Comments on: Ford to take Lincoln global? Shift focus to higher volume?

By: jackjimturkey

jackjimturkey — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 07:08:35 +0000

TomF: “When they start talking about Lincoln as a volume brand, it’s more evidence that Mercury is doomed.”

I agree

By: CA36GTP

CA36GTP — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 01:12:47 +0000

This is a stupid move. Ford should be focusing on making Lincoln a successful brand, and THEN think about taking it global. Selling **** cars globally don’t make them any less ****.

By: Blakkarr

Blakkarr — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 20:59:42 +0000

Mazdaman,

FORD’s a mess or, at least, very much looks it. I don’t think there’s much hope for Mercury either. If FORD’s got a plan, they aren’t saying anything. At least, nothing we want to hear.

LINCOLN needs to be brought up to speed before FORD starts going off on their “we’re going global” shtick, though this by it very merit will require LINCOLN to ante up and go “upscale” or “upmarket” to compete on a world wide stage. Otherwise FORD is going to take a worse beating by making more and selling even less.

By: Elvio

Elvio — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 05:56:02 +0000

Lincoln brand is acyually very famous in China although Ford didn’t really sell any of it in China.

By: mazdaman

mazdaman — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:45:29 +0000

“At best, it sounds like Mercury will be relegated to a maker of special-edition Fords.” I thought that was Mercury’s current position. After Ford has made the comments about not moving Lincoln upmarket, increasing Lincoln’s volume, and uniting styling between Ford’s Europe and U.S. design studios, I really don’t see a future for Mercury. Right now, Lincoln operates in the near luxury segment that would rightfully be Mercury’s position if Ford wouldn’t have allowed Lincoln’s image to deteriorate.

By: 67_L-88

67_L-88 — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 20:25:57 +0000

Sorry I forgot to add that they don’t have that loyalty in Europe and Asia so they better offer something big.

By: 67_L-88

67_L-88 — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 20:25:09 +0000

They better update their products considerably, because the only people I know who buy Lincolns are loyal customers who either owned Fords their whole live and now have a bit of money, or people who drove Lincolns anyways their whole life

By: Commodore

Commodore — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 20:19:56 +0000

That is a good idea. New MKS is good too so…we’ll see

By: LP640

LP640 — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:54:20 +0000

FORD WITH YET MORE OF THEIR BOLD MOVES

By: CTS DRIVER

CTS DRIVER — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:53:51 +0000

damn that cuv in the picture above looks great.

By: SwerveEarly

SwerveEarly — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:49:26 +0000

Dream,dream, dream, dream, dream, I think thats how the song goes. They should start remaking 62 Contis w/sui doors and a trunk you could park a Aveo in.

By: RicardoHead

RicardoHead — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:29:43 +0000

Oh yeah, I forgot:

…… Geely/Rolls Royce

By: RicardoHead

RicardoHead — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:23:59 +0000

What’s the difference, guys?

…… Skoda/SEAT/VW/Audi
…… Fiat/Alfa (more or less)
…… Toyota/Lexus
…… Nissan/Infiniti
…… Tata/Jaguar
…… Kia/Hyundai (effectively)
…… Honda/Acura
…… Chevy/Pontiac/Buick/Cadillac
…… Ford/Lincoln (Mercury will soon be gone)

The model mostly works if good products are brought out with clear differentiation and good marketing. If they market the Edge or Fusion in the same places they market the MKX and MKZ, they will be laughed out of the countries, but if they do it intelligently, with a proper long-term plan, roll-out, and true far-sighted commitment and selective product offerings then it can work.

By: Robert

Robert — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:23:09 +0000

Lincoln is not going to be selling in huge volumes, just more than Mercury, which isn’t hard (I think they already outsell Mercury on a retail basis).

I think the goal is grow organically over the next several years with more models (a Lincoln seven passenger cross-over is due out in 2009, the MKZ and MKX are up for updates soon, there are rumors of a smaller CUV and a smaller car below the MKZ ala A4/IS/3-series/C-class).

I’m not sure that Lincoln is ready for global, but I could imagine it as a good product in Asia and the Middle East.

By: TomF

TomF — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:17:09 +0000

When they start talking about Lincoln as a volume brand, it’s more evidence that Mercury is doomed.

By: Da-Holy-Vagabond

Da-Holy-Vagabond — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:15:32 +0000

It only makes sense that they would try to sell more of their best products. As for them going global, I welcome it. That would be the only time when Ford will leave it’s conservative ways. Ford knows it can’t sell a car outside of the U.S if it can be described as ugly, boring or meek. This is evident in the Focus, the Euro vesion is so much better than ours.

By: 441Zuke

441Zuke — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 18:54:20 +0000

right Cadillac is looked down on how will they take lincoln

By: casualobserver

casualobserver — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 18:49:13 +0000

The European market is just begging for a large, RWD sedan with a solid rear axle, OHV V-8 and a 30 year old platform.
They would also like some smaller semi-luxury sedans and a CUV based on last-generation platforms.

By: RSPINAJR

RSPINAJR — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 18:44:50 +0000

with the fresh new products that are supposedly coming this could work well, just not with the rebadged Fords. The MKS would be a good start as the sole offering. Lexus did this about a year ago in Japan when they were first introduced there. They excluded the ES and went with the IS, GS and LS but ONLY after they were redesigned.

By: mujician

mujician — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 18:42:01 +0000

Gee,I wonder why?