Note: Here’s an oldie from the old site, in honor of Jack’s own Milan, which I read about over on Hagerty yesterday. While this one wasn’t a manual, during my brief sales career at Dahl Ford, we got in trade an absolutely mint 2007 Fusion SEL, black over tan leather, with rear spoiler. Low mileage, one owner. Many, many people zeroed in on it due to its color combo and great shape, then veered off when they saw the stick shift. To this day, I can’t remember if we sold it or wholesaled it at auction. -TK
Et tu, FoMoCo? Yes, during its last decade of existence, Mercury, those Fords in tuxedos, were starved of fresh product and left to wither. Instead of a notchback Cougar version of the new-for-2005 Mustang (which your author really, REALLY wanted to see in production), they got…the Monterey minivan.
At the end of the line, the only thing really keeping Mercury going was healthy sales of the Grand Marquis. That left the Mountaineer SUV and Milan family sedan to round out the lineup. But the refreshed 2010 Milan was a looker, in your author’s opinion. Sad that it never really got a chance…
I never really cared for the fencer’s-mask nose of the 2010 Fusion, the 2006-09 Fusion Fascia was far finer. But I DID like the ’10 Milan’s fascia. That vertical-bar grille and vertical headlights just looked more elegant–and were an improvement over the 2006-09 Milan, which looked more like a Fusion with a Mercury grille tacked on. Which it basically was.
Inside, however, it was virtually identical to the Ford version, but that wasn’t really a bad thing: The Fusion/Milan cabin was a very nice place to be, especially in the leather-bound editions. During my brief sales career, I drove plenty of ’11-’12 Fusions, and even sold a few. They were nice cars–reliable and comfy. But the thing is, there wasn’t a whole lot to distinguish the Mercury from the Ford. I think it looked nicer, but it was much easier to find a Fusion-and a Ford dealer-with the color and equipment you wanted.
I found this pearl-white example at a local dealership back in October 2012 and was drawn to its pearl white paint and as-new condition, as these last-of-the-line Milans are seldom seen around here. I used to occasionally see a 2006-09 Milan, but it’s been a long time since the last one. Most of Mercury’s last remaining customers plumped for the flossier Grand Marquis, likely their final car before giving up driving. The remainder were likely Ford employees or people looking for a deal on any new car after Merc’s death was announced. I have seen maybe one other 2010 Milan since then.
Sure, by the end, as with Plymouth, there wasn’t a very compelling lineup, but I was saddened by Mercury’s demise, all the same.
Not as saddened by the end of merc as mush as pontiac.
in fact, i JUST got a 08 solstice GXP.\
the front designs coming from pontiac through the years were the best. their grill was better than the bimmer’s.
Of all the brands that disappeared over the last 20 years, Oldsmobile bothered me the most, then Pontiac.
didn’t want to lose any neither. they both were the leaders in designs, from my position.
This was my Dad’s last car. His was silver. Throne-like front seats with stadium-like rears with legroom to burn. Nice 6 cylinder with plenty of power.
I was following him the day he could no longer keep the car between the lines. It was then I realized, holding back tears, that we were going to have to take the keys away from the proud man that drove us thousands of miles on family vacations.
With Lincoln continually going down-market with Ford based clones, and Ford putting various Platinum and Titanium flavors on their gussied up base models, there just wasn’t anyplace for Mercury to reside in the middle. They couldn’t even reclaim their captive import brand status they had with the European Capri and Merkur models, because in recent times Fords were increasingly using global platforms. Thus European Fords were very similar to US Fords, and they were almost all cars when US buyers were wanting trucks and SUVs.
I really liked these, and we came very close to a Milan with AWD or a Fusion Sport. Alas, we bought an Accord EXL for a little more. Yes, I had better experience with Honda products versus Ford, but the Accord could accommodate two carseats and an adult. And the Accord was made in USA.
The Accord has been great so far, I’m sure the Milan would have been fine except for some possible transmission woes. I didn’t like the next (current) Fusion, I could never get comfortable in them. Maybe the Mach-E will be better to sit in, because it’s likely the only Ford I will consider to replace the Accord.
I really like the styling on these. I consider it a big improvement over the otherwise decent Fusion and since they were never sold in Canada they are very distinctive the few times you do see them.
But why would Jack buy one of these? Did something happen to the Accord?
I still have the Accord. Just don’t want to drive it into the ground commuting 700 miles a week.
Always liked Mercury for being a dressed-up Ford; a lady in my condo development C4Ced a 95-ish Buick LeSabre for one of these (with a slushbox, however), and as far as I’m aware, it hasn’t given her any issues. Just as with the GM A-bodies, if you got a good one, a quintessential “nice car.”
This is what Acura really should be to Honda, and it is, but they just can’t admit it to themselves, which makes them look all the more foolish when they try to compare themselves to the Audis of the world, much less anything more high-falluting!
Regarding Jack’s 2008 Milan… they are indeed Mazda underneath – speed 6 I believe. Much of the parts are interchangeable.
We have a 2008 MKZ that we’ve owned since 09. It’s been a decent little car. I doubt the larger V6 will work out for an engine swap into a manual Milan… but Steeda does offer a few go fast engine and suspension bits. We’re running a Speed6 coil-over & sway bar setup on the Lincoln which went a long way to reduce the floating and ab tightening during turns my Wife complained of. (It’s all perspective though, she came from an RX-8 prior to the MKZ. I’m sure when she gets out of my SUV she’s happy to be back in that Lincoln.) A Steeda tune and CAI round out the engine.
It’s no rocket ship, but as a comfortable, sporty, AWD runner, that’s lacking in today’s bloat, it’s been a nice all rounder. No idea what we’ll replace it with when the time comes. A late model CT6 has been hinted at repeatedly by the missus.
We’re an odd millennial couple that grew up on Asian cars, with parents that were both burnt by old GM & Ford iron. We took a chance on Ford, when the value it provided was just too great in the face of the 3-series, A4, and Legacy that were all cross-shopped. With those small updates it proved to win my Wife over and me, as it’s been reliable over 10 years of ownership.
I had the cousin….2010 Mazda 6. It drove better than both fusions and Milan IMHO. I don’t know how much content between the two there were, but the suspension setup was better and the 5 speed auto in the mazda. was more decisive than the fusions 6 speed with the same engine. 80k trouble free miles.
I currently have this car now in black with AWD. A true black beauty. Very rare, have only seen 4 2010/2011 Milans on the road, and probably a thousand same year Fusions. Why didn’t anybody buy this car? Kind of sad they killed a brand that had so much potential. Ford let them fade into dust.