Stacy94PGT

By Mark Rechtin
Automotive News / November 08, 2002

LOS ANGELES -- After nearly a year of denials, Ford Motor Co. today announced that Lincoln Mercury will move from Southern California back to Ford's global offices in Dearborn, Mich., next summer.

The April organizational realignment that put Lincoln Mercury back inside the company's North American Consumer Business Group with Ford Division convinced the company that the Lincoln and Mercury brands should be located with Ford Division instead of with the other Premier Automotive Group brands, a Ford official said in a release.

"For the long-term benefit of Lincoln Mercury, it makes good business sense to co-locate with Ford Division in Dearborn," said Jim O'Connor, Ford Motor group vice president for North America marketing, sales and service,

About 90 Lincoln Mercury employees work in Lincoln Mercury's offices in Irvine, Calif., mostly in sales and marketing functions. The first wave of employees will move back after the school year ends.

Manufacturing liaisons and the product development department had remained in Dearborn after the other departments moved to California in July 1998. The two divisions joined the rest of the Premier Automotive Group - Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin and Volvo - in moving into PAG headquarters in July 2001.

Although presented as a crucial piece of PAG, Lincoln Mercury never really found a home inside the luxury arm of Ford Motor. In April 2002, Lincoln and Mercury organizationally were placed back within Ford Division's North American operations.

But rumors of Ford moving Lincoln Mercury back to Dearborn had been swirling long before the corporate changes were made. Until today, Ford officials denied the rumors, claiming that the only way the Lincoln and Mercury brands could make a sustained comeback was by having marketing decision makers located near the thriving California luxury-vehicle market.

In a release, Ford officials said the Lincoln Mercury design studio will remain in Irvine.

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Stacy94PGT
My first car was a 67 Mustang Coupe, 2nd one was a 67 Cougar XR-7, 3rd one was a 66 Mustang Coupe. Why did I get rid of these cars for ? I know why, because I'm stupid, stupid, stupid.

My next Ford.....