Lincoln News: Rumorpile: Lincoln Wants 2015 Mustang Platform, Possible RWD Vehicle?

[William Maley]

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

June 27, 2012

During the mid to late nineties, if you wanted a RWD american luxury sedan, you went to the Lincoln dealership; Mark VIII, Town Car, and the LS. However, the 2000's brought a sea change to Lincoln. The RWD philosophy was pushed away, going towards a FWD/AWD ideology, which has brought mixed results.

Car & Driver is reporting that Lincoln could be be heading back to the RWD camp. According to the report, Lincoln wants access to the 2015 Ford Mustang, which is reportedly using a MacPherson front and new independent rear suspension.

If this was to happen, Lincoln would be able to better compete with brands like Cadillac and Lexus. For an example, a RWD platform could give Lincoln a true competitor to the BMW 3-Series, Cadillac ATS, and Lexus IS to name a few. Even though Lincoln officials will still insist that the MKZ is their competitor to those vehicles, the MKS is better suited to the Lexus ES.

Car & Driver says the RWD architecture could also be used to better place the MKS. Instead of being an awkward Ford Taurus in Lincoln garb, a RWD MKS could give Lincoln a fighting chance in the mid-size luxury sedan class. Furthermore, a true RWD flagship could be in the wings, but that might not happen due to the Mustang's platform would need to be overhauled and stretched to handle it.

However, there are a couple complications to the RWD Lincoln. For one, the RWD sedan would need an AWD option to succeed in the snow belt. Modifying the Mustang's platform to have an AWD system could be difficult.

The other complication is Ford. Ford's current track record with doing a new RWD platform for new sedans has been nil. Even if the Mustang platform for Lincoln was approved, Ford executives would want a version, pointing to a quick payoff and volume.

Also, the low sales and relatively high costs for the first generation could cause Ford to have second thoughts. But if Ford wants to have Lincoln survive, many would agree to go for it.

Source: Car & Driver

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

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[Robert Hall]

Would be nice...I can't see Lincoln as it is today (FWD appliances) surviving..

[Drew Dowdell]

It's only fair, the Mustang platform is a derivative of the Lincoln LS platform.

[Intrepidation]

Bold Moves.

[G. David Felt]

This will be good for everyone, I agree with Cubical, Lincoln cannot survive in present form.

They also need to enforce luxury dealership showrooms.

The current Ford/Lincoln dealership by me is from the 50's truly shows it's age and the showroom is so small they have just enough room for the sales folks and two auto's. One Ford and One Lincoln and that is it.

Very pathetic.

[intrigued]

I think it's certainly possible for Lincoln to be successful without a dedicate RWD platform, it's more an issue of packaging and unique content for it's Ford siblings. I think an important indicator will be the new mkZ. It certainly looks nothing like the new Fusion. It has very competitive engines, with the best Fusion engine be a very solid base engine and nice v6 upgrade as an option.

If the New mkZ can compare well to an Audi A4 Then the next mkS will be the next step. It needs to shrink and repackage enough so that it can compete with an A6.

Either way I think Lincoln should get a halo car based off the next mustang. It should bring the best of everything Lincoln has to offer be available only as a seamless looking hardtop convertable and have a juiced version of the 3.5 ecoboost making about 420 hp and torque. Sell it for 60k so its a bit under priced for what it provides.

[ocnblu]

RWD is the only way to go if Lincoln is ever to be taken seriously again. I hope this happens for them, sincerely.

And I was over at the '13 MKZ site yesterday evening. I just cannot warm up to the new styling. It's round in the front and square in the back, and it has so many derivative elements. Bleh.

Even with the Aston grille, the 2013 Fusion is a much more successful design, imo.

[Robert Hall]

I like the profile and proportions esp. compared to the odd XTS (the MKZ has a longer wheelbase, is wider, and lower, though the Caddy is longer because of its overhangs).. The taillights are ineresting, though I don't like the black surrounding the rear window. Will be interesting to see in person.

[aldw]

The LS and Continental (w/suicide doors) always defined for me the best vehicles of Lincoln, and anything that brings back a modern equivalent can only be a good thing if Lincoln is to survive.