Ford confirms Lincoln won't be lifted to replace Jaguar
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A report today by Automotive News reveals that Ford doesn't plan on moving the Lincoln brand upmarket to take the place of Jaguar when the British brand is eventually sold along with Land Rover. First of all, who ever suggested that selling more expensive Lincolns was even a viable option? As Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president of global product development, tells AN, "We have a ways to go to strengthen Lincoln." Indeed.
The talk about town was apparently that Lincoln could cross the $60,000 threshold to replace the position once held by Jaguar. We're not sure why Ford would think it even needs to compete in that price range any more, but with its current line up of the MKZ, MKX, Navigator, Town Car and Mark LT (for a few more months, anyway), the Lincoln brand is ill-equipped to compete with cars and SUVs that start above $60,000. Even the upcoming MKS luxury sedan will start well below that mark, as not many wealthy folk are interested in a V6 powering their ego trips.
But it's all good, because like we said, Ford doesn't need to compete in this segment. The school of thought that an automaker should be in every segment from dirt cheap to filthy expensive is what resulted in the Blue Oval Empire that the automaker is now in a race against time to dismantle.
[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
paul34 3:20PM (11/12/2007)
Although I'm no fan of SUVs, maybe they could start by fixing the tragedy that is the Navigator. My god, given Ford's recent amazing advancements in their Expedition and Explorer interiors, the inside of the Navigator is just downright embarrasing!
It's even worse than an early-90s Ford!
*Especially* compared to its rival, the Escalade, the Navigator is just horrendous. That disgusting "silver" plastic they use (which I'm pretty sure they took the plastic from a rubbermaid container, sanded it, then took the cheapest rattle-can black spray paint they could find and sprayed it), then used stick-on letters from the 80's to make the text on the buttons. Just disgusting. Shocking, really.
I honestly thought Ford was capable of more.
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paul34 3:21PM (11/12/2007)
whoops, I meant silver spray paint, not black.
Tool 4:28PM (11/12/2007)
It's really amazing how Ford seems to have to opposite of the Midas touch. Everything they design lately seems to look like crap. There is no way they could even sell a $40,000 car, much less taking the marque to $60,000.
Lincoln could have taken an approach similar to Cadillac and design assertive lux vehicles that are uniquely American.
Lincoln certainly has the bones to do it, with such a rich history of great heritage, especially from the '60's. Instead of drawing on that, they have gone to completely derivative designs devoid of anything unique. Unless, of course, you want to call a waterfall grill unique.
WetheSheeple 12:28AM (11/13/2007)
Nice, couldn't have said it better myself. The new Navigator is just a botched abortion of je ne sais quoi, The dash looks like they pulled it from a '79 Lincoln Versailles. The Escalade has nothing to worry about from this hi priced turd.
Tyo 3:23PM (11/12/2007)
I know GM is terrible when it comes to re-badging products, but ford is so much worse. Mercury doesn't have a single product of their own, nor does Lincoln.
Why anyone gets fooled into buying one of Fords other brands over the comparable Ford with leather is beyond me.
Also, if i were a woman, I'd be really offended at the way the Mercury ads are pointed so directly at them.
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Mike Botros 3:25PM (11/12/2007)
For now that makes sense, they can't raise their prices. But in the future, It would be wiser to raise mercury to the buick level, and raise lincoln to the caddilac level.
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doug 3:27PM (11/12/2007)
Speaking of Lincoln, the MKS is supposed to be revealed on Ford's dealer network this Wednesday. Where are the leaked official photos?!
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mavkato 4:08PM (11/12/2007)
they only leak the ones people want to see
Level 3:28PM (11/12/2007)
They are not going to make Lincoln compete in that segment because quite frankly FORD doesnt know how to. and 2nd they are moving Volvo upmarket...Face it Lincoln was Cadillacs competition but now it will be Buick's main competitor lol....
FORD had all the cards in their hands to dominate every field but its their own lack of management/marketing/design know how that ultimately put them in the position they are in now....
