The Mercury M-Series is a series of pickup trucks that was marketed by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company. Produced from 1947 to 1968, the Mercury M series was sold primarily in Canada, as a rebadged version of the Ford F-Series.
In 1946, Ford of Canada split its Ford and Lincoln/Mercury divisions into separate sales networks. Alongside the creation of the Monarch and Meteor sub-brands, Ford of Canada introduced trucks to the Mercury division. At the time, few rural communities offered both the Ford and Lincoln-Mercury dealership networks, miniminizing model overlap and allowing for greater coverage for potential truck buyers. To differentiate Ford and Mercury trucks, Mercury added a brand-specific grille and slightly different exterior and interior trim.
Nomenclature
In 1948, following the introduction of the Ford F-Series, Mercury adopted the use of the "M" prefix, for Mercury. From 1948 to 1950, nominal tonnage ratings were replaced by a series designation in which the numbers indicate the GVWR when equipped with tires of appropriate capacity. Each code number is arrived at by dividing the GVWR of the series by 100. Thus an F-47 (M-47) indicates a GVWR of 4700lbs., F-135 (M-135) indicates 13500lbs., etc.
In 1951–52, Ford of Canada got back in step with Ford USA with F-1 (M-1), F-2 (M-2) etc.
Pickup trucks
1949 Mercury M series1966 Mercury M-100
From 1948 to 1968, the Mercury M-series followed the development of its Ford F-series counterparts, differing largely in exterior trim.
For 1961 to 1966, Mercury trucks had a gear/lightning bolt symbol on their horn button and no other interior Mercury nameplates.
For 1967 and 1968, trucks used Ford interior trim only, such as the horn button, dash cluster bezel and radio block-off plate.
Alongside rebranding the F-Series pickup trucks as the M-series, Lincoln-Mercury also marketed other vehicles of the Ford truck range. The Ford medium-duty F-series (F-500 and above) was part of the M-series, including an MB-series bus chassis (Ford B-series). As part of its commercial truck range, Lincoln-Mercury also marketed the Ford C-series tilt-cab truck as an M-series; produced until 1968.
The first-generation Ford Econoline was marketed in Canada as the Mercury Econoline EM-series, sharing both van and pickup truck body configurations. As Mercury-brand light-truck production ended during the 1968 model year, there was no Mercury version of the second-generation Econoline (which was moved to the 1969 model year).
While not sold as a Mercury, the Lincoln-Mercury division also marketed the first-generation (1957-1959) Ford Ranchero through its Meteor brand in Canada.
Discontinuation
1968 Mercury M100, final year of production
When the Auto-Pact was signed in 1965, opening the border to tariff-free movement of vehicles produced on both sides of the border, Mercury truck production was split between the Oakville, Ontario, plant and the San Jose, California, plant. This enabled Oakville to ramp up production to supply the eastern US and Canada with Ford trucks. No Mercury trucks were sold in the US.
Ford wound down production of the Mercury trucks in the late spring of 1968; documented Mercury trucks have been found built as late as May 15, 1968. Employees of Ford in this time period have reported leftover Mercury M series being converted to Ford trucks. However, no paperwork or confirmation has yet surfaced regarding the final disposition of these, nor of an official end date to production.
After its discontinuation, the next Mercury light truck would be the 1993 Mercury Villager minivan.
Lincoln Motor Company, or simply Lincoln, is the luxury vehicle division of American automobile manufacturer Ford Motor Company. Marketed among the top luxury vehicle brands in the United States, until 2020, Lincoln was positioned closely against its General Motors counterpart Cadillac; however, beginning with the 2021 model year, they only offer SUV and crossover vehicles.
Mercury was a brand of mid-priced automobiles produced by American manufacturer Ford Motor Company between 1938 and 2011 with 1939 being the first model year. It stood as its own line within Ford until 1945, and thereafter formed half of Ford's Lincoln-Mercury Division. Created by Edsel Ford in 1938 to bridge the gap between the Ford and Lincoln model lines, its principal competition was General Motors' Buick and Oldsmobile divisions, and Chrysler Corporation's DeSoto and Chrysler brands.
The Ford E-Series is a range of full-size vans manufactured and marketed by the Ford Motor Company. Introduced for 1961 as the replacement of the Ford F-Series panel van, four generations of the model line have been produced. Marketed for both cargo and passenger transport configurations, the E-Series has been designed with multiple design variations for both retail and commercial sale, including vans, and commercial-grade cutaway van chassis and stripped chassis.
The Ford F-Series is a series of light-duty trucks marketed and manufactured by Ford Motor Company since the 1948 model year. The F-Series is marketed as a range of full-sized pickup trucks positioned above the midsize Ranger but below the larger Super Duty in the Ford truck lineup. Alongside the F-150, the F-Series also includes the Super Duty series, which includes the heavier-duty F-250 through F-450 pickups, F-450/F-550 chassis cabs, and F-600/F-650/F-750 Class 6–8 commercial trucks.
