Ford To Invest A Billion Dollars Into Lincoln

[William Maley]

Ford To Invest A Billion Dollars Into Lincoln

William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

June 21, 2011

Last week, we reported on a meeting with Lincoln dealers talking about the future of the brand. Since then, more information has come out about the meeting.

Ford will be pouring $1 billion into Lincoln to help develop new vehicles for the struggling brand. Ford President of the Americas Mark Fields said at the meeting that the automaker see this as their "last chance" to get the struggling brand back onto its feet.

Last year, Lincoln sold only 85,828 vehicles in the US. BMW sold more 3-Series in the same year, around 100,910 vehicles. Ford expects sales for Lincoln to drop again for 2011, with sales estimated to be around 78,000. However, Ford expects Lincoln to be selling 162,000 by 2015. Ford says it has seven new Lincolns on the way, which they hope will up sales over the next few years.

Source: Left Lane News

[smk4565]

$1 billion won't save them. Mercedes spends that on one model. A luxury version of the Focus and Explorer, along with a refreshed MKZ and MKS are still just Fords with chrome and leather. It is the same formula Lincoln has used for the past 30 years, and over the past 30 years sales have been in steady decline. We've seen this before, why they want to repeat the same mistakes and expect a different result is beyond me.

If this a "last chance" maybe they will stick by their words and shut this brand down in 5 years.

[z28luvr01]

Wanna start fixing Lincoln on the cheap and stretch that $1B a little further?

Throw a split waterfall on the front bumper, put it on a boat, and here's your new RWD Lincoln flagship.

[chevelle454]

What a waste of money. Just kill Lincoln already. All they are is a fancier Ford and it sounds like thats all they will ever be.

[smk4565]

To steal a line from Die Hard, "Shut it down, shut it down now!"

[Intrepidation]

Lincoln will never have a chance unless it gets some models that are actually unique to the brand...and don't look like the MKT.

[regfootball]

there is just too much competition out there. Ford would have to stop making performance models (i.e. why have a SHO if there is an MKS turbo) and also, make em unique. As an example, Lincoln could have a roadster where ford does not.

I think FOrd would be embarrassed to give up Lincoln if Caddy is still around. Real question is why is either Caddy or Lincoln are still around. But it probably is more sense to pump money into Lincoln than it did to pump big dollars into Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, etc... (although Jaguar is getting the last laugh now).

Ford must think the luxury car buyer demographic will expand in the next 3-4 years.

Lincoln's best way to exist IMO is to actually scale back and try to operate at the 60-80k range and maybe with 3-4 models.

If they do want to expand they will have to go back to RWD bias platforms.

Edited June 22, 2011 by regfootball

[vonVeezelsnider]

I would think the good strategy here would be to focus on getting one or two key core models right... then cascade and waterfall from there. Focus on making the MKZ and MKX competitive and then move out towards a C-Segment car and a proper MKS, all the while recognizing that the mass-market potential best sellers of the line have to lead the edge.

[ehaase]

The MKZ, MKX, MKS, and an Explorer based Navigator are enough for Lincoln. The MKS needs to be redesigned to look like a proper conservative large Lincoln sedan, not an Acura.

[daves87rs]

Wanna start fixing Lincoln on the cheap and stretch that $1B a little further?

Throw a split waterfall on the front bumper, put it on a boat, and here's your new RWD Lincoln flagship.

This-start using what they have from around the world. Then things wil happen...

[Robert Hall]

Wanna start fixing Lincoln on the cheap and stretch that $1B a little further?

Throw a split waterfall on the front bumper, put it on a boat, and here's your new RWD Lincoln flagship.

It would need a total restyle..the greenhouse and rear 3/4 of the Falcon are so dull..not a very distinctive design. Good hardware, though. A Falcon based model w/ the 3.7 Ecoboost V6 and 5.0 V8 would be great for Lincoln, IMO.

The buzz a couple of years ago was that Ford was working on a new global RWD platform to be shared by the Falcon, a TC replacement, a CV replacement, and a future Mustang, but that hasn't come to pass since Ford decided to go FWD/AWD only in NA for sedans...

Edited June 22, 2011 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[SoCalCTS]

They should just take some of the cars they developed when they owned Jaguar and Aston and build them again as Lincolns. Problem solved.

[Robert Hall]

They should just take some of the cars they developed when they owned Jaguar and Aston and build them again as Lincolns. Problem solved.

It's too bad they didn't evolve a 2nd generation Lincoln LS. Bad name, but decent hardware w/ potential.

[Camino LS6]

They should just take some of the cars they developed when they owned Jaguar and Aston and build them again as Lincolns. Problem solved.

It's too bad they didn't evolve a 2nd generation Lincoln LS. Bad name, but decent hardware w/ potential.

Absolutely. That was the way forward for Lincoln and they bailed on it.

Now, they could start by dumping the empty "MK" naming scheme.

So forgetable.

[riviera74]

there is just too much competition out there. Ford would have to stop making performance models (i.e. why have a SHO if there is an MKS turbo) and also, make em unique. As an example, Lincoln could have a roadster where ford does not.

I think Ford would be embarrassed to give up Lincoln if Caddy is still around. Real question is why is either Caddy or Lincoln are still around. But it probably is more sense to pump money into Lincoln than it did to pump big dollars into Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, etc... (although Jaguar is getting the last laugh now).

Ford must think the luxury car buyer demographic will expand in the next 3-4 years.

Lincoln's best way to exist IMO is to actually scale back and try to operate at the 60-80k range and maybe with 3-4 models.

If they do want to expand they will have to go back to RWD bias platforms.

I could see Ford ending Lincoln, especially if they refuse to provide Lincoln with models worth buying (e.g. Ford Australia cars as Lincolns). Why is Cadillac still around? Simple: Is GM supposed to be just Chevrolet/Buick/GMC? At least Cadillac has an identity separate and distinct from Chevy and Buick. Lincoln has not had such an identity in at least 30-40 years. Lincoln should not aspire to be Acura or Volvo since neither one has a good reason to survive either.

[regfootball]

The Suv and crossover fads threw Lincoln off it's core. Here is really where Lincoln ought to be.

A new rwd architecture possibly shared with other products. But a new LS should come out of it, an possibly a new large sedan. Aside from that I like the MKX type vehicle. MKT and navigator are questionable in te future. A smaller crossover is needed I think And maybe an MKZ lives for the camry set. Lincoln needs one or two brand defining models. Like a convertible and a small performance vehicle

Ah hell, it's too hard. Shut it down. Lol