Saving Lincoln one RWD concept at a time
Lincoln's recent fall from grace can be attributed to a number of factors and compelling product is certainly at the top of that list. According to an article in Business Week, Lincoln plans to rectify the situation posthaste, beginning with a rear-wheel-drive concept set to debut in Detroit this January.The concept is based off the Australian Ford Falcon's architecture, under the watchful gaze of FoMoCo's N.A. design chief, Peter Horbury. The styling will supposedly foretell the future of Lincoln's design language, but it's unclear whether the production version will send power to the rear wheels.
We're looking forward to something, anything, to revive the Lincoln marque and hopefully this will be that first crucial step.
[Source: Business Week via MotorAuthority]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
voodoobru 11:45AM (12/13/2006)
i don't know why lincoln has to use the australian platform when they have a perfectly good lincoln LS platform at home.
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Professor Porsche 11:53AM (12/13/2006)
Lincoln stands for LITTLE.
Only some geezers and limo drivers like them
The brand name has zero value, of nto negative
Ford can save a few billion by closing it down and admit DEFEAT
35 years of home game defeats
to the Japanese andn the Euros (in luxury cars)
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Rene Curry 3:56PM (12/13/2006)
The only way Lincoln can succeed is if it is allowed to compete with the Premier group of vehicles.
Here would be my plan.
1) Put all the Premier vehicles under one dealership roof including Lincoln.
2) Sell Volvo. (sell high, not low) It is not a fit for the Premier group.
3) Make Ford the base car with limited options. Lower priced & lower margin volume vehicles.
4) Make Mercury's on the same Ford standard platforms except they MUST look completely different from Ford. Add luxury appointments & features that is not available through Ford. Here is where you mine the profits.
5) Back to Lincoln, use the Mustang V-8. It needs to be a high end HOT ROD. I would consider using a modified LS platform as apposed to importing. The dollar is getting weaker, not stronger.
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Paul 12:06PM (12/13/2006)
voodoobru - because that is what works for GM!
Seriously I can only think that the great minds at Ford believe they have run out of inspiration and need to outsource it.
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Bruce Lee 12:17PM (12/13/2006)
The problem with Lincoln's design is they are nothing but Fords with a differant grille and tail lights, sure the interior is a little jazzed up, but the cars and trucks are just Fords with there typical low resale value. It's no wonder that Ford is having a struggle, the designs are nothing special, sure the Mustang has nice features and is a good looking car, but cars like the 500 and Fusion are a joke, and how many versions of the F-150 can they come up with. What Lincoln needs is to build reliable cars that don't look like regular Fords.
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Jason 12:18PM (12/13/2006)
I must say that I am disappointed in the LS. Although it lacked the size and refinement to carry a 5-series price, it did seem to be a great competitor in the G35 to CTS bracket. It looked good, wasn't corpulent and handled well. It seemed the perfect foundation to refine into a market leading (or competitive) sports sedan. Too bad.
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da truth 12:36PM (12/13/2006)
Lincolns have always been snooty Fords. The problem is that doesn't work anymore. You need separate your economical cars from your rich cars. Ford has no money to do that. SALE SALE SALE is what Ford is doing. It's selling it's employees, Aston Martin, stake in other car companies and other subsidaries. Ford sucks anyway. Ford couldn't even sell Mercury nameplate cause no one would want it. So they just keep it alive.
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Mr_Oak 12:44PM (12/13/2006)
The LS could have been much better, PAG reigned it in to protect the S-Type Jag. So, esentially they smothered a potential winner to save a loser. This is a big part of what ails companies like Ford & GM. Ford has to worry about Volvo and Jaguar who are in the same target market as Lincoln. Make too good of a Lincoln, Jaguar and Volvo suffer.
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roadside pbserver 12:46PM (12/13/2006)
- Seriously I can only think that the great minds at Ford believe they have run out of inspiration and need to outsource it. -
voodoo, how is Ford "outsourcing it" when Ford itself owns the Australian Falcon platform? Is this not a global auto business? Doesn't it make more sense from a financial and competitive standpoint to use an existing platform for this vehicle, as long as the platform in question meets the need? What's wrong with global platform-sharing?
Were the Fusion and Five Hundred also "outsourced," since they derive their basic platforms from Mazda and Volvo, respectively?
Bruce Lee, if the Fusion is such a joke, why did Ford add a third shift last spring for Fusion production?
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5 watt 12:51PM (12/13/2006)
I can remember being at NAIAS when the LS was revealed. The feeling was electric and the talk was of the LS saving Lincoln. Now the LS is dead and Lincoln isn’t doing much better. Lincoln beat Cadillac to market with both the LS & Navigator, but Cadillac has the difficult to quantify right stuff and Lincoln doesn’t. Hopefully with the MKZ, MKX and this new concept, Lincoln will have a chance of making it back.
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roadside observer 12:57PM (12/13/2006)
- I can remember being at NAIAS when the LS was revealed. The feeling was electric and the talk was of the LS saving Lincoln. Now the LS is dead and Lincoln isn’t doing much better. -
Agreed. Ford shot Lincoln in both feet when it let the LS wither on the vine. The victim of infighting, beancounters calling the shots, and Jac Nasser.
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Professor Porsche 1:24PM (12/13/2006)
The mexican-made Fusion is not a joke, but neither is it the ovewhelming excellenct design that can challenge the US -made ACCORD and CAMRY.
