Mercury Marks 60 Years of Style and Innovation

24 September 1998

    IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 24 -- In the fall of 1938 the world
welcomed a new automobile company.  Introduced as 1939 models, the all-new
Mercury cars offered high style and high-performance.  Sixty years later,
Mercury is celebrating as it continues that tradition by offering cars like
the 1999 Mercury Cougar.
    The 1939 Mercury was the first car created by Ford Motor Company's
styling studio.  It was also the first Ford production car to be
developed from a full-size clay mock-up. This first generation Mercury was
primarily a reflection of the taste and design skill of Edsel Ford, Henry
Ford's son, and his chief designer Bob Gregorie.  This team was also
responsible for the celebrated Lincoln Zephyr and 1940 Lincoln Continental.
    "From the beginning, Mercury cars have been built for people who enjoy
performance and expect their cars to reflect their own personal sense of
style," said Mark Hutchins, president, Lincoln Mercury.  "Today, Mercury is
again offering unique solutions to personal transportation with such vehicles
as the new 1999 Mercury Villager and Cougar sport coupe.  We're proud of the
independent spirit our cars have always reflected, and stay tuned because we
at Mercury have big plans for our next generation of cars and trucks. "
    Lincoln Mercury recently made additional automotive history by moving its
world headquarters from Michigan to Irvine, California, the first domestic
auto manufacturer to ever do so.  The move was part of a dynamic
transformation Lincoln Mercury is implementing and integral to the company's
plans to design, manufacture and market trend setting personal transportation.