Future Lincolns

setzer

Lincoln's line-up is pretty whimpy. To compete directly with Cadillac they would need to release some more vehicles. Here is what it would look like:

Town Car - DeVille
Continental - STS/Seville
Lincoln LS - CTS
Mark X - XLR
Navigator - Escalade
Aviator - SRX
Mark LT - Escalade truck thingy

anyone else have any comments or info?

rctennis3811

If you check out Lincoln.com they have pictures of their concept cars and the names. They look like concept cars but insider information says that those cars are HUGE identicals of the upcoming Lincolns. Lincoln wants to go retro again, as shown by the Aviator Teaser Concept.

bretaa

I have to say that I haven't exactly been bowled over by Lincoln's clunky neo-retro concepts. I've been reading that they probably are no longer going to compete with Cadillac on a one-to-one level anymore, which means we'll see a lot of similar models to Cadillacs that are less exclusive and less high-end (ex, the Aviator on the Mazda 6 platform) but also significantly cheaper than their Cadillac, MB, BMW equivalents. Kind of like a super-Mercury. How good an idea this is, well, we'll let the market decide. I'm not particularly excited by the idea, and I love the Lincoln heritage (family members have owned them as long as I can remember...).

What does everyone else think?

Bret

setzer

That's ashame that Lincoln is becoming a cheaper brand. I've always liked Lincolns and how they are now.

dondilio

Ford haves their own european brands (Jaguar, Volvo, Land Rover, Aston Martin) that are more suitable to compete with the likes of MB, Audi and BMW. On the other hand GM doesnt have any, thats why they need Cadillac to compete with european brands; and I think Cadillac is doing a great jobat it.
I believe Ford wants to transform Lincoln into a Lexus and Acura fighter.

ANT14

As previously stated, Lincoln will not compete with Cadillac because Ford has more than enough brands to compete on those levels. Ford's luxury brands command 23-28% of luxury vehicle sales, higher than any other manufacturer.

Whereas Cadillac doesn't really have anything... Hence why Cadillac is going up. GM is placing Buick in the spot where Cadillac is now vacating. Problem is, FWD were one (of many reasons) why Cadillac sales were dropping. Consumer's expect RWD for their luxury vehicles, and Cadillac was missing that from their passenger vehicles (sans Catera/CTS).

This will pose a future problem, Buick will continue to carry that issue since most of it's vehicles are FWD...and worse, they have old-tech OHV engines which many consumer's have an issue with. But slowly they will improve upon that.

Lincoln has always been, and was founded on, american luxury, meaning, affordable luxury vehicles for american consumer's. Or my interpretation "a good bang for the buck". So continue to see vehicles priced between $30K-60K, and new entries in the coming year.

There's the Mazda6 based, Aviator replacement for 2006-2007. The Mark LT, A Mazda6 based, AWD sports sedan, and Lincoln is considering a new flagship (or possible Town Car replacement) on the Panther platform (what the Crown Vic/Grant Marquis/TownCar correctly ride on), or based on the VolvoP2 platform (with AWD) which is shared with the new 500/Montego/Freestyle.

nvbanker

I don't see Lincoln going cheaper, especially when I notice my Navigator sells for $64M now.... I see Cadillac pricing themselves out of the market if they go up-market, yet, they are putting out the one car that is selling really well, the CTS, at entry level prices. I do feel Lincoln needs new product, but given what they have done with the SUV interiors, I like it. If they'll get on with it, Lincoln is still working for me. Better than Buick. And fundamentally, I like Buicks.

ANT14

I just opened another forum under Lincoln Zephyr vehicle, that will be released at NYIAS.

upsetter1

Only Jaguar competes directly with Caddy/BMW/Merc. Volvo is just another premium brand. Probably Lincoln is kinda Volvo. Aston is super luxury. Rover, I don't know who needs one.

