Ford Gets All Emotional
Just in time for Thanksgiving, Ford invited its forgotten domestic offerings for a feast of promises and not much else. Car and Driver reports that Ford's Mark Fields won't send Mercury home hungry, but "we have higher aspirations for Lincoln." So Mercury still sucks and Lincoln will suck less. Even better, freshly-minted marketing maven Jim Farley reached higher by saying Lincoln must "take advantage of new overseas markets in countries such as China, India, Russia, and in the Middle East." With what? An old Volvo chassis and no V8 engine? But wait, there's less! Ford invited their red-headed stepchild for dinner, proclaiming the long-dead SVT brand is still part of the family. Note to Dearborn: the proof is in the pudding and we're still hungry. Happy Thanksgiving!
More by Sajeev Mehta
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umterp85: okie dokie, so in five years... Refreshed MKZ: if it sells significantly better, so be it. But its way too down market for Lincoln in the long term. It really needs a death notice when Jaguar gets the boot. Let Volvo and Mercury take up the slack. MKS: whatever name its been attached to, the D3 chassis has been a colossal failure for FoMoCo. And its the absolute wrong chassis for Lincoln. Wrong styling, wrong chassis, a complete mismatch. I know the Chicago factory needs D3 products, but the MKS shouldn't have been green lighted. MKR: perfectly Lincolnish proportions, front end is a bit over the top and the back end has been an ugly Lincoln concept car hallmark for too long. But if they get the RWD stance/proportions right, it'll work for me and most everyone who isn't brand loyal to Lexus/Infiniti/BMW/etc. Refreshed MKX: if luxo CUV sales don't trend downward, its on the right path. Now's a good time to mention all Lincolns need the same frickin' grille. I think the current MKX's grille gets people talking and is a BIG part to its current success. The MKX looks like a Lincoln! (for a CUV) I'd like an MKR with this grille...which would make a fine update to McGovern's 2002 Continental Concept. Refreshed Nav: make the interior even higher quality, more gadgets, more luxury, diesel engine, same beefy chassis. Lincoln can do no wrong here: these things still sell and have pretty juicy profits. Hurry up and dump Land Rover already! And all Lincolns need real names. MKR = Continental. MKX = Aviator. MKS = DOA. MKZ = Mercury Sable. :) And yes, I know I'm living in a dream world.
Ford is surviving off of Mazda, Volvo, and Europe Ford products rebadged as real Fords. In China Ford actually has a shot at fooling the Chinese. Ford does not have the negative legacy in China as it does here in N.A. There are no exploding Pintos, Crown Vics., roll over Explorers and genral POS Fords in China's past. Like VW Ford has a window of oppertunity in China until reality steps in when the Chinese figure out the competition has better products.
Sajeev---great perspective. BTW...agree on the "grill thing". Lincoln should pick one corporate face and stick with it. Unfortunately----what you see on the MKS and MKR concept is it....and is a supposed Lincoln cue from the '40's....don't dislike it....but does not provoke any "cool" emotion either. The MKX grill (and backside for that matter) were a driving factor in my purchase---very cool. The look gets favorable comments all of the time from a variety of people including alot of Lexi and BMW owners who have no friggin idea that the grill is an adaptation of the early 60's Continental....thats the beautiful thing....the look is timeless....they should have gone with this setup as the corprate face.
I'm glad the waffle-grille resonates with you and people around you. It is a game changer for Lincoln, kinda like the Chrysler 300's schnoz. I'm sure plenty in Ford's design studio think the MKX' grille is too retro and "Intercontinental." (sorry Mr. H, couldn't resist) I know retro is a bad word after the 2002 Thunderbird, but Ford needs to get over it. Same thing with the Ford Fairlane/Edge, this company is so damn afraid of their past (unless its the easily understandable Mustang) they constantly change scope. And shoot themselves in the foot. C'mon Ford, we forgive you for the exploding Pintos, engine fires, etc. It doesn't have to be this way.