Cadillac knows it, we know it, and Matthew McConaughey subconsciously mumbled it: Lincoln can't succeed without distancing itself from Ford. Apparently, according to unnamed sources talking to Reuters, Lincoln is slated to receive big bucks, use a distinct vehicle platform, and see every model "redesigned or replaced over the next five years."
Reuters said Ford CEO Mark Fields has earmarked at least $1 billion for Lincoln per year over the next five years after spending $2 billion since 2012. A new front- and all-wheel-drive "premium platform" called D6 will underpin the next generation of Lincolns starting in 2019, and, as far as we can tell, it won't be shared by any Ford models. The sources said former CEO Alan Mulally had considered selling or killing Lincoln and that "in some years [Ford] spent only $500 million or less on Lincoln."
Cadillac executives have been more blunt: They've gone on record saying Lincoln isn't even a competitor and that its business model is a decade behind. With sleepy refreshes like the 2015 Navigator ("Full speed behind," we called it) and bungled, uninspiring debuts like the MKZ, ("still a less-attractive, more-expensive Ford Fusion"), we've wondered in cold, hard pixels if Ford really wanted Lincoln to die quietly like Mercury. The renaming of the brand as "Lincoln Motor Company" hasn't moved any needles.
But for once, there's optimism. Here's what to expect from future Lincolns:
2015: New MKX crossover—based on this concept—in the spring
2016: Replacement for MKS sedan in the spring, with LWB version for China (and for what it's worth, we've heard that our exclusive renderings are basically spot on.)
2017: Navigator goes aluminum in the fall, using aluminum body panels and F-150 steel chassis
2018: New-for-2015 MKC compact crossover gets a refresh
2019: Replacements for MKZ sedan and MKT crossover as first cars on D6 platform
The news comes across as slightly incredulous, but the survival of the brand depends on it being accurate. Cadillac is hell-bent on model expansion and already has a credible portfolio of well-executed cars. Mercedes, BMW, and Audi are looking downmarket with smaller, front-wheel-drive models that bring well-respected badges into Lincoln's pricing arena. In a lot of ways, Lexus is trying to replace BMW as the performance-oriented luxury brand. Acura most closely relates to Lincoln's identity crisis, but it's far closer to getting its act together.
- Watch Hilarious Jim Carrey SNL Spoofs of the McConaughey Lincoln Ads
- 2015 Lincoln MKC 2.3 EcoBoost AWD Tested: Lincoln's Great Escape
- Lincoln MKZ Coverage: Reviews, News, Pricing, Specs, and More
As for Lincoln, the only thing it can truly hang its hat on right now is the Escape-based MKC, mostly because the attractive crossover doesn't resemble an Escape and offers polished driving dynamics. Ford said it wants Lincoln to triple its sales to 300,000 cars by 2020, a statement that now has credence given the brand's first dip into the Chinese market last week and this latest product news. Lincoln has hired a new chief designer, too, so things indeed seem afoot at LiMoCo.
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