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And yet the LaCrosse outsold the MKS and the MKZ combined 54,000 to 40,000. Why? Maybe it's because the MKS costs about $10,000 more yet offers about the same luxury look, feel, features and power to weight ratio as the less expensive LaCrosse. Sure, the MKS is a little bigger on paper but not appreciably so in person. If Lincoln wants to increase sales with the current lineup, the prices need to come down. I'd really like to see Lincoln abandon this strategy of making seven versions of Fords and stick with the traditional 3 car lineup, two of which could be based on the Mustang. Maybe a long, sharp-edged muscular Hybrid V8 4-door Continental Town Car (like the 300 but with a longer hood). A style statement for independent thinkers. Then a CUV based on the sedan. Same powertrain. Keep the Navigator. Bring back the Parthenon grill. Supremely comfortable and stylish interior. No corresponding 4-door or CUV Mustang with the blue oval on it. Even if they only sell 50K per year total at least Lincoln would be unique.

Based on the article, Ford sees this Lincoln investment (along with the dealer cuts) as successful if sales hit 162,000 by 2015. Lincoln model sales have, at best, been running at about 20% of the comparable Ford model they're based on. If we assume that the seven "new or refreshed" models are the MKS, MKT, MKZ, MKZ Hybrid, MKX, Navigator and Escape-based CUV then the new MKZs and Escape-based CUV will have to do the heavy lifting in order to get to that 162K number. That's a tall order. Based on 2011 Ford sales, even at 20%, Lincoln sales would only reach about 150,000 units. AND, that's assuming the new Escape sells as well as the current one (unlikely given Ford's price increases on new vehicles of late). The new Escape-based CUV would have to sell about 40,000 units to meet the target. But, Ford may also be banking on much better industry sales by 2015 (rising tide lifts all boats). It may not be a stretch to say that if the new Escape-based CUV is a bust then Lincoln is a goner. 2011 sales: MKZ 27,529 11% of Fusion sales MKX 23,395 19% of Edge sales MKS 12,217 19% of Taurus sales MKT 5,024 18% of Flex sales Navigator 8,018 20% of Expedition sales TOTAL 76,183

The Ford products are every bit as good and buyers know this. They have to be because the mainstream brand competition is heavy. I wanted to like the MKZ I drove, but I couldn't justify why anyone would spend $5,000 more than a V6 Camry. And the seats were kind of hard. Not what a luxury car should be.

At a dealer meeting this past summer. They were also told sales should increase 300 to 400 percent within 4 years provided the dealers revamp their showrooms. http://www.leftlanenews.com/ford-to-drop-1b-on-last-chance-lincoln-turnaround-efforts.html

Acura uses a very similar strategy thus their weak place in the market. You've helped prove my point. Regarding Lexus, Toyota was already well established in 1989 in the US. All of the distribution, back office functions and marketing for Lexus were already in place in Torrance, CA at Toyota headquarters. As I recall, they even shared advertising agencies. Each Lexus dealer was already a Toyota dealer. And there were relatively few of them. Most of the money invested in Lexus was used to develop the very credible LS400. Just one vehicle. In contrast, Ford is now talking about less money being used for SEVEN vehicles 20 years later. Meanwhile BMW, which doesn't use mainstream models to base its cars on, is far stronger a competitor in 2012. Just ask Lexus. Sorry, Lincoln cannot compete on a world-class basis with that low level of investment. It can be a great Buick alternative.

At Boeing driving a Lexus LS. Sorry, a wiseacre answer I know. Couldn't resist. To your point, Mullaly was around when we were told that Mercury had a bright future. Until it didn't.

"The current Fords compete with Buick already." If true, don't you see that this is a problem for Lincoln? Because, today, Lincoln is no better than Buick. But a lot more expensive. Kuzak was touting a few months back that Lincoln's future rests in being as "refined" as Lexus and as "engaging" as a BMW. So, Ford sees Lincoln as a competitor. That's a mistake based on all the reasons I've given. BTW, this quote reminds me of what they were saying about Mercury a few years before they canned it: "...Lincoln is aiming for a buyer who is younger, more female, more educated, with a higher income and living on a coast, said Derrick Kuzak, head of global product development. Lincoln will have seven new or significantly modified vehicles by 2014." http://www.freep.com/article/20120115/BUSINESS01/201150431/Lincoln-faces-different-market?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cp 2005: "As The Detroit News reported last month, Fields took a hard look at killing the Mercury brand. However, that study concluded that Mercury brings in more money than would be saved by eliminating it. Instead, the company will try to reenergize Mercury by giving the brand new product designed to appeal to women and more youthful buyers." http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20051207/AUTO01/512070322/Ford-s-fix-it-plan and this from 2004: "Mercury Brand Plans Six New Vehicles" http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ojdOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tf0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=1884,6182356&dq=ford+mercury+six+new+products&hl=en Sounds like Lincoln's "seven new vehicles by 2014." The more things "change" the more they stay the same...

