Email from Joe Lijoi:

Here is an idea for a new Cougar base on the new Mustang. I started with a pic of the 2005 Mustang. I cut and pasted front and rear ends and side scoops of the Messenger. Then used the the rear part of the roofline that resembles the ’69-’70 Cougar, and the side quarter panel windows that resembles '87-’88 Cougar. Just an idea.

How to 'Rediscover' Mercury? If customers are going to recognize the revival of Mercury, the division needs to do this with its signature nameplate, the Cougar. A new Cougar should be based on the underpinnings of the new Mustang sharing the same power train but have independent rear suspension. Instead of going retro, have some of the styling cues of the Mercury Messenger concept car combined with past Cougars. The design should be evolutionary not retro, similar to the thinking on the 2005 Corvette. It should use the front end and side scoops of the Messenger, the character line of the original Cougar, a roofline similar to the ’69-’70 Cougar, and the side quarter panel windows of the ’87-’88 Cougar. The LS would target the likes of the Honda Accord coupe and the Toyota Solora, while the XR-7 would target the Chrysler Crossfire, Pontiac GTO, Mazda RX-8 and the Infiniti G35 coupe. If a Cougar were to use the Mustang mechanicals, just about all of the aftermarket products developed would fit a new Cougar.

Also, in order for people to recognize the Mercury, the motto should make a bold statement and that should start with the Messenger concept. Showing the Messenger and the new Mercury lineup rising up from the ashes stating, 'The Message is Out. The Mercury is Rising. Come Feel it Today'.

 

yesm. That's on page 5 of "The Chop: Part 3" in the '05 forums. Chaz touched it up for him. Lookin' good, though.

 

The death of the F-Bodies has shown how small Mustang's niche is. The Concern I have with a Mustang-esque Cougar is that it will be wasted on a market segment that The Mustang already handles fine alone. Why not bring messenger/cougar into a line where Ford doesn't have a nameplate?

Messenger should be brought to production, in one of two forms:

First, you could nearly clone the showcar and go for a 2-seat Corvette-Fighter. This area's just as tight as the Mustang's slot, but I think its worth a shot. Although the Cobra Mustangs have, as of late, been brawling with the 'vette, the 2-seat midlife-crisis special has advantages that the more practical Mustang will always have trouble surpassing. Worse, the Viper's always lurking at the high end, in territory only the GT or Cobra concept can go now. So have Merc go head-to-head, model-to-model with the higher-end 'Vettes and even the Viper. This, however, is dependent on Ford building the Cobra as another $150K "Halo" car. If my fondest wishes are fulfilled and the Cobra's brought in the $60-80k range, Leave Merc out of it.

Second, you could stop beating around the bush and make Merc your Pontiac-killer line. I'm not overly impressed with Pontiac as a whole, but the GTO and the Solstice are gonna draw people in, wussy styling or no. So borrow a page from the Mazda Miata and make a small, lightweight Merc Messenger roadster. Avoiding conflict with the Miata may be trouble, but I think if you keep Merc on the high end, it'll be fine.

 

I must be the only guy who thinks the messanger is ugly.

 

I have to agree with you BM. The Messenger is one of those designs that, if you look at specific parts of the car, they look good. But as a whole they don't necessarily go well together. However, I was impressed that they even had such a concept.

Mercury should do something with it. They've always had an identity crisis. They are like the good-looking sister that is always around, but never really does anything.

 

Also agree with BM and CFM, the Messanger is just not "right."
Here's my vote if Mercury is to have a halo vehicle--the Visos concept.

Just make it a new "Capri" with AWD.

 

agreed blip I like that much better. A new capri would be cool!

 

I like the Capri too, but if you're gonna give that to Merc you should turn Merc into Ford of Europe's America Brand. Give Merc the Mondeo ST (or whatever their performance version is) too!