To the Editor:
The announcement of the demise of Mercury seemed pretty abrupt and cold in tone -- no reminiscing about Mercury landmarks, success and history in general, the basic PR 101 stuff.
I feel that a good case could have been made to salvage it. It would have taken some creativity and effort on the part of Ford Motor Co.'s marketing and design offices -- and others, of course -- but maybe they are too tired.
I think they will live to regret it.
Alan Mulally is the right man at the right time for Ford Motor and will in all likelihood go down in history as one of the great automotive leaders. His objectivity and the inherent Boeing disciplines are invaluable. That said, millions have affection for Ford products and their history. The true value of them can't always be objectively evaluated by an industry outsider.
Just because some Japanese automakers operate here with two brands and far fewer dealers, it's not necessarily a model for Ford to follow. Ford has an emotional connection with many Americans that the imports will never have.
