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Where Is Ford taking the Lincoln Motor Company?

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Comments

  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Off topic I know but where did they get the Land Rover/Jaguar sales data from? I haven't seen them report sales since Tata bought them.

    Lincoln and Ford have done very well but Mercury is obviously struggling with lack of product.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I don't know - car registrations? That's how they do it over the pond. ACEA.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Still it kept some of the new Lincoln cues and translated better to production than how they wrecked the very Lincoln looking Aviator concept by grafting the concept's grill design on an exact copy of the Ford Edge body...but I've beaten that horse to death after I closed that door after it left the barn so to speak (and the Aviator design language is now passe anyway).

    Well, there's one guy here who COMPLETELY agrees with you, for what that's worth, beating the horse a little further.......
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    "..Make EcoBoost standard.."

    Don't you mean "TwinForce" :lemon: ???

    That isn't likely to happen as long as the Turboheads, Boy-Racers, and MotorHeads are willing to lay out an extra $7,000 for the otherwise NEEDLESS HP level of that engine.

    Once Ford has pocketed all of those PROFITS then we are likely to see DFI introduced for actual, not "phantom", FE improvement. Were the standard engine in the Flex to also have DFI the truth of the matter would be obvious. So Ford dare NOT do that,..... yet.
  • displacedtexandisplacedtexan Member Posts: 364
    That Aviator concept was sweet looking. As was the Mark X hard-top convertible, the 2002 Continental concept....

    What might have been had Mulally gotten there sooner. ::sigh::
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    If Mulally doesn't see fit to kill the TwinForce :lemon: engine program very soon then it won't matter. Use DFI to enhance FE, NOT to try and restart the HP race.

    Just rebranding it EcoBoost will not fool enough of the US public to make a difference.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    image
  • jae5jae5 Member Posts: 1,206
    ;)
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I'm surprised your back yard is that big in Philly, Lemko. :D
  • bumpybumpy Member Posts: 4,425
    Yeah, you know it's lemko's from the clean gravel instead of the usual oily dirt. ;)

    For some reason, I had never realized those old Continentals had front-hinged hoods.
  • madlockmadlock Member Posts: 42
    While there may have been some profit margin to be reaped, the whole notion of the Mark LT and other "luxury pickups" have quickly become fodder for points and giggles as true signs of excessive indulgence by those with more money (or access to more credit) than taste. While the Navigator must exist as a segment placeholder alternative to the Escalade, it will be equally good to see it go the way of the Mark LT once the Explorer and Expedition drudge-off into the sunset as manufacturers and their vehicles return to the recalibrated planet we share.

    While Lincoln has always enjoyed a niche spot among devotees and as a contrarian alternative to Euro and premium Japanese luxury vehicles, Ford will have to make more of the unpolished gem it has in Lincoln, while also finding a more appropriate place in the marketspace for Mercury (but that's another discussion). Lincoln will have to become more than just a heavily chromed rebadged large vehicles or another trim level of the new Ford vehicle platforms which raised the bar so suddenly and substantially that Lincoln found itself immediately playing catch-up culturally. When comparing the MKZ to the Fusion, as one would compare the ES350 to the Camry, there's no doubt as to which manufacturer pursued two missions from a common platform and which decided how many ways it could dress-up the same (albeit very good) foundation. For the kinds of price premiums Lincoln commands, enough vehicle differentiation just doesn't exist, and Bridge of Weir leather just doesn't cut it.

    The previous poster who asked where Lincoln would be if Mullaly had arrived 3 years earlier is spot on. And while his prescience (and perhaps he alone) has saved Ford from a GM-like fate in both his flight to quality and foresight, the fact is that Ford is now facing the same economic constraints beyond their control as everyone else that limits them from making the kind of "ground up" investment engineering new Lincoln vehicles from their own premium DNA requires. Fortunately, the new Ford vehicles are so promising that when combined with positive sentiment and support for improvements thus far, they may very-well tide Ford over until the Mondeo-derived platform can underpin the next generation Fusion/Milan/MKZ, and the successor D3 platform can become everything the Taurus/MKS/(Sable?) wants to (and should) be.

    One note that is lost in the reviewers' indignance about the MKS' price is how much of an improvement it happens to be to vehicles past. In fact, it's superior to the cherished LS overall, and it only wanes when compared to the current state of the art. Even so, there are more than enough positive points about the MKS to make it a perfectly reasonable, albeit expensive, choice. And given how the current financial scenario has turned every metric on its year, its greatest value is a harbinger of the good things to come once Ford has come into full flower.

