Lincoln Gets A Team To Help It Resuscitate

[William Maley]

Lincoln Gets A Team To Help It Resuscitate

William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

April 4, 2011

Lincoln has been on the skids in sales for the past twenty years. Ford has been trying to get Lincoln out of that skid with new products, marketing, and technology. But results haven't been as successful as hoped. Now, Ford has a team of eighty-five people working on one goal; Fix Lincoln.

"We know the needs of Lincoln are different from nonluxury. We had to put this team together to make sure that Lincoln gets its due," said Lincoln spokesman Christian Bokich.

The team made of Ford employees and former employees of luxury brands (Audi and Cadillac to name a few) will tackle Lincoln's engineering, marketing, and dealers. Bokich says the team has a "laser focus" on Lincoln.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

[Drew Dowdell]

I don't see why they need a team to do this... just a strong budget and an excellent designer who understands heritage cues.

[Croc]

Step one: quit putting out cheap-looking designs with cartoonish elements and obviously cheap interior materials. That'll go a really long way. Everything about Ford design is very flat across all their brands--look at the taillights of the MKZ provided: very little depth or detailing, oversized, cartoonish housings that don't look particularly rich or luxurious, very generic, plain sheetmetal design with little in the way of surface detailing, and where's the greenhouse surround brightwork? CHEAP

Oh, and Lincolns need to offer something better than what you can get at Ford in terms of driveability.

Edited April 5, 2011 by Croc

[Blake Noble]

Step one: quit putting out cheap-looking designs with cartoonish elements and obviously cheap interior materials. That'll go a really long way. Everything about Ford design is very flat across all their brands--look at the taillights of the MKZ provided: very little depth or detailing, oversized, cartoonish housings that don't look particularly rich or luxurious, very generic, plain sheetmetal design with little in the way of surface detailing, and where's the greenhouse surround brightwork? CHEAP

You know, now that I start really looking at the MKZ, I realize where Ford ripped the whole idea of those taillights from: vintage Buick.

Lincoln = new old stock Oldsmobile grilles + new old stock Buick taillights + Boring everything else

[daves87rs]

I don't see why they need a team to do this... just a strong budget and an excellent designer who understands heritage cues.

+1

And just add a better drive...

[Robert Hall]

No more obvious Ford derivatives like the MKZ and MKX...too many shared panels.

Some exclusive powertrains.

I'm not sure if the Oldsmobile tribute grilles are the right way to go.

[vonVeezelsnider]

No more obvious Ford derivatives like the MKZ and MKX...too many shared panels.

Some exclusive powertrains.

I'm not sure if the Oldsmobile tribute grilles are the right way to go.

It's just poorly executed.

[Robert Hall]

No more obvious Ford derivatives like the MKZ and MKX...too many shared panels.

Some exclusive powertrains.

I'm not sure if the Oldsmobile tribute grilles are the right way to go.

It's just poorly executed.

The problem is that design cue is 70+ years old..I thought Lincoln was trying to get away from the geriatric demo...anyone under 80 is more likely to associate the current Lincoln grilles with Olds designs, not the pre-WWII Zephyr and Continental...besides, trying to harken back to the past is out of sync w/ the modern, high tech image they've crafted for the new models..they want more younger buyers, not retirees...

Edited April 5, 2011 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Drew Dowdell]

These are the grills that anyone who is still able to drive will remember:

[smk4565]

They don't need a team, that is just more waste of time and dollars. Stop making Ford rebadges and maybe people will buy Lincolns.

I actually like the front end of the MKZ and MKS, but from the sides, they are Ford sedans. Engine, chassis, transmission, etc are from a Ford sedan; interior is similar to a Ford sedan, and bolting on bright chrome to a Ford isn't a luxury car, it just results in a tacky looking Ford. Lincoln is now beyond saving, and will become more along the lines of Buick and Chrysler. I think that is a dangerous spot to be as mainstream brands like Hyundai (even Toyota/Ford/Chevy) creep up in price and feature content and luxury brands like Infiniti and Lexus come down in price. That puts a big squeeze on the tweener cars.

Lincoln is also a gutless automaker, that is content with a lineup of Ford rebadges, they even rebadged an F150 for a number of years. What I don't understand is Ford has a 5.0 DOHC V8, a hybrid system, and a rear drive platform, and they never thought to put all 3 together in a Lincoln.

[Robert Hall]

What I don't understand is Ford has a 5.0 DOHC V8, a hybrid system, and a rear drive platform, and they never thought to put all 3 together in a Lincoln.

I do wonder if Ford will find another application for the 5.0...so far, it's only been a one car engine...

[Potluck]

There is nothing about Lincolns other than the town car that tells me it's a lincoln. If I'm going to spend the extra money for the lincoln name, it damn well better look more special than a ford.

[deftonesfan867]

Step one: quit putting out cheap-looking designs with cartoonish elements and obviously cheap interior materials. That'll go a really long way. Everything about Ford design is very flat across all their brands--look at the taillights of the MKZ provided: very little depth or detailing, oversized, cartoonish housings that don't look particularly rich or luxurious, very generic, plain sheetmetal design with little in the way of surface detailing, and where's the greenhouse surround brightwork? CHEAP

Oh, and Lincolns need to offer something better than what you can get at Ford in terms of driveability.

Amen, but it seems like Ford is more concerned about their own brand vs. giving Lincoln some exclusivity.

[riviera74]

Maybe they should import Australian Fords and badge those as Lincolns. That would help differentiate it from US/CAN Ford.

[Croc]

Maybe they should import Australian Fords and badge those as Lincolns. That would help differentiate it from US/CAN Ford.

That's what they were originally going to do with Mercury. What happened there?

I don't think imported Euro Fords would have the amenities and appointments to come off as anything but overpriced. Certainly would bring Lincoln further downmarket.

[Drew Dowdell]

It was the Euro Fords that were going to go to Mercury. Mildly higher "quality" but not enough to justify Lincoln pricing.

But Ford decided to just pump that quality into Ford, thus the death of Mercury.

[Croc]

But Ford decided to just pump that quality into Ford, thus the death of Mercury.

Except they didn't, really. Ford uses the thinnest "leather" I've ever seen!

[Drew Dowdell]

You haven't really seen what Mercury would have ended up with yet. The new Mondeo isn't here. The Fiest and Focus were going to Ford always with maybe a Cabrio version going to Mercury.