The most frustrating thing is that NA Ford didn't develop any new car platform recently. Mazda6, Volvo, Jaguar, Mondeo, Focus, thats all was developed in Europe and Japan and is used in NA vehicles. I have a gut feeling that Ford spent all its money to buy engineering teams in Europe and Japan. Fords brands outside of USA are mostly money loosers.

ANT14

" thats all was developed in Europe and Japan and is used in NA"

With the exceptional roadability of Ford Of Europe designed cars, I think it's best if we keep that design team, to build such models. If designed in the U.S. they might have given us boat-like vehicles (joke).

Ford benefits from the synergies of it's other brands. Best example is the Focus (Euro), S40, Mazda3...Platform was Focus Euro designed, Volvo enhanced it's safety and took that mission, while Mazda helped in engine's. But each was able to work it's own magic within each product to keep them seperated in feel.

nvbanker

Which is why I maintain that Ford is in the best position for global competition with Toyota in the future. GM is too concentrated in multiple excess American divisions and although they still sell the most cars on the planet, that may not last, and probably won't.

ANT14

You mean, that $6700 rebate on a Buick Ranier won't keep there sales on top? Heh...

nvbanker

First Buick SUVs, then Buick Minivans! Great way to "reinvent" Buick, eh?

mbukukanyau

Will continue as they have always been.Fords riding in fake Glory

nvbanker

Go away, mbu.....

rctennis3811

So basically like Buicks riding in fake glory too?

nvbanker

He's a troll.....rc.

grbeck

There's nothing fake about a 1960s "suicide door" Continental, or a 1968-71 Continental Mark III.

Having said that, Ford needs to get moving and start giving Lincoln some new CARS (not SUVs) as soon as possible. Plus, it needs to develop a cohesive and distinctive look for the Lincoln lineup.

Kirstie_H

No need to respond to comments that are purely designed as a wind-up. I'd delete, but if we started deleting all comments like that, that's all we'd do.

nvbanker

Well said though, grbeck. Lincoln DOES need to decide who they are, and what they're mission in life is going to be. It's pretty hard to tell right now. The LS is awesome, but small and so vastly different from the Town Car, which is not awesome, but still seems to wield considerable status when one is adorning your driveway. Is Lincoln performance? Or is it isolation & status?
The SUVs seem to have it together, but they do need a car theme.

mbukukanyau

after Seeing the Lincoln Zephyr, there is more to it than Fords Glory.

Did some just call me a 'Troll' or am I reading what I want to read?

Well, be careful, I could be living under the bridge you cross every morning!
Trolls have been know to love humans for breakfast!

samnoe

I would recommend Lincoln to stay with the current Aviator, and the new one give a different name.

If a product is completely new from ground up, it needs a new name, too. Especially that the Aviator is a name matching to Navigator, because they look alike. If they make a brand new design, everything different than the old one, and nothing similar to the Navigator, Lincoln should have a new name for it. This could also affect the resale value of the current Aviators, I think.

Anyone agree / disagree?

ANT14

I agree, I personally don't see anything wrong with them building these 2 SUV's. Each is being built at different plants, so it doesn't affect one another.

Lexus offers the RX330, and the GX470, Ford can do the same stradegy.

nvbanker

I thought I was the only one who really liked the current Navigator/Aviator DNA thing they do, and was sorry to see it go. But I'm really partial to the current styling theme of the trucks. I too wish they would keep the twins theme a little longer.

ANT14

There's other factors involved, why THIS needs to take place. Everything from keeping Explorer/Mounty/Avi consolidated in one manufacturing plant, PLUS CAFE credits...That the new Aviator will do better with.

Plus simple market trends... Car based SUV's are gaining popularity, therefore they wish to grow in that field.

samnoe

even though they should have a new name. If they drop the Aviator, they should drop the name, too. Everything should be new. Nobody should be confused between the 2. (and when will Lincoln names being start with the letter 'L'?)

ANT14

Thank GOD they aren't going with "L". They will stick with "heritage names"....

nvbanker

Please! No "alliteration for Lincoln"! Give the new LS a name too, if you please, instead of a trim designation.......