Lincoln will be the next dead brand. Cutting dealers by 30%

[FW_Linc/Merc]

Showing up everywear today that Ford plans to cut 30% of its Lincoln dealers. Here is just one link.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/oct/05/dealer-ford-to-eliminate-many-lincoln-dealerships/

This will kill Lincoln sales. I just do not understand the logic :shake:

[FW_Linc/Merc]

http://media.ford.com/images/10031/Sept10sales.pdf

YTD 2010 Grand Marquis is Mercury's 2nd best seller missing #1 by only 70 cars.

[CBT]

Can't wait till we are all driving those cheap Chinese trucks that are already being built here.

[LSp8]

Someday it will be extremely rare for anyone to own an American made car

[RF Overlord]

Ford plans to release seven new or revamped Lincolns in the next four years, including Lincoln's first compact car.Good luck. Cadillac tried that with the Cimarron...what a joke. Nothing more than a tarted-up Cavalier.

[BAD MERC]

Ford is at the enviable position to grow and expand and what do they do? They "GM" it!

[LIGHTNIN1]

Ford has the world in their hands and they decide to go green. Might as well just close up shop and manufacture diapers.

[SC Cheesehead]

Ford has the world in their hands and they decide to go green. Might as well just close up shop and manufacture diapers.

Better that than the stuff that goes in them... ;)

[FordNut]

Idiots in charge. Kill Mercury as a failure in "rebranding" while Lincoln is simply a more expensive rebranded Ford than Mercury was. And Mercury was outselling Lincoln, with their best seller being the car Ford decided to discontinue... Smart.

[Mr. Man]

Who cares they don't build anything interesting anyways

[Got_1]

Who cares they don't build anything interesting anyways

the Lincoln MKS ecoboost is a pretty wicked ride, altho aside from that, yes your right.

[SC Cheesehead]

the Lincoln MKS ecoboost is a pretty wicked ride, altho aside from that, yes your right.


"...The MKS is based on Ford's D3 platform, which is shared with the current Ford Taurus and other vehicles."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_MKS

MKS = Taurus

Sorta like a SHO, but costs more and runs slower...;)

[BUCKWHEAT]

the Lincoln MKS ecoboost is a pretty wicked ride, altho aside from that, yes your right.

I represent that, 14.25 @ 98.7 w/2.2 60 foot last week at GIR.

[Got_1]

"...The MKS is based on Ford's D3 platform, which is shared with the current Ford Taurus and other vehicles."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_MKS

MKS = Taurus

Sorta like a SHO, but costs more and runs slower...;)

i'm aware of that. i work on both vehicles. i'm just saying its a nice looking vehicle

[yjmud]

Someday it will be extremely rare for anyone to own an American made car
yes it is called any of what you call import now. most "imports" are made here:lol:

[Matt In Detroit]

You guys need to do some reading. In 2009, Lincoln's 1,187 dealers sold about 5.8 Lincoln vehicles a month, in comparison, Lexus' 226 dealers sold about 80 cars per month.

This had to happen, not shutting it down, shoring it up. Not a good way to do business.

We are doing great, as a Ford employee, im glad you guys arent running the show..We would have every old out of date car out there still in production for sentimental reasons.

[CBT]

You guys need to do some reading. In 2009, Lincoln's 1,187 dealers sold about 5.8 Lincoln vehicles a month, in comparison, Lexus' 226 dealers sold about 80 cars per month.

This had to happen, not shutting it down, shoring it up. Not a good way to do business.

We are doing great, as a Ford employee, im glad you guys arent running the show..We would have every old out of date car out there still in production for sentimental reasons.

I like my Marauder because it is reliable and has never let me down. If that makes me sentimental than so be it. I hope you sell yours soon, to someone who feels the same way I do.

[FordNut]

Too bad, Ford is just like the rest of the manufacturers. The car is becoming a commodity, like lettuce.

[boatmangc]

Lincoln's mistake is two-fold
1)Dropping the 2 door sports coupe or not re-starting the Mark lineup when 2 door coupes came back into style (did any one see the Mark 10 concept?)
2) Naming everything else in their lineup a Mark.


IMNSHO

[FordNut]

Lincoln's mistake is two-fold
1)Dropping the 2 door sports coupe or not re-starting the Mark lineup when 2 door coupes came back into style (did any one see the Mark 10 concept?)
2) Naming everything else in their lineup a Mark.


IMNSHO

Yep, a Mark used to mean something, now it's just an extension of the Lincoln brand, everything they sell is a Mk(something).

[secretservice]

To the o/p... I really like your Mark's. I wanted to build a hot rod Mark VII before the Marauder's came out.

[FW_Linc/Merc]

To the o/p... I really like your Mark's. I wanted to build a hot rod Mark VII before the Marauder's came out.

Having owned 2 and still having one Mark VII I can say there are great cars! Best all-around car I own. However finding good ones is becoming difficult. So the Marauder handles similar to the Mark VII is easier to find a good one and has a much larger trunk. You will enjoy the Marauder when you get one. I suggest a Mark VII as a great daily driver. The wife drives the Mark VII daily and I modded a 1996 Town Car as my daily driver because it was to slow after getting used to Mark VII and Marauders.

