Lincoln names are confusing apparently ...

[SVT_MAN]

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/...&id=7810369

 

Lindland said Lincoln has been hurt by an alphabet soup of new vehicle names. The MKX sedan was originally called the Zephyr, while Ford was expected to call the MKZ the Aviator but changed course. It's an echo of the problems at the Ford brand, which scrapped the Taurus name only to bring it back for the 2008 model year.

 

As you can see, he mixed up the MKZ and MKX ..

 

Maybe the guy did this on purpose, but man ... if other people are this confused, that's not good. Imagine how well Lincoln would be doing if they hadn't gone through all their name changes!

Edited November 15, 2007 by SVT_MAN

[suv_guy_19]

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/...&id=7810369

As you can see, he mixed up the MKZ and MKX ..

 

Maybe the guy did this on purpose, but man ... if other people are this confused, that's not good. Imagine how well Lincoln would be doing if they hadn't gone through all their name changes!

 

 

Let me ask a question...What company in Lincolns range uses actual names?

[suv_guy_19]

Also, x and z are too close on the keyboard.

[RichardJensen]

Also the writer is a moron.

 

That could be part of the problem.

[armadamaster]

The current Lincoln naming scheme or should I say...lack thereof is pretty horrible. This new "flagship" MKS (hey I got it! ) would serve better called Continental.

[suv_guy_19]

The current Lincoln naming scheme or should I say...lack thereof is pretty horrible. This new "flagship" MKS (hey I got it! ) would serve better called Continental.

 

 

Maybe we should just call it generic old name. That would be much better.

[Noah Harbinger]

You don't think possibly he confused the names on purpose, do you?

 

No, writers never do subtle things like that!

 

:rolleyes:

[Local1111]

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/...&id=7810369

 

 

 

As you can see, he mixed up the MKZ and MKX ..

 

Maybe the guy did this on purpose, but man ... if other people are this confused, that's not good. Imagine how well Lincoln would be doing if they hadn't gone through all their name changes!

 

 

Freestyle and Freestar?

[BORG]

The naming scheme forces people to preface with "Lincoln". Just like the Lincoln LS, I never said I had an LS...I said I had a Lincoln LS. But when I had the Aviator, I called it the Aviator. That's the motivation behind all alphanumeric naming systems, brand comes first!

[Watchdevil]

Having a real model name helps in child abduction cases. For instance, they could get the name Escalade and Navigator up on the hightway billboard and you will instantly know what kind of vehicle to be on the lookout for. If you go looking for just a Lincoln or Cadillac people would be passing by funeral homes turning in old people.

[BORG]

Having a real model name helps in child abduction cases. For instance, they could get the name Escalade and Navigator up on the hightway billboard and you will instantly know what kind of vehicle to be on the lookout for. If you go looking for just a Lincoln or Cadillac people would be passing by funeral homes turning in old people.

 

OK, so if the MKZ was the Zephyr, do you think people would still be able to recognize it more than a "Black Lincoln Sedan"?

[wescoent]

I am very strongly of the opinion that Lincoln should go back to real names for its cars and trucks. MKZ should be Zephyr, MKX should be Aviator, and MKS should be Continental.

[P71_CrownVic]

OK, so if the MKZ was the Zephyr, do you think people would still be able to recognize it more than a "Black Lincoln Sedan"?

 

We will never know...Ford never gave the name a chance.

 

 

I am very strongly of the opinion that Lincoln should go back to real names for its cars and trucks. MKZ should be Zephyr, MKX should be Aviator, and MKS should be Continental.

 

MKFusion

MKEdge

MKTaurus II

 

That's easy enough...

[NickF1011]

I am very strongly of the opinion that Lincoln should go back to real names for its cars and trucks. MKZ should be Zephyr, MKX should be Aviator, and MKS should be Continental.

 

Blah. I have zero connection with ANY of those names (and likely neither does anyone else in my age demographic), and I particularly dislike Continental. It's fine on an OLD car, but that's exactly what I think of when I hear that name: an OLD car.

 

The lettering is fine with me.

[sranger]

Names are irrelevant if you build the best ( or most desirable ) vehicle in the class....

 

I would rather see Ford spend resources properly advertising the vehicles than waste more resources trying to re-name them...