Ford fwd platform shared with Fusion, same hardpoints, shared powertrains (even though they say they'll be "exclusive"), same colors, etc. Nothing wrong with this as long as there are buyers who see value. But this car will never be viewed as a BMW alternative nor should "BMW" ever fall from the lips of Ford execs when talking about this car. It's simply not believable. And as long as Ford continues with its effort to combine Ford and Lincoln dealers, they'll have a tough time matching the Lexus dealer experience with any consistency. Seven models for only $1B will yield a Buick competitor at best. If pricing and PR align with that message then Lincoln might have a chance.

Some perspective here: Toyota spent nearly $2B (in today's dollars) back in the late 1980s on the LS400 and a lightly tarted up Camry, the ES250. Spending $1B on seven tarted up Fords is not going to put Lincoln in the same league with Lexus and BMW, the names Ford execs keep dropping. No doubt, there's a little money to be made by selling tarted up Fords. GM does well with Buick this way. However, Mulally and Fields should really drop the pretense if they're serious.

Yep, it does work pretty well for Lexus. There are some differences though. Lexus built its reputation on the LS400 and customer service/new showrooms. It was able to keep investing in the LS because the same car was sold back in Japan, the world's second largest car market at the time, as a Toyota, and Toyota was flush with cash to make it happen. The warmed over Camry they sold at the time, the ES250, benefitted from the quality reputation that Toyota built over the years and the halo effect from the LS (and SC). Today's RX and ES sell on that hard-won reputation. Unfortunately, Lincoln has none of those advantages. Ford wisely will not make a special RWD platform for North America to challenge the S-Class and, thus, will not take Lincoln to Europe. And Ford is having a devil of a time getting dealers to upgrade facilities. Sure, the customer service scores have been good, but that fact doesn't occupy space in the minds of most buyers for whatever reason (inept Ford marketing maybe?). What is important is building a reputation backed by products that appear to challenge the Germans, the de facto standard bearers of luxury cars today. Glass roofs and reprogrammed MyFordTouch graphics won't be enough to catapult Lincoln sales. But it might be good enough to make a few extra bucks in North America on Ford parts/engineering just like Lincoln does today. But if Ford was serious about Lincoln as something better than a Buick or Chrysler they would be selling the whole lineup in China, the world's fastest growing market and the one that appreciates limousine-like space and quiet ride, traditional Lincoln strengths. If Ford doesn't make a China push for Lincoln soon I'll consider it the canary in the coalmine much like I kept saying about Mercury. Remember, for years Ford seemed to make no effort to secure the Mercury.com domain from HP while telling us that Mercury had a secure future. That said it all to me. Watch Ford in China.

Say hello to the "new" strategy, same as the old strategy. The new cars are based on Fords, same as always. Which means they cannot be sold as Audi, BMW or Mercedes alternatives. It has to be this way for business reasons. You've seen this movie played before if you've been around long enough. Don't get your hopes up.

I don't understand your comment. Do you mean that I haven't "been paying attention" because I didn't mention Ford has promised 7 new or refreshed products between now and 2014? If so, there's no indication that those products will be sold outside North America and the Middle East nor will they in any way challenge the Germans or even Cadillac. They'll continue to be what they are now: Buick alternatives. Overpriced at that. Which is why they don't sell well. Still, there's no indication that Lincoln is a tremendous drain on Ford finances. That must factor into why Ford seems to be plowing ahead with the same strategy they've used for decades. It isn't working, but they're not stressed over it.

Ford will keep doing what it has always done with Lincoln until it's obvious it doesn't work anymore. Just like with Mercury. That's about all they can do without spending billions to upgrade Lincoln substantially and sell them internationally. Big ri$k with little upside. What Ford should do is buy out the remaining Lincoln dealers and offer the fleet and livery markets a new "Lincoln Town Car" based on an existing platform but styled with the 90s grille and rear opera window. Sell and service them through Ford dealers, but forget the retail market. There just aren't enough individuals who want to buy what Lincoln represents. Retail buyers are more than happy with their Edge Limiteds and Taurus SHOs. Trying to redo Lincoln would be just as unsuccessful as remaking Oldsmobile and Saturn.

I just called the Mercury Owner call center. The rep confirmed that there will be NO 2011 model year Mercurys.