Ford tells Lincoln dealers to invest more or they will lose the franchise

Ford announced that Lincoln dealers will have until early January to make a life-or-death decision: they have to meet the brand’s new standard and invest more or simply lose the franchise. It’s not a secret anymore that Ford will drop 200 of its almost 1,200 franchises, in order to rehabilitate the sagging luxury brand. Ford wants to reduce the number of dealers found in metro markets.

"Dealers will decide," said Mark Fields, Ford Motor Co.'s president of the Americas. Currently, less than 35 percent of all Lincoln dealers meet Ford’s standards, and in order to make the brand more competitive fords needs to increase U.S. sales, sales per dealership, loyalty rates and residual value.
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veyron1001 - 10/12/2010 6:11:06 PM

+7 Boost

I have an idea. How about make a car from the ground up instead of rebadging a Ford.

MorePower - 10/13/2010 4:52:31 AM

+3 Boost

Bingo!

iamdabest1 - 10/12/2010 10:53:39 PM

+2 Boost

all great points ^^^... i must admit, i like cheering for an underdog and when i went to this past years new york auto show and sat in all the lincoln's i really wanted to like the cars... the interior of all of them i hated. the bagding of the models are VERY confusing and im a car guy,, mks, mkt, mkz its out of hand and the designs are poor. Lincoln has a long way to go.

Whelan - 10/13/2010 9:24:07 AM

-1 Boost

Instead of "dealer investment" how about "Ford investment" into building something that is competitive and appealing. A lesson Acura needs to learn quickly as well.

I'm pretty sure when my company offers an employee stock purchase plan, they are not looking for a HUGE boost in profit.

tango - 10/13/2010 10:19:37 AM

-1 Boost

Lincoln is to Ford what Acura is to Honda. A brand thatw as once a great addition, but is now a burden. Why does Lincoln not have a rear drive premium sedan? They will eventually end up duking it out with Buick for sales instead of Cadillac where it really should be. But at the prices they are asking for the models? Has anybody seen how much they are asking for the MK...umm...err...the one that's based on the Taurus...I could get a Mercedes C-Class with that money.