How Do You See Lincoln Going Forward?

[06mariner]

What do you think Ford is going to do to revitalize the brand? I hope they are ready to invest a lot of time and money into the brand. They got Ford back in a good spot, now they NEED to get Lincoln figured out!

 

Just trying to see what people think!

[Critic]

How Do You See Lincoln Going Forward?

 

With an ability to stop; unlike some other automotive manufacturers.

[carforford]

Unfortunately I see it going the way of Mercury in about 5 years time or less....I just hope I am wrong...

[NickF1011]

Unfortunately I see it going the way of Mercury in about 5 years time or less....I just hope I am wrong...

 

Only if Ford decides to give them zero new product in that timeframe, which is about as likely as Ford cancelling the F-series.

[DUCKRACER]

Only if Ford decides to give them zero new product in that timeframe, which is about as likely as Ford cancelling the F-series.

 

 

I think Ford should keep Lincoln and keep it up to date. Otherwise, Cadillac will fill the vacuum.

[ice-capades]

I'm still not convinced that Lincoln's recent design trend accomplishes the task of making the Lincoln brand distinctive enough in the Market. Maybe given enough time it will do so by default but so far I haven't been really impressed.

 

I'm old enough to remember the Lincoln models from the '70's which were very distinctive on the road. Consider the iconic 1974-1976 Lincoln Mark IV with the waterfall grill which made it look like a psuedo Rolls Royce at a fraction of the price. I'm not saying that it was the quality of a Rolls Royce, just that it was as distinctive on the road. When you a saw a Mark IV on the road you knew instantly that it was a Lincoln. Mercury very successfully capitalized on the design trend with the 1974-1976 Mercury Cougar XR-7 which was sold as a "Baby" Mark IV. Unfortunately, over the years Ford and Lincoln-Mercury lost any direction for their future model design and direction and the resulting models got lost in the marketplace.

 

What I wouldn't give to own another 1976 Lincoln Mark IV or even a 1976 Mercury Cougar XR-7!

[NickF1011]

I'm still not convinced that Lincoln's recent design trend accomplishes the task of making the Lincoln brand distinctive enough in the Market.

 

Well, gee, the only Lincoln that has a different body from its Ford counterpart at the moment is the MKT, which, love it or hate it, is certainly distinctive compared to the Ford it is based on. Give them a little time to actually work on the other models first before condemning the effort which hasn't even started yet.

[careyc]

What do you think Ford is going to do to revitalize the brand? I hope they are ready to invest a lot of time and money into the brand. They got Ford back in a good spot, now they NEED to get Lincoln figured out!

 

Just trying to see what people think!

 

For one I'd like to see Lincoln pick up where Mercury left off on the '03/'04 Marauder, that would be sweet.

I had an '04 Marauder for 4 years and was silly enough to trade it and a '08 Bullitt Mustang in on a Lincoln MKx.

Not that the MKx wasn't nice, it was, it had everything except the performance of the vehicles I traded. If Lincoln

institutes the Twin-turbos in everything watch out, those would be great!

[2b2]

Unfortunately I see it going the way of Mercury in about 5 years time or less....I just hope I am wrong...

I get really confused about Lincoln's future - - but only if I listen to Ford

 

I've got a feeling that the 2011 MKX might be the Least New of those SUPPOSED 7 vehicles

(see below)

however

I'm not yet convinced that FoMoCo really WANTS to keep Lincoln

(tho might be misled by them really wanting to kill off the Lincoln dealers)

 

 

I'm still not convinced that Lincoln's recent design trend accomplishes the task of making the Lincoln brand distinctive enough in the Market. Maybe given enough time it will do so by default but so far I haven't been really impressed.

 

I'm old enough to remember the Lincoln models from the '70's...

I can remember back even further

but

think there's a good amount of life left in the split-wing

tho some experimentation is needed!!

 

the other characteristics (Mr. Horbury's "7") I'm less sanguine about

not bad, just insufficient

- tho think the MKT-Concept was near FLAWLESS!

