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This is a re-interpretation of the "just a bit nicer than" theme that has been Mercury's raison d'etre
for too long and now threatens to be Lincoln's as well. It's my contention that upgraded peripheral-tangibles, those environmental features like upholstery, trim, and even styling, are NOT a viable solution for long term brand identity. Although I'm not a nuts & bolts person, it seems obvious to me that mechanical differentiation is needed.
1. suspensions In addition, an adjustable ride height system could be offered on awd suv/crossovers, then spread to top-of-the-line passenger cars, and possibly/eventually to all models. Our cities' deteriorating infrastructure is converting our roads to off-roads. And even a low slung sports model can use some added height when stuck in heavy traffic. This capacity is currently offered on Audi Allroads and top LandRovers. Can FML build on the LR system? It would probably necessitate a stability control system and require a speed-sensitive mode (as well as several driver-selected settings) which would also return the vehicle to defaults when the situation becomes unsafe. some philosophy...Nothing arcane or esoteric; in fact just about every fan knows this, I'm not sure Fomoco does. Ford=afFORDable & max.performance, Mercury=sophisticated/alternative, and Lincoln=Luxury! If you know a variety of people, you know that some of them are 'regular Joes', easy to get along with salt-of-the-earth types, then there are those who have a somewhat different outlook on things, and some... well they're just a bit fussy, but if they invite you to dinner, you know it'll be worth dressing up a bit. Fomoco needs to stop trying to cheapen our friend Lincoln. Then there's STUFF. Anywhere from a Wow! interior to top-rated safety to the newest gizmo... Std. on all Lincolns, available on any Mercury, n/a on other than 'top-trim' Fords. Safety? not avail. on most Fords? The top-rated safety I'm talking about includes kneebags and that stability system mentioned above, all those 'electronic life-savers'. They're just not mainstream-priced features - yet. continuing... 2. engines This is where Ford comes first. They get everything. Econo, 'good' power, hP with a capital P, and "OMG can this thing move!" Mercury generally goes with the middle 2 and Lincoln really only needs the 'hP' so it never has to really think about it. Brand Versions - A middle-sized 5.0 version of the 4.6/5.4 v8, just for Mercury. Forced induction option for most engines/models (SVT & Mercuryspeed?). The Yamaha 4.4 v8 for Lincoln - every Lincoln should have a v8 available! Possibly a 7.0 liter v12 (double 3.5 v6) to replace the v10. Diesels - If the US follows the european market, diesels will soon be a large % of total sales. I hope FML is hard at work on the diesels so they're READY for 2007 & beyond... 
3. hybrids
4. transmissions
5. other IF these features were adopted... finally, there would be important differences between Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln. Stratification of the brands' prices would become realistic and justified. And their identities would be more than trim or marketing & PR.
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