A lot of buzz has been created lately in the automotive sector. Despite vehement denials by Ford executives, many auto industry experts are predicting that Ford will be retiring their Mercury brand in order to focus on the Ford and Lincoln brands.

Declining sales of the Mercury brand led industry analyst Aaron Bragman of Global Insight to say “Mercury has one more product cycle left in it, and then will most certainly be retired as a brand.”

Jerome York seems to agree with the prevailing theory that Mercury’s days are numbered. Previously an automotive executive, he now serves as an advisor to the investment company that handles Kirk Kerkorian’s investments. Mr. Kerkorian currently owns 4.7% of Ford stock, and recently made a move to bolster his position as a Ford shareholder.

Mr. York indicated that he too believed that the struggling auto maker would benefit from retiring the Mercury brand, and given Mr. York’s current position some believe this may cause Mr. Kerkorian to use his influence to eliminate Mercury.

Another industry analyst, Tom Libby, summed up the problem quite succinctly. “It’s hard to sell a Mercury when it looks just like a Ford that’s priced at $4,000 less,” said Libby.

Other than the fact that Ford executives are resolutely denying the truth of this claim, there’s not much to go on with this claim and it may end up working out in Ford’s favor. They say that no publicity is bad publicity, and with Kirk Kerkorian’s recent investment in the company and all this talk about Ford and Mercury’s plans for the future, the auto company is certainly in the news more than usual. Marketing types might argue that this can do only good things in an industry full of flagging auto sales.

When you’re looking for a new Ford truck — or any Ford product, Mercury or otherwise — stop by Sunset Ford for a test drive.

Did you know one of Ford’s compact cars will be featured in the new James Bond film? You can’t ask for a better marketing strategy or more publicity than that!

The Ka, one of the most popular UK Ford cars, is making its big-screen debut this Halloween season in the highly-anticipated movie “The Quantum of Solace.” Although official announcements haven’t been made, many people “in the know” caught some glimpses of the small vehicle milling around the set.

The Ka is a good choice for 007, too. It looks like it drove right out of the older James Bond movies and directly into the new one. The body design is similar to other popular UK vehicles, like the Mini Cooper, but it also has its own distinct features that set it apart from other cars.

The use of the Ka also gives Bond a new, environmentally-conscious attitude. Even though he’s racing to and fro while fighting his latest nemesis, the Ka allows him to do so with only a minimum of carbon emissions.

Maybe 007’s next villain can be global warming!

But this isn’t Ford’s first time in a bond film, either. Last year’s “Casino Royale” featured the Ford Mondeo, one of the automaker’s newer models on the market. Maybe future Bond movies will feature Ford cars, too. As a 007 fan and a Ford fan, I’m anxious to see the two together once again.