Hackett's time is running out and Lincoln becomes Chinese brand

Ford names company veterans to lead auto, mobility units - Reuters

Looks like Hinrichs is the front runner for CEO at Ford.

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“China First, Customer First”: Lincoln to facilitate localization, promote “Quiet Flight”

To further build on its success in China, the Lincoln brand is reinforcing their “China First, Customer First” strategy, cementing China’s position at the fore of the brand’s global strategy. Localization of the brand, customer experience, vehicles and team will enable Lincoln to move at China Speed and stand out as a new force in the fiercely competitive luxury car segment.

Ford has established a new China leadership team, comprised of local leaders with extensive experience in the Chinese automotive sector, as well as global talent with China expertise. The new team is fully integrating their market insights with Ford’s global resources and technology, to take targeted strategic decisions for Ford’s China business, building

“Ford China 2.0” Combines “Best of Ford, Best of China”: Marks Acceleration of Company’s Transformation in World’s Largest Auto Market; Supports Global Redesign | China | English | Ford Media Center

Rincorn just doesn't have the same ring to it.....

“To further build on it’s success in China”?

Ford has shit the bed over there, and is waaaay behind the big players.

Ford still sells more Lincoln’s in China than they do in the USA

If they're not selling cars here I don't see the problem.

This just in

Aside from the navigator, lincolns product line sucks. They screwed the pooch, left the performance luxury market wanting, and overall alienated the 65-80 year old crowd that bought lincoln continentals in spades when I was a kid.

Ford/Lincoln really seems to be lost in terms of a brand.

I have been to China several times and have never seen one. I did not know they were even sold there. Lots of shitbox chevys and buick is a prestige brand. A buick minivan is a baller mobile over there.

honestly ford needs to sell off lincoln

New Aviator is really, really nice.

Chrysler & Lincoln should merge to become a global powerhouse manufacturer of nobodygivesashit products.

No love for Lincoln from the home crowd. I love the mkz and new continental. Btw the new 3.0L TT came from the Lincoln division.

Everyone keeps saying Lincoln doesn't do shit here yet every time the numbers are released they get closer and closer to the other major luxury brands and Ford is boosting production of the Expedition/Navigator another 20% and they sold almost 18k Navigators last year. They hace sold almost 25k vehicles in the 1st quarter and they are within 10k units of Acura, Infiniti, and Cadillac. What do you think is going to happen when they release the new Aviator and Corsair that comes out soon? Corsair is replacing the MKC I believe but the Aviator is an all new model that is going to sell like crazy if it is anything on par with how they executed the Nav. They outsell Jaguar by over double and Volvo by a few thousand so I dont understand how Lincoln is not a viable product, especially with how much potential growth there is with the brand.

svtfocus2cobra said:

Everyone keeps saying Lincoln doesn't do shit here yet every time the numbers are released they get closer and closer to the other major luxury brands and Ford is boosting production of the Expedition/Navigator another 20% and they sold almost 18k Navigators last year. They hace sold almost 25k vehicles in the 1st quarter and they are within 10k units of Acura, Infiniti, and Cadillac. What do you think is going to happen when they release the new Aviator and Corsair that comes out soon? Corsair is replacing the MKC I believe but the Aviator is an all new model that is going to sell like crazy if it is anything on par with how they executed the Nav. They outsell Jaguar by over double and Volvo by a few thousand so I dont understand how Lincoln is not a viable product, especially with how much potential growth there is with the brand.

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If you ask some of these guys they will say fake news.

The Aviator should be a hit, but I expect it to be expensive.

Mackie said:

New Aviator is really, really nice.

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What is the resale value after a year or 2 though?

I've seen quite a few new Navigators in the upper end cities I visit.

Seems to be a hit along with the Expedition.

Other than that, don't see any other Lincolns on the road outside of a few older ones here and there.

Should just scale down to the Navigator, whatever their full sized car is called mkczsABC, and the Aviator.

However, I can't see too much of a market for the Aviator if it is in the 60-70k+ range. Full frame but still smaller than the Navigator/Expedition trims.

98 svt said:

What is the resale value after a year or 2 though?

