Ford to rename the Lincoln brand?

**artds** · October-31-12, 08:58 AM

In coming years, Lincoln will debut additional vehicle refreshes and add a compact car to its lineup. It plans to separate its brand image from Ford's by building Lincoln-only dealerships.

Farley said nearly 80 percent of dealers have expressed interest in building new, Lincoln-only dealerships.

There's also been talk of renaming the brand.

Farley, when asked about such a move, said "stay tuned."

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz2AsvgtNFZ

**401don** · October-31-12, 09:02 AM

Renaming the brand, while risky, makes some sense. There's been no cache to the name since the 1970's. Separate dealerships is a very expensive proposition. Dealers will need a ton of cash until sales/service volumes increase.

**mallory** · October-31-12, 09:06 AM

There's a really good name that they could use: Mercury! Sorry, but Lincolns right now are the ugliest American cars on the road. The more they try and compete with Cadillac the uglier their cars get.

**cman710** · October-31-12, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by mallory

There's a really good name that they could use: Mercury! Sorry, but Lincolns right now are the ugliest American cars on the road. The more they try and compete with Cadillac the uglier their cars get.

I agree that Lincolns are pretty ugly right now. I think the most important thing is that Ford build a quality, attractive product. Changing the name might be in order, but unless the product is there, they will not attract long-term customers.

**Bham1982** · October-31-12, 09:12 AM

I'm not a car guy, but isn't Lincoln supposed to be a luxury brand? It has no cache among younger folks.

It needs a dramatic overhaul if it wants the under-50 set to consider the brand in high regard.

JVB · October-31-12, 09:14 AM

I love my Lincoln LS - beautiful car and very reliable. Approaching 180k and no major repairs needed. But I agree the newer Lincolns just don't do it for me.

**artds** · October-31-12, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by mallory

There's a really good name that they could use: Mercury! Sorry, but Lincolns right now are the ugliest American cars on the road. The more they try and compete with Cadillac the uglier their cars get.

I dunno. I think they did a pretty nice job with the new MKZ

**Hermod** · October-31-12, 09:17 AM

The Edsel?

The Thunderturd?

The Henry II?

**iheartthed** · October-31-12, 09:18 AM

Changing the name would be pretty stupid. The name isn't the reason that the brand isn't doing well... It's the cars. The MKZ is clearly just a dressed up Fusion, and the MKX is clearly a dressed up Edge. It's hard to sell a car to a luxury buyer that looks just like a car they could buy for $20,000 cheaper in the same dealership...

**D_Town** · October-31-12, 09:22 AM

Change the name? I think the name is perfectly fine, its the cars designs that's the problem. I really don't many people who thinks Lincolns are attractive cars.

**D_Town** · October-31-12, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Changing the name would be pretty stupid. The name isn't the reason that the brand isn't doing well... It's the cars. The MKZ is clearly just a dressed up Fusion, and the MKX is clearly a dressed up Edge. It's hard to sell a car to a luxury buyer that looks just like a car they could buy for $20,000 cheaper in the same dealership...

Exactly! Look how Volkswagen can differentiate all their brands [[VW, Audi, Bentley) and so can Nissan/Infiniti. Its all about the actual designs.

**dtowncitylover** · October-31-12, 09:58 AM

I like Lincoln. I wish I could afford an MKZ or MKT, maybe one day...

**davewindsor** · October-31-12, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Changing the name would be pretty stupid. The name isn't the reason that the brand isn't doing well... It's the cars. The MKZ is clearly just a dressed up Fusion, and the MKX is clearly a dressed up Edge. It's hard to sell a car to a luxury buyer that looks just like a car they could buy for $20,000 cheaper in the same dealership...

X2

It looks like overpriced junk now.

The only Lincoln I liked was the Town car and they cancelled it last year. Last I heard, the Town car was still the leader in limo sales when they cancelled it. Just like the Crown Vic being a leader for police and taxis, they cancel it.

**Det_ard** · October-31-12, 10:22 AM

It's not the name, it's the product. Cadillac was also viewed as a fuddy-duddy car for retirees and a badge-engineered gussed up Oldsmobile or Buick, which it was at the time. They've slowly changed the image over the last 20 years to where it isn't just grandpa's car. They've got a ways to go still but they have repositioned the brand successfully. Cars like the CTS and ATS gave them the credibility. That's the path Lincoln needs to take.

