merc

A 1939 Mercury 8 two-door sedan. (WIKIMEDIA PHOTO)

Ford’s Mercury division was the brainchild of Edsel Ford in 1938. Edsel was the only child of Ford founder, Henry and his wife, Clara, and later, was the namesake of one of the most spectacular failures of an American automobile brand.

Edsel, then president of Ford Motor Co., and Jack Davis, Ford sale manager, came up with a mid-level brand to slot between Ford and Lincoln, as a premium but affordable offering. According to the Ford corporate website, Edsel chose the name of mythical winged god of commerce Mercury to symbolize dependability, speed, skill and eloquence.

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