Lincoln's New President has some Interesting Thoughts on the Way Forward

[Harley Lover]

2 hours ago, Chrisgb said:

I don't think we'll ever get back to the days where Lincolns and Cadillacs had their own frames and powertrains; too many safety and environmental regs nowadays.

 

When do you think that was the case for Lincoln?

[akirby]

48 minutes ago, Harley Lover said:

 

When do you think that was the case for Lincoln?

Only one I can remember was the Lincoln LS but it later shared both with the Tbird.

 

 

[The Handler]

5 hours ago, akirby said:

They had the Continental already but couldn’t justify keeping it.  Sports sedans didn’t do anything for Cadillac.  A sporty convertible coupe would make more sense.

That car was for Lincoln's traditional clientele though. It was no different than the Continentals from the 1990s. 

 

Cadillac's sport sedans never brought anything meaningful to the table except performance figures analogous to the Germans. Their interiors are nothing to write home about. I think Lincoln could do a much better job.

[iamweasel]

1 hour ago, Gurgeh said:

Largely agree, but a couple of comments.

First, starting with the all-new 2024 Nautilus, Lincoln now calls it "Lincoln BlueCruise." They decided it had much better branding and was better known. And, well, BlueCruise just trips off the lips in the way that ActiveGlide never could.

Second, while I agree that Lincoln has found a niche in focusing on a more quiet and disconnected drive experience (what Lexus once had in its early days), the one thing that bugs me about this is that like almost everyone else (significantly, excluding Mercedes), Lincoln also forces its customers into increasingly over-sized wheels with diminishing-profile tires the more expensive trims you get. Gone are the days when larger wheels were something that you could opt into or out of. Big wheels/low profile tires might look nifty, but they make the ride noticeably rougher and are prone to wheel and tire damage from potholes and curbs. 

 

Plus, what's ironic about the wheels is Lincoln has been trying to brand themselves as the quietest brand with the best ride quality, and those low-profile tires contradict that big-time.   I think they should have stuck with larger profile tires for that brand.  They go into no-man's land with those low-profile tires as one reason to use those (aside from looks) is it helps your handling, but the steering/chassis setup of the Lincolns do not seem to change when they goto the low-profile tires.  They still tend to be soft with light steering and a fair amount of body roll in the corners.  

 

You can design a wheel to make it seem like a tire is more lower-profile than it is.   Was looking at a new Mercedes AMG C43 the other day, and that car has a nice looking 18-inch wheel that I thought was the same size as the car next to it with 19-inch wheels.    I didn't realize it until I got home and was playing around with the build & price tool.   (Was just seeing how much one would cost the way I'd want it, and that's when I noticed the different wheel sizes.)

 

 

[MKX1960]

On 4/21/2023 at 8:47 AM, GearheadGrrrl said:

 

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!

My dealer has a stand alone showroom. In the past, they had Ford, Mercury and Lincoln at one store and Lincoln and Volvo at the other store about 7 miles apart. When Mercury went away,  they moved Lincoln out of the Ford store and only at the Lincoln Volvo store. Volvo went away and it's Lincoln only there now. A couple of years ago, they also opened more of a boutique style location in a more upscale area a few miles away. The main Lincoln store also has it's own parts and service facilities.

[MKX1960]

On 4/21/2023 at 5:16 AM, rperez817 said:

 

Good points spudz64. Craig is correct about the excessive dealer count for Lincoln, and the fact that too many Lincoln dealerships have physical facilities that are paired with Ford. Hopefully an upheaval on the dealership side takes place quickly.

 

Craig's comment about "making sure we get the EVs right" was shockingly vague. So your guess as to what it means is as good as anyone's. Also, "timing and how many" regarding BEV new product introductions represent an integral part of "making sure we get the EVs right". There is no hope for a Lincoln sales rebound in the U.S. unless it launches its 4 planned BEV in a timely manner in the 2025-2026 timeframe and unless it makes the transition to an all-electric lineup by the end of the decade. 

