Colvindesign

What are they thinking with the new Lincoln Mark LT, the Blackwood wasn't enough of a flop for ya? You had to do one better? Instead of a high class truck, now you have a truck with a chrome grill and leather. I'm not gonna harp on this cause I am sure that sales numbers reflect my opinion.

The LS...... started off as a great car, but then they neglected it. Gave us the V8, but no manual trans. How about more re-finement, a mid-life face-lift and interior upgrade? Something? Anything? It's like they just sent it out there as is and would not give it any help at all. So I am sure there wil probably not be a replacement because of lackluster sales (so if you base your thinking on that level I guess there will be no new lincolns at all).

The Town Car. Ya know, there is a way to keep the old buyers and attract younger buyers with a new car, and that is to design it well. I can tell you one thing, that new Lincoln grill on all the show cars is not working for me. Thing is how old? Time to make a change. A long wheel base ultra lux sedan would sell like crazy right now. The 300 is a hit with old and young.

The Aviator/Navigator. I don't see the point. I understand the new Aviator will be car based, but the car they are talking about is the Mazda 6. Seriously someone should go smack them all in the head. I have had enough of this Mazda 6 line up throughout ford.

The Zephyr, a 3.0L V6 and optional AWD and automatic, just what I don't want in my luxury car. Notice that the AWD BMW 3 series does not sell in high numbers. Sorry, but I wanted a long hood and a powerful engine, large wheels and classic styling, not a lincoln grill on a mazda.


If they want to go down market, then where is Mercury going to go?


The following is what I would propose to Bill if he would listen. Start off with the Continental, create a new model with RWD and a 5.4L V8 with DOHC and 20 inch rims standard. More leg room and head room than the current version and less overhang, while on a slightly longer wheelbase. The front end needs a new look that will say Lincoln has arrived. Oh and share engines and IRS with the following model as well. Finally the Continental would get a convertible version.

The the Mark LT, kill it. Re-vive the Mark Series two door lux coupes. Start with the Mustang platform and lengthen the wheelbase a little, then add in the 5.4L dohc. For the ultra lux version use the Triton V10 block/heads and develop new internals and a new valvetrain to meet emmisions and epa requirements. Have 5 cylinders shut off during normal driving. A high belt line, low window line, real long hood and short deck. Then sell it (V10 version) for 50k. Also offer a sport version with more hp and a six speed, how about a hot rod lincoln to chase your Viper?

The LS, well the Zephyr is right in the same size range and since that is brand new it will need to go for a few years, however I would put in the 4.0L V6 and bump it to at least 240 hp. Instead of an Auto-Stick, give me the real thing, an actual manual transmission with that awd for a sports version.

Instead of basing everythign off the Mazda 6, I think Ford should be the company to step up to the plate and realize that it should not cost 50 billion to make a new platform. They should realize this and find a better way to do it, period, end of story.

For the SUVs, I think they should use the current Chassis that they use now, and make their own bodies, to look and be more Lincoln, instead of a Explorer or Expedition with a lincoln grill.

Seriously, I think For has let Lincoln go, and they are not doing enough to keep them alive. The Zephyr may be a luke warm success, but it will not be the red hot seller that they need right now.

Well this is just my 2 cents. Kind of one of those things where you look at something and ask yourself "what are they thinking?"

mustang_sallad

i think with ford in its current state is doing the right thing by making the most of its international resources. its in no position to start building new platforms when readily available platforms from mazda and volvo serve quite well. The Mazda6 platform and the P2 platform from the Volvo S80/XC90 are really solid, and I don't see how abandoning those will help Ford out at all.
I posted here (http://forums.bradbarnett.net/index.php?showtopic=15931) about a thing in Motor Trend talking about future Lincolns. They were saying something in the LS slot (is it maybe a bit bigger than the Zephyr?) based on the P2 platform and getting the 4.4L, 311hp V8 from the XC90, transverse mounted, AWD. They also said they'd switch the Town Car name for the continental, base this one on a stretched P2 with the 4.6L 3-valve triton, which might be stretched up to 5 litres by then.
They were calling all this for around 2009 or something.

I agree though, the Zephyr doesn't quite do it for me in terms of design. Reminds me a bit of that crappy Catera cadillac had before the CTS came along. I still gotta see it in person though.

Colvindesign

With the way that they make cars today, you are right. But like I said, you can't tell me that it costs 50b to develop a new platform. It costs 500m to design and build a skyscraper. I am just saying there is a better way to do things. Look at Saab and Volvo for example, small low volume car makers, yet for years they had their own platforms and were successful, there is no way in heck they spent 50b on a new platform every time they came out with one. They never had the sales to support that.

I'm saying, find a way to do it cheaper, it can be done, just do it. Saabs and Volvos have been praised for their safety for years. If rigidity is a problem, we all know what subframes did for the Fox mustangs, there are solutions that can be designed in.

I am tired of hearing it costs 50b or whatever it actually costs to develop a platform, that's where the darn problem is, it should not cost that much. you have to sell 2 million cars at 25k each just to get to 50b.
That is insanely stupid. Maybe not as home-made as the Lotus Solution, but also not as expensive as the Aston Martin solution, but find a way to do it. Seriously, if a company like saab can survive on 25,000 units a year for a long time and still make new models, someone should pay attention to that.

pmsjones

It is not that simple as for saab the two cars are vauxhall vectra platform from here in europe

Colvindesign

for the past 40 years?

Zastava_101

Just create something that can compete with Cadillac's cars. More powerful and more sporty.

Moosetang

1. Look at GM's recent disaster with its new RWD platform and tell me how easy it is to create something new.
2. The big 2-door coupes aren't coming back becuase demand for them is barely on the radar. The Mustang, sorty import rice-burners, and bob-tailed BMWs manage to survive in their niche, but something like the Mk.9 concept would have a hard time finding a customer base.
3. Noone's gonna argue that Lincoln's where fans want it to be. But if the Z and the Aviator sell well they'll do alot more for the company than a new "old-school Lincoln"-style car.

cheech6g

My problem with lincoln is that they never follow through on there desighns or proposals. I can undersand them coming out with a totally crazy concept and then never produce it like once a year or every other year; but they dont. They make these amazingly beutiful realistic concepts and then never do anything with them. The MK 9 concept was one of the best i have seen in a long time. Befor that was the Zephyer concept. Grandted they are producing it, the production one is no where near as nice as the concept. Even before that was the contenetal cocept. We all remember that. That car was the defenition of pure automotive bliss. Now if the big guys over at lincoln took their heads out of their asses for a minute they'd realize that. This is just my opinion but lincoln has a lot of potential, they just need to start getting serious about being their own brand, not just a "nicer" ford.

GT40 2

Ive already seen 3 linclon F150's.

Colvindesign

do your eyes still hurt?