Saw a real rare pickup yesterday (i know, i know, it's a ford).

[Stewart G Griffin]

This was a pretty mindblowing experience----i was cruising along sunday afternoon and saw a mercury pickup.  It looked exactly like a 70ish F-150, but it had mercury logos, tailgate logo etc.

After doing some quick net research, apparently these were sold in canada.  Therefore, the one i saw had to be "imported."

So, in this case, mercury is to ford as gmc is to chevy?

Discuss.

[78 Chevyrado]

A good site.
http://www.mercurypickup.com/merc_history.htm

I've never seen one, but Id rather have a Merc than a Ford just because they're so Close and no one here has seen a mercury very much.

[smitty77]

So, in this case, mercury is to ford as gmc is to chevy?

Discuss.

Kind of.
Mercury is to Ford as Buick is to Chevrolet.
Lincoln is to Ford as Cadillac is to Chevrolet

Mercury is just Ford's upscale division of similar cars.  The Montego is the same as a Ford 500, the Mountaineer is an Explorer, the Navigator is an Expedition, the Grand Marquis is a Crown Victoria.  All have better interior appointments and more refined body styling.  Also another duplication that does little to help the bottom line, IMHO.

I will grant you having a Mercury pickup would be cool just for the "rare factor".

[Marc]

You are right... and Dodge also had Fargo trucks here till I believe 1972.

[Lt.Del]

and Ford owns Mazda....Many times I see an Escape like the one we just got, and upons closer look, it is a Mazda--same thing just different emblems.  There may be some minor "options" that are different. 

For a while Nissan pickups and Chevy Luvs were identical as well.

[smitty77]

and Ford owns Mazda....Many times I see an Escape like the one we just got, and upons closer look, it is a Mazda--same thing just different emblems.  There may be some minor "options" that are different. 

For a while Nissan pickups and Chevy Luvs were identical as well.

That has been going on for a very long time.  I had a Mercury Tracer that was just a Mazda 323, which made scrounging for parts a lot easier as Tracers were harder to find (for some reason) at the boneyard than Mazdas.  And the 1980s / early 90s Dodge Colt (also Plymouth Champ) line was just a Mitsubishi Mirage, they even had a badge on the trunk stating "Imported for Dodge by Mitsubishi".  And last I knew, Isuzu pickups were still Chevy S10s.

[dumbucket1]

My grandpa had a 55 mercury truck when I was a kid

[nucknoel89]

This was a pretty mindblowing experience----i was cruising along sunday afternoon and saw a mercury pickup.  It looked exactly like a 70ish F-150, but it had mercury logos, tailgate logo etc.

After doing some quick net research, apparently these were sold in canada.  Therefore, the one i saw had to be "imported."

So, in this case, mercury is to ford as gmc is to chevy?

Discuss.

A day after I read this I saw a 50s Mercury truck at my gym, restored.  I guess it's not quite as rare for me as I live in Canada, but it's still pretty rare and interesting....

[roadrage41]

ford doesnt own mazda outside of a less than controlling amount of shares of stock. they trade blueprints here and there, much less now than say 1993, but it still works fairly well for them.

i had one of those crappy midsize 83 or 84 mercury marquis as my work car for a year or so, always thought it wouldve been cool to get another and build a marauder that couldve been out of it. theyre fox bodies after all.

[Marc]

There is a lot of sharing between Mazda and Ford...the Ranger and Escape uses the 2300 Mazda engine, and the front suspension bits in the Mazda 3 are stamped FOMOCO.

[Skunksmash]

Ford owns all kinds of stuff, much like GM. Or like they used to at least. Not sure how they are doing now. But anyway, ford owns volvo, astin martin, jaguar, mazda, and a few others i can't think of right now. Course I heard they are selling off their lest productive brands, so my info is probly out of date on what they own these days.

[eventhorizon66]

Ford owns all kinds of stuff, much like GM. Or like they used to at least. Not sure how they are doing now. But anyway, ford owns volvo, astin martin, jaguar, mazda, and a few others i can't think of right now. Course I heard they are selling off their lest productive brands, so my info is probly out of date on what they own these days.

Yep, they've already sold Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover, and Mazda.  Now, it's just Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, and Volvo.

[Skunksmash]

Read up on it, and they still own the controlling stake in Mazda. They sold Astin martin to an anstin martin collector. Guess he would be the only one with enough to buy them heh. They are keeping volvo, and jag got sold to some indians. The ones that own the little "Smart" car company. So I guess we are going to be seeing tiny jaguars?