Did Ford make a Mercury truck?
Yes. Mercury, the Ford Motor Company’s luxury-brand division, produced a pickup truck for a brief period in the late 1940s and early 1950s before the line was discontinued.
Mercury, introduced in 1938 as a distinct brand within Ford, experimented with a pickup option after World War II. The trucks were badge-engineered variants of contemporary Ford light-duty models, wearing Mercury styling and identification at Mercury dealerships. In collector literature this foray is often referred to as the Mercury M-series, but production was limited and the program ended by the early 1950s. There is no modern Mercury-branded pickup in Ford’s current lineup.
Historical context
Mercury was positioned to offer a more upscale alternative to Ford’s mainstream models. After World War II, the brand broadened its reach with a limited selection of body styles, including a short-lived truck option that allowed Mercury dealers to market a pickup without creating an entirely separate development program for a standalone truck line.
Details of Mercury pickup trucks
Here are key facts about Mercury's foray into trucks.
- They were essentially badge-engineered versions of Ford light-duty pickups, adapted with Mercury trim and styling cues.
- The trucks appeared in the late 1940s and were phased out in the early 1950s, with sources giving slightly different year ranges.
- Production was limited compared with Mercury's car lineup, making surviving examples relatively rare today.
- Today they are of interest to collectors and historians as a transitional part of Mercury's 20th-century strategy.
In sum, Mercury did make a truck, but it was not a long-running, separate model line. The program remains a footnote in Ford's brand history.
Why Mercury stopped making trucks
As Ford reorganized its product strategy in the early 1950s, Mercury refocused on passenger-car prestige and model refreshes rather than a dedicated pickup program. Market demand for Mercury pickups proved limited, and the badge-engineering route was dropped in favor of concentrating on the brand's car lineup. The result: no sustained Mercury-branded trucks in later decades.
How to recognize a Mercury pickup today
Collectors identify Mercury pickups by specific cues that distinguish them from their Ford counterparts, along with historical documentation and production-era design details. Notable identifiers include badge placement and interior trim that align with Mercury’s mid-century styling.
- Mercury badging on the grille, tailgate, and dashboard trim is a key cue.
- Interior materials and trim reflect Mercury’s premium appointments of the era.
- Mechanical components are shared with contemporary Ford trucks, so VINs/body tags help dating; cross-check with Ford/Mercury period literature.
Enthusiasts should verify details with period catalogs or dealer literature, as sources vary on exact production years and model naming.
Summary
Ford did make a Mercury-branded pickup, but it was a brief, limited foray into the truck market. The program produced only a small number of trucks in the late 1940s to early 1950s, and Mercury would not sustain a dedicated truck line in later decades. For collectors, the Mercury pickup remains a curious chapter in Ford’s brand history and a reminder of Mercury’s experimental postwar strategy.
What year did they stop making Mercury trucks?
Mercury stopped making its traditional pickup trucks in 1968, with production ending in the spring of that year. However, Mercury continued to produce other vehicles until the brand was completely discontinued by Ford in 2011, with the last Mercury vehicle being a Grand Marquis built in January 2011.
- Traditional trucks: The Mercury M-Series pickups were produced from 1947 to 1968 and were primarily sold in Canada. The last ones were built in the spring of 1968, with the final model being the M100.
- Brand-wide discontinuation: The entire Mercury brand was officially discontinued by Ford in 2011. The last Mercury vehicle ever produced was a Grand Marquis, which rolled off the assembly line in January 2011.
What is the rarest Mercury truck model?
The '67 & '68 M-Series pickups were available in many different cab/bed, engine/transmission configurations with the factory 4x4 models being the rarest of the trucks produced.
Did Ford make a Mercury pickup truck?
They ranged from pickups, with the Mercury name embossed on the tailgate, to panel trucks, and large cab and chassis models. Sizes covered the whole spectrum from half-ton to 2-ton ratings or higher. Mechanically, both were identical. At first, two Mercury trucks were sold for every five Fords sold.
Does Mercury still make a truck?
The new M100 delivers a commanding presence with a wide front grill featuring Mercury's signature horizontal bars integrated LED headlights with adaptive. Technology for better visibility.
