Mercury Monarch
Encyclopedia
The Mercury Monarch is a compact
sedan manufactured by the Ford Motor Company
; it was sold by the Lincoln-Mercury
division from 1975 to 1980.
Released in model year 1975 alongside the Ford Granada
; the cars, which were badge-engineered, were identical save for the grille, taillights and some interior and exterior trim. A total of 575,567 Monarchs were produced during this time period. For 1981, the Granada was replaced with a smaller version based on Ford's Fox platform, and the Mercury version took the Cougar name.
was introduced, but the poor acceptance of the Edsel led Ford to reintroduce Monarch for 1959. With a drop in medium-priced vehicle sales in the early 1960s, and the introduction of the similarly priced Ford Galaxie
, the Monarch was dropped after the 1961 model year.
Monarch used the contemporary Mercury body with only unique grilles, taillights and other trim to distinguish them. Model names included Richelieu, Lucerne and Sceptre.
As the energy crisis killed off demand for sporty cars, luxury cars came into demand, even more so for smaller models. After introducing the Monarch, the division found relatively little competition from domestic automakers; at the time, personal luxury cars were based on full-sized models, which had not undergone downsizing. Along with the somewhat larger Chrysler Cordoba
and Cadillac Seville
, the Monarch helped to break the long-standing traditions in the Big Three that size went hand-in-hand with luxury.
The base engine was Ford's 200 cid inline six cylinder engine, with a 250 cid inline six
optional. V8 power came from two engines: the 302 cid and 351 cid Windsor
.
Other standard luxury features included:
According to the May 1976 edition of Car and Driver
, three out of five of Ford’s top executives, including Henry Ford II
, used the Mercury Grand Monarch Ghia as their personal car.
introduced the Versailles
, based on the Granada/Monarch platform. The Versailles had many of the same luxury features as the Mercury Grand Monarch Ghia. Despite the high content, a lack of styling differentiation (and a price double that of the Monarch) failed to attract buyers.
The brand identity
of Lincoln suffered when they began selling a clone of the Granada rather than a product that significantly differentiated itself from other Ford products. In 1980, it was discontinued after approximately 50,000 were sold. Along with the Cadillac Cimarron
, the Versailles is known as an example of one of the worst uses of badge engineering
.
Compact car
A compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car...
sedan manufactured by the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
; it was sold by the Lincoln-Mercury
Mercury (automobile)
Mercury was an automobile marque of the Ford Motor Company launched in 1938 by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford, to market entry-level luxury cars slotted between Ford-branded regular models and Lincoln-branded luxury vehicles, similar to General Motors' Buick brand, and Chrysler's namesake brand...
division from 1975 to 1980.
Released in model year 1975 alongside the Ford Granada
Ford Granada (North America)
The Ford Granada was a mid-size car built and marketed by Ford Motor Company in North America from 1975–1982, along with its sister models, the Mercury Monarch, and Lincoln Versailles. The Granada was touted by Ford as a rival to the similarly sized Mercedes-Benz 280 of the time. The Granada and...
; the cars, which were badge-engineered, were identical save for the grille, taillights and some interior and exterior trim. A total of 575,567 Monarchs were produced during this time period. For 1981, the Granada was replaced with a smaller version based on Ford's Fox platform, and the Mercury version took the Cougar name.
Past use of "Monarch" name
Monarch was a brand of automobile produced by Ford of Canada from 1946–1957 and from 1959-1961. It was introduced to give Ford dealers a product to sell in the medium-price field. This was typical practice in the Canadian market, where smaller towns might have only a single dealer who was expected to offer a full range of products in various price classes. The Monarch was dropped for 1958 when the EdselEdsel
The Edsel was an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company during the 1958, 1959, and 1960 model years. The Edsel never gained popularity with contemporary American car buyers and sold poorly. Consequently, the Ford Motor Company lost millions of dollars on the Edsel's development,...
was introduced, but the poor acceptance of the Edsel led Ford to reintroduce Monarch for 1959. With a drop in medium-priced vehicle sales in the early 1960s, and the introduction of the similarly priced Ford Galaxie
Ford Galaxie
The Ford Galaxie was a full-size car built in the United States by the Ford Motor Company for model years 1959 through 1974. The name was used for the top models in Ford’s full-size range from 1959 until 1961, in a marketing attempt to appeal to the excitement surrounding the Space Race...
, the Monarch was dropped after the 1961 model year.
Monarch used the contemporary Mercury body with only unique grilles, taillights and other trim to distinguish them. Model names included Richelieu, Lucerne and Sceptre.
