Mulally Out to Make Lincoln World Class Brand

[Road_Warrior]

It makes sense, the 5L is a premium engine. But for Lincoln to play on the same level as BMW and Lexus and be taken seriously by consumers, it will need to reconsider its reliance on FWD core vehicles from Ford.

[TUF_302]

A world wide Premium brand cannot have FWD cars in its line up, the big luxo brands like Merc, Audi and BMW all might over the odd FWD but there main big sedans are always RWD sedans, if Lincoln wants to play with the Germans they will have to really show there capable of making a top car RWD car

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by TUF_302

A world wide Premium brand cannot have FWD cars in its line up, the big luxo brands like Merc, Audi and BMW all might over the odd FWD but there main big sedans are always RWD sedans, if Lincoln wants to play with the Germans they will have to really show there capable of making a top car RWD car

Well, the way I see it, they will be wanting cars equivalent (in size and segment) to the BMW 3 and 5 series, and the X5 to begin with. So that means a small/medium and a medium/large RWD car, and a capable RWD-biased CUV platform.

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by TUF_302

A world wide Premium brand cannot have FWD cars in its line up, the big luxo brands like Merc, Audi and BMW all might offer the odd FWD but there main big sedans are always RWD sedans, if Lincoln wants to play with the Germans they will have to really show there capable of making a top RWD car

+1... yer right there, nothing on the horizon yet....

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Well, the way I see it, they will be wanting cars equivalent (in size and segment) to the BMW 3 and 5 series, and the X5 to begin with. So that means a small/medium and a medium/large RWD car, and a capable RWD-biased CUV platform.

What about Audi? I agree that premium large rwd saloon/coupe is required, but I don't know if it's necessary to have the same in the medium sized passenger vehicles if AWD will suffice.

Ford are now where they want to be with, and as stated in recent times, there's no more cash dumped or wasted on other brands. Lincoln, due to PAG, was neglected and never really offered a quality product nor ownership experience. Mulally wants to change that, and he already is. If we can gauge if Ford is up to the task judging by their recent track record then I'm confident they will kick very big goals.

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by DJR-351

+1... yer right there, nothing on the horizon yet....

Nothing that we can see, or nothing announced from Ford on GRWD.

The reason "wescoent" has been quoted - see post 15 - is due to his info being very reliable.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

What about Audi? I agree that premium large rwd saloon/coupe is required, but I don't know if it's necessary to have the same in the medium sized passenger vehicles if AWD will suffice.

Ford are now where they want to be with, and as stated in recent times, there's no more cash dumped or wasted on other brands. Lincoln, due to PAG, was neglected and never really offered a quality product nor ownership experience. Mulally wants to change that, and he already is. If we can gauge if Ford is up to the task judging by their recent track record then I'm confident they will kick very big goals.

Ultimately, it will depend on what customers want. In the target markets, particularly the Middle East, I can't see AWD being a huge selling point for a 3 or 5 series sized car. Added development cost and vehicle weight for little more than showroom bragging rights - look at how well the BMW 3 series continues to sell - just a well sorted and appointed RWD platform with a number of body choices to appeal to the target market.

Interesting though the point on disposing of PAG and Lincoln having been neglected during the PAG years - why was there no product or development flow-through from PAG to Lincoln? They were all supposedly playing on the same field so to speak.

[dannyhilton]

There is NOTHING to say that Lincoln can not be to Ford what Lexus is to Toyota. People don't even associate Toyota and Lexus with each other these days, Lexus is seen as a true alternative to BMW or Mercedes in the US. With time, Lincoln can be this, and can go global. Ford are on the right track, but I still have my reservations with Lincoln. I see Cadillac as a premium, modern brand, Lincoln to me is nothing more than an old hat rehashed Ford with extra leather, chrome and fake wood grain. And I bet there are many who would side with me here.

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

Nothing that we can see, or nothing announced from Ford on GRWD.

The reason "wescoent" has been quoted - see post 15 - is due to his info being very reliable.

I have no problem with that Falc'man, but old Bob down the street who bought his first Ford in 67 does, and so does his kids.....

[Elks]

Originally Posted by TUF_302

A world wide Premium brand cannot have FWD cars in its line up, the big luxo brands like Merc, Audi and BMW all might over the odd FWD but there main big sedans are always RWD sedans, if Lincoln wants to play with the Germans they will have to really show there capable of making a top car RWD car

+2 Think 3 series and C class. Yes the Audi's are FWD/AWD but are also considered dynamically wooden.

Lincoln range with a large/Med RWD sedan + Large sports coupé Mustang Based. Could work.

And the white people mover is so bad and lacking in class it could be a Ssangyong.

[Elks]

" ...a nuclear bomb going to be dropped on the Corvette. That is all."

Off topic but Falc'man, care to elaborate..

[FPV]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

Well said chevypower. I was once given a tip about SVT and FPV; it was a while ago and I'm not sure consolidation is still in the pipeline. There's also the RS division in Europe.


And regarding your question as to what extent they're willing to go with Lincoln...


Plans for Lincoln are growing, too. “It could go worldwide,” Mulally said.

.......
Ford has other challenges too. The decision to sell all of its luxury brands puts the spotlight on Lincoln, whose year-to-date sales are behind seven other luxury brands

“We bought all those other premium brands, right? So we invested less in Lincoln,” Mulally said. “But now with those other brands gone… I think it could go worldwide.”


http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11268076





Another little (very recent) tip was the new 5 litre in a Lincoln....

