Ford Motor Company is officially putting the brakes on their historic Mercury brand because of sluggish sales.

The automaker said it will stop making the 71-year-old brand by the end of the year. The Mercury brand was created in 1939 and has less than one percent of the total U.S. auto market share.

Officials said it will allow the company to focus their resources on continuing to grow the Ford brand and bringing Lincoln to the next level.

Ford sold 92,000 Mercury brand vehicles in 2009. But in 1978, sales peaked at 580,000.

Ford President Mark Field said that eliminating the Mercury brand will not affect the company's forecast that it will be profitable in 2010.

Ford also said it does not have any plans to lay off any workers at its headquarters in Dearborn, Mich.