Ford Motor Company to Increase Lincoln Production in the U.S. Beginning in 2030

[Sherminator98]

https://www.fromtheroad.ford.com/us/en/articles/2026/ford-motor-company-to-increase-lincoln-production-in-the-u-s

 

 

[rmc523]

Meanwhile it'll have to limp on with 3 models until then?

[akirby]

29 minutes ago, rmc523 said:

Meanwhile it'll have to limp on with 3 models until then?

Probably still importing Corsair for a couple of years but remember they want to reduce the number of dealers so that will be delayed awhile.

[ExplorerDude]

I heard today that the MY27 Nautilus and MY27 Corsair are still waiting on US approval to import. There is a moderate chance they don’t get approved.

 

I think this announcement might be part of an agreement to get temporary approval for the next 3 years to import those models with the commitment to build the successors to the Nautilus and Corsair in the US in the future.

Edited August 13 by ExplorerDude

[joseodiaga4]

So the Nautilus will live until then, but after that what? Will it be dropped? 

[joseodiaga4]

15 minutes ago, ExplorerDude said:

I heard today that the MY27 Nautilus and MY27 Corsair are still waiting on US approval to import. There is a moderate chance they don’t get approved.

 

I think this announcement might be part of an agreement to get temporary approval for the next 3 years to import those models with the commitment to build the successors to the Nautilus and Corsair in the US in the future.

Hope they get it, If not I don't know how Lincoln is going to survive with just the Aviator and Navigator

[ExplorerDude]

3 minutes ago, joseodiaga4 said:

So the Nautilus will live until then, but after that what? Will it be dropped? 

If it gets approved by the US feds then it gets to live. If not, the US may only have the Aviator and Navigator.

[akirby]

31 minutes ago, ExplorerDude said:

If it gets approved by the US feds then it gets to live. If not, the US may only have the Aviator and Navigator.

They'll approve it if US jobs are promised.  Question is where to build it?  Finally update Flat Rock?

[Sherminator98]

So this begs the question, what is actually happening in 2030 that will allow them to make them in the US or is this just a fancy way of them being built at the Mach E plant? 

[Sherminator98]

4 minutes ago, akirby said:

They'll approve it if US jobs are promised.  Question is where to build it?  Finally update Flat Rock?

 

That is basically the only other option in North America. Guess we will know for sure come 2028 when the UAW contract is renegotiated 

[blazerdude20]

1 minute ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

That is basically the only other option in North America. Guess we will know for sure come 2028 when the UAW contract is renegotiated 

I wonder if Ford would build another plant and just close Flat Rock. With the plant height limiting production options for years, might be best to start over. 

[joseodiaga4]

55 minutes ago, ExplorerDude said:

If it gets approved by the US feds then it gets to live. If not, the US may have only the Aviator and the Navigator.

If they get approved, will the 2027 Nautilus be the facelift model? Or that is for 2028?

[Sherminator98]

38 minutes ago, blazerdude20 said:

I wonder if Ford would build another plant and just close Flat Rock. With the plant height limiting production options for years, might be best to start over. 

 

I don't even think Ford would even have enough time to do that this point.

Blue Oval City was started in 2021 and production was supposed to start in 2025 (apparently)

 

Rebuilding Flat Rock, would require shutting the plant down and that doesn't seem like its happening with the Mustang Sedan launch.

 

The only outside thing I can think of is apparently it had a second production line, but I have no idea how that is intertwined with the rest of the plant 

 

Only other left field thing I can think of is OHAP-They are getting some sort of van and it points to a C class product. Given that Lincolns don't sell in huge numbers, could they possibly make say 100-150K Corsairs and Nautiluses there? When it was building the Quest and Villager, it made about 50-75K units a year with the Econoline/E series. OHAP also made the Escape/Mainer for a time, but it would be hard to break those numbers out from KCAP

 

 

 

 

[akirby]

1 hour ago, Sherminator98 said:

So this begs the question, what is actually happening in 2030 that will allow them to make them in the US or is this just a fancy way of them being built at the Mach E plant? 

But it specifically said US not North America.

[ANTAUS]

Sounds good to maybe appease discussions and direction now, in another year or 2, then Ford will shift with another idea... 

[AGR]

2 hours ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

I don't even think Ford would even have enough time to do that this point.