[P71_CrownVic]

It's fine on an OLD car, but that's exactly what I think of when I hear that name: an OLD car.

The lettering is fine with me.

 

I think of breakfast!

 

Names are irrelevant if you build the best ( or most desirable ) vehicle in the class....

 

In that case...they better go back to proper names.

[suv_guy_19]

Blah. I have zero connection with ANY of those names (and likely neither does anyone else in my age demographic), and I particularly dislike Continental. It's fine on an OLD car, but that's exactly what I think of when I hear that name: an OLD car.

 

The lettering is fine with me.

 

 

I agree with you 100%. Almost anyone under 95 who's paying attention can easily sort out the names.

[jasonj80]

The reason the majority of people buy the car is the "Lincoln" name, not the MK(whatever). If people bought cars for just transportation we'd all be driving around in 60hp Twingo's

[ShockFX]

Lincoln's name scheme is a bit less ordered than others.

 

BMW 1, 3 ,5 ,7 are sedans, higher number = more expensive...ok, the 1 series is slightly suspect here.

X3, X5 are suvs. Z4, Z8 are sports cars. 6 is a coupe, and rumor was the next 3 series coupe/convert were to be labeled 4, but they didn't want to change what's working for them.

 

MB has A,C,E,S for cars. Adds in 'L' for coupe (CL500). Adds 'K' for convertible (SLK320). It's not perfect since you have a convertible SL55 and stuff, but it's close enough. SUVs are G, M, R.

 

Audi has A3, A4, A6, A8. Is there an A5 coupe? Suvs are Q7, possible a Q5 coming. TT is outlier.

 

Lexus is ES/IS, GS, LS for sedans. RX, LX, GX for SUVs. SC for coupe.

 

Lincoln has MkZ and MkS for sedans. MkX for SUV. MkLT for the truck.

 

I'd say Lincoln has the more confusing system. Granted, it's a much smaller sample, but there is no pattern in the Mk-fillinrandomletter system being used atm. I don't understand naming the cars in such a way that someone new to the brand will not pronounce the name right. MkZ is "Mark Z". You can't expect people to know that.

 

I'd say the bigger confusion in the names is that the model designation is actually the THIRD LETTER in the name. To someone not familiar, if they hear "Mark X" and "Mark Z" they might assume the car is named "Mark".

 

Another issue with the names are that they don't really allow for differentiation within the model. A 330i is different from a 335xi. Probably $15k different. 330i = MkZ. 335xi = MkZ AWD with Twin Force. In the same vein that Ford doesn't think people want new cars to look new, they don't think people want to be able to brag about how expensive the new car they bought is, but brag subtlety.

This is honestly relevant because all luxury products are about status. I know this board will disagree, but consider this difference before you dismiss it as not important. You know someone with a 330i. You buy the 335xi. You can simply say, "Yeah, I got a 335xi this week, love that car." You've easily establish the status of the car you bought and roughly how much you paid for it. Let's apply this to Lincoln. You know someone with a MkS without engine upgrade or AWD. You bought the TF AWD MkS. So you have to say, "Yeah, I got a MkS this week, got the Twin Force engine and AWD, love that car."

[suv_guy_19]

Lincoln's name scheme is a bit less ordered than others.

 

BMW 1, 3 ,5 ,7 are sedans, higher number = more expensive...ok, the 1 series is slightly suspect here.

X3, X5 are suvs. Z4, Z8 are sports cars. 6 is a coupe, and rumor was the next 3 series coupe/convert were to be labeled 4, but they didn't want to change what's working for them.

 

MB has A,C,E,S for cars. Adds in 'L' for coupe (CL500). Adds 'K' for convertible (SLK320). It's not perfect since you have a convertible SL55 and stuff, but it's close enough. SUVs are G, M, R.

 

Audi has A3, A4, A6, A8. Is there an A5 coupe? Suvs are Q7, possible a Q5 coming. TT is outlier.

 

Lexus is ES/IS, GS, LS for sedans. RX, LX, GX for SUVs. SC for coupe.

 

Lincoln has MkZ and MkS for sedans. MkX for SUV. MkLT for the truck.