- hope the "Abomination" (C-concept) is dead and buried!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Well, gee, the only Lincoln that has a different body from its Ford counterpart at the moment is the MKT...

also the MKS

tsk tsk

 

-------------------------------

 

- with the new Focus/C-Max platform available practically immediately (mkE)

- followed within about a year by the KuGa (mkG)

- *and* the possibility of an all new MKS which could be on the MKT/Flex's longer wheelbase (mkSL)

(+ no reason they couldn't keep a version on the current short wheelbase too (mkSS))

- & if anyone's interested, a new F-150-based Navigator

- plus we KNOW the Mondeo/Fusion merger isn't far off so an all new MKZ (2012cy?) ...which could indicate an all new MKX too

- followed by ANOTHER new swb MKS (2013cy?)

so

little significantly (or Astoundingly!) new in the next 4 years just makes No Sense to me

(not even considering that imho FoMoCo can start building the GRwdP as soon as a factory is ready = 12 months from eventual greenlight)

 

if, IF! Lincoln doesn't get a SWARM of new stuff PDQ

it will only be because Ford doesn't want to do it!

[NickF1011]

also the MKS

tsk tsk

 

 

MKS still shares its greenhouse with the Taurus as far as I know...and all hard points are identical to the Taurus as well. Even those were changed on the MKT.

[akirby]

MKS still shares its greenhouse with the Taurus as far as I know...and all hard points are identical to the Taurus as well. Even those were changed on the MKT.

No it doesn't. Sheetmetal is 100% unique (even if it shares a resemblance).

[NickF1011]

No it doesn't. Sheetmetal is 100% unique (even if it shares a resemblance).

 

Sheet metal yes. Doesn't mean it doesn't have the exact same structure underneath it. That's what I'm getting at with the greenhouse and hard points. That's not the case with vehicles like the MKT, and better not be the case with any Lincoln moving forward.

[akirby]

Sheet metal yes. Doesn't mean it doesn't have the exact same structure underneath it. That's what I'm getting at with the greenhouse and hard points. That's not the case with vehicles like the MKT, and better not be the case with any Lincoln moving forward.

 

 

It's unibody Nick - sheetmetal and structure and one and the same, right? The C-pillars in particular are different. As opposed to the Fusion/MKZ that do share a greenhouse.

[NickF1011]

It's unibody Nick - sheetmetal and structure and one and the same, right? The C-pillars in particular are different. As opposed to the Fusion/MKZ that do share a greenhouse.

 

The sheet metal is only structural in certain applications, even on a unit body vehicle. Most of the actual structure is beneath that. You can style a C-pillar differently while still using the same stamping for the underlying structure.

[2b2]

The sheet metal is only structural in certain applications, even on a unit body vehicle. Most of the actual structure is beneath that. You can style a C-pillar differently while still using the same stamping for the underlying structure.

imho the MKS is sort of in-between the 500 & superTaurus structurally since iirc it came out with the EB before the SHO

so

it wouldn't surprise me if there's less commonality than there will probably be going forward

unless the MKS's MCE moves to the MKT/Flex's longer wheelbase

Edited November 11, 2010 by 2b2

[NickF1011]

it wouldn't surprise me if there's less commonality than there will probably be going forward

 

If there's going to be more commonality in the future, Lincoln may as well close its doors now.

[akirby]

If there's going to be more commonality in the future, Lincoln may as well close its doors now.

100% unique sheetmetal implies the designers have free reign to do their own greenhouse and top hat, as opposed to being locked into sharing those like the 2011 Edge and MKX. If the Lincoln version HAPPENS to use a similar greenhouse then that's ok as long as they're not required and they're not identical. You wouldn't want to force them to be totally different if it compromises the design of one or the other.

[NickF1011]

100% unique sheetmetal implies the designers have free reign to do their own greenhouse and top hat, as opposed to being locked into sharing those like the 2011 Edge and MKX. If the Lincoln version HAPPENS to use a similar greenhouse then that's ok as long as they're not required and they're not identical. You wouldn't want to force them to be totally different if it compromises the design of one or the other.