    While I absolutely support the "global" platform initiatives, I certainly don't support the wholesale replacement of Ford's North American vehicles with their European equivalents that are, in truth, already fully mature vehicles. While a 1-for-1 certainly makes sense for the Blue Oval brand, there is simply no worldwide Lincoln equivalent. One would hope that Ford might create an exportable Lincoln brand to other world markets given the kind of lead-time they have to adopt the Mondeo into the next MKZ and whatever Volvo-based successor to the Taurus/MKS will happen to be. Even if it proves to be more of a rebadged variant than unique identity, one would hope each would be free of any evidence of being rushed to market and embody the essence of applied refinement in all respects, from performance and handling to interior space and fit and finish.

    Ford has earned my business, and my household includes a Flex and will soon include either an MKS Ecoboost or Taurus SHO. Even if the MKS doesn't quite "deliver" the promise, it demonstrates that the promise is genuine and made in good faith with every likelihood of occurring. Until then, especially in this redefined economy, the only way to ensure Ford is able to deliver upon that promise is to support them until they do. Buying decisions have become very existential matters to manufacturers; and customers are going to have to accept newfound responsibilities to patronize and support the manufacturers they want to exist.

    No, the MKS may not be everything it could be, or even should have been. Then again, neither was Ford. But, of all the manufacturers worldwide, none seem to have gotten religion like Ford has, nor do their vehicles reflect the same degree of passion or promise. If part of ensuring I'm able to drive the results of Ford's full potential is owning one good, but less-than-perfect MKS in the interim, I'll glady do so and enjoy myself while I do.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    While the Navigator must exist as a segment placeholder alternative to the Escalade, it will be equally good to see it go the way of the Mark LT once the Explorer and Expedition drudge-off into the sunset as manufacturers and their vehicles return to the recalibrated planet we share.

    I don't understand why people think we have to get rid of SUVs. What about people who need to carry 7 or 8 people comfortably AND/OR need to tow 7500 lbs? Even if you take out the soccer moms who could get by with a crossover, there are still folks who need a large SUV, even if it's a much smaller market. Why not work to make them as fuel efficient as possible - like Ford is doing by putting the Ecoboost 3.5L into the F-150.

    It's like George Carlin once said - anyone who drives faster than you is a maniac - anyone who drives slower than you is an idiot. Seems to me most of the people who want to get rid of SUVs are driving midsized vehicles. If they applied the same logic to themselves they would be asking why not drive a Prius or an Escape hybrid or a 4 cylinder Focus - after all, they get much better fuel mileage than a Flex. People in glass houses........

    As for the ES350/Camry vs. MKZ/Fusion - have you seen the 2010 MKZ? I think the interior is much better than the earlier models - it's a mini-MKS in fact. That only leaves the fact that the MKZ shares door panels and a roofline with the Fusion - something that will be fixed in a couple of years, just like Lincoln did with the MKS and the Taurus, and the MKT and the Flex - no shared body panels. Throw in the rumored 3.7L plus a few standard Lincoln amenities and I think the MKZ will blow away the ES350.