It sure doesn't sound like she's as sold on EV's as her predecessor and believes ICE will be around much longer. She must be seeing the concerns of first responders after witnessing the result of many accidents that cause fierce fires that take many hours and huge amounts of water to put out. Some of them even rekindle as much as 3 weeks later. Some are wondering weather existing parking structures can handle the increased weight of too many EV's. The weight issue has also been noticed by insurance companies as contributing to more damage. Many areas are not suited for recharging .Back where I came from in New England, the older cities have multi family housing built close together that have little or no room for off street parking and nobody is even guarantied a parking space on the street. How would that customer recharge?  Tax credits seem to be going away which will likely be the final nail to really stall EV.

[DeluxeStang]

22 hours ago, The Handler said:

It would be nice if they dusted off the plans for those CD6 sedans. Turn Flat Rock into the new Wixom.

 

That Mustang-based Lincoln looks sweet btw.

Yeah it would, it seems like c2 is the real winner out of Ford's current platforms. It's being used for everything, and aside from the escape, everything based on that platform has been a winner.  They made a big deal out of CD6 when it came out. How flexible it was, how it was going to underpin all these new products, and then basically killed it after using it for two products.

 

I know sedans don't have a very strong business case currently, but several Ford plants are under capacity, namely flat rock. Flat rock can only build lower vehicles like sedans and sports cars. I say bring back a CD6 based aspirational sedan, and produce it there. 

 

As for the mustang sedan, I agree. Imagine how good one made by professional designers would look if a quick Photoshop renderings already looks great. 

[DeluxeStang]

17 hours ago, BigBendMatt said:

Found this sketch that was allegedly shown to dealers in 2018. Would’ve been built on CD6 if I recall correctly. I remember being hyped from those rumors. 

Whoever rejected that design deserves to burn in hell. Seriously, luxury brands are all about statement. That's why Lincoln is struggling right now. They're thinking too much like Ford, it has to sell millions of units and be massively profitable to greenlit a project. That's great, but it leads to everything being an SUV. Even the best looking SUVs in the world have half the appeal of a sports coupe. 

 

You have to ensure your business is sustainable, but for crying out loud,you're a premium brand, do something that rocks us back in our heels, something an SUV will never do.

 

Audi is massively successful today. While it's their SUVs that rake in the cash by the truckload, it's the r8, TT, and quattro that made Audi the icon it is today. Audi SUVs sell because Audi sports cars elevated the brand to insane new heights. 

Edited April 24, 2023 by DeluxeStang

[akirby]

56 minutes ago, DeluxeStang said:

Audi is massively successful today. While it's their SUVs that rake in the cash by the truckload, it's the r8, TT, and quattro that made Audi the icon it is today. Audi SUVs sell because Audi sports cars elevated the brand to insane new heights. 

Lexus sold more SUVs than Audi sold total vehicles last year.  With only one not very successful sports car.  People buy SUVs because they love the design and luxury features and/or they love the brand.   
 

You want it to be true because you love sporty cars but that’s just not the case.

[DeluxeStang]

4 hours ago, akirby said:

Lexus sold more SUVs than Audi sold total vehicles last year.  With only one not very successful sports car.  People buy SUVs because they love the design and luxury features and/or they love the brand.   
 

You want it to be true because you love sporty cars but that’s just not the case.

But Lexus still has a reasonable track record with sport coupes, the lc 500, lfa, lc, etc. One could argue Lexus sells a lot of SUVs not just because they're SUVs, but because of the reputation Lexus has for quality/reliability. Lincoln has compact, midsize, and full size SUV offerings that are all well executed, good looking, and compelling. But they're still struggling to sell.

 

There has to be more to the story here, I'd argue it's because Lincoln doesn't have a very strong image. It doesn't have a strong image for performance, nor does it have a strong image for having the best reliability in the world. They've changed directions with Lincoln as a brand so many times, that most people have no idea what the brand stands for anymore. 

 

This quiet luxury direction they established about 5 years ago is great. Going for a more restrained design language and driving experience. But if that's the approach they're committed to, and they're only going to make crossovers, they're going to become known as a cheaper range Rover. Not the worst thing in the world, I just wish the brand was actively trying to create its own identity. I'm tired of seeing Lincoln being called the budge Range Rover, the budget Mercedes, I just want it to be the best version of itself. I don't see that happening if it keeps chasing trends established by it's more premium competitors. Start leading and stop chasing. 