Jost Capito has been put in charge with amalgamating the performance brands, the following article clarifies what is going to happen:

http://blogs.automobilemag.com/66240...les/index.html

From the sounds of it, global performance vehicles will fall under a global badge (e.g. Focus RS will be Focus RS across the globe), if the GT was to go abroad, it would also keep its designation. However the performance brands themselves don't appear to be changing, which to me sounds good especially since each brand (FPV, SVT and Team RS) is well established in its market. So I would think that if a performance variant Focus was launched, it may be called Focus ST globally, but each market will have it badged under a particular performance brand (SVT, FPV or Team RS). It may not sound like much difference, but the current XR5 badged vehicles would be replaced by the global ST badges. Focus ST is rumoured to debut at the Paris Motor Show within the next month or so.

Our Falcons would fall under the 'Regional' performance vehicles as per the article. If the MKS/MKR were to be placed onto a GRWD platform with Falcon in the future, what are the possibilities of FPV being tasked with the performance variants? It could be sold under the SVT or a specific Lincoln performance brand globally.

In terms of Ford/Lincoln's plans:

http://www.autoweek.com/article/2010...NEWS/100809987

This article came out this week, highlights the expected changes in the vehicle lineups. MKS, Mustang, Taurus are all due to 're-engineering' around 2015-16. Note mention of a SVT Focus.

Finally Ford have clarified the MKT/Flex situation:

http://wot.motortrend.com/6670699/au...ere/index.html

[Falc'man]

Thanks for the links, FPV.

Originally Posted by Elks

" ...a nuclear bomb going to be dropped on the Corvette. That is all."

Off topic but Falc'man, care to elaborate..

I would say it's a bomb that'll be dropped on the Corvette, by Ford.

That is all...

j/k.. I really don't know much more than that, except that the bloke who said it is usually on the mark with his insider info.

I wouldn't say it's off topic, either. A fitter, more efficient Ford, will and can make things like this happen. If they did well with the GT, at a time when they were enduring losses, then imagine if they attempt the same sort of thing having a heap of cash to work with.

Ford's new way of thought is if it doesn't make money then we won't build it, so there are those that say something like another GT will not appear again. In contrast to that, this is the essence of the investment with Lincoln; having an extravagant line of models showcasing the very best in the auto industry, so having a hero model, for the same reason, should be in the back of Ford's mind.

[Ghiadude]

So no real word - we wait....

[MethodX]

Are they still getting rid of Mercury?
Hope not.

Just checked, seems they are, bye another historic brand.

[chevypower]

Originally Posted by MethodX

Are they still getting rid of Mercury?
Hope not.

Just checked, seems they are, bye another historic brand.

There has been no real investment made to the brand. Better to end it now, than to run it in to the ground further. Keeping it, would mean compromised products in the Ford lineup.
Look at this dinosaur page. http://www.mercuryvehicles.com/allvehicles.asp
You'd think that page hadn't been updated for 5 years. Even then the Grand Marquis still looks out of place. Mercury is just a brand name, not a manufacturer, so let it go I say.

[Brazen]

Lincoln to focus on new smaller cars and SUVs in the future according to this hypothesis

Lincoln Lineup Will Grow, Smaller Models Planned

By Viknesh Vijayenthiran

Editor

August 2nd, 2010

http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1...models-planned

Without the deadweight that was Mercury dragging it down, Ford’s premium division, which now only consists of Lincoln, finally has the resources and freedom to transform into the upmarket luxury brand it should have always been. This means that we’ll likely be seeing Lincoln expand into new segments and differentiate itself more substantially from the regular Ford lineup in the future.

To do this, Lincoln will likely add smaller models than we’re used to seeing, with front-wheel drive compacts and crossovers potentially making the cut. There could also be greater influence from European models, with the next-generation Kuga and Mondeo likely to make their way over in some way, shape or form.

To further differentiate Lincoln from Ford, designers will also use technologies unique to each brand. For Lincoln, this could see the use of unique powertrains, special active noise cancellation systems and adaptive suspensions.

One new model, due around 2012, is likely to be a compact car or new crossover based on the 2012 Ford Focus platform. We’ve already seen 2009’s Lincoln C Concept, which was originally billed as a vehicle for demonstrating upcoming connectivity technology and actually based on a wider version of the same global platform underpinning the new Focus.

Around 2013 the Ford Fusion mid-size sedan will get a complete redesign, which means its Lincoln MKZ sibling will as well. This time around the two cars’ styling will differ much more substantially.

According to Automotive News, a second mid-size sedan model may also be launched. This car would share its underpinnings with Europe’s next-generation Ford Mondeo and would be positioned somewhere between the MKZ and MKS.

The MKS, meanwhile, is due for a mild facelift late next year or in early 2012 in order to keep it fresh until a redesigned model arrives in 2015.

Moving up to the crossovers and SUVs, the MKX mid-size crossover is due for an update later this year and will receive the MyLincoln Touch interface system. A four-cylinder EcoBoost engine, the same unit from the 2011 Ford Explorer, will likely be added to the MKX’s powertrain lineup as well. A redesigned model will come sometime in 2013.

The MKT should receive a mid-cycle update sometime next year but after that the model could be dropped from Lincoln’s lineup altogether. The Blue Oval doesn’t have any solid plans for the MKT or its Ford Flex sibling after the current pair’s life-cycle ends around 2013. One possibility is that the MKT and the Navigator full-size SUV could be phased out and replaced with a single model based on the 2011 Ford Explorer. The current Navigator, meanwhile, is likely to receive a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 as well as a 5.0-liter V-8 to keep sales humming along until the end of its life-cycle in a couple of years.

Lastly, the Lincoln Town Car is scheduled to be discontinued at the end of next year.

[Ghiadude]

gee..... whats RWD/AWD, smaller than a town car and goes like the clappers????

[chevypower]

I honestly thought the Navigator would see the 6.2. Oh well, I'm not buying one anyway. (at this stage)