    I agree with everything else. Lincoln was committed to return to RWD but then the economy tanked and gas went through the roof and resources were needed elsewhere. But if you look at where Ford has positioned the Taurus I think it's clear that Lincoln will be moving up with new platforms and more differentiation - it will just take longer before they'll be able to accomplish that.
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    I think the story here is that it is becoming Lexus 350, Lincoln MKZ and Buick LaCrosse while Acura is fading away and Hyundai Genesis seems stalled. BMW 3 class has always sort of been in its own niche, while MB isn't a big player until you get higher in price.
  • You may be on to something. Still, I note that MKZ sales do not justify it being considered a top contender yet. Even as Acura has lost market share (like many in this recession), the TL continues to sell well, and handily outsells the MKZ (or MKS for that matter). The Genesis is likely doing ok for a luxury car being marketed from an economy brand. It is a more expensive vehicle than the MKZ, so they really can't be directly compared. We assume the LaCrosse will do well, but no sales figures of note are in yet. The MKZ needs another re-do before it will have a real chance to have an impact in this market.
  • savethelandsavetheland Member Posts: 671
    Acura RL is somehow comparable to MKS. But RL sales are non-existed. I wonder why Honda still making it.
  • RL is really a step up pricewise from the MKS--though I don't you get your money's worth. In its price range, it really needs a V8, or a more powerful V6, and the RL styling does not stand out/does not say money (though it is a clean design). Other than the grill, it is also an old design. The RL has never really caught on like the Legend did. I think Acura has plans for it, but it is not a priority right now.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    I agree with you, Allen. Having owned to excellent Navigators in the past, they will always have a soft spot in my heart, and IMO, were the best luxury SUV on the marke. I have also owned an Escalade, it was just a chevy truck with nice seats, and a far cry from the Navigator luxury or quality. But alas, the SUV has gone the way of the minivan now, being out of style, as the crossover takes over as the "acceptable" people hauler. So be it. trends are trends and they are hard to alter. The Explorer, Expedition and Navigators were and are excellent trucks when you need to tow or haul something. I still own an 07 Mountaineer, and consider it the best of the breed to this day.
  • jae5jae5 Member Posts: 1,206
    I think the issue is that many bought these vehicles as jewelry, i.e. bling-bling, as nvbanker kind of alluded to. Many of these vehicles, particularly the high-end models, were driven by people who did not need such a big vehicle, but merely wanted it because it was the "in" vehicle. The proof of this was when petrol prices started going up in 2006 and really shot up in 2007 & 2008 and droves of people started getting rid of them. I mean, what happened to these people's "need" of space, safety (which is a joke because of the way most drive these vehicles), foul-weather ability. All those excuses all of a sudden went out the window when a fill-up cost about $100. I asked my neighbor that as they parked their Nav for basically 2nd-half 2007 - early 2009. It's only three of them in the family.

    While there will be a small need for these vehicles as you stated in terms of towing, a large family (in number and possibly shape), or in hauling capability but unless you're doing these activities every day the #1 question becomes why have one. Not trying to tell people what to buy and I agree if you can afford it buy it - but I ask to be real with and about the purchase.
  • Right now Lincoln is (barely) outselling Cadillac again. Lincoln now has the MKS, the MKX and MKZ, and soon the MKT. The TC is no longer around to laugh at. But little appears to be on the drawing board (if you pay attention to these boards). I hope it is just holding their cards tight. The MKS will need a fix soon, as the body style is rather drab in the face of what is coming from the competition, and even by comparison to the Taurus SHO.

    Cadillac has the very good RWD CTS, but most of the rest of the line is stumbling (DTS, STS, Escalade). However, we know a swoopy XTS large sedan is coming, as well as a RWD ATS (BMW 3 competitor). The CTS coupe is almost here. The CTS wagon is now available. And the new SRX is getting very good reviews, and does seem offer more class than its MKX rival. I'd love to see Lincoln get back into using some really stately style again. Something with presence that goes beyond MKS and Navi presence (simply because they are so tall). Something that people aspire to.
  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    Something that people aspire to

    The Aspire " is no longer around to laugh at."
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    My wife drove an Expedition for 5 years and I assure you there was no "bling" involved. It was simply a large comfortable vehicle with lots of room that was very useful for hauling things and people.

    I'm sure there are more fuel efficient alternatives to whatever vehicle you're driving today. Wouldn't the same argument apply to you?
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    All Lincoln can afford right now is updated unique sheetmetal, better interiors, more luxury doo-dads and ecoboost engines. And possibly a new smaller vehicle on a shared platform. They'll have to get by for a couple more years until Ford finishes rebuilding the core brand. Then they can start looking at new platforms, etc.
  • jae5jae5 Member Posts: 1,206
    Agreed. Though Ford hasn't taken any bailout monies the fact remains they are financed up to the hilt so they still have to watch their pennies. So the new / refurbed vehicles are still some time away. Totally agree on Caddy - CTS is really the only one keeping them up, not feeling the coupe though, the wagon I'm mixed on but like it better than the SRX (haven't looked at the new one).

    But honestly I can't get past the mentality of "this is nothing but a rehashed & badged Ford / Mazda 'fill in the blank'". And haven't gotten into all the "Mark-*" / Mmm-Kay" alphabet-soup nomenclature. I would rather they go back to real names when new models are brought into the fold. But I still believe there is an actual need for a proper RWD / V8 (at least EB V6) vehicle in their stable in order to be competitive and be in the price-points they want to be in. but again, I see this as being many years down the line.
  • jae5jae5 Member Posts: 1,206
    Not really. Considering how I use my daily driver, its city mileage, which is quite good considering what it's rated at, upkeep cost, somewhat ease of repair, no. And I'm in to the old iron, not the new fantastic-plastics.

