Thursday 6th October 1938

The Mercury marque was launched by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford as market entry-level luxury cars slotted between Ford-branded regular models and Lincoln-branded luxury vehicles. Over 100 different model and names were considered before “Mercury” was finally selected. The 1939 Mercury Eight began production in 1938, with a 2.9 litre 95 hp flathead V8 engine. Over 65,800 were sold the first year, at a price of $916.