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CastleCharles 3:33PM (11/12/2007)
Lincoln has trouble competing in the 40k price range. Lincoln is a Ford trim level at this point. what does Lincon compete against, buick, Chrysler, themselves? Lincoln WAS a great car, Many, Many years ago. At least ford knows a 60k lincoln would not sell. Get rid of Mercury and allow Linoln to slip into a comfortable spot. FoMoCo Could have saved Lincoln and it Could be completing on a luxury level, but that time has past. It's over, somebody call it. the body is cold and has been dead for years. RIP
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Mike Botros 3:51PM (11/12/2007)
If lincoln continues it's trend. I could see them with the next revision of the models differentiate themselves a lot more from the ford/mercuries and bring them up to compete with the likes of lexus.
wally 3:38PM (11/12/2007)
Volvo could easily replace Jag!!!!!
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Yaroukh 4:00PM (11/12/2007)
ROFL, good one
Mike Botros 3:41PM (11/12/2007)
The diff between the lincolns and the fords/mecuries are the classier interior stylings, classier exteriors thought they share most of the same shapes, the standard features, and some features that aren't even offered in the fords/mercuries.
A couple examples:
- Heated and cooled seats are standard on lincolns and cooling is not even offered on the fords (this is a feature i can now not live without, well i can but i'm so used to the seat cooling now)
- 10-way power driver and passenger seats with memory are standard on the lincolns (fords/mercuries only offer up to 4 or 6 way power seats)
- The 14-speaker/600 W THX II Certified sound systems are only offered on the lincolns, ford/mercuries offer up to 8-speaker sound systems.
Those are some examples of some of the features that are exclusive to the lincolns that you can't get in a ford or mercury and may make you want to reach higher (couldn't help it)
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Mike Botros 3:42PM (11/12/2007)
That was supposed to be in response to tyo's comment about the lack of differences between fords/lincolns/mercuries
Mercury Fan Forever 3:58PM (11/12/2007)
Actually all Top of the line Mercury's come with 8-Way Power Front Driver's Seat. And all Passenger Seats are 4-Way Power except on the Grand Marquis with is 8-Way Power also.
http://www.carsdirect.com/research/compareresults?cat=3&acodes=USB80MEC021B0,USB80MEC042B0,USB80MEC102B0,USB80MES022C0,USB80MES012C0,USB80MES032A0
CastleCharles 4:17PM (11/12/2007)
compete with Lexus? I can only assume you were joking... and a few upgrades that Ford makes availabel ONLY on Lincoln does not make it a luxury car or compete with any REAL luxury. If any one really thinks Lincoln cam compete, go buy one...... Ya, I didn't think so.
Mike Botros 4:28PM (11/12/2007)
Nope, not joking. I did mean lexus, but I didn't mean next year. I meant more like 2012 or when ever they move to the new platforms. I was trying to think of another highly regarded luxury car maker that is successful with their FWD models and the lexus ES & LS came to mind.
Davido 3:45PM (11/12/2007)
While it may not be necessary for Ford or any other car maker to be competitive in every segment it's worth pointing out that near luxury and sub 60K luxury markets are exactly what the light truck market has been, high volume, high profit margin market segments. And since the 90's when Toyota, Nissan and Honda entered those segments, coinciding with a period when the Germans added models and volume as well, two of the "Big Three" have walked away from them.
The US and the world as a whole have more high income consumers and automobile owners than at any point in history and that number is growing daily. And the response to that fact from Ford and Chrysler has been to try and sell them pick-up trucks with enclosed beds with leather seats while walking away from the car market. In the meantime, their foreign rivals have used the profits from selling luxury cars to come into the light truck market and take share away from the domestics in the only area of the market they were really dominant in.
It's truly bizarre that with all the money in this country and in the world at this point that it's truly difficult for people to find American cars to spend it on.
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Davido 4:50PM (11/12/2007)
American luxury cars I mean.