Ford Charts Turn-Around For Lincoln With Seven Revamped Models

Ford Motor Co. must establish Lincoln as a solid luxury brand in the United States before taking it abroad, CEO Alan Mulally said Thursday.

That could take five years -- enough time for Lincoln to introduce seven new or refreshed models.

"Once we get Lincoln going in the U.S. and people appreciate it, I think there will be a lot of customer pull around the world for Lincoln," Mulally told reporters at the Paris Motor Show.

Lincoln has fallen from the top-selling luxury brand in the country, with peak sales of 231,660 in 1990, to No. 6 in 2009, with sales of 82,800, according to Autodata Corp.

Key to reviving Lincoln's appeal, and elevating its status, is reducing the number of U.S. dealers -- 1,187 today -- and demanding higher dealer standards to better compete with foreign brands.

Ford has said it won't terminate Lincoln dealers, but it is banking that many will voluntarily step aside after deciding they can't afford to make the investment that Ford will require.

"This is a pivotal time," said Bob Tasca Jr., president of Tasca Automotive Group in Cranston, R.I., and chairman of the Lincoln Mercury Dealer Council. "Opportunity comes once in a brand's lifetime."

Much of the campaign to reinvent Lincoln centers on dealers, who will meet in Dearborn next week to learn what Ford expects of them.

"Company leaders and select dealer representatives are working together to help create a new and improved luxury ownership experience for future customers," said Lincoln spokesman Christian Bokich.

Details are being kept under wraps. But since June, senior Ford managers have met four times with a Lincoln advisory committee. There is an ongoing debate about what would constitute the optimum number of Lincoln dealers, as Ford uses the year-end demise of its Mercury line as a springboard to rehabilitate the brand.

Analysis of the luxury market suggests Lincoln should be pared to about 350 outlets in major markets, to directly compete with the upscale foreign brands. But its domestic rival, General Motors Co.'s Cadillac, has 1,260 U.S. dealers.

"Over 1,000 places to buy Lincoln are too many and it isn't working," said Tasca, but 300 may not be enough to sustain the brand. "There will be a place in the middle that would work."

Tasca says Ford "won't put a gun to anyone's head. It will be up to the individual dealer to make a business decision."

There are 264 dealers who sell Lincoln and Mercury in their showrooms. Some will fold without the volume boost from Mercury, others likely will consolidate with Ford franchises.

But hundreds, especially in smaller markets, could decide the return is not worth the investment that will be asked of them.

Much of Ford's focus is on determining the optimal number of Lincoln dealers in the top 30 metropolitan markets. Half of the brand's sales are from rural dealers in cities without competition from luxury foreign brands.

Ford must align Lincoln dealers with where luxury buyers are concentrated, said analyst Rebecca Lindland of IHS Automotive in Lexington, Mass.

"They have to do significant regional studies before closing doors to avoid a backlash because people are used to a dealer around the corner," she said.

Dealers to get overview
In Dearborn Monday, dealers will get an overview of the luxury landscape, comparing Lincoln with benchmark brands such as Lexus, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. The next day, they'll hear details about the plan to make Lincoln competitive, covering everything from dealership facilities, signs and furniture to staff training.

"Lincoln must portray an upscale image to go head-to-head with the European luxury brands," said Randy Berlin, a director with dealer consultant Urban Science of Detroit.

A Lincoln franchise needs to be clearly delineated from the Ford brand, preferably with its own entrance and ambiance, Berlin said. "The worst scenario is someone who diminishes the brand for others," he said.

"You won't see a gorilla on the roof of a Lincoln dealer during a sale."

Ford has not set investment figures because there are many variables, Mark Fields, Ford president of the Americas, said recently.

Sheldon Sandler, CEO of dealer financial consultants Bel Air Partners LLC in Skillman, N.J., estimated the cost of refurbishing a dealership at $500 million to $2 million. A new standalone showroom could run as high as $5 million, depending on real estate prices, he said.

"It will be up to the individual dealer to decide if they can make it without Mercury and how much they need to invest in Lincoln for the future," Tasca said.

"Some will say they can't make it."

Lou Stanford, owner of Varsity Lincoln in Novi, knows it will be tough after losing Mercury.