 

I'm not saying halt the development of future crossover models entirely. I'm just saying I want to get back to the days when everything wasn't a crossover or truck. Those days are coming, it's just a matter of when. Everything old becomes new again and no vehicle segment stays on the top of the sales heap forever. Station wagons were cool until they weren't, vans were the hot thing until they weren't, same thing will eventually happen to SUVs. 

 

We're already seeing the latest trend in suv/crossover design is advertising how the new design is lower, wider, sleeker and more car like. The mach-e is a hatchback Ford pretends is a crossover. Lifted sedans and hatchbacks are becoming the latest thing. I could see brands coming out with lifted sedans, calling them dynamic crossovers or something, and offering lowered sport variants that are just straight up sedans again. 

Edited April 24, 2023 by DeluxeStang

[GearheadGrrrl]

Almost every sports car and even many hot hatches and sedans like the VW Golf R and Audi RS3 have long waiting lists and customers paying thousands over MSRP. SUVs are a commodity with much lower profit margins because they don't excite buyers... 

Edited April 24, 2023 by GearheadGrrrl

[The Handler]

59 minutes ago, DeluxeStang said:

But Lexus still has a reasonable track record with sport coupes, the lc 500, lfa, lc, etc. One could argue Lexus sells a lot of SUVs not just because they're SUVs, but because of the reputation Lexus has for quality/reliability. Lincoln has compact, midsize, and full size SUV offerings that are all well executed, good looking, and compelling. But they're still struggling to sell.

 

There has to be more to the story here, I'd argue it's because Lincoln doesn't have a very strong image. It doesn't have a strong image for performance, nor does it have a strong image for having the best reliability in the world. They've changed directions with Lincoln as a brand so many times, that most people have no idea what the brand stands for anymore. 

 

This quiet luxury direction they established about 5 years ago is great. Going for a more restrained design language and driving experience. But if that's the approach they're committed to, and they're only going to make crossovers, they're going to become known as a cheaper range Rover. Not the worst thing in the world, I just wish the brand was actively trying to create its own identity. I'm tired of seeing Lincoln being called the budge Range Rover, the budget Mercedes, I just want it to be the best version of itself. I don't see that happening if it keeps chasing trends established by it's more premium brands. 

 

I'm not saying halt the development of future crossover models entirely. I'm just saying I want to get back to the days when everything wasn't a crossover or truck. Those days are coming, it's just a matter of when. Everything old becomes new again and no vehicle segment stays on the top of the sales heap forever. 

Lincoln definitely lacks cachet despite having very competitive SUVs. Detroit likes doing the "bottom-up" strategy with their luxury brands because they're too cheap and risk averse to build proper flagship/image vehicles. 

 

[rperez817]

1 hour ago, DeluxeStang said:

I just wish the brand was actively trying to create its own identity. I'm tired of seeing Lincoln being called the budge Range Rover, the budget Mercedes, I just want it to be the best version of itself. I don't see that happening if it keeps chasing trends established by it's more premium brands. 

 

I'm not saying halt the development of future crossover models entirely. I'm just saying I want to get back to the days when everything wasn't a crossover or truck. 

 

I agree with you on all counts DeluxeStang. Lincoln has a great opportunity now to reinvent itself and "be the best version of itself" just as you mentioned. That means creating genuinely interesting BEV, such as a production version of its Star Concept with at least some of the concept's cool features. Hopefully we'll see something along these lines in 2025 or earlier.

 

Insipid, underwhelming products like 2024 Nautilus and the misguided notion that they represent the "type of product that Craig and other executives hope lead the brand to a sales rebound" need to be scrapped if Lincoln wishes to take full advantage of that opportunity.

 

 

[akirby]

14 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:

 

I'm not saying halt the development of future crossover models entirely. I'm just saying I want to get back to the days when everything wasn't a crossover or truck. Those days are coming, it's just a matter of when. Everything old becomes new again and no vehicle segment stays on the top of the sales heap forever. Station wagons were cool until they weren't, vans were the hot thing until they weren't, same thing will eventually happen to SUVs. 

 

Look,  I understand the desire for Lincoln to have a full range of vehicles - I think it would be great.  I’m not against cars at all.  But I understand the challenge that Ford faces with limited resources.  
 

