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.