Jason-
I first fond the 'Lincoln Mercury Mariner' language on Medi.Ford.Com.

I just did a Goggle and found the following:
Really. I did not make it up. I then told Gabrielle Senatore, the Mariner Hybrid Marketing Manager that I thought this was a stroke of advertising genius, bringing in the luxury Lincoln moniker in order to counter Lexus.

Mike Maline - Sdctcher
2005 Ford Escape Hybrid Owner
California School Teacher

I didn't say you were making it up. Just wanted to see an official document. Forum name changed

Read my new biweekly column, The Western Street 7.
Visit my political debate forum, Volconvo.

Am I the only one who thinks Ford is not trying very hard to market their hybrids? I have never seen an ad for one, and was amazed that all the dealers I have contacted (4) have them in stock when I went out looking. Last October none of the local dealers had any. The sales goofuses said that each dealer would get about 4 each and I went away thinking I would wait for a Highlander hybrid. When that fell through for last year, I pretty much gave up on the Ford Hybrid. Now we hear that they are being sold under the Lincoln and Mazda Tribute names. Is this the GM-ing of Ford? I tell ya, the guys at the barber shop are not seeing any ads for them in Guns and Ammo or Field and Stream, nor do I see any in ads in Outside (at the other end of my perceived spectrum). Does Ford need to hire Subaru's ad agency? Outbacks sell like hotcakes around here and I would think that the Escape would appeal to that crowd -- it got me. Somebody needs to grab Ford by the neck.

I dunno, out here in fly-over-country my local dealer (Anderson Ford) only got a couple allocations last year and I got one of the two this year. They say they are getting one "Fleet" allocation too this year, though it too is already sold.

Their first allocation was (I'm told) sold before they ordered it and I put money down on mine and and ordered what I wanted too (a couple days after they got the production slot). They seem to be selling as many as they build. Makes me wonder if they aren't making money on them and so are only building as many as they are required to build to keep the regulators and environmental activists off their case....

I was so excited to see a forum about the Mariner Hybrids! I was chosen as one of the lucky ones to have a 2009 being built!

Now if I can just find a site that would let me "watch" the progress of my new car being built, life would be grand!!!

Thank you for starting this forum!

Carol
Michigan