 

I'd say Lincoln has the more confusing system. Granted, it's a much smaller sample, but there is no pattern in the Mk-fillinrandomletter system being used atm. I don't understand naming the cars in such a way that someone new to the brand will not pronounce the name right. MkZ is "Mark Z". You can't expect people to know that.

 

I'd say the bigger confusion in the names is that the model designation is actually the THIRD LETTER in the name. To someone not familiar, if they hear "Mark X" and "Mark Z" they might assume the car is named "Mark".

 

Another issue with the names are that they don't really allow for differentiation within the model. A 330i is different from a 335xi. Probably $15k different. 330i = MkZ. 335xi = MkZ AWD with Twin Force. In the same vein that Ford doesn't think people want new cars to look new, they don't think people want to be able to brag about how expensive the new car they bought is, but brag subtlety.

This is honestly relevant because all luxury products are about status. I know this board will disagree, but consider this difference before you dismiss it as not important. You know someone with a 330i. You buy the 335xi. You can simply say, "Yeah, I got a 335xi this week, love that car." You've easily establish the status of the car you bought and roughly how much you paid for it. Let's apply this to Lincoln. You know someone with a MkS without engine upgrade or AWD. You bought the TF AWD MkS. So you have to say, "Yeah, I got a MkS this week, got the Twin Force engine and AWD, love that car."

 

What about Cadillac?

[ShockFX]

What about Cadillac?

 

They suck too, but it's irrelevant to Lincoln.

 

CTS, STS, XLR, SRX. I guess the SRX kind of makes sense, since it shares sigma with STS, and X is used to mark SUV normally. XLR makes 0 sense in my mind.

[NickF1011]

I'd say Lincoln has the more confusing system. Granted, it's a much smaller sample, but there is no pattern in the Mk-fillinrandomletter system being used atm. I don't understand naming the cars in such a way that someone new to the brand will not pronounce the name right. MkZ is "Mark Z". You can't expect people to know that.

 

I'd say the bigger confusion in the names is that the model designation is actually the THIRD LETTER in the name. To someone not familiar, if they hear "Mark X" and "Mark Z" they might assume the car is named "Mark".

 

Mark Fields or Jerry McGovern sometime ago said that internally they are no longer using the "Mark" name, as it was, as you said, confusing. They are referring to them by "Em-Kay" now. "Em-Kay-Zee", "Em-Kay-Ess", "Em-Kay-Ex"... Once the entire lineup gets the naming convension it will likely become more fluid. With hangers-on like the Mark LT and Town Car hanging around, it gets confusing. I think Navigator may be the only name they keep.

[ShockFX]

Mark Fields or Jerry McGovern sometime ago said that internally they are no longer using the "Mark" name, as it was, as you said, confusing. They are referring to them by "Em-Kay" now. "Em-Kay-Zee", "Em-Kay-Ess", "Em-Kay-Ex"... Once the entire lineup gets the naming convension it will likely become more fluid. With hangers-on like the Mark LT and Town Car hanging around, it gets confusing. I think Navigator may be the only name they keep.

 

Step forward.

[RichardJensen]

Shock:

 

Only the BMW naming convention makes sense, and the displacement numbers for other brands.

 

Mercedes is higgly piggly (it's really C, E, CLS, S for sedans and I can't even remember for coupes). Lexus doesn't make sense as E, I, G, L isn't in alphabetical order. Infiniti doesn't make much sense, and Acura makes no sense at all.

 

BMW's makes sense though. You always know what you've got with a BMW. The 5-Series is two bigger than the 3-Series, and the 7-Series is 2 bigger than the 5-Series and 1 bigger than the 6-Series. Odds for sedans and evens for coupes also makes a certain amount of sense.

[Watchdevil]

OK, so if the MKZ was the Zephyr, do you think people would still be able to recognize it more than a "Black Lincoln Sedan"?

 

People know what a Mustang or a Thunderbird is without having to say they are " a black Ford coupe".

 

And yes we will never know if people would recognize the name Zephyr because it was not out long enough for it to attain recognition.

 

Anyway, the only thing anyone may recognize with the MK naming convention is the MK letters themselves. No common person can keep the S, X and Z matched to the cars they go to.

Edited November 15, 2007 by Watchdevil