Flat Rock is available for car production so that helps but I think the bottom line is cars are just not as profitable as other vehicles.  It’s more difficult to differentiate cars compared to trucks and SUVs.  You can’t lift them or put on big wheels and tires and off road suspensions.  You can’t sell accessories like towing systems, bed covers, camping gear, generators, etc.  You can’t outperform the competition.  Who’s going to pay a premium for a cd6 based 500 hp sport sedan?  Ford/Lincoln loyalists.  Which is great for Ford fans but doesn’t help the bottom line.

 

We saw this to some extent with Focus RS and Focus ST which were arguably best in class but saw meager sales.

 

14 hours ago, GearheadGrrrl said:

Almost every sports car and even many hot hatches and sedans like the VW Golf R and Audi RS3 have long waiting lists and customers paying thousands over MSRP. SUVs are a commodity with much lower profit margins because they don't excite buyers... 

 

So where is VW/Audi’s F150 Raptor?  Ranger Raptor?  Bronco Raptor?  Mustang GT500? Those waiting lists are longer and most of the vehicles cost a lot more.

 

Each company has strengths in certain vehicles and markets and what works for one doesn’t work for the others. VW, Kia, Honda, etc would kill to have F150 and Bronco sales and profit margins and the opportunity to sell Raptors but that’s not their market.  They don’t have the institutional knowledge or the customer base to build and sell that many trucks and SUVs.  And don’t forget that SUVs command a much higher ATP than cars right off the bat.

 

Ford is doing everything you guys say they should do.  They’re just not doing it on the vehicles you like and no amount of rationalization is going to change the business case.

 

 

For the record, I think had Ford greenlit cd6 sedans to be built at Wixom and they were already in production they would keep them.  Or if they were not investing in new BEVs.  They don’t need the factory space for anything else (that we’ve heard) and they could sell them at more of a premium than regular family sedans but at lower volumes.  Production could even be consolidated with Explorer/aviator at some point as volume drops.  But they decided to invest that time and resources elsewhere and it’s probably too late.   

 

Edited April 24, 2023 by akirby

[rperez817]

1 hour ago, akirby said:

Wixom is available for car production

 

Are you thinking of another Ford plant in Michigan? The former Wixom Assembly Plant was demolished just over a decade ago. The site is now home to several retailers.

 

[GearheadGrrrl]

So maybe Ford should just skip the next decades of evolution, sell off everything else, and become the F150 company?

[ice-capades]

1 hour ago, akirby said:

Look,  I understand the desire for Lincoln to have a full range of vehicles - I think it would be great.  I’m not against cars at all.  But I understand the challenge that Ford faces with limited resources.  
 

Wixom is available for car production so that helps but I think the bottom line is cars are just not as profitable as other vehicles.  It’s more difficult to differentiate cars compared to trucks and SUVs.  You can’t lift them or put on big wheels and tires and off road suspensions.  You can’t sell accessories like towing systems, bed covers, camping gear, generators, etc.  You can’t outperform the competition.  Who’s going to pay a premium for a cd6 based 500 hp sport sedan?  Ford/Lincoln loyalists.  Which is great for Ford fans but doesn’t help the bottom line.

 

We saw this to some extent with Focus RS and Focus ST which were arguably best in class but saw meager sales.

 

 

So where is VW/Audi’s F150 Raptor?  Ranger Raptor?  Bronco Raptor?  Mustang GT500? Those waiting lists are longer and most of the vehicles cost a lot more.

 

Each company has strengths in certain vehicles and markets and what works for one doesn’t work for the others. VW, Kia, Honda, etc would kill to have F150 and Bronco sales and profit margins and the opportunity to sell Raptors but that’s not their market.  They don’t have the institutional knowledge or the customer base to build and sell that many trucks and SUVs.  And don’t forget that SUVs command a much higher ATP than cars right off the bat.

 

Ford is doing everything you guys say they should do.  They’re just not doing it on the vehicles you like and no amount of rationalization is going to change the business case.

 

 

For the record, I think had Ford greenlit cd6 sedans to be built at Wixom and they were already in production they would keep them.  Or if they were not investing in new BEVs.  They don’t need the factory space for anything else (that we’ve heard) and they could sell them at more of a premium than regular family sedans but at lower volumes.  Production could even be consolidated with Explorer/aviator at some point as volume drops.  But they decided to invest that time and resources elsewhere and it’s probably too late.   

