http://detroitnews.com/article/20110621/AUTO01/106210376/Ford-to-invest-$1B-to-revive-Lincoln

Above Link : Ford to invest in new product development..

Lead Foot
Still Crazy 'Bout my ol' Mark 8s

Well, to answer the question: If they keep fumbling the ball like they have been for the last 13 years, frankly No!

I believe their problems began (interestingly enough) when they dropped the Mark VIII.

Then there was the years when they offered more truck models than cars! How Lincoln like was that?

Recently they dropped what was by far the best and most enduring model they ever had, the Town Car.

And todays line up is uninspired (and downright ugly, IMO) at best! So what would we expect from the future?

Based on the article, Ford is providing Lincoln with plenty of lip service, but no substance.

As much as I hate to say it, the future looks bleak!

te1966
1994 Mark VIII, Portofino Blue; 1997 Mark VIII Base, Toreador Red
1996 Thunderbird, Red 4.6; 1970 Buick GS Stage 1

Uninspired, that is a great word to decribe the current Lincoln models..I am wondering if the same individuals who approved the current lineup are still running the show ? If so, I don't know if we'll see the kind of revolutionary new product which I think Lincoln will need to survive. There are probably some very capable designers and engineers who could make it happen, but will the bean counters approve the considerable investment an all-new platform would require?
Any investment to revamp (facelift?) the current crossovers offered by Lincoln would only hasten the demise, IMO. I'd like to see them drop all of that, and create an all-new product which is distinctive and exciting enough to win the attention (saleswise) of the new group of customers they need. How about a full size, retro styled, rear wheel driven supercar, using the strongest version of the current Mustang drive train ?
I hope Lincoln will use the right strategy, (whatever they do)because this may be the last chance they get..
Lead Foot
Still Crazy 'Bout My Ol' Mark 8s

Now that's a great idea! That full size, retro styled, rear wheel driven supercar, using the strongest version of the current Mustang drive train should be:

Drum Roll Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The New Mark IX !

Marc: I nominate you to be the next Lincoln General Manager!

Seriously, the only hope Lincoln has is that Ford will actually cough up the bucks to do all the new designs like they claimed they would in the article. If not, Lincoln will sink like the Titanic.

It's amazing though when you start to consider the value of brand name recognition in the market place. Newer car manufactures, let's take KIA as an example, spend untold hundreds of millions in advertizing just to get that name recognition. However older American car makers are throwing away well known brand names like they were yesterdays newspaper!

I couldn't believe it when GM threw away the Oldsmobile brand name, which was over 100 years old; and that was when the economy was still booming! How many other brand names have since bit the dust: Mercury, Pontiac, Plymouth, Hummmer...... the list goes on.

Let's hope Ford doesn't let that happen to the Lincoln name.

te1966
1994 Mark VIII, Portofino Blue; 1997 Mark VIII Base, Toreador Red
1996 Thunderbird, Red 4.6; 1970 Buick GS Stage 1

Perhaps Ford could consider marketing two versions of this new platform which could share the same basic body style - the Base Model being designated as the Continental, with more conservative horsepower and softer suspension tune, while the Mark Nine version could be given a different trim package, some carbon fiber parts to jazz things up, more agressive suspension, and, of course, turbo or blower equipped..How about it, Ford Motor Company, are you listening ?
That's an excellent point, about how our automakers have allowed those great brands to fade away..while newer makes such as KIA become increasingly successful in the same marketplace.
Yes it was frustrating to me, as well, watching G.M. allow Olds and Pontiac to fade out, and it did not need to happen..They put so much into starting Saturn, which was a good car, but why introduce a product which competed directly against the compacts and intermediates G.M. already was building at the other divisions ? That same effort (and money) would have worked wonders if it were put into new product development for Olds, Pontiac, and the others.
Cadillac seems to be about the only good story about G.M. these days. The new image they now have is winning the younger upscale buyers over, and Lincoln could do the same thing. But like you said, they gotta cough up the $$$$$$$.
(On that General Manager job) I'll have to get my resume in there..
Lead Foot
Still Crazy 'Bout My Ol' Mark 8s

How many Cadillacs do you see in recent movies? How many Lincolns?
Nuff said?
Come on you 6-figure marketing guys get with the program!
Lincoln was a high end luxury car for the affluent, building limos, high end coupes (Mark series) and sedans. So what do they do? Drop the limos,& coups and build Suvs and pickup trucks. How about adapting a new "Mission Statement" and build that for which the Company was known.

TOR
"Why pay an "expert" to screw it up when I can screw it up for free? "

Interesting take from the boys at Jalopnik on this topic. And sad to say, I have to agree with them.

http://jalopnik.com/5814169/why-lincoln-should-die

Calvin Louie
1989 Porsche 928 S4 - Linen Metallic / Linen

Very interesting reading, Cal, thanks for posting link
Lead Foot
Still Crazy Bout My Ol' Mark 8s

for Lincoln to succeed, the customer will need to be offered something better (read 'other') than warmed-over rebadged Ford products. If the customer is going to spend a pile of presidents on a car, he/she is going to want quality, perfomance, style, and substance in a package he/she would be proud to park in the lot of the local country club next to all the BMWs, Cadillacs, and Porsches...

give blood; play hockey!

