End of Mercury marque boosts awareness of older models among car collectors 12/15/2010
Although Ford Motors will end production of its Mercury marque by the end of this year, some older models from the soon-to-be defunct brand are seeing their popularity rise among classic car enthusiasts.
According to AutoGuide, some Mercury models have already attracted a great deal of attention. In particular, "woodie" wagons and convertibles from the 1940's are highly sought after by collectors, while some of Mercury's best-known muscle cars, like the Cyclone, Cougar and Marauder, are considered to be among the best vehicles of their era.
Some of the cars have already fetched high prices on the auction block. A 1969 luxury Cougar XR7 was recently sold for nearly $100,000, while a 1946 Mercury Sportsman Woodie was sold by RM Auctions for $368,000.
Although some might be disappointed with the marque's end, there are some who believe that it will serve to help boost sales of older models from the brand. Garry Bennett, the vice president of consignment for Barrett-Jackson, told the source that "the fact that they're going to discontinue [Mercury] is going to create new awareness."