**artds** · October-31-12, 12:11 PM

In response to all the "it's not the name, its the cars" comments, Ford IS changing the cars. Ford decided on a strategy a few years ago where they would drop the "re-badged Fords" approach to the Lincoln lineup and give the lineup its own identity. The new MKZ is the first step, and Lincoln plans to release several new models in the next few years that won't simply be re-badged Fords. They also plan to make Lincoln dealerships their own thing, as opposed to having Ford-Lincoln dealerships. The name change is being contemplated IN CONJUNCTION with that strategy. They're way ahead of you guys.

**iheartthed** · October-31-12, 12:56 PM

You'd think Ford learned their lesson the last time they tried this gimmick. Don't they remember how much of a fail changing the Taurus to 500 and back to the Taurus was?

**Detroitnerd** · October-31-12, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

You'd think Ford learned their lesson the last time they tried this gimmick. Don't they remember how much of a fail changing the Taurus to 500 and back to the Taurus was?

This is how marketing firms make their nut: Proposing bold, stupid decisions.

Why don't they try something edgy. I'd like to get behind the wheel of a 2014 4-door J. W. Booth sedan.

**Parkguy** · October-31-12, 02:27 PM

They definitely need to redesign the logo, at least. The interior shot that artds linked to shows a modern design with a logo that screams 1960. It looks like the old US Steel logo or the big gold plaster things on the walls in the Fisher Theater. They could keep the same basic idea and update it.

**Honky Tonk** · October-31-12, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

This is how marketing firms make their nut: Proposing bold, stupid decisions.

Why don't they try something edgy. I'd like to get behind the wheel of a 2014 4-door J. W. Booth sedan.

That idea was shot down.

**downtown_racine** · October-31-12, 02:45 PM

hey could just kill the brand entirely and be better off than what they have now IMO.
All the cars are ugly, the Town Car was the only decent looking one, their current best vehicle to me is nothing more than a rebadged F150. You can get any Ford in a luxury version for alot less and the Fords look better. People arent ever going to buy ugly cars.
Cadillac has fixed their image its too bad they stick to crappy Cadillac engines, the best Caddies sold have always been powered Chevy V8's, the Lincolns have always had good Ford engines. I loved my Mark VII and still love all the Mark Series Coupes. Now every car they make is a Mark and they are all ugly.
I like that Lincoln is the only car named after a US President, a good one at that. I wonder when Yota or Honda is going to kill the Camry and Civic names ? I mean they been around forever too.

**Islandman** · October-31-12, 02:48 PM

I've always liked the look of the Lincoln LS.

**downtown_racine** · October-31-12, 05:32 PM

The LS was probably a step in the right direction to attract a younger demographic, somehow Lincoln got turned around 180 degrees since the LS.
The current Lincoln are their own distinct style and its not a good one, what brand car they are competing with is very unclear. The LS would be a 3 series BMW competitor I would imagine.
The MK-whatever is fighting buyers from a Ford Edge and thats as dumb as making a Chevy trucks when you have GMC Truck.

GUSHI · October-31-12, 06:44 PM

The LS is a jag, changing Lincoln name doesn't sound to smart to me, remember the 500 took over the Taurus, now they calling it the tayras again, Look at Buick. They didn't change there name, now they just sell car people want,

Originally Posted by JVB

I love my Lincoln LS - beautiful car and very reliable. Approaching 180k and no major repairs needed. But I agree the newer Lincolns just don't do it for me.

**rb336** · October-31-12, 08:40 PM

Technically, the Jaguar S series used the Ford DEW98 platform. The LS was a good, potentially great car that got lost in Nasser's eurofetishism

**mallory** · November-01-12, 07:52 AM

Originally Posted by artds

I dunno. I think they did a pretty nice job with the new MKZ

No offense, and I truly respect your opinion, but beauty must be in the eye of the beholder because for me, that car is ugly. The front grills on all of their cars are way outdated, and for this new MKZ, they're doing the same thing as they did with the MKT [[T stands for turd btw) with the supposed tail light crossing the whole rear of the car, but only a portion of it is actually a functioning light. DUMB!

I will give them credit for the LS. I thought it was a decent looking car, but since then, nothing that Lincoln has produced does anything for me. As another poster said, most of their vehicles are dressed up Ford's, and the Ford versions look better!

Cadillac did it right, and now they are some of the hottest looking products on the road today. My wife had a first generation CTS [[loved it), traded that for a second generation CTS [[loved it), when that lease was up she traded it for a CTS-V Coupe [[now THAT is a car), and is now thinking about getting the new ATS [[I drive the family beater). Lincoln? Never crossed our minds.

Lincoln should have stayed with the Town Car. At least police departments across America would have kept them in business.