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Hopefully it tanks like a mofo similar to my MKS so I can pick it up on the cheap.

Blk04L said:

I've seen quite a few new Navigators in the upper end cities I visit.

Seems to be a hit along with the Expedition.

Other than that, don't see any other Lincolns on the road outside of a few older ones here and there.

Should just scale down to the Navigator, whatever their full sized car is called mkczsABC, and the Aviator.

However, I can't see too much of a market for the Aviator if it is in the 60-70k+ range. Full frame but still smaller than the Navigator/Expedition trims.

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Price hasn't seemed to deter most people from buying SUVs. The average price paid for the Expedition increased $11,700 to a total of $62,700 as sales grew 35%. I believe the average transaction price for the Nav hovers around $105k or so.

We are talking about an Explorer essentially with the Aviator. The Explorer is one of the best selling SUVs on the market, if not the best, so a $70-80k high end version of it that is one off from it's Ford cousin is not going to be stumbling in sales.

svtfocus2cobra said:

Price hasn't seemed to deter most people from buying SUVs. The average price paid for the Expedition increased $11,700 to a total of $62,700 as sales grew 35%. I believe the average transaction price for the Nav hovers around $105k or so.

We are talking about an Explorer essentially with the Aviator. The Explorer is one of the best selling SUVs on the market, if not the best, so a $70-80k high end version of it that is one off from it's Ford cousin is not going to be stumbling in sales.

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For me it's not so much about total cost, as it's about getting bang for your buck.

Guess I just don't see the point in a smaller 3 row SUV when you can buy a Platinum Expedition for nearly the same cost. Sure the interior of the Aviator will blow some away and be a key selling point.

But the Plat Expedition has more space, nice interior and is bigger. And Lincoln doesn't carry the prestige that much over anything. So it's not we are comparing an Acura to a Benz.
To me, the smaller Explorers/aviators make sense when you needed three rows but couldn't afford the full size of equal trim.

Of course that's just the way I see it.

For example, I've cross shopped between the Yukon, expedition and the Durango and Explorer for my wife. All three can sit 3 rows and can fold the rear seat for more space. The upside to the Durango/Explorer was that they were cheaper in cost. Of course trade offs were frame, width and towing IIRC.

It's almost like comparing the small pick ups to a 1500.
They are cool, but there's a limit most are willing to spend cause then you can get a full size truck for nearly the same price.

Blk04L said:

For me it's not so much about total cost, as it's about getting bang for your buck.

Guess I just don't see the point in a smaller 3 row SUV when you can buy a Platinum Expedition for nearly the same cost. Sure the interior of the Aviator will blow some away and be a key selling point.

But the Plat Expedition has more space, nice interior and is bigger. And Lincoln doesn't carry the prestige that much over anything. So it's not we are comparing an Acura to a Benz.
To me, the smaller Explorers/aviators make sense when you needed three rows but couldn't afford the full size of equal trim.

Of course that's just the way I see it.

For example, I've cross shopped between the Yukon, expedition and the Durango and Explorer for my wife. All three can sit 3 rows and can fold the rear seat for more space. The upside to the Durango/Explorer was that they were cheaper in cost. Of course trade offs were frame, width and towing IIRC.

It's almost like comparing the small pick ups to a 1500.
They are cool, but there's a limit most are willing to spend cause then you can get a full size truck for nearly the same price.

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On the contrary, I can say that my parents who are in their mid 60s and are looking for a midsize SUV and my dad said he and my mom want this Aviator more than anything but they dont want to go that expensive. They aren't super wealthy but if they were a little more well off they would get it in a heartbeat. If I had the money I would get one in a heartbeat and I may be looking for a used one down the road if prices come down on them. I have spent a lot of time in both the Expedition, Navigator, and Explorer. The Exp/Nav are huge vehicles that nobody really needs unless you have the family to fill it. The Explorers are a good compromise in size and price in comparison to the bigger Expedition so a high end luxury version of it will be a popular option. Plus, with the Aviator you are getting an option hybrid powertrain that is supppsed to be making over 600ft lbs of torque. The new Explorer and Aviator are going to be significantly faster than the bigger SUVs