's August production increased by 120 percent compared to July's figures. Instead of cash on the hood, some areas are offering no-cost maintenance or similar programs. Even so, Mercury has continued to out-sell Lincoln right to the end - besting Ford's luxury arm's sales by nine percent in August.
[Source: USA Today]Report: Last Mercury for retail business built on Sunday originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Car Buying, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury
Ford may have come through the automotive implosion relatively unscathed, but that doesn't mean the company isn't still trying to trim its costs. According to Automotive News, Ford wants to consolidate its dealer network by closing the doors on some 300 lots. The reason? While the automotive market is slowly improving, no one expects to see the kind of buying levels enjoyed before 2009 anytime soon. As a result, Ford wants to boost the profitability of its dealer network by reducing the number of outlets available to consumers.
While you'd expect dealers to be up in arms over such an announcement, Ford says that, by and large, its showrooms are behind the move. The company's relationship with its dealer network recently hit an all-time high, putting Ford in a good position to push the consolidation effort.
The move to trim outlets is also bolstered by the fact that there are 261 Lincoln-Mercury dealerships out there, and with Mercury on its way to the back lot in the sky, those dealers will likely be exploring other options. And with Ford currently operates a total of 3,338 dealerships in the States, a sacrifice of 10% seems more than reasonable.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req. | Image: Bill Pugliano/Getty]Report: Ford still hoping to cut 10% of its dealer network originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments - Filed under: Ford, Lincoln, Mercury
With Mercury on the way to the morgue, there are plenty of very nervous Lincoln dealers in the United States. Ford Motor Company is looking to calm those nerves a bit by inviting dealers to Dearborn, MI on October 4. Automotive News reports that The Blue Oval is going to show dealers its plans for its North American-only luxury arm.
Ford spokesman Christian Bokich tells AN that the event is all about the future of Lincoln, adding "It's more about giving dealers a look how Ford will now work with Lincoln as an exclusive, luxury brand." There is no word at this time concerning the content being covered, but we're expecting Ford to show future product, along with how the automaker will further differentiate the four-pointed star from the Ford brand in the years to come. Bloomberg is also reporting that Lincoln dealers will be asked to upgrade their showrooms and work on improving customer service. There are currently 264 retail outlets that do not sell Ford product, and at this point many dealers don't know if they will live on as stand-alone Lincoln dealers in the future.
One interesting byproduct that could result from the meeting will be the likely product leaks that are soon to follow. Among the future vehicles anticipated to be added to the Lincoln brand are a Focus-sized C-segment small car inspired by the Concept C from the 2009 Detroit Auto Show and a similarly proportioned crossover.
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req., Bloomberg | Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty]Report: Ford requests meeting with Lincoln dealers originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Archive for the 'MERCURY' Category
Thursday, March 11th, 2004
Details info:
Type :
Amount of the Doors : 2
The Place Seatings :
The Place Seatings макс. :
Type of the engine :
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Amount cylinder : 4
Amount valve on cylinder :
Volume of the engine, sm3 : 2000
Maximum engine size, sq / ls : /
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Drive : полный
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Posted in MERCURY | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 10th, 2004
Details info:
Type : sedan
Amount of the Doors : 4
The Place Seatings : 5
The Place Seatings макс. :
Sizes and mass : Length x width x height, mm : 5382 x 1986 x 1496 : Wheel base, mm : 2913 : Mass, kgs : 1874
Type of the engine : бензиновые
Preparation to air gas :
Design of the engine : V-образный
Наддув : No
Amount cylinder : 8
Amount valve on cylinder : 4
Volume of the engine, sm3 : 4605
Maximum engine size, sq / ls : / 302
Frequency of the rotation under maximum power about/mines : 5750
Maximum turning moment, Nm : 318
Frequency of the rotation under maximum turning moment about/mines : 4300
Class bad material :
Drive : back
Gearbox : automaticическая
Amount of the issues : 4
Front springs : spring
Back springs : листовые
Front brake : disc
Back brake : disc
Buses : 235/50R18
Buses back travell about : 235/50R18
Runaway before 100 km/ch, sec. :
Maximum velocity, km/ch :
Consuption fuel in town cycle, l/100 km : 13.8
Consuption fuel in country cycle, l/100 km : 10.2
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Wednesday, March 10th, 2004
Details info:
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Design of the engine : V-8
Наддув :
Amount cylinder : 8
Amount valve on cylinder :
Volume of the engine, sm3 : 4600
Maximum engine size, sq / ls : / 335
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Posted in MERCURY | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 10th, 2004
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Tuesday, March 9th, 2004
Details info:
Type : sedan
Amount of the Doors : 4
The Place Seatings : 5
The Place Seatings макс. : 6
Sizes and mass : Length x width x height, mm : 5075 x 1854 x 1409 : Wheel base, mm : 2756
Type of the engine : gasoline
Preparation to air gas : forced
Design of the engine : V-образный
Наддув : No
Amount cylinder : 6
Amount valve on cylinder : 2
Volume of the engine, sm3 : 2982
Maximum engine size, sq / ls : / 155
Frequency of the rotation under maximum power about/mines : 4900
Maximum turning moment, Nm : 186
Frequency of the rotation under maximum turning moment about/mines : 3900
Class bad material :
Drive : front
Gearbox : automaticическая
Amount of the issues : 4
Front springs : spring
Back springs : spring
Front brake : disc
Back brake : drum
Buses : 215/60R16
Buses back travell about : 215/60R16
Runaway before 100 km/ch, sec. :
Maximum velocity, km/ch :
Consuption fuel in town cycle, l/100 km : 11.8
Consuption fuel in country cycle, l/100 km : 8.4
Consuption fuel average, l/100 km :
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