Lincoln's Cash Cow Grows Hungrier

As we told you earlier this month, the full-size Lincoln Navigator SUV plays a much larger role in the brand’s fortunes than in years past. The nameplate now accounts for over 18 percent of Lincoln’s sales. Over the first five months of 2018, sales of the square-rigged luxomobile rose 85.8 percent, partially offsetting the loss of passenger car sales and topping up Ford’s coffers with the model’s generous MSRP.

Sales aren’t the only thing on the rise when it comes to the Navigator.

According to CarsDirect, Navigator buyers stand to part with more of their money. On June 1st, Lincoln ratcheted up the price of all Navigator trims by $500 and inflated its destination charge by $100 (to $1,295). This means a base Navigator now leaves the lot for $73,850 after delivery. A top-flight, long-wheelbase Black Label L stickers for $98,700.

The price change doesn’t indicate the presence of any new features or equipment, and it only applies to vehicles ordered after June 1st. Older stock hanging out at your local dealer will carry the old price.

Should you choose to lease, you might find yourself facing an even larger increase. In California, for example, a 36-month lease of a base Premier will set you back $859 a month, with $5,909 due at signing. That works out to $1,023 a month, CarsDirect reports, or $131 a month more expensive than the lease deal offered in February.

Apparently, the Navigator’s popularity is strong enough for Lincoln to draw extra profit from it. Over at General Motors, however, Cadillac still has cash waiting for conquest buyers interested in an Escalade. $6,000 might change a few minds.

[Image: Lincoln Motor Company]