    I look at more than fuel efficiency when purchasing a vehicle - this is where being a car nut REALLY comes in handy. I think about how I'm actually going to use the vehicle as well as its quality, robustness, repairability, CTO, mileage...the list goes on and on. I was actually told by many friends, family and coworkers I should have bought a larger truck / SUV, I needed to have that larger truck / SUV, how better it was to have the larger truck / SUV, blah, blah, blah. Most of them have either gotten rid of theirs, it's sitting in the driveway / garage & they're now driving a crap-box or trying to figure out how to unload them while crying every time petrol prices increase.

    My point was and still is, a large number of people bought those size and types of vehicles just because they were the "it" vehicle, to show off, to not be stuck with the soccer mom / dad minivan tag but then tried to pass off the purchase as "needing" the vehicle. Again, nothing wrong with them & buy what you like, but be real about why you purchased it.

    If you and your wife actually used the Nav's space and hauling capabilities, man, I salute both of you - you're a rare breed indeed.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    a large number of people bought those size and types of vehicles just because they were the "it" vehicle, to show off, to not be stuck with the soccer mom / dad minivan tag

    Right - because your run of the mill Expedition/Suburban/Tahoe is such an "it" vehicle. :confuse:

    Most people buy SUVs/CUVs over minivans because they simply hate minivan styling and wouldn't own one to begin with. They like the high seating position and styling of the SUVs and they see all their friends driving them and they think "Hey - those must be useful vehicles". Getting rid of them just because gas prices went up temporarily was just a knee jerk reaction that happened across the board. That just means they were living beyond their means to begin with.

    The same can be said of V8 mustangs - does anyone really NEED a V8? Of course not. I'd even go so far as to say that most V8 mustang drivers don't ever use the extra hp. Does that make them show-offs or posers? Or is it that they just like the way it sounds or the way it drives?

    All I'm saying is don't make assumptions about other people's motivations.
  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    they just like the way it sounds & the reserved cushion of torque when desired.

    Buying a Mustang V6 is like getting married without a honeymoon. ;)
  • jae5jae5 Member Posts: 1,206
    wow, hit a nerve did I?

    Right - because your run of the mill Expedition/Suburban/Tahoe is such an "it" vehicle

    Yes, as most bought them due to marketing hype, falling into the "gotta have it & bigger is better" and as most started loading them up with wheels, screens and systems, which the OEMs started doing as well correct? Which by the way, started defeating the purpose of having a large vehicle which sole purpose was to carry large loads and large amounts of people right? And I thought we were talking about the Nav, since this is a Lincoln-inspired forum (though this also applied to other makes / models)? :confuse:

    And I didn't make the assumptions. As stated I actually talked to the people and that's what they told me - so how is that making assumptions? I just asked them why they bought it, one of the biggest responses was "Look at it -isn't it the best?, next to "Did you see it in so-n-so's video or MTV Cribs / ESPN / VH1 / So-N-So car show episode?". 90 percent of the people I've talked to have said that, finally admitting to that after they said, of course:

    they needed it, but couldn't tell me why they needed it, just that they needed it

    it's soooooo safe - for them of course after they plowed into someone, which some of them did because they were running their mouth on the celly, or doing something else stupid while driving. And no, I'm not saying people who drive SUVs are stupid, or only stupid drivers talk on cell phones while driving. One of the worse was a woman who wrecked her 2008 Tahoe right in front of work last month, trying to cut across 3 lanes of traffic, while doing 60 (in a 40mph zone). Basically yanked the wheel, that whole physics thing took over, and that's all she wrote. She was a little scratched up, the truck rolled a couple times.

    safer and great in winter, yet they slip and slide just as much as any other vehicle, sometimes more as there is more mass to the vehicle and again, that whole momentum thing in physics. I saw them doing 360s just as much as smaller vehicles when we had the multiple freezes this past winter and before. They're actually more dangerous because most have this false sense of safety and drive more reckless / careless.

    it's so spacious and can haul a lot of stuff - most never went to home Depot, Lowes or any type of hardware store, don't have a trailer hitch or anything that uses a hitch - so what were they hauling around besides their behind - nothing. Also never put anything it the back of it - don't know how to remove the seats. This line was usually used when talking about going on vacation - but wait, they took a plane and then rented a car?

    they can carry a lot of people - they were single or married and was only the two of them or them a one small child. That diaper bag and stroller must triple in size when they got put into vehicles. And they must've hauled those people around when I was sleeping. This too was tied to the "great for vacation line".

