Reinvigorating a faded premium automotive brand is almost as hard as starting a new one. Just ask Lincoln, Ford’s upscale nameplate, which is taking its first small steps toward putting the shine back on a once lustrous marque.
Cadillac embarked on a similar revival plan 20 years ago and is still battling hard to secure a share of the luxury market, which is dominated by the German trio BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi, plus Japan’s Lexus brand.
And to complicate matters, we have the second tier premium Japanese players, Acura and Infiniti, redoubling their efforts to gain a slice of the pie, together with the aggressive newcomers from Korea, Hyundai and Kia, both of which are moving upscale fast. Then there is Buick, a powerhouse brand for General Motors in China that is making steady progress on rebuilding a presence in the U.S.
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