Returning the 'Zephyr' Name to the Lincoln Lineup Would Be Pointless

After standing outside the party in the cold, hoping someone inside would hear its plaintive knocking, Lincoln Motor Company is now on the sales rebound.

The restyled MKX is a hit, we’re getting a better looking (and faster) MKZ, and the new Continental is on the way, but there’s also buzz about a another historic nameplate potentially making a comeback. That model is Zephyr — a name Ford Motor Company recently applied to trademark, though if it’s for use on a vehicle, it should probably reconsider.

Ford’s May filing, first noticed by Autoblog, states it wants to use the Zephyr name for use in “motor vehicles and parts and accessories therefor.”

Why is the automaker doing this? Well, Lincoln’s parent company could simply be looking to keep a historic name in the Ford fold, lest its heritage be sullied by use on a fire-prone hoverboard. Automakers do this all the time, and speculation always runs wild. Just over a week ago, the automaker filing the trademark was General Motors, and the name was Riviera.

Or, it could be planning to return the name to its lineup, which probably wouldn’t be a fantastic idea. At least, as far as sales are concerned.

Compared to Continental — an iconic name stamped onto Lincolns for more than half a century that was once synonymous with American luxury, the Zephyr doesn’t have the same name recognition.

The original V12-powered Zephyr ran from 1936 to 1942, part of the time as its own marque. Besides auto history buffs, the only people who remember that model are ones who remember voting for Truman. Ain’t many of them left.

For the first year of its lineage (2006), the MKZ was known as the Zephyr, until Lincoln decided that playing the alphanumeric game could bring the brand new relevance and an upscale flair. (Yes, there was also a British Ford with the name, as well as a Ford Fairmont-based Mercury model, but those less-than-stellar vehicles are also decades in the past).

Maybe Lincoln thinks names are cool again, or it feels that its models have been swallowed up and watered down by the overabundance of non-word model names. Or, it couldn’t care less about bringing back the name. Either way, Lincoln provided no word on the matter, besides a comment that this was just a normal part of business.

A final comment to drop into the Zephyr-related rumor mill: there’s only one defunct Lincoln model name that would have any real pull with today’s buying public, and that’s “Town Car.”

[Image: The Henry Ford/ Flickr]