    And this is not just people I know, but people I've talked to at the car media events, car / truck shows, people I meet at industry events, the trade shows, coworkers, friends of people I know, folks on shows I've watched. For the last time, not saying there is anything wrong with buying those types of vehicles, or performance vehicles or any type of vehicle for that manner, just don't give a load of an answer when asked why you bought it.

    Well, I'm off to Lowes to get some bags of quickrete and other things. No seriously, I am.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    As stated I actually talked to the people and that's what they told me - so how is that making assumptions?

    Don't you think that's a rather small sample size compared to the millions of SUVs sold over the last 10-15 years?

    90 percent of the people I've talked to have said that

    And I know just as many people who drive large SUVs who DON'T say that.

    Now if you're just talking about blinged up vehicles with huge wheels and that type of stuff then I would be more inclined to agree with you. But my comment that started all this was about SUVs in general, not specifically about Escalades and Navigators.

    I'll be sure to ask for your approval before I buy my next vehicle.
  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    We joined the common sense crowd of skiers by driving Ford station wagons from 1967 to 1980. There was room for our family and our kids friends totaling 6 of us.

    Had the SUV or mini van been available, I would have still chosen the station wagon over the other choices. After the kids entered college, we joined the Town Car crowd. Fond memories of the '67 Country Sedan include a 390 4v with dual glass packs. First tracks at White Pass were frequent. :)
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,253
    we have had a few suv's over the years.
    i grew up with rwd and still prefer it.
    people like me will pass on and maybe that preference will go too.
    not my kids, though. they love that v8 rwd feeling.
    if they have to compromise, that will be their decision.
    i drove a focus stick for 4 years and for the most part i enjoyed it, but when i had to drive in snow, i hated it.
    i replaced it with a fusion awd, which has less of that fwd feel, although the steering is too light for my taste.
    i still like it, but i would like it better if it had that 3.4 v8 from the last gen SHO. :)
    the explorer has been passed on to another kid, but i still enjoy driving it.
    our family has many great memories over the years going places and more will still happen.
    one more thing. i wanted my lincoln when i turned 50, and so did my wife when it was her turn. we just haven't quite make it work, yet.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    SUVs is the matter of safety and protection...I think women feel safer in an elevated vehicle, so when approached by some homeless slob in a parking lot who hasn't bathed in a month, they feel safer than if they were sitting in a Corvette three inches off the ground...plus you can easier hide a 357 magnum while inside the SUV, whereas such would be difficult in a Vette...

    Also, I would feel safer in a collision if I had the SUV and the other driver had the Miata, rather than the other way around...carry capacity for Home Depot is simply a bonus...all this worked really well when gas was under 2 bucks a gallon...
  • jae5jae5 Member Posts: 1,206
    Not really - I figure my personal sample size is probably a thousand give or take, I know and talk to a quite a bit of people about cars, trucks and UVs. And this does not include the responses back from surveys my company has sent out, I mean, we do supply components to the industry, as well as heavy truck; some do drive UVs and the like. Should I email this list of people I know, have met and continue to meet (may take a little bit but is doable)?

    May I ask how many have you sampled in that time frame?

    And no, just not talking about the blingy-bling. And to repeat yet again, which by the way is kind of a grind, just because you and your wife got your Nav due to it's size, ability to swallow large loads or number of people and actually used it's size and ability doesn't mean everyone else who bought one, or a vehicle like it, did so for the same. Myself and others here are telling you that's simply not true, and as usual, you got your britches in a bunch because people disagreed. And in terms of an "it" vehicle, isn't the CUV the "it" vehicle now, just as the full-size trucks / SUVs were (as well as the extra-large versions), just as the Explorer-size SUVs were, the minivans before that, the station wagons before that... and other vehicles in other classes? Each class of vehicle has / had an "it" vehicle, a vehicle folks wanted that may have met all their needs, some of their needs, maybe none of their needs, but that vehicle was the thing to have at the time. And sorry again, was just trying to keep it Lincoln, you know, stay with the theme of the topic, but you brought up Expedition (which the Nav is) and Suburban / Tahoe in a previous response so I included all as well.