Blue Oval City was started in 2021 and production was supposed to start in 2025 (apparently)

 

Rebuilding Flat Rock, would require shutting the plant down and that doesn't seem like its happening with the Mustang Sedan launch.

 

The only outside thing I can think of is apparently it had a second production line, but I have no idea how that is intertwined with the rest of the plant 

 

Only other left field thing I can think of is OHAP-They are getting some sort of van and it points to a C class product. Given that Lincolns don't sell in huge numbers, could they possibly make say 100-150K Corsairs and Nautiluses there? When it was building the Quest and Villager, it made about 50-75K units a year with the Econoline/E series. OHAP also made the Escape/Mainer for a time, but it would be hard to break those numbers out from KCAP

 

 

 

 

 

If they move F-SD chassis cabs to Oakville, that would free up capacity.

I think I read somewhere when they made the Oakville announcement that it would be capable of building chassis cabs.

[ExplorerDude]

Remember the announcement only stated increasing Lincoln production not that they are specifically moving Nautilus and Corsair production here.

 

The next gen Corsair I believe is the Lincoln CUV to be built at LAP on the UEV platform.

 

Also the Lincoln “Bronco” will be coming out of MAP.

 

The next gen Nautilus might move to UEV as well but not confirmed still very fluid. If it doesn’t it could come from anywhere.

[twintornados]

9 hours ago, blazerdude20 said:

I wonder if Ford would build another plant and just close Flat Rock. With the plant height limiting production options for years, might be best to start over. 

 

From what I remember of what was previously said, the issue is in the paint shop with not enough height. When Flat Rock was first built, it was a casting plant for Ford and closed in 1981. Then it was "sold" to Mazda for a joint venture to built Mazda6 and Probe and later Cougar....well before the current CUV demand and since it was "only" building coupes and sedans, the height issue was no issue at all....

[Oac98]

11 hours ago, Sherminator98 said:

https://www.fromtheroad.ford.com/us/en/articles/2026/ford-motor-company-to-increase-lincoln-production-in-the-u-s

 

 

If you ask me the Nautilus should’ve NEVER been imported from China in the first place or any other Lincoln for that matter. 

[Oac98]

5 hours ago, AGR said:

 

If they move F-SD chassis cabs to Oakville, that would free up capacity.

I think I read somewhere when they made the Oakville announcement that it would be capable of building chassis cabs.

We’re building SD chassis cabs and pick ups here. 

[Sherminator98]

16 minutes ago, twintornados said:

 

From what I remember of what was previously said, the issue is in the paint shop with not enough height. When Flat Rock was first built, it was a casting plant for Ford and closed in 1981. Then it was "sold" to Mazda for a joint venture to built Mazda6 and Probe and later Cougar....well before the current CUV demand and since it was "only" building coupes and sedans, the height issue was no issue at all....

 

So I'll put this out there-

The Edison plant was built in the late 1940s and was able to build Ranger Pickup trucks at the end of its run without any major modifications to the plant itself.

 

There was changes to the paint shop, but I don't remember or recall it being a huge modification, and it was due to going from single stage paint to basecoat/clear coat paint system. 

 

I think the real limiting factor is the paint shop and Ford doesn't want to spend the money rebuilding the paintshop to accept taller vehicles. 

 

 

[rmc523]

2 hours ago, ExplorerDude said:

Remember the announcement only stated increasing Lincoln production not that they are specifically moving Nautilus and Corsair production here.

 

The next gen Corsair I believe is the Lincoln CUV to be built at LAP on the UEV platform.

 

Also the Lincoln “Bronco” will be coming out of MAP.

 

The next gen Nautilus might move to UEV as well but not confirmed still very fluid. If it doesn’t it could come from anywhere.

 

Good catch on the wording of "increase Lincoln production" in the US.

 

I could see this as being a carrot for the current administration to get them to grant approval of continuing to importing Nautilus, and perhaps also import Corsair, at least in the short term.   Think about it. ........technically Ford already has plans to "increase" US Lincoln production via the Bronco sibling.   The wording leaves the door open for that to be the only additional US Lincoln production, while also giving Ford options to add production elsewhere (i.e. perhaps at the Mach E facility, as technically they'll still be meeting the "increased US production" wording).  Also, if they're getting a CE1 model, this also aligns with this promise.