 

 

This post covers all the bases in a well thought out and comprehensive reply to the questions commonly asked!

 

For those that know me, I drove company cars for 35 years and because of my position I had my choice of vehicles to drive. I started out driving an Escort, then an Escort GT until I could drive a Mustang as my seniority and experience with the dealership until I started driving Thunderbirds from 1986 - 1997. The Thunderbird transition was easy as the dealership was one of the top Thunderbird dealerships in the U.S. and my primary position was Advertising Manager although I still managed the USOB (Unscheduled Order Bank). After the Thunderbird was dropped after the 1997 Model Year, I drove a Probe GT and even a Taurus until going back to a Mustang for nearly 20 years until I left the company. The Mustang's included a mix of models, coupes and convertibles, EcoBoost and GT's, mostly GT's including regular GT's (#101A) and Premium GT's.

 

I have no need for a 4-door vehicle, sedan or CUV/SUV. I understand but don't like the high seating position of CUV's and SUV's. When I was driving Mustang's, it was fun and very enjoyable to hop in the car for an impromptu road trip just because it was such a pleasure to drive. And yes, there were times when I'd be in the right place to "open up" the Mustang a bit... okay, more than a bit!

 

When I left the dealership, I leased a 2020 EcoSport SE 4WD with Navigation. I took advantage of the Ford incentives, did a 24-month Ford Credit lease and put down enough to get a $200/month payment. I bought the vehicle at lease end because of the LEV (Lease End Value) that worked substantially in my favor and only have a $200/month payment with about 48 months left.

 

 

While I used to do the impromptu road trips with the Mustang's and enjoy every minute, I don't do those trips anymore. The EcoSport is a good vehicle, better than rated, but it's what I drive to get from point A to point B. 

 

Sure, I could drive a Mustang EcoBoost... but another $150/month, or more, doesn't make sense.

 

 

[.I.]

12 hours ago, rperez817 said:

 

I agree with you on all counts DeluxeStang. Lincoln has a great opportunity now to reinvent itself and "be the best version of itself" just as you mentioned. That means creating genuinely interesting BEV, such as a production version of its Star Concept with at least some of the concept's cool features. Hopefully we'll see something along these lines in 2025 or earlier.

 

Insipid, underwhelming products like 2024 Nautilus and the misguided notion that they represent the "type of product that Craig and other executives hope lead the brand to a sales rebound" need to be scrapped if Lincoln wishes to take full advantage of that opportunity.

 

 

Insipid?  Underwhelming?  ?????.  You, of course, didn’t see the social media reaction to the 2024 Nautilus launch.  
Please, check the comments in Twitter and Instagram, at least, and you can have a real knowledge of the people opinion.  
 

if you don’t like it, I respect that. But people love, loooooooove and turn crazy for the new Nautilus.  

[GearheadGrrrl]

But will they actually buy it when it has dozens of competent competitors?

[akirby]

2 hours ago, rperez817 said:

 

Are you thinking of another Ford plant in Michigan? The former Wixom Assembly Plant was demolished just over a decade ago. The site is now home to several retailers.

Brain fart.  I meant Flat Rock.

[akirby]

1 hour ago, GearheadGrrrl said:

But will they actually buy it when it has dozens of competent competitors?

Well that’s ironic considering you want them to make more sedans that have far more competitors and lower ATPs and less differentiation.

 

Your dislike of utilities and complete misunderstanding of the market makes your opinion irrelevant.  This is a very competitive vehicle that will sell just fine.

[rperez817]

1 hour ago, .I. said:

if you don’t like it, I respect that. But people love, loooooooove and turn crazy for the new Nautilus.  

 

Thank you .I., I respect your take as well. The big issue with 2024 Nautilus is what GearheadGrrrl mentioned about the competition. The 2-row crossover segment in general is oversaturated. Jim Farley has spoken about this multiple times. Furthermore, ICE powered entries in that segment including hybrids are rapidly becoming obsolete as BEV take center stage.

 

Nautilus simply doesn't stand out in this sea of boring products. As such, the statement in the Automotive News article in the original post, "The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus crossover is an example of the type of product that Craig and other executives hope lead the brand to a sales rebound" suggests that Lincoln executives are likely to disappointed in a few years.

