Created from scratch like its defunct cousin the Edsel, Mercury was its own division of Ford Motor Company until 1945 until it was combined with Lincoln into the Lincoln Mercury Division, in the hopes that it would come to be known as a sort of Lincoln junior. In 1949, when Ford and Lincoln were also radically redesigned, Mercury introduced the first of its modes with integrated bodies, and in 1952 it updated its look again. In 1958 Lincoln-Mercury combined with Edsel as the Mercury-Edsel-Lincoln Division, but with the 1960 demise of Edsel, the original Lincoln-Mercury name was restored, and it has remained ever since.

During the 1950s and 60s Mercury went through several identity changes, moving between being a spiffed up Ford to a toned down Lincoln, to having its own body designs. It's best success was during the 1950's when most of its designs were essentially stretched and lowered Ford platforms. In the early 1970s, the brand separated itself from Ford somewhat, and offered such models as the Park Lane, Cougar and Marquis, but by the end of the decade, and through the 1980s, Mercury was once again joined at the hip with Ford, to the former's detriment.

Today, Mercury's range is rather small and quite similar to those automobiles sold under the Ford brand. It's alliance with Lincoln, which dealers also sell Mercury cars to appeal to those seeking lower prices, has kept the brand alive, and the introduction of new models like the Montego and Mariner has helped it continue on, and right now it is marketing aggressively, and is rumored to be actively trying to appeal specifically to female drivers. The positive response to the Mercury Milan girl commercial has been greater than we had expected.