Future of Lincoln?

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01rangerxl

01rangerxl

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I saw a really bad Lincoln ad on TV tonight comparing some non-descript FWD Lincoln to a similar Lexus.

I actually had to go to the Lincoln website because I wasn't even sure what is in their lineup anymore, and I am a Ford guy. It looks like they currently offer a rebadged Fusion, a rebadged Taurus, a couple of crossover blobs, and the ancient Navigator, still with a 5.4 under the hood. No wonder they are sinking so fast.

Every other luxury brand has something to differentiate it from the parent company. Lincoln just has rebadged, everyday family cars in its lineup. Nothing to compete with the ATS, or any other RWD offering. No driver's cars, not even a serious luxury car.

I can see Lincoln being gun shy with small RWD cars after the reliability nightmare the LS was, but they really need an offering here if they want to be a real luxury brand. Even Cadillac plays in this field, and they have always been the biggest proponent of "FWD luxury."

I also think it would do Ford a lot of good to invest in some kind of full size RWD platform. Something Chrysler LX sized and able to fit the 5.0. Ford could have a volume version of the platform to pay off the bulk of development costs, call it a Crown Vic or LTD, then a much more refined version for Lincoln. Maybe call a regular length model a Continental, and an extended length version a Town Car. I definitely think they need to stick to memorable names with some recognition rather than calling everything an MKXYZ.

Also, they really need to get the 5.0 into the Navigator, and at least refresh the body. Putting a circa 1977 Town Car gauge cluster in it was not a step forward.

If all that isn't worth the investment to Ford, then they should probably just kill the brand. I don't think rebadged Tauri and Fusions will take Lincoln anywhere. The crossover blobs definitely won't.
 
Every now and then I check out Car and Driver magazine's "Backfires" forum. On October 30 CD posted an article about the Lincoln MKZ. The conclusion of the article-and the opinion of most of those posting comments on "Backfires"-was that the MKZ was a very expensive Fusion clad in a tuxedo. Lo and behold, a new participant joined on November 1- screen name "Don't Hate, Congratulate." This person began responding to almost every other poster who thought the MKZ was a tarted-up Ford- and he/she did so with what appeared to be canned talking points. Almost certainly a shill for Lincoln.

"Don't Hate" kept mentioning that Lincoln was trying to compete with Lexus and NOT Audi/BMW/Mercedes. That still didn't address the fact that the car is perceived as little more than a glitzy Fusion.

The shill also claimed he could rattle off over a dozen significant differences between the MKZ and the Fusion, but in my opinion you've already lost the battle if you have to spend all your time convincing people your car isn't a blinged-out version of a lower priced mainstream sedan...
 
I am a big fan of much of Lincoln design... at least before they went to the long and skinny tail lights.

However, my Father had a 1991 Towncar and when you grow up in that hunk-of-junk (the door fell off... and that was one of the easier things to deal with). I think they have been tarting up their cars for a while. That is the problem, look back over the "bad" Lincoln years and there are very few good memories. Combine that with a flat lineup, and there is no reason for paying for that Lincoln badge.

Audi can rebadge a Golf (A3) and it kinda works because you are not thinking of that 1998 Golf when you talk about it.
 
After seeing the new Lincolns up close at the Chicago Auto Show, I can firmly tell you that they are definitely NOT competing closely with the Germans or the Japanese. Good looking cars, sure, but the interiors are still way behind.
 
Originally Posted By: MCompact
Every now and then I check out Car and Driver magazine's "Backfires" forum. On October 30 CD posted an article about the Lincoln MKZ. The conclusion of the article-and the opinion of most of those posting comments on "Backfires"-was that the MKZ was a very expensive Fusion clad in a tuxedo. Lo and behold, a new participant joined on November 1- screen name "Don't Hate, Congratulate." This person began responding to almost every other poster who thought the MKZ was a tarted-up Ford- and he/she did so with what appeared to be canned talking points. Almost certainly a shill for Lincoln.

"Don't Hate" kept mentioning that Lincoln was trying to compete with Lexus and NOT Audi/BMW/Mercedes. That still didn't address the fact that the car is perceived as little more than a glitzy Fusion.