And neither will it be the Huge HOME RUN that the FIRST gen Taurus was, it saved FOrd's ass in the mid-80s.
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A. Kerr 1:31PM (12/13/2006)
Lincoln has withered due to one problem - bad management. Lincoln still has brand value. Witness the limo market, where Lincoln still stands for the power and influence of the U.S.A. It is all about product and brand value. Lincoln's brand value can be resurrected. So bring us rear and rear-based AWD. No excuses American styling (see 1930s 1940s Lincolns). European performance. Lexus reliability. Contrary to company opinion, old people do not know the difference between a good handling car and a soft ride. Lincoln can rise and challenge the world's best. The Slogan should be: "Lincoln - Unabashed American Prestige." Kind of like Packard's, Ask The Man Who Owns One.
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Richard Warren 1:30PM (12/13/2006)
Well boys, some folks like them and rear wheel drive would bring a few more buyers if done right
1998 143,262
1999 137,243
2000 193,009
2001 158,934
2002 150,057
2003 158,839
2004 139,016
2005 123,207
2006 106,670 through November
Up 11.8 in November
That's 1,117,228 vehicles @ how much gross?
In comparison Volvo this year 107,282, Land Rover 41,760 Jaguar 19,130
So cutting is always the answer, just scrap the company that sells aveage 140,000 vehicles a year.
Time to go back to business class.
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bloooooooooooooooood 1:55PM (12/13/2006)
RWD this, FWD that.
The new Town car is the KEY, they need to make a Hybrid town car. What do taxis do? They drive. In their case it makes sence to pay few G's upfront to save gas in the long run. Hybrids do not pay for themselves in regular cars, because people do not burn thru enough gas to justify that initial investment. An average taxi probably gets three or four times as many miles a year as does a regular car...if not more.
Plus it will impove Fords image, plus it will allow them to get experience in Hybrids, GM is not even in the game and Ford has a chance to make it big in the segment and join the Toyota on top. Plus these cars are prifitable unlike other junk Ford makes.
AND MOST IMPORTANT POINT, THESE TOWNCARS ARE TAXIS, THEY DO NOT NEED FANCY ELECTRONICS OR FANCY ENGINES, THEY JUST NEED GOOD LEATHER, SPACE AND MAYBE BASIC NAVOGATION SYSTEM. THEY DO NOT HAVE TO GO SUPER FAST, THEY DO NOT NEED TO GO 0-60 IN 4 SECONDS. JUST MAKE A GOOD CAR.
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WoW 1:52PM (12/13/2006)
My Christmas wish....Intelligent, informed and well thought out posts on Autoblog in the New Year *fingers crossed*!
There are 11 posts so far and only 5 are worth the time to read. Thank you to those posters (I'm sure you know who you are).
On topic: I don't think RWD is that important to be a successful small market brand. Lincoln isn't looking to outsell any of the entry luxury brands by tens of thousands of units. They just want to compete and do well by capturing their fair share of the market.
They need to have distinct (from Ford/Merc) vehicles and a few more powertrain and other high end options/upgrades. Maybe a niche vehicle that the competitors don't currently have.
The MKZ is a nice car and now has some grunt it needed. All reviews I've read say it is a "sleeper" for the money. The MKX should do ok too. We'll have to wait and see what the mystery car is next month.
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bloooooooooooooooood 2:00PM (12/13/2006)
Rich Warren, where do you get stats on how many cars were sold each year?
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Richard S. 2:27PM (12/13/2006)
How to save Lincoln:
If Ford is serious about saving Lincoln it should then focus (no pun intended) on what Lincoln is and is not. There was a time that when you added a big V-8, power everything, leather, fake wood anc chrome you had the recipe for a luxury car. Nowadays when a Hyundai Sonata comes with all that and more what makes a luxury car.
Instead of rebadging Mercurys and Fords, Lincoln cars should be focuses on 3 models only. A midsize, a large sedan and a touring coupe/convertible.
-Midsize sedan: RWD and AWD. large V-6 and entry level V-8. Design that harkens back to the Continental. Something sized as a Buick Lucerne. Called the Continental (forget stupid MK.# designations).
-Large Sedan: RWD/AWD King of the road. American muscle with American metal. Large, spacious, luxury ride. Should look massive a la Phantom but in a more subtle way, the way the Chrysler 300C does.
-Coupe/Convertible: Please no more Thunderbird clones. RWD/AWD, (perhaps with folding metal top). Poor man's Bentley Continental GT. Large V-8, with actual seating for adults in the back.
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Jonathan Hicks 5:55PM (12/13/2006)
P.S. Offer optional all wheel drive on the SWB sedans.
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voodoobru 12:58PM (12/14/2006)
let me preface this with saying there is not even one ford, mercury, or lincoln that remotely interests me.
roadside pbserver, i never said anything about outsourcing. i am aware of the global platforms, the reason why i suggested the LS platform (the same platform that underpins the thunderbird and to a lesser extent the mustang) is because it requires less retooling seeing as how the american factories are already equipped to handle it.
i own a g35, so i've been eagerly anticipating an american company that can produce a 4 door 6spd sports car for a while. the LS is terrible, the CTS is getting closer - esp the cts-v (but still unwieldy and body heavy), and lets face it i don't think americans in general really know what to do with a manual anyway, so i'm not holding my breath.
imo. ford should drop every car it has and just start using its euro lineup.
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