Fix Lincoln
Ford's treatment of Lincoln has gotten so bad that complaining isn't enough. I want to offer a comeback strategy. First, a few words about how bad it's gotten. The Lincoln concept cars, two out of three, are awful. One is a Ford pickup badge-engineered as a Lincoln. This will destroy what prestige Lincoln has left. Then there's the Lincoln Mark X, a Lincoln version of the Thunderbird. They're putting
March 1, 2004
Ford's treatment of Lincoln has gotten so bad that complaining isn't enough. I want to offer a comeback strategy.
First, a few words about how bad it's gotten.
The Lincoln concept cars, two out of three, are awful. One is a Ford pickup badge-engineered as a Lincoln. This will destroy what prestige Lincoln has left. Then there's the Lincoln Mark X, a Lincoln version of the Thunderbird. They're putting the T-Bird to sleep. Why do a Lincoln concept?
Then there is the forgettable Blackwood pickup, and the failure to expand the LS line is turning a promising vehicle into a failure.
And who thought of completely redoing the '03 Lincoln Navigator but not changing the exterior design? It's still new, but already looks old. Let's not even talk about moving Lincoln to Southern California and then putting it under the direction of a German living in London. Hello? Anybody there?
Worse, I think, is that Ford seems to hate Lincoln's best customers. The Town Car once earned $1 billion a year. And the Town Car/CrownVic/Grand Marquis platform was Ford's most profitable car platform. But old guys buy Lincolns. They have no abs, and they aren't particularly stylish. Ford planners and marketers in their 20s and 30s just don't care for them. Proof? They are letting those cars die without a fight.
OK, here's what we do:
Priorities: Town Car, LS, crossovers, expanding Navigator SUV.
Town Car: Build a new one that appeals not only to geezers and limo drivers, but every rich guy out there. I'll even give you the car. Look at the Aston Martin Lagonda Vignale concept developed about 10 years ago. Is that beautiful and rich looking? Lincolnesque? The clay model should be in a Ford warehouse somewhere. Build it and put Lincoln back on the map.
The Lincoln LS: A 4-door sedan isn't enough. Expand the line with a wagon and all-wheel-drive cross/utility vehicle (CUV). Limit the V-8 to a few thousand specialty models. The line should be mostly 6-cyl., to keep the price down. And rename it. LS is a lousy signature. I like something with a Z in it.
The CUV: Ford's plan to turn the Aviator into a car-based CUV (moving it off the Explorer platform) is sound. But why use the Mazda6 platform? There's a brand new CUV platform going into production in Chicago — bigger, with a Volvo base. That should be the Lincoln platform, for gosh sakes.
Expand the Navigator lineup à la Escalade ESV.
Now here's the cherry and whipped cream stuff if you have a few extra bucks.
A Lincoln Hummer. The concept already is in Ford's warehouse. It's called the Equator.
The Continental: Go back to its roots as a true ultra-luxury car. Make it a limited volume $75,000 V-12.
A small CUV, but no cheap Lincoln, so beware of the Mazda6 platform. We need class.
To William Clay Ford Jr.: Just do it. That's all you have to do to get Lincoln back in the fight.
Jerry Flint is a columnist for, and a former senior editor of, Forbes magazine.
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