The Mercury Milan was a front- and all-wheel-drive mid-size sedan sold from 2006 to 2011. A rebadged version of the first-generation Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, it was built in Hermosillo, Mexico, and became Mercury’s best-selling model in 2008.
Mercury Milan at a glance
| Production | 2006–2011 model years |
|---|---|
| Class | mid-size four-door, five-seat sedan |
| Platform | Ford CD3, shared with the Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ |
| Drive | front-wheel drive; all-wheel drive optional on V6 cars from 2007 |
| Engines | 2.3 L four with 160 hp; 3.0 L Duratec V6 with 221 hp |
| 2010 engines | 2.5 L four with 175 hp; 3.0 L V6 with 240 hp |
| Gearboxes | five-speed manual or automatic; six-speed automatic with the V6 |
| Trim levels | base and Premier |
| Built at | Hermosillo Assembly, Mexico |
| Last car | 17 December 2010 |
The article is based on one source, the English Wikipedia page on the Milan.
History of the Mercury Milan
A Mercury Fusion
The Milan was a four-door, five-passenger mid-size sedan built by Ford and marketed by Mercury over a single generation from 2006 to 2011. It used Ford’s CD3 platform and was a rebadged variant of the first-generation Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, built alongside them at Hermosillo Assembly in Mexico. The Milan served as Mercury’s entry-level and smallest car, succeeding the Mystique and replacing the Sable. It was sold in the United States, including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, in Mexico and in the Middle East.
The car was introduced at the 2005 Chicago Auto Show, and in 2008 it became Mercury’s best-selling model. Its name came from the Italian city of Milan, associated with fashion and design. Chief designer Darrell Behmer said the name “connotes visions of a modern, fashionable European city” and fitted the car’s design theme and target customer “like a fine Italian suit”. The Milan received an extensive mid-cycle facelift for 2010 under Behmer and design director Peter Horbury.
Equipment
Mercury sold the Milan in base and Premium trims. Base cars came with 16-inch alloy wheels, cloth bucket seats with a six-way power driver’s seat, a 60/40 split rear bench, a tilt and telescopic steering wheel with speed and audio controls, power windows and locks, remote keyless entry, air conditioning, an AM/FM stereo with CD and MP3 capability and six speakers, and an analogue clock. The Premier added a six-disc CD changer, leather seats, anti-lock brakes and 17-inch machined alloy wheels. A Comfort Package brought automatic climate control, automatic headlamps, fog lamps, puddle lamps and an auto-dimming mirror with compass. Options included traction assist, heated seats, a power moonroof, an eight-speaker Audiophile system and mahogany interior trim. All cars had LED tail lamps, split folding rear seats and a folding front passenger seat that allowed items up to nine feet long to be carried.
The Milan shared its powertrain with the Ford Fusion. From 2006 to 2009 a 160 hp 2.3-litre inline-four was standard, replaced by a 175 hp 2.5-litre four for 2010, with a 221 hp 3.0-litre V6 as an option, raised to 240 hp in 2010. The four-cylinder came with a five-speed manual as standard, the first manual-transmission Mercury sedan since the 2000 Mystique, and a five-speed automatic as an option. The V6 was sold only with a six-speed automatic. For 2010 the four-cylinder engines received six-speed manual and automatic gearboxes, and the V6’s automatic gained manual shifting under the name Select Shift. All-wheel drive became optional on V6 cars in 2007.
The body and the end
As a rebadged Fusion, the Milan had its own front and rear fascias, a waterfall grille recalling the Monterey and Montego, projector headlamps, LED tail lamps extending into the boot lid and a bumper-mounted licence plate. From 2010 the Milan, the Fusion, the MKZ and their hybrid versions used acoustic glass for the windscreen and rear window, marketed as Carlite SoundScreen, which cut noise by up to 6 dB at some frequencies and saved up to seven pounds per vehicle. Coinciding with Ford’s retirement of Mercury, sales of the Milan ended after a shortened 2011 model year, and the final car was built on 17 December 2010.
Design and features
- Fusion underneath: the Ford CD3 platform shared with the Fusion and Lincoln MKZ.
- Waterfall grille: Mercury front and rear styling on the same body.
- Manual option: the first manual-transmission Mercury sedan since the 2000 Mystique.
- Practical touches: a folding front passenger seat for loads up to nine feet long.
- Quiet glass: Carlite SoundScreen acoustic glass from 2010.
Mercury Milan versions
- Milan base: the standard car with the 2.3 or 2.5 four-cylinder engine.
- Milan Premium: leather seats, six-disc CD changer and 17-inch wheels.
- Milan V6: the 3.0-litre Duratec with a six-speed automatic and optional all-wheel drive.
- Milan (2010–2011): the facelifted final cars with acoustic glass.
The Milan replaced the Sable as Mercury’s family sedan and sat above the Mariner in the range. More cars are in the Mercury collection.
Sources
- Mercury Milan, English Wikipedia: platform, engines, equipment, the 2010 facelift and production end
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