A Lofty Goal for Lincoln

Despite the reborn Aviator stumbling out of the gate this past summer, the Lincoln brand otherwise had a good year. Sales rose 8.3 percent in 2019, making it the best year for the resurgent brand since 2007.

Lincoln brass see an even better year ahead, projecting a retail sales bump of 20 percent.

That figure comes by way of Automotive News and the recent NADA dealer-palooza in Las Vegas. There, Lincoln dealers expressed discontent over the looming eradication of sedans from the brand’s lineup. Executives seem nonplussed by the impending death of the faltering MKZ and Continental, however, claiming the strength of its crossover and SUV lineup will propel the brand to even greater heights in 2020.

It’s definitely where the market’s heading, and it’s where Lincoln’s strength now lies. The thinking is that the Aviator, with kinks ironed out and a full year of sales under its belt, will garner significant volume for the company, joined by the new-for-2020 Corsair (formely MKC) and the plug-in variant arriving later this year. The Corsair Grand Touring goes on sale this summer.

There’s reason for both optimism and concern. While Lincoln cars are indeed losing popularity (combined sales of the MKZ and Continental fell 15 percent in 2019), they still make up 22 percent of the brand’s sales. Come 2021 and thereafter, that volume will need to be replaced by utility vehicles.

Lincoln’s CUV/SUV growth was an impressive 17.2 percent last year, and hard not to see that number growing in 2020. Nautilus (née MKX) sales rose 11 percent in 2019, the model’s best showing since its first full year on the market (2007). The Aviator, though slow to make it to customers, still managed 6,424 sales in the final quarter of 2019 — more volume than the MKZ and Continental combined.

The MKT, a darling of livery stables everywhere, ended production late last year, though the model’s fleet-only nature means its death won’t weigh on Lincoln’s retail projections.

Meanwhile, the range-topping Navigator posted a 4.6-percent gain for the year, enjoying its best annual tally since 2007. A threat arises, however, in the form of the 2021 Cadillac Escalade due out later this year. All-new, with a independent rear suspension and an optional six-cylinder diesel, the upcoming Escalade boasts a gigantic dash screen and significantly improved interior volume.

Lincoln will no longer be the new kid on the block in that segment.

[Images: Lincoln]