The shill also claimed he could rattle off over a dozen significant differences between the MKZ and the Fusion, but in my opinion you've already lost the battle if you have to spend all your time convincing people your car isn't a blinged-out version of a lower priced mainstream sedan...


Wow, that just goes from not trying to embarrassing themselves!

And even if they set Lexus as the benchmark...Lexus has RWD and performance cars, as well as a high end flagship. Their lineup doesn't consist entirely of the ES and RX, even if those are the sales leaders.
 
What seems even worse in my opinion is that they dressed up the last version of the Fusion and made it a Lincoln while the Ford dealer got a new and good looking car. That hardly seems like a good idea for what is supposed to be the upscale brand.
 
I was just on the Ford/Lincoln dealers lot tonight, and noted how they had about 300 Fords... and around 8 Lincolns huddled together in one corner of the lot.

It appears that Mercury wasn't the only brand that needed to be put out of its misery...
 
My mother-in-law is in her early 70s and has had 9 Lincoln's in the 20+ years I've been married to her daughter.

She bought a new Buick last week. First GM product ever
 
I went and looked up what MCompact saw...

"10+ exclusive talking points the MKZ has over even the most well-equipped Fusion."
http://backfires.caranddriver.com/forums/4/posts/741996-535908?page=3

Talking points? [censored] is a talking point?
crackmeup2.gif


It looks like their plan is to have a marketing intern talk [censored] in the comments section of C&D's website.
crackmeup2.gif
 
They are good looking cars, but yes, they are not up to par with their traditional competitors. It is like Ford killed Mercury, and then just slid Lincoln into the same stupid business plan of rebadging for models and adding a few better options.
 
Lincoln is fouled for certain and it seems terminal. Ford periodically talks about redefining Lincoln, but never actually does anything beyond that. I don't know if there is anything Ford can do to change the image that people have of the Lincoln brand today. If you go all the way back to the suicide door Continentals of the mid-'60s and even the Mark IIIs and IVs of the '70s there was at least a perception of distinction, but since then Ford has squandered whatever value the Lincoln name may have had.

Their most recent brainstorm for "fixing" the Lincoln identity crisis consists of a rebranding to, The Lincoln Motor Company, and offering a concierge service. Brilliant. Just Brilliant. As for the cars, it's still the same old FWD tubs from before. And why did Lincoln go FWD for their cars when Cadillac, Chrysler and most every other luxury brand has gone back to RWD ?

At least they could bring back the perfectly fine RWD taxis they made for twenty something years until they come up with a car that excites.
 
Hyundai's Azera, Genesis, and Equus put Lincoln to shame with respect to price, performance, and design.
Anyone looking at an MKZ should drive an Azera. If you live in a climate where RWD is ok, drive a Genesis R-Spec sedan with the 5.0 V8.
 
Last edited:
Yep, the genesis R spec 5.0 with 429 of the SMALLEST horses on the planet. The car can't even trap but 103 mph even with the 8speed trans.

My neighbor has one. What a disappointment...
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Yep, the genesis R spec 5.0 with 429 of the SMALLEST horses on the planet. The car can't even trap but 103 mph even with the 8speed trans.

My neighbor has one. What a disappointment...



Yeah, when the R-spec was announced I had really high hopes. The concept Genesis coupe with that motor was way cooler.
 
Originally Posted By: dparm
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Yep, the genesis R spec 5.0 with 429 of the SMALLEST horses on the planet. The car can't even trap but 103 mph even with the 8speed trans.

My neighbor has one. What a disappointment...



Yeah, when the R-spec was announced I had really high hopes. The concept Genesis coupe with that motor was way cooler.


Agreed. My neighbor's car tramps over large bumps like a cheap truck and has horrible road noise and vibration. I would expect better refinement, and as their success grows I expect we'll get it.

But the engine was hugely disappointing. It just flat does not make the advertised power, at least in any ordinary driving conditions. My 8 year old Chrysler with less hp just runs away from him at any speed...
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
What's up with the MKT? Looks like a 3 year old tried to draw a hearse.


I agree the styling is unusual, but they are VERY comfortable cars. They're gaining in popularity as limos -- I've ridden in them a bunch of times.
 
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