VOGA means fashion in Italian. It is no wonder why Ford designer Camilo Pardo, the designer of the Ford GT, chose this name when he introduced the upscale appearance package in 2006 on the vehicle named after the Italian fashion capital, the Mercury Milan. Since then Mercury has expanded the elegant VOGA line to include the Mercury Mariner crossover based on the Ford Escape.
Being an aesthetics package, the VOGA option is much more about design than function. In order to purchase the high-class VOGA equipped Mercury, future Mariner owners must first upgrade to a Mercury Mariner Premier, and then purchase the Moon and Tune package that includes a large panoramic sunroof and a seven speaker MP3 compatible sound system and much more.
Continued after the jump.
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I learned to drive on the interstate at age 14 in a first generation Mercury Sable. It belonged to my grandparents, and it was the three of us on a trip from Louisiana to Florida. Within a few hours my grandfather decided it would something special for both of us to share my first highway driving experience. He was right, I’ll never forget the car not because it was an exceptional automobile, but because of what I got to do with it.
That’s the kind of legacy that the Mercury Sable leaves. It’s not meant to be a driver’s car, but instead an affordable and usable car where the memories are made from what families are able to do with the car.
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Mercury unveiled the 2010 Milan, a new generation that adds for the first time a hybrid model to the line-up. The new Mercury will be built at Ford’s Hermosillo (Mexico) Stamping and Assembly Plant and will go on sale in spring 2009.
The 2010 Mercury comes with new grille, fenders, hood, and front and rear fascias. The chin was pulled forward and the fascia was pulled down to give the 2010 Mercury Milan a wider, sportier look. Those changes as well as substantial underbody work made for a cleaner, more aerodynamic car.
Under the hood there is a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine that delivers 155 hp and 136 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine is mated to an electronically-controlled continuously variable transmission or e-CVT. The hybrid version comes with a new smaller, lighter nickel-metal hydride battery has been optimized to produce 20 percent more power. It can operate up to 47 mph in pure electric mode, approximately twice as fast as some competitors. Plus, the city driving range on a single tank of gas is expected to be more than 700 miles.
More details in the press release after the jump.
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Mercury continues pushing fashion-forward design, with a new runway-inspired production series called VOGA. Literally translated as “fashionable and trend-setting,” VOGA hits primetime today at the South Florida International Auto Show, debuting on a 2008
Mercury Mariner. Over time, the VOGA series will be offered on a series of Mercury products
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Mercury Milan challenges the perceptions of what an exceptional mid-size car should be by combining distinctive, sophisticated styling, an expressive, modern interior and segment-leading quality, all at an unexpected value.
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For 2008, Mountaineer also addresses consumers’ tech-savvy wishes with the addition of Mercury Sync™ – an industry-exclusive, voice-activated and hands-free in-car communications and entertainment system (late availability). Developed in collaboration with Microsoft, the system fully integrates mobile phones and media players into the vehicle using Bluetooth technology and USB connectivity. Mountaineer’s navigation system is improved for 2008 as well, now offering voice-activation capability for greater ease of operation.
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Mercury unveiled the 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid, a stylish, upscale small sport-utility vehicle with nimble handling and impressive performance, along with ample cargo and towing capacity. It’s an environmentally conscious SUV with remarkable fuel efficiency, and also meets the cleanest emissions rating achievable by a fossil-fuel vehicle (California’s Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle standard).
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Unveiled today at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show, the new 2008 Mercury Sable offers customers a sophisticated new look inside and out, a significantly quieter cabin, a more plush ride and a more powerful 3.5-liter V-6.
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The 2007 Mercury Mountaineer is a study in refinement. Its passenger compartment features attention to detail, comfort and quiet. The upscale design begins in the front row with an attractive instrument panel and ends in the rear with an innovative available power-folding third-row seat that provides an absolutely flat load floor. Mountaineer’s innovation continues in customer-friendly feature enhancements, such as an available DVD-based navigation system and power-deployable side running boards.
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The
Mercury Milan has helped bring new energy and new customers to the Mercury showroom with its style and strong value. For 2007, the Milan builds on its compelling value story by making anti-lock brakes and the safety and security package standard on all models. This package includes side-impact air bags for the driver and front passenger, side curtain air bags for first and second rows, and an anti-theft perimeter alarm system. Traction control is also now standard on V-6 models
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