Lincoln: Dead Brand Walking, or Signs of Life?

[joseodiaga4]

they need to build coupes

[ZanatWork]

they need to build coupes

I really, really want to agree with that...but I can't. Most places nowadays don't even have parking places big enough for the long doors of coupes. Lincoln would need to do the "4-door coupe" bit that's so popular with every German car company lately.

I love coupes. Had a Mach 1, had a REAL (1970) Marauder, had a same-year LTD XL, had a T-Bird SC...but I either had to double-park or park in the boonies because coupes bigger than a Honda Fit aren't welcome in today's parking lots. They want as many spots as possible, so they put the lines closer and closer together...until anything with 2 doors is almost impossible to get in or out of.

I hate it, but until someone fixes it...it's the world we live in. I keep waiting for front sliding doors, or maybe the Mark VIII that had doors which would slide under the car (the prototype was on ebay within the last few years) could create a solution...but it hasn't happened yet.

[ZanatWork]

LOL @ Mercury performance. So forgettable that most have already forgotten. Let Mercury stay DEAD.

Um, what?

Capris? Cougars? Montego MXs? Marauders? The cars that dominate a huge amount of hot-rodding? The days of getting your dealership to put a "Mercury V8" in your Ford because it had more power?

Lincoln doesn't have a damned thing besides nautical ride quality and Kennedy's blood stains that have meant anything in automotive history in over 4 decades. Mercury was a hell of a lot more interesting.

[Logans Run]

Um, what?

Capris? Cougars? Montego MXs? Marauders? The cars that dominate a huge amount of hot-rodding? The days of getting your dealership to put a "Mercury V8" in your Ford because it had more power?

Lincoln doesn't have a damned thing besides nautical ride quality and Kennedy's blood stains that have meant anything in automotive history in over 4 decades. Mercury was a hell of a lot more interesting.

Mercury was racing the Cougar in an IMSA series back in the late 80's. I think they even won their division championship a couple times.

Too bad for the Premier Auto Group fiasco and the new Global 'one ford fits all' thinking.

[Andrew L]

Um, what?

Capris? Cougars? Montego MXs? Marauders? The cars that dominate a huge amount of hot-rodding? The days of getting your dealership to put a "Mercury V8" in your Ford because it had more power?

Lincoln doesn't have a damned thing besides nautical ride quality and Kennedy's blood stains that have meant anything in automotive history in over 4 decades. Mercury was a hell of a lot more interesting.

Really nothing in 4 decades? Nothing at all?

I disagree completely

How about the Mark III the car that out sold the FWD Eldorado every year it production?



I admit the Mark V and VI were starting to get long in the tooth since they really looked the same

but how about the Mark VII? The Mark that reinvented the brand that brought performance and some muscle back into the Lincoln brand



And how about the Mark VIII? A car that was an advanced for its time having features like a suspension that would lower the car the faster you drove it for better handling at highway speeds, and adjustable for what kind of ride you want, or side view mirrors that would automatically aim downward when backing up to assist with parallel parking etc etc



And while it may not be popular with you or me you CANNOT deny the impact that the Navigator had at the time. It introduced a whole new segment to the luxury market



And finally the LS, which was self explanatory, it kept the ball rolling where the Mark VII and VIII left off with performance but took it a step further with superior handling and adding 2 more doors.



All of this while keeping the Town Car and Continental rolling.

All of that also looks way more impressive than this:





Again no offense to Mercury, I OWNED one.. hell this was MY CAR:


And trust me I loved this car, Mercury has a soft spot in my heart but they lost their way, WAY before Lincoln did. They had NOTHING in the 80s and on. The last unique Mercury's were really the 99-02 Cougar and Early 90s Capri. Not something I would rush out to buy.

[LincolnFanFl]

Again no offense to Mercury, I OWNED one.. hell this was MY CAR:


And trust me I loved this car, Mercury has a soft spot in my heart but they lost their way, WAY before Lincoln did. They had NOTHING in the 80s and on. The last unique Mercury's were really the 99-02 Cougar and Early 90s Capri. Not something I would rush out to buy.

