MKZ To Carry Higher Price Tag

[ANTAUS]

LINK-Autoweek.com

[Michael Reynolds]

Duh!

 

..... total incentive spending for the Zephyr averaged $4,342....

 

That is very misleading, without further explination. How much do you want to bet at least a handfull of people read that article and head into a Lincoln dealer expecting a steal.

[J-150]

a higher price may be a tough sell.

 

 

This is still only leathered up Fusion.

[NickF1011]

a higher price may be a tough sell.

This is still only leathered up Fusion.

 

Like the article said, the premium for the MKZ over the Zephyr will probably be less than $2000. That seems like a pretty easy sell considering the addition of 40 horsepower and all-wheel-drive. It'll still start under $32,000 it would appear, making it quite a bargain in my eyes.

[SVTCobra]

a higher price may be a tough sell.

This is still only leathered up Fusion.

 

Same thing as the Lexus ES350 vs Toyota Camry, no?

[one2gamble]

Same thing as the Lexus ES350 vs Toyota Camry, no?

 

 

Thats ok because its Yoda

 

But Lemley questioned the logic of raising the price when incentive levels are high. "Wouldn't they be better off to see if the enhanced content enabled them to reduce the incentive spending?" he said.

 

 

These people are starting to look stupid. Sure that would make sense if you could really get a Lincoln dealer to knock 4+K off the sticker price but you cant. Even GREAT lease deals are found across the board with virtually every make and model. Bitching about that seems like they are just bitching to bitch.

Edited April 25, 2006 by one2gamble

[dr511scj]

Duh!

That is very misleading, without further explination. How much do you want to bet at least a handfull of people read that article and head into a Lincoln dealer expecting a steal.

 

"Even with a sub-$30,000 base price, Lincoln has backed the Zephyr with significant incentives including major lease support. In March, total incentive spending for the Zephyr averaged $4,342, according to the J.D. Power and Associates Power Information Network. Industry research company Edmunds.com put the March incentive spend for Zephyr at $3,543."

 

In context, how is this misleading to the average enthusiast reading Autoweek?

 

But then, what average enthusiast reading Autoweek would want an underpowered FWD Mexican Mazda "Lincoln?"

 

Most enthusiasts are intelligent enough to recognize below market interest rates and other cost-shifting mechanisms are manufacturer subsidies to sales.

 

Where they MSRP the car is mostly irrelevant. Transaction price is what matters. Customers can read the ads and search out other information to find out what the real prices are.

[silvrsvt]

"Even with a sub-$30,000 base price, Lincoln has backed the Zephyr with significant incentives including major lease support. In March, total incentive spending for the Zephyr averaged $4,342, according to the J.D. Power and Associates Power Information Network. Industry research company Edmunds.com put the March incentive spend for Zephyr at $3,543."

 

In context, how is this misleading to the average enthusiast reading Autoweek?

 

But then, what average enthusiast reading Autoweek would want an underpowered FWD Mexican Mazda "Lincoln?"

 

Most enthusiasts are intelligent enough to recognize below market interest rates and other cost-shifting mechanisms are manufacturer subsidies to sales.

 

Where they MSRP the car is mostly irrelevant. Transaction price is what matters. Customers can read the ads and search out other information to find out what the real prices are.

 

 

A little bit of researching on KBB or Edmunds shows that its next to impossible to get that much in incentives on the Zephyr. I'd really like to know where they are getting their numbers on this because its not based in reality

[ANTAUS]

So it's another "DUH" article. Well of course it's going up, more features will be added, but did they really need to write a article pertaining to this? I don't see them writting up similar information when Honda or Toyota raise their prices on their vehicles, geesh...

[BORG]

I wonder if the price increase refers to the top-end model or the base MSRP for the line.

