Can Ford's $1 Billion Last Ditch Effort To Save Lincoln Succeed?

The last push for Lincoln. I really do hope Ford can pull this one out. They did a great job with Ford, let us see what else they can do. I'm excited about this.

Internally, foreign Ford execs (PAG execs) tried to convince the US heads that they needed more funding and access to R&D to benchmark rising German luxury brands. The Ford board/brass balked and noted that their existing profits were OK. Then they started losing market share & revenue tanked as well. They were "forced" to sell off Aston Martin & Land Rover to cover rising costs in other areas of the business. They had a tough time selling Volvo because Ford hadn't really done much with the brand during it's ownership period. They basically had to give Volvo away. Much of PAG's problems arose because Ford didn't let them operate as separate brand entities with a focus on their own core customers and vehicle characteristics.

Ford, now has to basically allow Lincoln to focus on itself in a huge way. It has to dig deep to create a design for the future that can be built today.

The MKS is their current best bet --- though it's a bit on the bland, luxury side design-wise. But maybe they can start there. It would be nice to hear that Ford has or is about to hire an outsider to pen their next concept vehicles.

Their biggest problem is the Navigator as is looks almost identical to the Expedition --- but miraculously still sells well. They have to be a standout, legacy model within the lineup that'll just endure the test of time; kinda like the G-wagen in the current M-B lineup.

I'm sorry but Lincoln does a disservice to Ford and the 16th President of the U.S.

Mullaly-Brought back the Taurus name because it was a well established brand name. Ford should be thinking about this as it pours a Billion into Lincoln.MKZ and MKS etc. simply don't cut it as decent brand names.
Names like TownCar, Capri(Yes there was a Lincoln Capri from 52-56)Mark 9,Continental. All of these names were part of Lincoln's history and should be reused. Further Lincoln needs to offer vehicles that are different enough from Ford in the way of engines, wheelbases,coupes,convertables. Specifically they have offer somthing that Ford could not offer even with options. While I do not agree with them about not using RWD they really need to at least be subtansially different then Ford. If they simply do a Ford with more options they are doomed to fail.

I agree. And stop with the alpha numeric crap already. BMW hasn't changed their model names. Neither has Mercedes or Lexus. Bring back Continental as the 5 series competitor, town car as the 7 series competitor, Mark xx as the 6 series competitor. The best thing they ever did was the LS, and while it was good looking, the interior didn't impress me, but it was better than what they offer now.

The year 2000 called. They want their platform back.

^GTFOH

Yes, absolutely, no doubt in my mind. The volume/premium model has been proven at Toyota/Lexus. Mulally will get it done at Ford too. (He use to drive a Lexus).

A billion might not be enough. They're subsidizing Dealers for their makeover and some dealers don't want to spend. The dealers are the most important link to consumers and the experience must be at par or pass Lexus dealers. As for products, I agree with mini22.

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The 2002 LS was a good vehicle in my opinion.

Seemed to have Jaguar S-Type Chassis, Engine and Gearbox but felt much quicker and the Interior was not {IMO} too inferior to the Jag.

The 2003 Navigator was also not too bad, It wasn't a Range Rover or any of the German SUVs but by NA Manufacturers Standards is was right up there.

The new stuff im not so sure about.

I simply think its a matter of just focusing more omney and energy into the brand, which they obviously haven't done yet. And like others have mentioned, make the models exclusive from anything Ford could offer. Example, what does the MKT offer a customer over the Flex Titanium besides the Lincoln badge and even uglier styling?

Plan B you hit the nail on the head. The MKT is simply a gussied up version of the Flex Titanium. This is exactly the wrong thing Ford should be doing with Lincoln.First off don't call the thing an MKT. I mean it sounds like a car thats been castrated. It has no meaning no heritage no nothing. Name branding I think is important for any car let alone a Luxury one. Even if it was called the Continental MK that would sound better then MKT.What ever Lincoln does it better be subtancially different then any Ford product offering. Engines should probably be a different size with more power and refinement. The styling in overall shape has to be different from Ford. Interiors need to have less plastic and more wood and chrome.The leather should be of a finer quality. I would also not depend to heavily on the SUV's and Crossovers. Lincoln needs decent sedans,coupes,convertables if they are going to compete with Cadillac. They need a 3 series fighter, a 5 series and a 7 series fighter.They need different size crossovers as well. They should come out with an SL or SLC type coupe/convertable.This is the type of product Lincoln should be investing in if it is going to keep going. If all Ford does is the same old same old then they are just pissing a billion down the toilet.

Yes, it can. Ford was in a similar situation years ago (not quite as bad) and look what they have done with themselves. They have improved dramatically in what seems like overnight. It will no doubt be a challenge, but I wouldn't trust anyone other than Ford to be able to pull this off and make Lincoln rise back to its more comfortable level in the 90's.

Absolutely no money amount will help Ford, it will still produce bad cars, it's the management that needs to be let go and replaced with some who care about America's auto image. Their engineers definitely need to go as well and their workers... So in short, get rid of Ford and let a new company start over and enough wasting money on trying to bring a dead elephant back to life.