2011 Mercury Tracer - A Small Car For Mercury's Future

The Mercury Tracer concept car is a compact vehicle. While the Ford Focus is getting a redesign for 2011, the decision to build the compact 2011 Mercury Tracer was taken due to the fact that Americans are searching more and more a fuel-efficient mid-premium model. The vehicle, which is still under development status, will be constructed using the 2010 - 2011 Ford Focus undercarriage and chassis. Tracer will be a part of Ford's new global small car program that also includes the soon-to-come 2012 Ford Focus. Like other automakers, Ford has recognized the trend toward more fuel-efficient vehicles is very important, the trend toward small cars in general is coming back.

Mercury Tracer Power

Ford plans to offer a variety of powertrains in the Tracer, likely similar to what will be available in the Focus. The U.S. Tracer will get a new direct-injection 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine that provides 20 more horsepower but with 10 percent better fuel economy, thanks to a dual-clutch six-speed automatic gearbox. European customers will be able to choose from a range of four-cylinder Duratorq common-rail diesels and EcoBoost turbocharged direct-injection gasoline engines. Consumers looking for a fuel efficient high technology engine will be interested in Ford/Mercury's new powertrain options; these involve a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and engines designed to do more with less. Dubbed PowerShift, Ford's new dual-clutch gearbox behaves much the same as a conventional automatic transmission. But the company says the dual-clutch transmission weighs less than a 4-speed auto, and helps increase fuel economy by about nine percent. The U.S.-market Tracer would doubtless get a clean-sheet 4-cylinder in the 1.5- to 2.0-liter range, with direct fuel injection, perhaps cylinder deactivation and, for sporty models, optional turbocharging. A gas/electric hybrid option is another prospect. Exact fuel consumption specifications are not yet available for the Tracer, but with the aim toward small car consumers looking for gas savings and cleaner driving, the numbers should be impressive. The Tracer should handle well, thanks to a limited-slip differential that does its job of keeping both tires biting, and the patented front suspension geometry suppresses the torque steer. Despite the fact that the Mercury Tracer is small, it handles like a more powerful car, swooping out of turns and accelerating well.

Tracer Cabin

The new Mercury may be small, but the cramped cabins of the small car market no longer cut the bill. The new C3 platform is likely to bring modest gains in width, height and wheelbase. Interior features should include an available SYNC system that allows the driver to synchronize mobile electronic devices such as mp3 players and cell phones. Expect plenty of standard safety features, possibly even more then the Tracer's Focus cousin, as it is considered an upscale version.  Ford's MyKey, Message Center, anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, remote keyless entry, power door locks, an much more are likely standard on all series.

Design of the '11 Tracer

During a dealers-only meeting, where Ford outlined their future product lineup, company executives confirmed Mercury will get a version of the redesigned Focus. While details are limited, two Mercury dealers said the car will wear the Tracer name when it goes on sale next year. To improve fuel efficiency , the Tracer will be made with lightweight materials, such aluminum, plastics, high-strength steel and other lightweight materials--costly substitutions, but necessary in light of tough new U.S. fuel-economy standards and equally daunting Euro-zone caps on CO2 emissions.  Among the features that will likely be found on the Tracer are dynamic cornering control, electric power steering, keyless entry with push-button start, a rearview camera, semiautomatic parallel parking and satellite navigation. The Tracer will get the updated C2 platform that is currently used in European. The 2011 Mercury Tracer will look similar to the newly revealed Focus, along with some upscale touches.  The dashboard and interior could be equally bold, if only to stand out in a crowded market segment.

Conclusions

While the Mercury brand's future existence has been in question over the past few years, the Tracer is a good sign for the automaker. The decision to build a compact model as 2011 Mercury Tracer was taken because Americans increasingly look more like a lower-premium model which consume less. Ford / Mercury has let its future plans be known with its development of 'world' cars, small cars that can be outfitted to be marketable in a variety of countries. Along with new small car production at Ford / Mercury, it's also been reported the American auto maker will gear vehicles towards hybrid and alternative energy sources, and focus more on diesel truck development.