[SobeSVT]

Ford CEO's vow: We'll rebuild Lincoln lineup
Automotive News
Jamie LaReau, Charles Child and Peter Brown
November 8, 2010

Alan Mulally wears his heart on his sleeve. Well, sort of. He does wear the word "Ford" embroidered on the cuff of his white dress shirts.

"My dream is you'll walk away and believe I'm about accelerating Henry Ford's original position," Mulally says.

Since taking over as CEO in 2006, Mulally, 65, has been steering the automaker's turnaround. Ford Motor Co. has reduced its debt by $10.8 billion this year and has reported six consecutive quarters of profits despite a U.S. economy that's still recovering.

Staff Reporter Jamie LaReau, News Editor Charles Child and Publisher Peter Brown spoke with Mulally at his office in Dearborn, Mich., about what's next for Ford as it closes Mercury and looks to rebuild Lincoln.



If U.S. production growth continues, will we see an increase in Ford's North American production?

Yes. Clearly, based on the strength of the market coming back and our increasing market share, you just multiply one times the other and we'll be increasing the production. But we haven't given guidance out on how much for next year.



How will you compete in Europe if competitors keep producing too much and charging too little?

They have overcapacity, and they didn't move as aggressively as the United States. Over time, economics will dominate. We've seen some of our competitors with unsustainable practices on discounting. You just can't do that because you can't stay in business. So as we go forward, I am confident the economics will take over -- the fact that you have to run as a business as you said, which is exactly what's happening in the United States.



You have a good Fiesta, soon to have a new Focus, and gasoline is still $2.85 a gallon. Are you flexible enough to make what people want to buy, independent of gasoline prices?

Oh, absolutely. Remember, our plan is a full family of vehicles. In the United States, because we were not competitive on the cost side, we chose not to invest very much in smaller vehicles, and we focused on bigger SUVs and pickups. It wasn't because there wasn't a market. It just happened that the Japanese were in that market. Well, with our transformation, our new agreement with the UAW and our new cost structure, we can make money on cars in the United States.



Let's talk about plans to rebuild Lincoln. A lot of dealers say they want to see this new lineup before committing millions of dollars to store renovations. What are they telling you?

They are excited at the fact that Ford has chosen now to revitalize Lincoln as a luxury brand. This is again a continuation of the Ford plan because the Lincoln plan includes three pieces: You've got to have dynamite luxury vehicles, and we know how to do that; you need a distribution system where you have the Lincoln stores in the right places, where the luxury customers are in the United States; and the Lincoln stores that choose to go with us on this need to take the consumer experience to a whole new level to support the luxury customers.

We're going to do it collaboratively with them, and we're going to create a great brand again out of Lincoln


Full interview at the link

 

[Andrew L]

I hope they do create a great brand again....

Heres to hoping for a new RWD vehicle like the LS

 

[falcon lover]

Good interview. Mullaly is promising a new Lincoln, and i want to believe him. I will see in 5 years .

 

[T'Cal]

Looking forward to distinctive Lincoln products, while lamenting trhe loss of Mercury...

 

[Logans Run]

Good interview. Mullaly is promising a new Lincoln, and i want to believe him. I will see in 5 years .

I don't think it will happen in 5 years...maybe 10-12 years will give us a completely new Lincoln.

 

[nsap]

I don't doubt that Ford cannot churn out some incredible product for Lincoln. They have more than proved that ability with the Ford brand. That said, I do question if Lincoln's image can be turned around. I hope it is like Buick and far more repairable than I thought, but it's very difficult to say. Lincoln has been mismanaged for a very long time and the cantankerous dealers are helping fight the fight.

 

[Andrew L]

I don't doubt that Ford cannot churn out some incredible product for Lincoln. They have more than proved that ability with the Ford brand. That said, I do question if Lincoln's image can be turned around. I hope it is like Buick and far more repairable than I thought, but it's very difficult to say. Lincoln has been mismanaged for a very long time and the cantankerous dealers are helping fight the fight.