"It will be a struggle until we get more products," he said. "I have no intention of closing or consolidating."

The overhaul will be long and expensive, Lindland said, noting that Cadillac's rehabilitation took a decade and cost billions.

And it will take time, Berlin said: "Consumers need experience with the product and ownership before they can say 'Lincoln' and 'BMW' in the same breath."

Source: The Detroit News

Lincoln Premiere

1956 Lincoln Premiere coupe

The Lincoln Premiere was a luxury car sold by Ford Motor Company's Lincoln-Mercury division. It was produced in both 2 and 4 door versions both seating 6 people. A limousine version was also offered, which had the same wheelbase as the sedan version, but its cabin extended further back, allowing for more space for rear passengers. The limousine version also had a division window. The Premiere was sold in the 1956 to 1960 model years, inclusive, and was positioned below the company's Continental and above the Capri. The vehicle featured a 6.0 L V8 and was approximately 223" (5664 mm) long. The vehicle weighed 4357 lb (1976.3 kg) and had a price tag of approximately $4,600 in 1956, which equals roughly $31,730 in 2005 dollars.

The Premiere was known for its stylish exterior, high-grade interior and some unique features. For example, when equipped with optional "factory air conditioning," the vents were located overhead, much like those in an aircraft. The cool air was directed to the roof via a pair of clear plastic ducts visible through the rear window at each side, connecting upward from the rear package tray.

Source: Internet

Ford kills Mercury, will make Lincoln the most efficient luxury brand

Lincoln Concept C

Ford Motor Company is finally getting serious about making Lincoln a top notch premium brand to compete with the likes of Lexus and Cadillac. To make that happen, the Blue Oval will introduce seven all new or heavily refreshed models to the Lincoln lineup in the next four years, each of which it claims will have segment-leading fuel efficiency.

245 Ford's plans for Lincoln include offering Ecoboost engines in every model as well as new exclusive powerplants and advanced transmissions. Ford has already previously committed to having six-speed automatic transmissions in all of its models by 2012 and the rejuvenated Lincolns will likely be the first to move to seven- or eight-speed gearboxes. Even the massive Navigator full-size SUV will get an Ecoboost V6 sometime after it debuts in the F150 pickup truck later this year.

This announcement also brings confirmation that Lincoln will get its first ever C-segment vehicle built on the next-generation Ford Focus platform. That car may be based on the Concept C that was shown at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. Lincoln is also getting its hybrid this fall when the MKZ hybrid goes on sale.

In order to free up the engineering resources to put all of this effort into Lincoln, Ford finally bit the bullet today and pulled the plug on the Mercury brand. Mercury hasn't had an exclusive model since the Cougar was discontinued in 2002, and its sales have dropped by more than 70 percent in the past several years. Mercury production will end later this year.

Source: Green Autoblog

Can Automatic Car Washes Damage Your Car?

Automatic/drive-through car washes are more popular than ever because they save time and hassle.

But are automatic car washes safe for your car? In fact, in many instances, they are the "safest" course of action for many car owners who want to keep their car clean.

In fact, automatic car washes can be safer for your car's finish than washing your car yourself because do-it-yourselfers sometimes don't use enough water to safely remove dirt; or they wash the car in direct sunlight -- which can burn spots in the paint. Or they use the wrong type of soap -- such as dishwashing detergent, which removes protective wax and leaves a chalky residue on the finish. Or any one of several common mistakes can end up doing more harm than good.

Cars by the numbers:

3 Most Popular Muscle Cars 6 Cheap Cars with Great Gas Mileage10 Fastest Sports Cars Keeping your car clean and the finish looking good can also mean higher resale value when it comes time to get a new car. All else being equal, a car with faded paint and a dingy overall look sells for 10-20 percent less than an otherwise identical vehicle that just looks nicer.

So how often should you have your vehicle washed? That depends on how quickly it gets dirty -- and how dirty it gets. For some cars, once a month or so is sufficient -- especially if the car is lightly used and kept in a garage. But some cars will need a bath more often -- especially those that are parked outdoors where they're exposed to bird droppings, tree sap and so on, or driven in areas with very long/severe winters, where the roads are salted when it snows.