[akirby]

1 hour ago, ice-capades said:

 

While I used to do the impromptu road trips with the Mustang's and enjoy every minute, I don't do those trips anymore. The EcoSport is a good vehicle, better than rated, but it's what I drive to get from point A to point B. 

 

I dont think anyone wants to do a road trip in an Ecosport. ?

 

I’ve had an Acura Integra 3 door hatchback manual, a Lincoln LS v8 and a Titanium Fusion but for road trips I much prefer the Nautilus.  Easier to get in and out, more luggage room and just more comfortable.  Same ride quality and close to the same mpg with more cargo room and a higher seating position than a car.  That’s why so many people like crossovers.  Same can be said for pickups to a certain extent.  You no longer have to sacrifice passenger space, performance, ride quality or decent fuel economy to drive a truck.

 

But obviously some prefer cars and that’s fine.

[akirby]

35 minutes ago, rperez817 said:

 

Thank you .I., I respect your take as well. The big issue with 2024 Nautilus is what GearheadGrrrl mentioned about the competition. The 2-row crossover segment in general is oversaturated. Jim Farley has spoken about this multiple times. Furthermore, ICE powered entries in that segment including hybrids are rapidly becoming obsolete as BEV take center stage.

 

Nautilus simply doesn't stand out in this sea of boring products. As such, the statement in the Automotive News article in the original post, "The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus crossover is an example of the type of product that Craig and other executives hope lead the brand to a sales rebound" suggests that Lincoln executives are likely to disappointed in a few years.

Farley was referring to the Edge and Escape not necessarily luxury models.

 

Before we bought our 22 Nautilus we looked at a lot of the competition including Audi, Cadillac, Lexus, Acura.  Nautilus had the best interior by far.  I think MB is just as good but WAY more money.  Lincoln has nailed the interiors since the Aviator launch.   Especially the black label versions.

[rmc523]

19 hours ago, MKX1960 said:

It sure doesn't sound like she's as sold on EV's as her predecessor and believes ICE will be around much longer. She must be seeing the concerns of first responders after witnessing the result of many accidents that cause fierce fires that take many hours and huge amounts of water to put out. Some of them even rekindle as much as 3 weeks later. Some are wondering weather existing parking structures can handle the increased weight of too many EV's. The weight issue has also been noticed by insurance companies as contributing to more damage. Many areas are not suited for recharging .Back where I came from in New England, the older cities have multi family housing built close together that have little or no room for off street parking and nobody is even guarantied a parking space on the street. How would that customer recharge?  Tax credits seem to be going away which will likely be the final nail to really stall EV.

 

I don't think it's so much not being sold on EVs as it is realizing the market may not shift as quickly as has been projected, and safeguarding against THAT possibility.  They still have EVs coming, so they're not ignoring that.  But they're also not abandoning their existing current heart of their lineup, which I think is a smart move.

 

14 hours ago, rperez817 said:

 

I agree with you on all counts DeluxeStang. Lincoln has a great opportunity now to reinvent itself and "be the best version of itself" just as you mentioned. That means creating genuinely interesting BEV, such as a production version of its Star Concept with at least some of the concept's cool features. Hopefully we'll see something along these lines in 2025 or earlier.

 

Insipid, underwhelming products like 2024 Nautilus and the misguided notion that they represent the "type of product that Craig and other executives hope lead the brand to a sales rebound" need to be scrapped if Lincoln wishes to take full advantage of that opportunity.

 

 

 

Insipid and underwhelming?  Exaggerate much?  Just because its not your beloved EV?

 

Initial reviews I've seen have been positive for Nautilus.

 

 

1 hour ago, rperez817 said:

 

Thank you .I., I respect your take as well. The big issue with 2024 Nautilus is what GearheadGrrrl mentioned about the competition. The 2-row crossover segment in general is oversaturated. Jim Farley has spoken about this multiple times. Furthermore, ICE powered entries in that segment including hybrids are rapidly becoming obsolete as BEV take center stage.

 

Nautilus simply doesn't stand out in this sea of boring products. As such, the statement in the Automotive News article in the original post, "The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus crossover is an example of the type of product that Craig and other executives hope lead the brand to a sales rebound" suggests that Lincoln executives are likely to disappointed in a few years.

 

They can't continually abandon every segment just because things get hard, IMO.