Development
Although developed as the replacement for the aging Comet, external circumstances outside Ford forced the Mercury division to keep both models as the 1970s progressed. The Monarch shared the same platform as its predecessor (developed from the first-generation Ford Falcon). To compete against European and Japanese competitors, the Monarch was given an all-new body; while heavily influenced by Mercedes-Benz, the front and rear styling still carried many styling cues from larger Fords and Mercury models.As the energy crisis killed off demand for sporty cars, luxury cars came into demand, even more so for smaller models. After introducing the Monarch, the division found relatively little competition from domestic automakers; at the time, personal luxury cars were based on full-sized models, which had not undergone downsizing. Along with the somewhat larger Chrysler Cordoba
Chrysler Cordoba
The Chrysler Cordoba was an intermediate personal luxury coupe sold by Chrysler Corporation in North America from 1975-1983. It was the company's first model produced specifically for the personal luxury market and the first Chrysler-branded vehicle that was less than full-size.-History:In the...
and Cadillac Seville
Cadillac Seville
The Cadillac Seville is a luxury-type car that was manufactured by the Cadillac division of American automaker General Motors from 1975 to 2004, as a smaller-sized top-of-the-line Cadillac...
, the Monarch helped to break the long-standing traditions in the Big Three that size went hand-in-hand with luxury.
The base engine was Ford's 200 cid inline six cylinder engine, with a 250 cid inline six
Straight-6
The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...
optional. V8 power came from two engines: the 302 cid and 351 cid Windsor
Ford Windsor engine
The Windsor is a 90-degree small-block V8 engine from Ford Motor Company. It was introduced in 1962, replacing the previous Ford Y-block engine. Though not all of the engines in this family were produced at the Windsor, Ontario engine plant , the name stuck...
.
Grand Monarch Ghia
The Mercury Grand Monarch Ghia was an upscale version of the Monarch built in 1975 and 1976. Grand Monarch Ghia had four-wheel disc brakes with a sophisticated central hydraulic power system as standard equipment.Other standard luxury features included:
- LeatherLeatherLeather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
trim - Vinyl roofVinyl roofVinyl roof refers to a vinyl covering for an automobile's top. This covering was originally designed to give the appearance of a convertible to models with a fixed roof, but eventually it evolved into a styling statement in its own right. Vinyl roofs were most popular in the American market, and...
- LCDLiquid crystal displayA liquid crystal display is a flat panel display, electronic visual display, or video display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals . LCs do not emit light directly....
clockClockA clock is an instrument used to indicate, keep, and co-ordinate time. The word clock is derived ultimately from the Celtic words clagan and clocca meaning "bell". A silent instrument missing such a mechanism has traditionally been known as a timepiece... - Leather-wrapped steering wheelSteering wheelA steering wheel is a type of steering control in vehicles and vessels ....
- Power steeringPower steeringPower steering helps drivers steer vehicles by augmenting steering effort of the steering wheel.Hydraulic or electric actuators add controlled energy to the steering mechanism, so the driver needs to provide only modest effort regardless of conditions. Power steering helps considerably when a...
- Dual map lights
- Illuminated visor vanity mirror (passenger side)
- 14 inch, cast-aluminum spoke wheels
- Solid-state ignition
- Whitewall steel-belted radial tiresRadial tireA radial tire is a particular design of automotive tire . In this design, the cord plies are arranged at 90 degrees to the direction of travel, or radially ....
- Reclining bucket seats with matching map pockets
- Plusher carpeting and soundproofing
According to the May 1976 edition of Car and Driver
Car and Driver
Car and Driver is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. Its total circulation is 1.31 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011...
, three out of five of Ford’s top executives, including Henry Ford II
Henry Ford II
Henry Ford II , commonly known as "HF2" and "Hank the Deuce", was the son of Edsel Ford and grandson of Henry Ford...
, used the Mercury Grand Monarch Ghia as their personal car.
Lincoln Versailles
In the spring of 1977, LincolnLincoln (automobile)
Lincoln is an American luxury vehicle brand of the Ford Motor Company. Lincoln vehicles are sold mostly in North America.-History:The company was founded in August 1915 by Henry M. Leland, one of the founders of Cadillac . During World War I, he left Cadillac which was sold to General Motors...
introduced the Versailles
Lincoln Versailles
This is about the Lincoln vehicle produced using the Versailles nameplate. For the Ford vehicles sold under the same nameplate, see Ford Versailles...
, based on the Granada/Monarch platform. The Versailles had many of the same luxury features as the Mercury Grand Monarch Ghia. Despite the high content, a lack of styling differentiation (and a price double that of the Monarch) failed to attract buyers.
The brand identity
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
of Lincoln suffered when they began selling a clone of the Granada rather than a product that significantly differentiated itself from other Ford products. In 1980, it was discontinued after approximately 50,000 were sold. Along with the Cadillac Cimarron
Cadillac Cimarron
The Cadillac Cimarron was a compact car built by Cadillac based on the GM J platform. It was first introduced in 1981 for the 1982 model year, and sold through 1988. During its seven-year model run, 132,499 Cimarrons were built.-Development:...
, the Versailles is known as an example of one of the worst uses of badge engineering
Badge engineering
Badge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...
.