 

I don't see how it could wind up compromising one. Sure, a sedan is always going to look like a sedan, but hopefully there are enough differences that people won't see them and even have an inkling of suspicion that a Lincoln shares platforms with a "lowly Ford".

[akirby]

I don't see how it could wind up compromising one. Sure, a sedan is always going to look like a sedan, but hopefully there are enough differences that people won't see them and even have an inkling of suspicion that a Lincoln shares platforms with a "lowly Ford".

 

Look at your Edge and a MKX in side profile. You almost can't tell the difference except maybe for the wheels. You won't see that on the next gen MKX or any new Lincoln. The designers will be free to design the greenhouse any way they want instead of being tied to the Ford greenhouse.

[NickF1011]

Look at your Edge and a MKX in side profile. You almost can't tell the difference except maybe for the wheels. You won't see that on the next gen MKX or any new Lincoln. The designers will be free to design the greenhouse any way they want instead of being tied to the Ford greenhouse.

 

Good. Right now the Edge and MKX are far too similar. I hope future Lincolns use entirely different instrument clusters too. Far as I can tell, the one in the MKX is exactly the same as the one in the Edge.

[fordmantpw]

Good. Right now the Edge and MKX are far too similar. I hope future Lincolns use entirely different instrument clusters too. Far as I can tell, the one in the MKX is exactly the same as the one in the Edge.

 

I look for more LCD guages similar to the MFT in the Edge/MKS/Explorer. Makes it much easier and cheaper to differentiate guages between vehicles, and lets the driver choose what he/she likes. Ahhh, to be a software developer working for Ford on this stuff would be soooo much fun! :stats:

[NickF1011]

I look for more LCD guages similar to the MFT in the Edge/MKS/Explorer. Makes it much easier and cheaper to differentiate guages between vehicles, and lets the driver choose what he/she likes. Ahhh, to be a software developer working for Ford on this stuff would be soooo much fun! :stats:

 

Well that's what I'm getting at though. The MyFord Touch display and the MyLincoln Touch display are basically identical. With it all being software-based, they should have made the extra effort to make the Lincoln version look different and I hope they do going forward.

[akirby]

Well that's what I'm getting at though. The MyFord Touch display and the MyLincoln Touch display are basically identical. With it all being software-based, they should have made the extra effort to make the Lincoln version look different and I hope they do going forward.

 

Remember this was still just a MCE so there was a limit to what they could change. I suspect later versions will differentiate Lincoln with more user features while the basic software and interface remains the same.

[NickF1011]

Remember this was still just a MCE so there was a limit to what they could change. I suspect later versions will differentiate Lincoln with more user features while the basic software and interface remains the same.

 

Oh, I know. I'm not complaining about the current vehicles. I'm just laying out my hopes for the new vehicles that come out from this point forward.

[carforford]

Lincoln skips Detroit, maybe New York? Dealers need news soon

January 6, 2011 - 12:32 pm ET

 

 

 

 

Jamie LaReau covers Ford Motor Co. for Automotive News

 

Lincoln dealers must look with envy at Buick dealers as General Motors Co. shows off its 2012 Buick Verano compact sedan.

 

Lincoln dealers still must wait to see the compact vehicle Ford Motor Co. will deliver as promised by 2014. And if Lincoln dealers hope for that news -- or any Lincoln product news -- during the Detroit auto show, they'll be sorely disappointed.

 

Mum is still the word on Lincoln.

 

Maybe Detroit isn't the right venue for a luxury brand to make a key reveal?

 

After all, GM's luxury brand, Cadillac, is bypassing this show. Perhaps the New York auto show might be a better venue for Lincoln news. That's only a few months away and historically has featured more luxury reveals.

 

But Ford's delay in revealing details of the “seven new or significantly improved” Lincoln products it has promised in the next four years can't be sustained much longer. Ford must reveal some product news on its remaining luxury brand this year -- period.

 

After all, Ford has asked each of its Lincoln de

 

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20110106/BLOG06/110109915/1115#ixzz1AXgtI4ti