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The unexpected launch of the 2024 Nautilus in USA is the example of the new Lincoln management. Originally, the Nautilus was dead for NorthAmerica. Now, the ICE are alive, more time than the original plan , beyond 2030. EVs are in vogue, but there are not the core of the car sales. At least, not in NorthAmerica.

Good points GearheadGrrrl. Lincoln now has the chance to not only stay alive but be part of a renaissance for American luxury car brands overall. But that will only happen if its "Way Forward" strategy done right - from product design and engineering, to timely and problem free new product launches leading up to a 100% electric vehicle lineup, to the dealership experience, to making the Lincoln name meaningful and respected by upper class consumers around the world. Hopefully 2024 Nautilus is the last underwhelming new Lincoln product we'll ever see.

I'm not underwhelmed by the new Nautilus, I'm totally underwhelmed- Take away the full width video display and it's another 2 row SUV trying to play upmarket and ready to be commoditized! And "Nautilus"- Boomers like me associate it with a nuclear sub and ancient mythology, but to anyone born since the Reagan administration at best "Nautilus" means nothing. Lincoln has probably only survived these past few uninspired years because the Ford family has honored Henry Ford's promise to Lincoln's founder that he would keep Lincoln alive, and after nearly a century that charity may be wearing out.

Been trying to get rid of that myself for the same reason. The sticker should be with your trailer backup assist paperwork. I had about 6 in the packet.

...and it's an all-new design, not a short-term refresh to get us to its imminent EV replacement. I'm sure that Lincoln will at some point fill this space with a 2-row mid-sized crossover, but the near-term demise of the ICE-based Nautilus is, indeed, no longer in the cards.

it is expected.

Heck yeah!!! Looks good I should have got the mud flaps on mine now I have to order them from ford Saturday when I pick mine up I couldn’t decide what one I wanted I may go with the husky’s to go with my floor mats..

If they are wise that is the approach, combined with the launch of new EVs. My position is ICE isn’t going anywhere through a minimum of 2030, which means to me they need another generation of ICE, or at least a substantial upgrade of the existing Generation.

When other (less significant) plans I was following were changed or cancelled, Ford website just ignored the changes as if they had not been previously announced. One I recall was the 2-liter diesel for Transit which was announced and then quietly disappeared, and another the dual-alternator option with base engine. Ford even displayed engine options at a major Auto Show and then dropped one. This is obviously a much bigger deal, but I expect they won’t officially take anything back, but rather ignore previous announcement history.

That's correct GearheadGrrrl, but the situation on the product side has improved considerably since the 4th gen Navigator was first introduced about 6 years ago. Ford has put forth a genuine effort to make Lincoln vehicles distinctive since then. As such, Craig's recommendation that Lincoln dealers establish brand-exclusive facilities will be an essential part of Lincoln's brand transformation. The transition to a 100% electric vehicle lineup ASAP is also necessary for the transformation, so it's very unfortunate that Craig didn't provide more details on that. If all the brand badging was removed from both a 2023 model year Lincoln vehicle and a comparable highline trim Ford, a consumer would be able to easily distinguish between the 2. Maybe a consumer would even say that the vehicles came from 2 different manufacturers. 10 years ago, that would not be possible.

This sounds like a sales representative not knowing anything factual and telling a customer what they want to hear! The best source is the AM Scheduling Preview Report and direct contact with the sales manager or the individual responsible for managing the dealership's order bank that have access to the resources available.

Not really. Big difference in finishes and materials.

No! To be honest I've never seen a stand alone Lincoln showroom, every one I've seen since Mercury was murdered is a corner of a Ford store. Maybe in a market of several million they can justify it, but still doesn't accomplish much- Lincoln is pretty much just a glorified Ford no matter how fancy the showroom!

Of course but they’re missing huge profit opportunities. E.g. being able to add a 3rd shift for a vehicle that’s in high demand is almost 100% net profit because the first two shifts pay all the overhead. Its a balancing act for sure and can be risky but they could be doing a much better job in some cases.

Sales representatives often aren't aware of, or have access to, the resources available. For retail order status updates you should talk directly to the sales manager and request a copy of the actual status.

3.23 on the Jersey Shore today. Looking better than last week I guess. Fingers crossed the prices drop below 3 for the camping season.