Here are a few important things to keep in mind when it comes to automatic car washes:

Be sure it's "brushless" -- Some older car washes still use abrasive brushes (instead of cloth), which can leave small scratches in a car's finish. On older cars with so-called "single stage" paint jobs, light scratches could usually be buffed out; but all modern cars use a "base/clear" system with a thin, transparent layer of clear coat on top of the underlying color coat to provide the shine. Once the thin clear coat is damaged, often the only way to restore the shine is to repaint the damaged area.

Another safe bet is "touchless" car washes that use only high-pressure water jets and detergents to clean the car -- without physically touching it at all. There is virtually no chance of your vehicle suffering any cosmetic damage this way. Some areas have "self-service" coin-operated hand washes, which are great for spraying away heavy dirt buildup. You'll usually need to bring your own bucket, wash cloth/sponge and dry towels, though.

Watch out for the after-wash wipe-down -- Most drive-through washes use a strong jet of heated air to force excess water off after the car goes through the wash. Many full-service car washes will then have you drive the car (or drive it for you, in some cases) away from the wash area to be hand-wiped by attendants. This is usually OK -- provided the attendants are using fresh, clean (and soft) towels to do so. Be alert on busy days, when lots of other cars have gone ahead of you. If you see the attendants using obviously dirty old rags to wipe the car down, you should say "thanks, but no thanks" -- and drive away wet. Dirt and other abrasives in the rags can scratch the finish just like sandpaper. Simply driving away from the wash and letting air flow over the car to dry any remaining water won't hurt anything -- and is the best guarantee of a no-damage experience. Any lingering streaks can easily be cleaned up at home yourself using readily available spray cleaners designed for just this purpose. (Honda Pro Spray Cleaner & Polish is excellent for this; it also provides UV protection and easily and safely cleans off bugs, tar and road grime, etc. without water.)

Hold off on the extras -- A "works" car wash can cost twice as much as the basic wash, but you may not be getting twice the wash for your money. Undercarriage rustproofing, for example, is of dubious value. Effective rustproofing is applied to brand-new metal, in order to seal it from contact with external corrosives such as road salt. Most new cars are extensively rustproofed at the factory during the assembly process; further "treatment" is superfluous -- and a money-waster.

On the other hand, if the wash offers an undercarriage bath, it may be worth the additional cost. Jets of water sprayed directly underneath the car can break loose accumulated crud that would be difficult (and unpleasant) to try to remove yourself using a garden hose. It's also important that underbody drainage holes not be obstructed by mud and other buildup; accumulated moisture can accelerate rust or (in the case of the air conditioning system) lead to the formation of mold in the system. The undercarriage bath should help keep those drain holes clear.

Do, however, think twice about spray-on wax. This typically adds at least a couple bucks to the cost of the wash and while it doesn't hurt anything, it's no substitute for hand-applied polish/wax. Spray-on "wax" may provide a short-term gloss enhancement, but doesn't protect against UV sun damage the way hand-applied wax does. Ditto the cost of having an attendant spray Armor All (or a similar protectant) on your tires to make them shiny. The cost for this extra can be equivalent to the cost of buying an entire bottle of the stuff on your own.

Wheel and tire cleaning is an exception; the heavy-duty cleaners used by the car wash do a great job of removing baked-on brake dust, etc., that can otherwise be a real chore to clean on your own, using over-the-counter cleaners, a hand brush and a hose. It's especially important to keep aluminum alloy wheels clean; brake dust can eventually permanently stain them if it's not regularly cleaned away.

Finally:

Make sure your car's OK before you leave -- While many car washes will have a disclaimer posted that they are "not responsible for any damages that may occur" as a result of running your car through their wash, that doesn't mean you should automatically absolve them of any damage their equipment or personnel may have caused. If you notice something, ask to see the manager and point it out to him; whether "legally liable" or not, he may offer to fix the problem in the interest of customer relations. And even if he does not, you can still pursue the matter with a higher-up (such as the company headquarters, if the wash is a franchise, as many associated with big-name gas stations often are). If you have a cell phone with a camera, use it to take a photo of the damage in order to support your claim. And it ought to go without saying that you should never leave your purse or other valuables in the car if you use a wash where an attendant will have access to the vehicle's interior.

