Mercury

Mercury was a brand of American automobiles created in 1938 by Edsel Ford, serving as Ford's medium-priced brand that bridged the gap between the Ford and Lincoln model lines. Competing with Buick, Oldsmobile, and Chrysler, Mercury was a part of the Lincoln-Mercury Division of Ford from 1945 until its closure in 2010. The division shared platforms and components with Ford and Lincoln vehicles, and also served as a sales network for other Ford premium automotive brands. Due to declining sales, Mercury was discontinued in 2010, with the final car, a 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis, being manufactured in January 2011. Although the brand no longer exists, it remains an active registered trademark of Ford.

In the mid-1930s, Ford Motor Company realized that it needed to expand its brand offerings to match its competitors, General Motors and Chrysler. In response, Ford launched a program to expand from two to five nameplates, including the Lincoln-Zephyr and the De Luxe Ford. In 1937, Edsel Ford personally selected the name "Mercury" for a new brand he was developing. The Mercury Eight was introduced in 1938 as a new car that was larger than the Ford V8 but smaller than the Lincoln-Zephyr. The Mercury Eight was introduced with four body styles, including a two-door sedan, a four-door sedan, a two-door convertible, and a two-door trunked sedan. Mercury served as Ford's medium-price brand, competing against Buick and Oldsmobile from General Motors and Chrysler's namesake brand. The division operated as part of the Lincoln-Mercury Division until it was closed by Ford in 2010.