I don't think their image is as damaged as everyone is saying, it sitll has prestege though I will agree it is not what it was a few years ago

 

[TurboS40]

How about a series of image building ads/commercials showing the Lincoln heritage so people understand what Lincoln is all about. It might have a better impact than only showing vehicles. People could see all the history involved here that ties into the current/future line of vehicles. Am I way off with this idea? It could work.

 

[ausrutherford]

^
To do that they would first need a Continental. Thats is the brands heritage.

 

[nsap]

How about a series of image building ads/commercials showing the Lincoln heritage so people understand what Lincoln is all about. It might have a better impact than only showing vehicles. People could see all the history involved here that ties into the current/future line of vehicles. Am I way off with this idea? It could work.

Well it could work, but not with the current lineup. The current lineup virtually has no link to Lincoln's storied past. If you want to market a brand in a certain light, that brand had best be a reality of what you are trying to market. For example, today they are marketing Lincoln as a technology leader. That is not untrue and thus the marketing is not just marketing bs, it is the reality.

I suppose they could tie in the new technology as being a tradition at Lincoln and compare it to innovations of Lincolns past, but I don't know how effective that would be.

 

[Andrew L]

How about a series of image building ads/commercials showing the Lincoln heritage so people understand what Lincoln is all about. It might have a better impact than only showing vehicles. People could see all the history involved here that ties into the current/future line of vehicles. Am I way off with this idea? It could work.

I like this idea a lot, but like Ausrutherford said they need a Continental first

They could use this to introduce it and advertise it once it is ready though... just thinking about it is making me drool

 

[Andrew L]

Well it could work, but not with the current lineup. The current lineup virtually has no link to Lincoln's storied past. If you want to market a brand in a certain light, that brand had best be a reality of what you are trying to market. For example, today they are marketing Lincoln as a technology leader. That is not untrue and thus the marketing is not just marketing bs, it is the reality.

I suppose they could tie in the new technology as being a tradition at Lincoln and compare it to innovations of Lincolns past, but I don't know how effective that would be.

there are certain things that link the current Lincolns to Lincolns of the past such ast styling cues, like the srong shoulders in the MKT and MKS, the split grill from the Zephyr, the small hump in the rear from the 60s continentals

as for names though it is all new

 

[ausrutherford]

To throughly run a "heritage" ad campaign, they need heritage models.

Also...this might help as well.

MkS----->Sentinal
MkX----->Xerxes (sounds luxury enough)
MkZ----->Zephyr
MkT-----> Turin ("Touring" sounds like this in some US geographical areas as is. Its an Italian city, which sounds like luxury.)

 

[falcon lover]

^
To do that they would first need a Continental. Thats is the brands heritage.

The brand's heritage image, the 1961 Continental, is not a Lincoln car, but is the most famous image associated with Lincoln. The sensational Continental sedan with suicide doors is not a Lincoln, is a car in its own division: Continental. This first Continental was designed and planned to compete with Rolls Royce and Bentley. And it did very weel!

This car must be the inspiration for the new Lincoln's designers . This car could inspirate some ideas,like the front grille ( egg crate, like the Navigator and the previous MK X grille) This is an obvious design detail that is mandatory in the new line of cars, trucks and crossovers. The "spare tire bulge" in the trunk is another idea that could be taken and interpreted in a modern way to give some heritage apparence to the new cars.

Why a car so simple is sooooo elegant and has that fabulous upscale look??? That is the mistery the new Lincoln's designer team need to resolve

 

[Andrew L]

The brand's heritage image, the 1961 Continental, is not a Lincoln car, but is the most famous image associated with Lincoln. The sensational Continental sedan with suicide doors is not a Lincoln, is a car in its own division: Continental. This first Continental was designed and planned to compete with Rolls Royce and Bentley. And it did very weel!

This car must be the inspiration for the new Lincoln's designers . This car could inspirate some ideas,like the front grille ( egg crate, like the Navigator and the previous MK X grille) This is an obvious design detail that is mandatory in the new line of cars, trucks and crossovers. The "spare tire bulge" in the trunk is another idea that could be taken and interpreted in a modern way to give some heritage apparence to the new cars.