Source: Autos.aol

Lincoln Marketing Targeting "Gen Xers"

Adopting a youthful, sporty image worked wonders for Cadillac, so it's no surprise to hear that Lincoln has decided to pursue a younger demographic with its new marketing campaign.

Lincoln is reportedly interested in targeting its ad materials to the "Gen X" crowd. Ranging between the ages of 35 and 45, these buyers are seen as key to Lincoln because they're reaching their earnings potential, and that they don't seem to have an opinion - good or bad - on the brand.

"They are wide open to the message," says Lincoln Marketing Manager Thomais Zaremba. "We have no baggage with them."

Lincoln's spacey ad campaigns are chock full of slick graphics and CGI, and feature '80's songs performed by modern alt-rock groups like Shiny Toy Guns and Australian singer Sia. Zaremba hopes the ads will appeal to the "children of the '80s," and make Lincoln's presence known to a group that may also be considering a Lexus, Audi, or BMW for the first time.

Source: Internet

Lincoln History

Source: Lincoln

1917 The Lincoln Motor Company is founded in Detroit by Henry Leland to build Liberty aircraft engines for the First World War.
1920 The first Lincoln car, the 'L' series, is introduced.

1922 The Ford Motor Company acquires Lincoln at the urging of Edsel Ford.

1936 The Lincoln Zephyr, the first successful streamlined car, is introduced.

1940 Zephyr becomes the basis for the original Lincoln Continental - a car Frank Lloyd Wright declared to be the most beautiful in the world. It also was the first vehicle honored for design excellence by the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

1956 The Continental Mark II, which was developed under the direction of Edsel Ford's son, William Clay Ford, establishes the classic hood, cabin and deck proportions of the modern luxury coupe.

1961 A new Continental is introduced. It remains one of the most enduring designs of all time. Its sheer body surfaces, unique center-opening doors and chrome accented upper shoulder line established a signature look for Lincoln that was totally unique.

1968 The Lincoln Mark III, the first of a new generation of Mark-series coupes, is introduced.
1970 The Continental is redesigned. The new car is built on a 127-inch wheelbase frame and offers V-8 engines that range in size up to 460 cubic inches (7.5-liters). Throughout the 1970s, Continental is offered with a Town Car package that included special leather seats and wood appliqués in the cabin.

1981 The Lincoln Town Car is introduced as its own line. The new car is built on a 117.3-inch wheelbase and is powered by a 5.0-liter V-8 engine.

1990 The second-generation Town Car is introduced. The car is powered by the venerable 5.0-liter V-8. The wheelbase is unchanged. For the first time, Town Car is offered with dual front air bags, speed-sensitive power steering and rear air spring suspension. Anti-lock brakes are optional.

1998 The third-generation Town Car is introduced. The wheelbase is slightly longer than the previous car, but the exterior design is more contemporary. The engine is a modern overhead cam 4.6-liter V-8. A Watt's linkage rear suspension and other chassis refinements are adopted.

The Navigator is introduced. As the first American luxury sport-utility vehicle, it became an overnight success. Fully 60 percent of Navigator customers are new to the Lincoln brand.

1998 - 2001 Lincoln Mercury relocates its headquarters from Detroit to Irvine, Calif., in the heart of the country's largest market for luxury vehicles. Its permanent headquarters opens in 2001.

1999 The Lincoln LS is introduced and is named Motor Trend's 2000 'Car of the Year.' Fully 70 percent of LS customers are new to the Lincoln brand.

2000 Dedicated Lincoln design, product development, purchasing, finance and manufacturing organizations are established.

2001 The Lincoln MK 9 concept is unveiled. Together with the Continental concept, it points to the design direction of future Lincoln vehicles.

The 2002 Lincoln Blackwood is launched. It faithfully recreates the 1998 concept vehicle.

The 2003 Lincoln Town Car is unveiled by Ford Motor Company President and Chief Operating Officer Nick Scheele at the Henry Ford Estate in Dearborn.

2002 The 2003 Lincoln Navigator is revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show and the all-new 2003 Lincoln Aviator is revealed at the New York Auto Show. The new Navigator, Aviator and Town Car will be joined by a new 2003 LS later in the year.

The Lincoln Continental concept is introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It embodies elegance, simplicity and restraint.

1959 Mark IV

Source: Internet