Mercury Mariner Hybrid to be sold online - GreenHybrid

lars-ss · #1 (**permalink**) 07-11-2005, 07:41 AM

Ford's second hybrid on sale:

Quote:

DETROIT - Ford Motor Co. began selling its second hybrid vehicle on Monday, a more fuel efficient version of its Mercury Mariner sport utility vehicle.

The 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid SUV, which starts at $29,840, will be sold almost exclusively online, the company said. Customers can order the vehicles through Mercury's Web site and pick them up from a local dealer when they're delivered.

The Mariner Hybrid's fuel economy is nearly 50 percent higher than a conventional Mariner, the company said. The Mariner Hybrid gets an estimated 33 miles per gallon in the city and 29 mpg on the highway and meets the most stringent emissions standards, Ford said.

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunhera...s/12105780.htm

cdbrow1 · #2 (**permalink**) 07-11-2005, 11:45 AM

It looks like Mercury is follwoing the Prius model (at least the Gen 1 prius model). This way the vehicles will actually get to where the customers are and not into the hands of dealers who are interested in sky high mark-ups. I think this is the right way to sell all cars, not just hybrids and I am glad Ford is going down that road.

Chris Brown

sdctcher · #3 (**permalink**) 07-11-2005, 02:48 PM

I like the concept. I emailed my dealer (the internet sales manager) and he knew nothing about it. He thanked me for the heads up. Could it be Lincoln Mercury forgot to tell their dealers? I am going to be chatting with him on Friday and find out his feelings and margin

lars-ss · #4 (**permalink**) 07-13-2005, 02:26 PM

I hope this is sorta like an indicator as to far we have advanced as a Hybrid community - we EXPECT new hybrids.

Did anyone realize this Mariner Hybrid is being released a FULL YEAR EARLIER than planned? That's really awesome, and a year ago would have been BIG NEWS on this site....As it is today, since we have advanced to sort of "expect" Hybrid releases and new cars and SUVs and trucks to be released, it was barely a blip....

Amazing how far we have come !!

Jason · #5 (**permalink**) 07-13-2005, 03:01 PM

Guess I better update the mileage database to reflect this soon. When I get back from Chicago I'll have two weeks to make some necessary changes before I leave for college.

sdctcher · #6 (**permalink**) 07-15-2005, 08:01 PM

I talking with my dealer today (he is the Internet Sales Mgr. and there is also a Fleet and Reg. Mgr.) he has gone to the Lincoln Mariner website now twice. Once two weeks ago when I told him it looked like Ford was bypassing dealers to sell the Mariner Hybrid. He went in like a customer and configured a car, left his email and zip code, and nothing. He has heard nothing back and as a dealer they have heard nothing (he is the person who gets all leads from Ford and the bounty aftermarketeers). He again did the same thing in front of me and again nothing. Next he will go into their chatroom and try to find out something. Really, Ford is leaving someone out of the loop here and it is entirely unclear whether Lincoln-Mercury-Ford intends to sell these cars direct and pay the dealer something when the car is picked up, or send the lead to the dealer and let them do the process. The dealer said some time ago Ford tried to sell direct and if they tried again dealers may have to sue.

He promised to stay in touch.

Mike