Hey, you owned the red one?

Funny - here's one I owned:

[Andrew L]

Yep thats the exact car taken at a beach in RI haha that's funny! Mine was an LS Premium had all the factory options except the passenger power seat. I added the power antenna, locking glove box, courtesy lights, SHO Speedometer, auto dimming rear view mirror, and a cold air intake with cone filter. It was a fun car for what it was and I learned a lot on it. But I prefer my LS now ;)

[ZanatWork]

Let's see, in order...

1. Yes, between the suicide door Continental and the Mark VII, not much was worth reporting other than the Town Car...whose basic job was to be large and soft.
2. The Mark VII (which I liked after it got the better 5.0) was okay-great for some, but the chassis was already outdated in its class. Fun car, but it was...a Fairmont, one of many offered by Ford.
3. The Mark VIII (which I liked after the refresh) brought some (already existent, in German cars mostly) tech to the game...but it was an air-sprung TBird/Cougar. A lot of them up here in the Northwest, I notice.
4. The Navigator was a decent idea initially, but the update...was last in every single category it was comparo'd in. Every category. It's as ignored as the Expedition whose bones it shares (and I own an Expy).
5. The LS was mid-pack at its debut, given only light updates, and basically is best remembered for providing part of the Mustang's chassis. I really wish it had been successful...and developed. Alas, not the case.

The LS is the only one in that group that's not-wait for it-a "gussied up Ford"...and it got killed. The main difference overall is the air suspensions, which fail and are expensive to fix. I notice Monroe shock company makes a kit to convert some Lincolns to "normal" spring/strut suspensions again.

The Mercuries shown are why I would have loved to go into high-level meetings in Dearborn with a baseball bat for many years. That said, the generations of Capri 5.0, various Cougar XR-7s, and even the last Marauder had some attitude that could have been utilized better toward future models.

I'd still take Jill Wagner over the Mad Men guy.

[Andrew L]

Let's see, in order...

1. Yes, between the suicide door Continental and the Mark VII, not much was worth reporting other than the Town Car...whose basic job was to be large and soft.
2. The Mark VII (which I liked after it got the better 5.0) was okay-great for some, but the chassis was already outdated in its class. Fun car, but it was...a Fairmont, one of many offered by Ford.
3. The Mark VIII (which I liked after the refresh) brought some (already existent, in German cars mostly) tech to the game...but it was an air-sprung TBird/Cougar. A lot of them up here in the Northwest, I notice.
4. The Navigator was a decent idea initially, but the update...was last in every single category it was comparo'd in. Every category. It's as ignored as the Expedition whose bones it shares (and I own an Expy).
5. The LS was mid-pack at its debut, given only light updates, and basically is best remembered for providing part of the Mustang's chassis. I really wish it had been successful...and developed. Alas, not the case.

The LS is the only one in that group that's not-wait for it-a "gussied up Ford"...and it got killed. The main difference overall is the air suspensions, which fail and are expensive to fix. I notice Monroe shock company makes a kit to convert some Lincolns to "normal" spring/strut suspensions again.

The Mercuries shown are why I would have loved to go into high-level meetings in Dearborn with a baseball bat for many years. That said, the generations of Capri 5.0, various Cougar XR-7s, and even the last Marauder had some attitude that could have been utilized better toward future models.

I'd still take Jill Wagner over the Mad Men guy.

uhh LS does not have an air suspension... LS has Double wishbone up front and full IRS.

Also the Mark rode on the FN10 platform which was a modified MN12 biggest differences was where the gas tank was mounted and how the exhaust was routed and more use of aluminum in the FN10 where the MN12 used all steel.

[1980Capri]

Right now, the MKZ reminds me of how the ES came across when Toyota first created Lexus: A marginally warmed over Camry. Still is, but has now separated itself enough and has created enough brand identity to make it under its own flag. Ford needs to make some dramatic moves to separate ALL Lincolns from Fords as fast as possible.