GM CEO says Ford "might as well sprinkle Holy Water on Lincoln"

http://jalopnik.com/5823432/ford-marketing-head-####-gm

1996 Mk VIII Ivory Pearlescent / Ivory Interior... & Let's not forget guys... there's still a dead Imaginary Ex-Girlfriend out there...

Further branding changes with Lincoln.

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111107/RETAIL07/311079969/1256

Calvin Louie
1989 Porsche 928 S4 - Linen Metallic / Linen

I am considering a new car and want something like a MK VIII. I looked at Lincoln and saw nothing close. Jaguar XF looks good to me. Ford has nothing. GM has nothing. Chrysler has bigger cars. Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Hyundai, Infinity, Maserati, all have RWD high power cars. The Taurus SHO is front drive with rear assist. I may check one out. But Lincoln? Sad.

Well, nothing is quite like a Mark VIII! If that is what you want, do some serious searching and try to get as pristine of an example as you can find.

About the only new car left that is remotely close to a Mark VIII is the Dodge Challenger, and even that is quite a stretch!

The Challenger is American made, Front V-8 engine, rear wheel drive 2 door; but it lacks the classy looks and image of the Mark VIII.

I keep praying that Lincoln will come to their senses soon and make an extended wheel-base and restyled version of the current Mustang; with more luxury and features and call it the Mark IX, like we spoke of earlier in this post.

te1966
1994 Mark VIII, Portofino Blue; 1997 Mark VIII Base, Toreador Red
1996 Thunderbird, Red 4.6; 1970 Buick GS Stage 1

WEll Lincoln has the Taurus sibling the MKS. You can get the EcoBoost engine with AWD just like the Taurus SHO.

I agree with you somewhat; the MKS certainly has the power output to outrun a Mark VIII these days!

But, what I think TheAxeMan and others here are referring to is a traditional American type platform:

2 Door Car, V-8 engine in the front, transmission in the middle, and rear wheel drive. Familiarity breeds contentment, and most anyone here about my age (54) grew up with that type of car. Hence the reason why we were drawn to the Mark VIII in the first place.

So when thought of in that light, the MKS doesn't even come close to the Mark VIII.

I always viewed the Mark VIII as the last of it's breed; unless they go with the Mustang based Mark IX we hope for!

The Mustang platform is the only thing Ford has left to modify into a Mark IX, from a practical point of view.

te1966
1994 Mark VIII, Portofino Blue; 1997 Mark VIII Base, Toreador Red
1996 Thunderbird, Red 4.6; 1970 Buick GS Stage 1

It is frustrating, to say the least, that the decision makers within Lincoln (Ford?) don't seem to recognize the potential sales
success that a "Mark Nine" could be..
The idea of using the Mustang drive train and suspension components is exactly on target, with probably a slightly longer wheelbase..and then I'd like to see them include some (retro?) styling cues influenced by the Mark 8. The aerodynamics would be great, and the style/performance/luxury combo of this new (Gen 3) Mark just might generate enough sales numbers to rescue Lincoln from extinction..
By using the (already existing) parts from the Mustang platform, Ford would save big bucks on engineering and development.
The Coyote engine is also already developed, and Ford could offer some bigger displacement versions, for those who value performance over economy.
Ford was talking about spending a billion dollars to revive the Lincoln division..That sounds to me like a large enough budget to make this Mark Nine car happen! (Instead of trying to breath new life into the present, unsuccessful product lineup) This is not just my opinion talking here, the sales figures of Lincoln speak for themselves. The market share is probably not enough to return a profit for Ford right now (same problem which caused the demise of Mercury)
Lead Foot
Still Crazy 'Bout My Ol' Mark 8s
But I want a Mark Nine

If Ford would embrace the Australian Falcon RWD platform versus the Taurus FWD platform Lincoln's market share might improve.

I'm not sure what is going on at Ford atm and why upper management is still insisting on going down the FWD road when the general upscale market does not want it.


If Ford want the Lincoln division to once again be a world class premium automobile they will have to make design changes. Their cars can not be just slightly upscale Taurus, Fusion, or truck.

That is very interesting Coup. I never paid any attention to Australian Fords before. It looks like they have made some very cool cars in the past! Check this out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Falcon_(Australia)

There is some potential there. Just a switch from right hand to left hand drive might make for something that sells here in the USA.

However GM tried a very similar move a few years ago with the GTO, and it just never went over that well. I think that the styling (or lack thereof) was the Austrailian built GTO's biggest problem. Otherwise it seemed like a pretty good car; certainly fast enough!

Would that work for Ford (Lincoln)? Would Americans embrace an Austrailian built Mark IX? Maybe.....................

te1966
1994 Mark VIII, Portofino Blue; 1997 Mark VIII Base, Toreador Red
1996 Thunderbird, Red 4.6; 1970 Buick GS Stage 1