Lincoln News: Pair of EVs Spells Death For Continental

[Drew Dowdell]

Ford is preparing to launch a pair of mid-size crossover electric vehicles according to sources. One Ford and one Lincoln are code named CDX746 and CDX747 are similar in size to the Ford Edge and Lincoln Nautilus and both will be 2023 models.  The vehicles were originally destined for Ford's plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico but have been moved to Flatrock Assembly in Michigan just south of Detroit.   Flatrock Assembly is where the Ford Mustang and Lincoln Continental are currently built. 

These two EVs are slated for about 65,000 units annually and because of the move to Flatrock, essentially spell the end for the slow selling Lincoln Continental.... at least in the US.  It is possible that Lincoln could continue building the Continental in China and import it to the U.S., however tariff concerns which killed the Ford Focus Active from being imported from China could also filter over onto the Continental.

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[G. David Felt]

This totally makes sense to kill the continental as they bring other alternative power train autos to market.

[ocnblu]

This Continental was about 65% "try".  I do like it but it should have been on a RWD platform from the start, with large displacement EB and Coyote engines.  These electric CUV's will also be dismal sellers, so it is not like their fortunes will improve.

[riviera74]

Given that Ford only has the RWD Mustang and the F-series pickups, differentiating the Continental from other FWD Fords and Lincolns would have been the right thing to do.  As for the electrics in 2023, that is more than enough time to see if the Continental can recover and earn a second generation at a different Ford plant.

[smk4565]

Lincoln will probably be an SUV only brand within 2 years.  

[surreal1272]

4 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

Lincoln will probably be an SUV only brand within 2 years.  

Along with EVERYONE else at this rate. 

[Drew Dowdell]

I hope they just keep building it in China and importing it here... mostly in the more premium trims. 

[surreal1272]

2 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I hope they just keep building it in China and importing it here... mostly in the more premium trims. 

Would it still be worth it though since sales have been so lackluster over the last year or so?

[Drew Dowdell]

4 minutes ago, surreal1272 said:

Would it still be worth it though since sales have been so lackluster over the last year or so?

It's not like they'd have to invest anything to certify it.  Throw a few on a boat and ship them over. I'm sure the Chinese factory has the capacity for an extra 1,200 Continentals a month.  And then it keeps Lincoln in the Sedan game while Cadillac might be packing it up on the CT6.

The lower expense of building it in China would balance out the shipping costs, probably to net zero or even to a net positive. 

 

[surreal1272]

25 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

It's not like they'd have to invest anything to certify it.  Throw a few on a boat and ship them over. I'm sure the Chinese factory has the capacity for an extra 1,200 Continentals a month.  And then it keeps Lincoln in the Sedan game while Cadillac might be packing it up on the CT6.

The lower expense of building it in China would balance out the shipping costs, probably to net zero or even to a net positive. 

 

That’s certainly a possibility but I’d like to point out that Lincoln sold 1490 in the last QUARTER (not even a 500 per month average). I personally think they will cut it loose but they could always end up going the China route like you said. I just don’t see the sales for it justifying it though. 

 

The CT6, btw, outsold the Conti, for the last quarter and for the year his far. If Lincoln can send them from China then there is no reason for Cadillac to not continue to do so. Of course, we are talking about logic here, something that has been absent from the Cadillac front office as of late. 

Edited August 21, 2019 by surreal1272

[G. David Felt]

14 minutes ago, surreal1272 said:

That’s certainly a possibility but I’d like to point out that Lincoln sold 1490 in the last QUARTER (not even a 500 per month average). I personally think they will cut it loose but they could always end up going the China route like you said. I just don’t see the sales for it justifying it though. 

 

The CT6, btw, outsold the Conti, for the last quarter and for the year his far. If Lincoln can send them from China then there is no reason for Cadillac to not continue to do so. Of course, we are talking about logic here, something that has been absent from the Cadillac front office as of late. 

Yea, logic seems to be missing in many places of the world stage from GM HQ to DC and elsewhere. Just crazy.

Good read on trade: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/savingandinvesting/cramer-trump-should-heed-home-depots-warnings-about-the-consumer-and-make-a-trade-deal/ar-AAG59yo?li=BBnb7Kz

[A Horse With No Name]

8 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I hope they just keep building it in China and importing it here... mostly in the more premium trims. 

Highly doubtful.

[Drew Dowdell]

15 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Highly doubtful.

true, but one can hope. 

[A Horse With No Name]

2 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

true, but one can hope. 

I actually have started liking these just a little bit. Haven't seen one in months....and then made an early 6 AM grocery run...and wound up parking next to a black one.

[Drew Dowdell]

On 8/22/2019 at 12:40 PM, A Horse With No Name said:

I actually have started liking these just a little bit. Haven't seen one in months....and then made an early 6 AM grocery run...and wound up parking next to a black one.

They sneak up on you... but they look so classy rolling down the road. I really like them, but they seem to be holding their value on the used market better than the CT6, and that's my favorite. 

[Robert Hall]

4 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

They sneak up on you... but they look so classy rolling down the road. I really like them, but they seem to be holding their value on the used market better than the CT6, and that's my favorite. 

They are sharp cars, one of those cars that looks much better in person than in photos...I made a run to Ace Hardware this morning and drove past a house where an older guy was out mowing his lawn, had his garage door open...a new burgundy Continental was sitting in the garage next to a late 80s Town Car in a similar color.