    In terms of giving you approval, I really could give a fu-man-chu what you like, buy, drive, rent, whatever. As long as you're happy with your purchase I'm ecstatic - I'm not making your payment nor loaning you the money to buy it, why should I care or give approval? :confuse:

    You're trying to accuse me of making assumptions, which in the end is something you're doing. Usually the back and forth discussions are pretty good but this has gotten to be really boring and way off-topic of the forum - you can respond if you like but I'm moving on. Happy hunting ;)
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I'm not the one making derogatory assertions about other people's motivations and intentions.

    George Carlin said "Anyone who drives slower than me is an idiot. Anyone who drives faster than me is a maniac." I think the same analogy applies here.
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    Except that I think Carlin used terms a little more colorful than "idiot" and "maniac"... ;)
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I'm pretty sure those were the words he used - I think he just added some adjectives in front of them.......
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,498
    that the old "I Hate SUVs - What's Your Excuse" (or some such) board is still alive in the hearts of many. It got pretty lively too.

    There are those who need enclosed trucks and those who want to drive the trendy vehicle of the day -- I'd go with about a 1 to 5 ratio.

    Station wagons came and went, minivans came and went, SUVs came and it looks like they might have, well, gone.

    Time will tell.
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    So, the question remains...what do folks in the future use to transport familes with 3 children, or 1 child plus 2 in-laws, Fido, and luggage for 5(assuming Mom & Dad occupy the front seats)...the 60s had station wagons, SUVs and minivans are dead...do they use Mini-Coopers with U-Haul trailers behind them???...are the trailers equipped with heat and A/C???
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,498
    I think the full-size SUV will stick around, much as it did before it became trendy. The Chev Suburban was called a Mormon Cadillac in my part of the world for 40 years for a reason -- at one time it was the only thing that made sense if there were six kids in the family.

    That 5:1 ratio I referred to earlier means that ~85% of the market may well go away, but the folks who always needed them will probably still be able to get them. Minivans are still available, and God knows they were never trendy & have been shunned by a large fraction of the auto-buying public for the past 10-15 years -- I think they were okay for the first few years before they developed the dreaded "suburban drone" image. Station wagons too, but to a lesser extent -- in Europe they're all over the place.
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    Allow me to followup...if 85% of the market goes away, then everyone else is fighting over 15% of the market...is there enough demand to keep making them, esp when gas gets back to $4.00 a gallon???
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Sure, but there won't be enough volume to justify a dedicated or one-off platform like the current Expedition. It will most certainly end up being a virtual F150 super crew clone with an enclosed rear and 3rd row seats. Front end, interior and powertrains will all be shared. This will make them viable even at low volumes.
  • bigo08bigo08 Member Posts: 102
    Lincoln has surprised me with all of their current offerings..

    I see Lincoln moving upmarket, as soon we get a proper RWD Lincoln flagship :shades:
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    As reported in other topics, the rumor is that Lincoln will get a 450 hp coupe or sedan built off of the Falcon platform (RWD). I expected to see it at the Detroit auto show but it wasn't there. Maybe New York or Chicago.
  • toomanyfumestoomanyfumes Member Posts: 1,019
    That sounds cool. Can't wait to see that. :shades:
    2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
  • emrnibbles1emrnibbles1 Member Posts: 48
    Rumor here is is that Ford will trade Volvo to Volkswagen for Bentley. So Lincoln will have a performance coupe derived from the Continental GT to better compete with Cadillac and the high end imports. I thought that a Chinese co wanted to purchase Volvo. Who knows?
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Geeley already bought Volvo just waiting to complete the paperwork and accounting.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    That's what I thought but didn't say anything in case I missed something.
  • emrnibbles1emrnibbles1 Member Posts: 48
    It figures .Too good to be true. Oh well.
  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    Is it reasonable to expect a brand new Town Car design soon? Anybody know of subcontractors making new parts for a new TC? Glass providers and dash board manufacturers - could they not provide a hint?

    Getting close to buying something, but right now it won't be a warmed over '98.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    TC is a dead man walking. They've already announced the plant shutdown in another year or two. Whatever is available now is all you're going to get - and you better get it soon.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,095
    Just treat yourself and buy the Jag...you know you want it :P
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