 

Without bothering to look at the MkZ press-release, is AWD standard? If so, then a new engine, 6-Spd Trans, and AWD system make the price increase wortwhile. However, I'm not convinced the Zephyr represents a good value or compares favorably to the competition. The Zephyr is cheaply made for a car in this price-class, no matter how well you dress it to look nice. An even more expensive Zephyr doesn't sound anymore promising, however the new tech features and hardware are significant selling points for me.

Edited April 25, 2006 by BORG

[Edstock]

"The Zephyr is cheaply made for a car in this price-class"

 

Compared to what in this price-class?

 

The design doesn't appear much different from current best-practice.

 

Fit and finish? Materials?

[Michael Reynolds]

Cheaply made?

 

This happens to be one of the better interiors found on a Lincoln sedan for quite sometime (including the LS), even if it appears blocky and upright for some tastes. If consumers are willing to go from a Lexus ES and Audi A4 (and believe me I know of 2 cases in which this happened) to a Zephyr because they WANT to, I'm willing to bet that the 'cheap' interior isn't so bad afterall.

[BORG]

"The Zephyr is cheaply made for a car in this price-class"

 

Compared to what in this price-class?

 

The design doesn't appear much different from current best-practice.

 

Fit and finish? Materials?

 

Fit, Finish, materials, and design..all are far lower quality than I've seen in cars in this price range, even within Ford's PAG group. Hell, the Accord and Camy have a less flashy design but much better material and build quality. Ever closed a door on a Zephyr? From the door handle to the latches, everything feels cheap and out of place on a car near $40,000. That's just one example, a consequence of not fully differentiating a MUCH cheaper product. The Zephyr looks good from a distance, but real live interaction reveals its disappointing shortfalls. You quickly discover that the Zephyr is nothing more than a well dressed economy car, there is no substance or quality to the product. And I beg to differ about the LS, while the design is bland the interior quality is leaps and bounds beyond the cheap materials and clumbsy design in the Zephyr. I'll take the bland and well made interior over the cheap and flashy interior. I was completely prepared to love this car, but I have never been so disappointed.

Edited April 26, 2006 by BORG

[630land]

Well, at least it is doing better then the Loser LS, the forgetten 'experiment' to try to make Lincoln into BMW. How about making Lincoln into Lincoln!

[Michael Reynolds]

The LS was always criticized as having cheap interior bits, something I have yet to notice as major complaints of the Zephyr (from a journalists perspective). Even Tony Swan, who apparently loathes the car went on to say:

 

The interior appointments, for example, incorporate quality materials (including real maple trim).....

 

If that doesn't mean anything I don't know what does.

 

I've closed the door, pushed buttons, turned knobs, pulled handles, and opened compartments in various Zephyrs and everything seemed put together well for a car starting at 29K. While I agree the squarish dash could use some softening, it doesn't impart a down market feel.

 

Now don't get me wrong I'm not bashing the LS, if the timing were right I'd have one in my driveway.

[DRODMOTORS]

Fit, Finish, materials, and design..all are far lower quality than I've seen in cars in this price range, even within Ford's PAG group. Hell, the Accord and Camy have a less flashy design but much better material and build quality. Ever closed a door on a Zephyr? From the door handle to the latches, everything feels cheap and out of place on a car near $40,000. That's just one example, a consequence of not fully differentiating a MUCH cheaper product. The Zephyr looks good from a distance, but real live interaction reveals its disappointing shortfalls. You quickly discover that the Zephyr is nothing more than a well dressed economy car, there is no substance or quality to the product. And I beg to differ about the LS, while the design is bland the interior quality is leaps and bounds beyond the cheap materials and clumbsy design in the Zephyr. I'll take the bland and well made interior over the cheap and flashy interior. I was completely prepared to love this car, but I have never been so disappointed.

 

I have closed a door or two on a Zeph, sounds pretty good and fits well.

 

Near $40K?!?! Do you tell your wife that you're "near eight inches" too?

[Michael Reynolds]

I have closed a door or two on a Zeph, sounds pretty good and fits well.

 

Near $40K?!?! Do you tell your wife that you're "near eight inches" too?

