1977 Lincoln Markv 460 V8 on 2040-cars

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Lincoln again asking dealers to move out from under Ford's roof

Lincoln is once again looking at ways to stand out from parent company Ford and establish itself as a credible player in the luxury segment. The company has returned to its plan for standalone showrooms to give its sales and image a boost. In 2018, Lincoln asked 150 Ford-Lincoln dealerships in its 30 biggest American markets to make plans for a standalone showroom by July 2019, and inaugurate it by July 2021. Of those stores, 72 signed on — but the others resisted, partly because the move requires investing millions of dollars. Lincoln put the campaign on hiatus in December 2018, and now Automotive News has learned it's ready to relaunch the plan after finding a middle ground that satisfies both executives and store owners. The publication said dealers gained more freedom to choose how big of a store they build; square foot requirements are no longer tied to the market size. Lincoln also agreed to treat dealers who don't comply more fairly, notably by reducing financial penalties, and it made the aforementioned deadlines more flexible. Standalone Lincoln stores must now be completed by July 2022. The move makes sense, at least on paper. As Autoblog reported in 2018, research shows dealers with standalone showrooms sell more cars. The handful of Lincoln retailers that sell cars in purpose-built showrooms have seen their sales increase considerably faster than those who display the firm's models next to Ford-badged vehicles. Customers "want to buy a luxury product in a luxury environment," explained Robert Parker, Lincoln's head of marketing, at the time. Lincoln was historically tied to Mercury, though the Continental also incongruously shared showroom space with the De Tomaso Pantera during the early 1970s. Lincoln moved under Ford's roof when Mercury was done away with in 2011, and it began experimenting with standalone stores in the early 2010s. Auto News Lincoln

Lincoln Aviator backup camera failure spurs recall

Ford Motor Company has announced a recall of certain Lincoln Aviator SUVs to fix faulty rearview cameras. The recall is for 2020 and 2021 model-year Aviators. A total of 34,975 vehicles in the U.S. and another 3,053 in Canada and 379 in Mexico are affected. The image processing module can fail, resulting in the loss of the camera feed when in reverse. Ford says it knows of no accidents or injuries related to the defect. Owners of the affected Aviators will be notified beginning May 19. Dealers will update the software in the modules. In the meantime, Autoblog reminds drivers that if they experience backup camera failure, they can revert to the old-fashioned method of turning in their seat and looking out the back window when reversing. Auto News Recalls Lincoln SUV Luxury

Ford recalls 422,000 SUVs for rear view camera display that may fail

WASHINGTON — Ford is recalling 422,000 sport utility vehicles in the U.S. because the video output may fail, preventing the rear view camera image from displaying. The recall covers 2020 through 2023 Ford Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair SUVs with a 360-degree camera. The recall expands and replaces prior Ford callbacks for the same issue in 2021 and 2023. Ford last year updated the image processing module (IPMB) software in an effort to address the issue. Ford said on Thursday it is "working together with suppliers to identify root cause and provide the correct remedy as quickly as possible". The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the loss of the rear view camera image can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on June 26. Last year, Ford said it had reports of 17 minor crashes relating to the recall issue and more than 2,100 warranty reports but no reports of injuries. The NHTSA in August 2021 opened an investigation after Ford in 2020 recalled 620,246 vehicles for another rear camera issue. The investigation is reviewing if Ford had recalled the vehicles in a timely fashion and if it recalled enough vehicles. Recalls Ford Lincoln Crossover SUV