The Ford Excursion is a heavy-duty SUV that was sold by Ford Motor Company from 2000 to 2005. At the time of its introduction, the Excursion was the longest and heaviest SUV ever to enter mass production. The third Ford SUV derived from the F-Series pickup trucks, the model line used a heavier-duty chassis and frame than the Expedition; both vehicles competed against the Chevrolet Suburban.
Meteor was a marque of automobiles offered by Ford Motor Company of Canada from 1949 to 1976. The make was retired for the 1962 and 1963 model years, when the name was used for the Mercury Meteor sold in the United States. It succeeded the Mercury 114, a Canadian-market Mercury based on the Ford, the "114" name being taken from the car's wheelbase.
The Mercury Meteor is an automobile that was produced by Mercury from the 1961 to 1963 model years. Adopting its nameplate from the namesake Ford of Canada brand, the Meteor was introduced as the base-trim full-size Mercury sedan, while the compact Mercury Comet shared a naming convention associated with the ongoing Space Race of the early 1960s. Slotted below the Mercury Monterey, the Meteor was the Mercury counterpart of the Ford Fairlane.
The Ford Falcon is a model line of cars that was produced by Ford from the 1960 to 1970 model years. Though preceded by the Rambler American, the Falcon was the first compact car marketed by the Big Three American manufacturers.
The 1949 Ford is a line of cars produced by Ford from the 1949 to 1951 model years. The successor to the prewar 1941 Ford, the model line was the first full-size Ford designed after World War II, becoming the first Ford car line released after the deaths of Edsel Ford and Henry Ford. From 1946 to 1948, each of the American Big Three concentrated on the restoration of car production, offering updated versions of their 1941-1942 model lines. Released in June 1948, the 1949 Ford was the first major "postwar" American car line, beating Chevrolet to market by six months and Plymouth by nine.
The Lincoln MKT is a full-size luxury crossover SUV with 3-row seating that was marketed by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company; a single generation was produced from the 2010 to the 2019 model years. Slotted between the Lincoln MKX and the Lincoln Navigator, the MKT shared its Ford D4 chassis with the Ford Flex CUV and the 2011-2019 Ford Explorer.
The first generation of the Ford F-Series is a series of trucks that was produced by Ford Motor Company from the 1948 to the 1952 model years. The introduction of the F-Series marked the divergence of Ford car and truck design, developing a chassis intended specifically for truck use. Alongside pickup trucks, the model line included also panel vans, bare and cowled chassis, and marked the entry of Ford into the medium and heavy-duty truck segment.
The second generation of the Ford F-Series is a series of trucks that was produced by Ford from the 1953 to 1956 model years. Marketed as the "Triple Economy" series, the second-generation F-Series again encompassed a comprehensive range of vehicles, ranging from light-duty pickup trucks to heavy-duty commercial vehicles.
The fourth generation of the Ford F-Series is a line of trucks produced by Ford from the 1961 to 1966 model years. Introducing a lower and wider cab over the previous generation, Ford introduced several design changes to the model line. In line with modern pickup trucks, the bed sides, hood line, and window sill were all the same height. Ford returned the F-Series to two headlights.
The fifth generationof the Ford F-Series is a line of pickup trucks and commercial trucks that were produced by Ford from the 1967 to 1972 model years. Built on the same platform as the fourth generation F-Series, the fifth generation had sharper styling lines, a larger cab, and expanded engine options.
The sixth generation of the Ford F-Series, also known as the "dentside Ford" to enthusiasts, is a line of pickup trucks and medium-duty commercial trucks that were produced by Ford Motor Company from the 1973 to 1979 model years. Produced by Ford in North America, Argentina, and Australia, this is the third and final generation of trucks derived from the 1965 Ford F-Series.
The ninth generation of the Ford F-Series is a lineup of trucks that were produced by Ford from the 1992 to 1998 model years. The final generation of the F-Series to include a complete range of trucks from a half-ton F-150 pickup truck to a medium-duty F-800 commercial truck, this is the third generation of the F-Series body and chassis introduced for 1980.
The tenth generation of the Ford F-Series is a line of pickup trucks produced by Ford Motor Company from the 1997 to 2004 model years. The first ground-up redesign of the F-Series since 1979, the tenth generation saw the introduction of an all-new chassis and a completely new body. In a significant model change, the tenth generation was developed only for the F-150, with the ninth-generation F-250 and F-350 replaced by the all-new Ford Super Duty variant of the F-Series for 1999. An all-new crew-cab configuration debuted in 1999 for the 2001 model year.
The eleventh generation of the Ford F-Series, marketed as the Ford Lobo in Mexico, is the company's line of light-duty pickup trucks manufactured and marketed by Ford for model years 2004-2008 — with a redesigned body and chassis, and marketed as its F-150 line, between the company's Ranger and the Super Duty trucks.
The fourth generation of the C/K series is a range of trucks that was manufactured by General Motors. Marketed by the Chevrolet and GMC brands from the 1988 to the 2002 model years, this is the final generation of the C/K model line. In a branding change, GMC adopted the GMC Sierra nameplate for all its full-size pickup trucks, leaving the C/K nomenclature exclusive to Chevrolet.
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