Why a car so simple is sooooo elegant and has that fabulous upscale look??? That is the mistery the new Lincoln's designer team need to resolve

uhh no 60's Continental was a Lincoln

the 50's Continental was a Continental not a Lincoln

 

[falcon lover]

uhh no 60's Continental was a Lincoln

the 50's Continental was a Continental not a Lincoln

You are rigth!

Whatever, this 1961 Continental is the most beautiful sedan ever!

 

[falcon lover]

here some others 1961 Continental pictures :

What a nice car! look at that wood.... real and very good looking wood.And that chrome...real and very good looking chrome. Take this car, Lincoln, and reinterpret it and doing something modern with this higth quality materials and finish

 

[Andrew L]

here some others 1961 Continental pictures :

What a nice car! look at that wood.... real and very good looking wood.And that chrome...real and very good looking chrome. Take this car, Lincoln, and reinterpret it and doing something modern with this higth quality materials and finish

I agree the 60s Continental is beautiful.... the new Lincolns are not too far off in terms of materials, using real wood, they should start using real chrome. you know my 99 Mercury Sable had real chrome around the windows and in the door moldings to make it more different than the Taurus... So they CAN do it!

I really really really hope the new MKS is a knockout

 

[2b2]

I don't think it will happen in 5 years...maybe 10-12 years will give us a completely new Lincoln.

[repost from elsewhere]

- with the new Focus/C-Max platform available practically immediately
- followed within about a year by the KuGa
- *and* the possibility of an all new MKS which could be on the MKT/Flex's longer wheelbase (+ no reason they couldn't keep a version on the current short wheelbase too)
- & if anyone's interested, a new F-150-based Navigator
- plus we KNOW the Mondeo/Fusion merger isn't far off so an all new MKZ (2012cy?) ...which could indicate an all new MKX too
- followed by ANOTHER new swb MKS (2013cy?)
so
nothing significantly (or Astoundingly!) new in the next 4 years just makes No Sense to me
(not even considering that imho FoMoCo can start building the GRwdP as soon as a factory is ready = 12 months from eventual greenlight)

if, IF! Lincoln doesn't get a SWARM of new stuff PDQ
it will only be because Ford doesn't want to do it!​

How about a series of image building ads/commercials showing the Lincoln heritage so people understand what Lincoln is all about. It might have a better impact than only showing vehicles. People could see all the history involved here that ties into the current/future line of vehicles. Am I way off with this idea? It could work.

no offense, TurboS40, but I saw a thread elsewhere about a new heritage-theme Chevrolet commerical...
...the consensus was FAIL because it ignored the vehicles that are for SALE now
&
the only people who'd appreciate the heritage are enthusiasts who already know a lot about it ... ie won't bring in new customers
+
imho most people don't care about what happened before they got their drivers' license
++
imho anything that reminds them of their parents or what their parents drove is a negative
so
imho focusing on the NEW-NEW-NEW is the only way to go
Luckily FoMoCo has more & better NEW than the other guys

 

[TurboS40]

Ok, I just thought that there are people out there who don't have a clue as to what makes a Lincoln a Lincoln. These days people only think of Lincoln as a trim package of a Ford. I wasn't thinking of the Chevy commercial when proposed Lincoln should image build. Lincoln has tons of history. Not just the Continental. The PanAmerican Mexian Road Race Lincolns, The custom coachbuilt varieties in the 20's and 30's, the LS and the fact that it was always the crown jewel of the Ford Motor Company until Jaguar and Co. took over in the early 2000's and squeezed Lincoln down to entry-luxury level which we all know was the beginning of the end for Mercury.

What advertising/commercials were used when Lincoln had sales of 200K plus? They must have been doing something right to achieve that amount of sales. Maybe use the ad ideas that worked in the past and apply to the new wave of vehicles. Of course Lincoln had exciting product and people knew what a Lincoln was back then but keep in mind that the new product is coming. Ford isn't going to show the whole plan just yet. Only bits and pieces with the 7 new or improved yada yada yada. The upcoming auto shows will be where Ford shows all if they are serious enough with Lincoln. There will be concepts, drawings and hopefully a surprise or 2.