[SC Cheesehead]

i'm aware of that. i work on both vehicles. i'm just saying its a nice looking vehicle

Agreed on the looks. Visually, I like the MKS better than the SHO.

[EMAS]

You guys need to do some reading. In 2009, Lincoln's 1,187 dealers sold about 5.8 Lincoln vehicles a month, in comparison, Lexus' 226 dealers sold about 80 cars per month.

This had to happen, not shutting it down, shoring it up. Not a good way to do business.

We are doing great, as a Ford employee, im glad you guys aren't running the show..We would have every old out of date car out there still in production for sentimental reasons.

I agree with Mercury out of the picture there just isn't enough market, at this point, to support a dealer network of the existing size. Unfortunately cutting the number of dealers 30% isn't going far enough to make the remaining dealers profitable.

I'm not saying they should keep all their old product however the Panther could have lived for another 5 years easily. All they needed to do was slip the new Mustang power plants in them. The V6 for a boost in fuel economy and the V8 to keep the CV interceptor as the top selling cop car. It would not have cost that much to engineer those engines and their respective transmissions into the Panther chassis. No need for any re-design of the sheet metal.

[RR|Suki]

You guys need to do some reading. In 2009, Lincoln's 1,187 dealers sold about 5.8 Lincoln vehicles a month, in comparison, Lexus' 226 dealers sold about 80 cars per month.

This had to happen, not shutting it down, shoring it up. Not a good way to do business.

We are doing great, as a Ford employee, im glad you guys arent running the show..We would have every old out of date car out there still in production for sentimental reasons.

True statement. Ford is profitable again, something tells me the current staff might know what they are doing.

[dakslim]

Perhaps they don't need a median vehicle between Ford and Lincoln but I've seen a crap load of GM's all over the sun belt. I was in a very bad accident, t-boned, and my big ole GM saved my son's life! Piss on your little cars!

[FordNut]

Perhaps they don't need a median vehicle between Ford and Lincoln but I've seen a crap load of GM's all over the sun belt. I was in a very bad accident, t-boned, and my big ole GM saved my son's life! Piss on your little cars!

Amen to that!

[Mr. Man]

I agree with Mercury out of the picture there just isn't enough market, at this point, to support a dealer network of the existing size. Unfortunately cutting the number of dealers 30% isn't going far enough to make the remaining dealers profitable.

I'm not saying they should keep all their old product however the Panther could have lived for another 5 years easily. All they needed to do was slip the new Mustang power plants in them. The V6 for a boost in fuel economy and the V8 to keep the CV interceptor as the top selling cop car. It would not have cost that much to engineer those engines and their respective transmissions into the Panther chassis. No need for any re-design of the sheet metal.
I read here a few months back by someone in the "know" that the Panther platform wouldn't meet safety requirements for 2013 I believe. So rather than spend a few bucks for some stronger parts they killed it. Now Ford sells woefully underpowered trucks and little bitty cars that tall, fat Americans can't fit into. Sounds like genius to me. Hello Hyundai Equis(sp) I hear you calling my name

[Vortex]

Up through the mid-60's Lincoln really was a good car with a reputation for good quality. Those giant Mark IV's of the 70's were popular but most realized Lincoln was going after the Country Club crowd. Problem was, that crowd kept getting older and Lincoln didnt make any high quality cars for younger buyers. I really dont like any of the new Lincolns. All that "MK" stuff in an attempt to emulate Mercedes is a joke and who the hell knows what an MKS is or an MKT or whatever??? The top of the line Lincoln right now is just another rehashed Taurus/Sable/500/Montego/Volvo blah blah blah.... I wish Ford would do a big rethink and make a real high quality Lincoln again. They had a few nice showcars a couple of years back. And name the damn things too like Continental, Zephyr, or something new.

[BAD MERC]

You know, as a Ford guy to the bone there is dramatic differences between my Ford ('06 Taurus) and my Mercury ('04 Marauder) which are startling. The Marauder cost just about DOUBLE what my Taurus cost. My Marauder has 40,000 miles on it and my Taurus has 78,000 miles on it. Here's a rundown of what's been replaced or had issues on both cars since ownership. Marauder; EATC controller, fan speed resistor ass'y, LCM, battery, blend door actuator, upper driver door hinge, seat heater switches, thermostat, door lock actuators and rear shocks. Taurus; Battery and belt idler pulley. It's funny how cars built by the same manufacturer can have markedly different reliability. Don't get me wrong - I love the car, just not convinced that it will last 15 years.

[secretservice]

Maybe your Marauder was built on a friday...:(

[BAD MERC]

..Or a Monday morning.

[MarauderTJA]

Lincoln will not go away for Ford. It is an established mark for the company and has to stay active to complete with the other lux brands in the market place, I own a MKZ (wifes) and a Mark LT P/U (mine). Both are awesome vehicles and I will buy another in a heartbeat. Word has it another Lincoln Mk Lt P/U is in the works. People that own them want to see them back to compete with GM Caddy versions. I will wait when they become available and buy one when avaiable. Ford is kicking azz overall.

[secretservice]

Ford is kicking azz overall.

:agree: Got that right. Ford didn't need a bailout.