 

I'm not sure I see future admins changing the China policy anytime soon, though, so they'll have to figure out something with Nautilus and Corsair if they want to retain the biggest sellers in the Lincoln lineup.

 

 

13 hours ago, ExplorerDude said:

I heard today that the MY27 Nautilus and MY27 Corsair are still waiting on US approval to import. There is a moderate chance they don’t get approved.

 

I think this announcement might be part of an agreement to get temporary approval for the next 3 years to import those models with the commitment to build the successors to the Nautilus and Corsair in the US in the future.

 

Agreed.

 

12 hours ago, Sherminator98 said:

So this begs the question, what is actually happening in 2030 that will allow them to make them in the US or is this just a fancy way of them being built at the Mach E plant? 

 

See my thoughts above.

 

9 hours ago, ANTAUS said:

Sounds good to maybe appease discussions and direction now, in another year or 2, then Ford will shift with another idea... 

 

I definitely wouldn't put it past Ford to do this.

[rmc523]

I'll post it in both threads, but I have to wonder if Ford releasing the 2027 Nautilus refresh model/news is a confirmation that they've received approval to continue importing Nautilus for the next few years?

 

Why else would they go through with the announcement yet if it was still a big question mark......you'd think they would hold it closer to the vest/until the last minute if they weren't sure.

 

Pair this with the announcement of the increased US Lincoln production, and that backs up the theory that that announcement was a carrot to get the administration to approve continued imports on a short-term basis.

[joseodiaga4]

3 hours ago, ExplorerDude said:

Remember the announcement only stated increasing Lincoln production not that they are specifically moving Nautilus and Corsair production here.

 

The next gen Corsair I believe is the Lincoln CUV to be built at LAP on the UEV platform.

 

Also the Lincoln “Bronco” will be coming out of MAP.

 

The next gen Nautilus might move to UEV as well but not confirmed still very fluid. If it doesn’t it could come from anywhere.

oh you are right, good catch, they are not saying that all the models will be made in the US, just a increasing production. 

As you say, maybe that means that the new Corsair will be UEV based and they keep the Nautilus in China or use the UEV platform also.

6 minutes ago, rmc523 said:

 

Good catch on the wording of "increase Lincoln production" in the US.

 

I could see this as being a carrot for the current administration to get them to grant approval of continuing to importing Nautilus, and perhaps also import Corsair, at least in the short term.   Think about it. ........technically Ford already has plans to "increase" US Lincoln production via the Bronco sibling.   The wording leaves the door open for that to be the only additional US Lincoln production, while also giving Ford options to add production elsewhere (i.e. perhaps at the Mach E facility, as technically they'll still be meeting the "increased US production" wording).  Also, if they're getting a CE1 model, this also aligns with this promise.

 

I'm not sure I see future admins changing the China policy anytime soon, though, so they'll have to figure out something with Nautilus and Corsair if they want to retain the biggest sellers in the Lincoln lineup.

 

agree

Just now, rmc523 said:

I'll post it in both threads, but I have to wonder if Ford releasing the 2027 Nautilus refresh model/news is a confirmation that they've received approval to continue importing Nautilus for the next few years?

 

Why else would they go through with the announcement yet if it was still a big question mark......you'd think they would hold it closer to the vest/until the last minute if they weren't sure.

 

Pair this with the announcement of the increased US Lincoln production, and that backs up the theory that that announcement was a carrot to get the administration to approve continued imports on a short-term basis.

yeah, it probably is, I mean we were just yesterday checking that news and in less than 24 hours we have the refreshed model (and with a weird announcement)

[rmc523]

17 minutes ago, joseodiaga4 said:

oh you are right, good catch, they are not saying that all the models will be made in the US, just a increasing production. 

As you say, maybe that means that the new Corsair will be UEV based and they keep the Nautilus in China or use the UEV platform also.

agree

yeah, it probably is, I mean we were just yesterday checking that news and in less than 24 hours we have the refreshed model (and with a weird announcement)

 

I'm doubting even long term that Nautilus will remain coming from China, as it doesn't seem like either party wants to undo the China ban, so they'll have to figure something out for it.  And adding Lincoln Bronco won't appeal to a large chunk of Nautilus buyers, IMO.