 

LOL :bowdown:

[one2gamble]

The only questionable part of the zephs interior is the lack of leather trim on the door panels. The plastic panels are essentially the exact same ones on the fusion, this is a problem. The entire door should be covered in leather at this price, not plastic. The rest is fine.

[dr511scj]

A little bit of researching on KBB or Edmunds shows that its next to impossible to get that much in incentives on the Zephyr. I'd really like to know where they are getting their numbers on this because its not based in reality

 

I may have to revise my comment about how obvious all this incentive business is. Automotive News publishes the details on everybody's factory incentives regularly.

 

It shouldn't take a brain surgeon to figure out that if you put $500 cash on the hood, then offer zero percent or one percent financing on $30,000+ for 24/36/48 months and then maybe even slip a little extra spiff in the dealer's hold-back envelope, that it all adds up to THOUSANDS of dollars per unit in incentives.

 

Even offering Zero Percent on a two-year, $30,000 loan "costs" the lender nearly three grand if it's borrowing its money at 5% APR, compounded annually, instead of investing $30,000 cash at the same rate of return.

 

(see for yourself: http://www.moneychimp.com/calculator/compo...calculator.htm)

[zoom]

http://carreviewsonline.auto123.com/en/inf...oln&artid=60587 Edited April 26, 2006 by zoom

[dr511scj]

Well, at least it is doing better then the Loser LS, the forgetten 'experiment' to try to make Lincoln into BMW. How about making Lincoln into Lincoln!

 

This comment sort of fits in the category of the kid who does about half his homework, stays up all night partying before the big test, and then wonders why he didn't pass.

 

If you're going to build a better mousetrap, you'd better catch some mice.

 

The LS wasn't a "better mousetrap" and so it didn't catch very many mice. It was a "gentlemanly C" effort. Zephyr/MKZzzzz simply jettisons even the "gentlemanly" attempt.

 

What does making "Lincoln into Lincoln" really mean? Reviving the Leland's Lincoln K? Edsel's Continental? Bill Ford, Sr.'s Mark II? Iacocca's glorified "Thunderbird" Lincolns? Building compact Japanese Buicks, such as the new Zephyr/MKZzzzzzzzzzzzzz?

 

Has Cadillac lost its way by beginning to chase "World Class" objective standards for their products?

 

At least the "Mexican Lincolns" of Bill Stroppe, Clay Smith, Ray Crawford and Walt Faulkner were substantially more internationally competitive in their arena (Carrera Panamericana) than the modern ones.

[dr511scj]

http://carreviewsonline.auto123.com/en/inf...oln&artid=60587

1. Iacocca proved back in the '70s with the Thunderbird that a huge price cut almost always boosts sales, that is until the new lower cost product resets market perceptions for a nameplate. One wonders how the Zephyr/MKZ will affect perceptions of Lincoln's exclusivity and market segment positioning.

 

2. 12.85 lbs per hp is merely adequate for the near-lux market of the MKZ. The real question is whether a FWD-biased AWD system will produce the proper driving dynamics and subjective handling feel to be competitive.

 

3. Yet another AT gear selector without positions for all the available gears. Decidedly not "sporty."

 

4. No amount of value-added fluff in the CD3 will mask the fact that L-M has nothing to offer V8 sports sedan customers.

[Noah Harbinger]

4. No amount of value-added fluff in the CD3 will mask the fact that L-M has nothing to offer V8 sports sedan customers.

 

Yet another "They can't give me what I want so they shouldn't be making anything" post...

[dr511scj]

Who said they "can't," NOah?

[fllcobra]

You don't need a V8 with Front Wheel Drive. You just end up with torque steer.

 

The problem I have with the Zephyr is the difference between it and a fully loaded Fusion just isn't worth the price difference. Load the Zephyr with options that distinguish it (Nav., Air Cooled Seats) and the price jumps into the new 2007 Lexus ES350 range. Of the two cars, I think most people will choose the Lexus.