Ford Motor Co.’s actions to wind-down Mercury production will begin in late September, according to several dealerships who were told of the plans. Ford aims to shut down the brand and dealer network by Dec. 31. These sources also said that Ford will stop producing the rear-wheel drive Grand Marquis sedan on Sept. 30, the Mountaineer SUV on Oct. 1, the Milan mid-size sedan on Oct. 2, and the Mariner small SUV on Oct. 3. In an e-mail, Ford spokesman Robert Parker confirmed that Ford will end production of Mercury in the fourth quarter, but he clarified that specific dates were not announced yet. The final factory orders from Mercury dealerships were submitted last month.
