1979 Lincoln Mark V Continental on 2040-cars

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How Lincoln could make itself special again

Things are going better for the Lincoln brand — or, more properly, The Lincoln Motor Company — so far this year, and are likely to continue to do so, comparatively speaking. In the first quarter of 2017, the brand's sales are up 8.7 percent compared with the same period last year. Lincoln delivered 27,083 units in the first quarter. The Continental is certainly a boon, with 3,209 units (almost 12 percent of the total number), something Lincoln didn't have in the first quarter of 2016. Its crossovers, the MKC and MKX, were up 15 and 11.2 percent, respectively, and while the Navigator SUV was down 16.2 percent, the new 2018 model will certainly boost that nameplate. Still, there is undoubtedly a glass — or crystal — ceiling for Lincoln (as well as for Cadillac) that it's not likely to break through regarding total US sales. No matter how you look at it, the US luxury market is dominated by import brands, and there is no reason to think that's going to change. Ever. According to Autodata, for the first quarter of 2017 there were 213,817 luxury vehicles delivered, of which 170,780 were from import brands and 43,037 domestic. While there is a good likelihood that Lincoln will gain some ground, given the lineup extensions that the likes of Mercedes, Audi, BMW, and Lexus are making, as well as the creation of new brands like Genesis and the traction of Tesla, it is going to be all the more challenging for any company to get any significant growth in the luxury category. So growth for Lincoln, yes. Notable growth? No. But there is something the company could do to generate revenue separate from the car and crossover business. It may not make a lot of money in and of itself, but it can provide a distinct edge in the product segment that would cement Lincoln with a unique offering. Kumar Galhorta, president of Lincoln, frequently talks about "experiences." About how the company is working to relieve or eliminate "pain points" from its customers. About how time — or the perceived lack thereof — is something Lincoln is working to address. And it's doing so in a way that gives it a distinctiveness vis-a-vis the competitive set. Lincoln's services are creating a buzz in a way that Matthew McConaughey ads never will. Lincoln is addressing it through service. As in offering pickup and delivery for service appointments for all new 2017 Lincoln models.

May 2016: FCA wins, Ford and GM stumble on weak car volumes

The May 2016 sales numbers are in, and it looks as though FCA is getting some vindication for boldly cancelling two slow-selling car models. Meanwhile, Ford saw overall sales dip and GM's May volume took a big dive versus the same month in 2015. While Marchionne's decision to axe the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart has drawn criticism as being short-sighted, it's working for FCA so far. Although the Dart and 200 aren't out of production yet and no capacity has been shifted to crossover or trucks, May's numbers show that the emphasis on Jeep and Ram models makes sense right now. FCA's US sales rose 1 percent last month compared to May 2015, putting the year-to-date total at 955,186 vehicles, an increase of 6 percent compared to the same period last year. Standouts included the Jeep Renegade, Compass, and Patriot, and the Fiat 500X. Ram pickup sales were down 3 percent. And your fun fact is that Alfa Romeo sales were up precisely 10 percent, for a total of 44 4Cs sold versus 40 in the same month last year. At FoMoCo, the Ford brand took a hit to the tune of 6.4 percent from May 2015 to 2016, registering 226,190 sales last month. Lincoln showed improvement on its modest numbers, going from 9,174 to 9,807, a 6.9 percent increase. Overall, Ford was down 5.9 percent for the month to 235,997; despite the slump, year-to-date total Ford sales are up 4.2 percent to 1,112,939. Strong sellers included Escape, Expedition, F-Series, and Transit - big stuff. Most small and/or efficient models (Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, C-Max) saw sales slides. Fusion sales were also down, likely due to effects of model changeover to the freshened 2017 model. Ford has promised four new crossovers and SUVs by 2020 and if things keep trending this way the company will be able to sell them, but things could change in the next four years. GM saw the worst of it for domestic brands. Retail and fleet sales were down for each of the four divisions, with the May 2016 total dropping 18 percent to 240,450 vehicles. GM's year-to-date sales are down 5.0 percent in 2016 to 1,183,705. Both the Sierra and Silverado were down significantly, and the majority of Chevy, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac nameplates saw sales decreases, with both small cars and larger utilities included. Not even big stuff could help GM this month, it seems. We'll have more on the rest of the industry's May sales as those figures trickle in.

2021 Lincoln Navigator Review | The new land yacht

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator is true American luxury done in a distinct and proper fashion. It’s LincolnÂ’s flagship product with the highest level of opulence and glamour that a truck can possibly offer. The Navigator isn't just a dressed-up F-150 or Expedition with makeup on, either. ThereÂ’s still mechanically related to that pair with a truck chassis riding on an independent rear suspension hiding underneath, but everything above is pure, luxe bliss. YouÂ’d be hard pressed to find elements missing from the NavigatorÂ’s formula in this latest generation of the SUV that came out in 2018. The interior is elegance turned up to the max with a design that evokes old-world charm while fully embracing modernity. ItÂ’s not trying to be youthful or edgy. Instead, the Navigator exudes a quiet, grown-up confidence that looks expensive and high class. It brings the guests to the table by adopting its own language of classical luxury, then keeps them there with the tech and capability we expect in a truck approaching a six-figure price. Three rows, two different lengths, one seriously powerful engine and truck-level towing capacity makes the Navigator a heady choice for the luxury truck buyer who wants to do everything with one big vehicle. WhatÂ’s new for 2021? Changes for 2021 consist of new paint colors and minor equipment adjustments. Lincoln has added Asher Gray, Flight Blue, Green Gem and Signature Navy to the paint options. But itÂ’s also deleted Iced Mocha, Silver Jade, Blue Diamond and Rhapsody Blue. Both the limited-slip differential and heavy-duty trailer tow package have also been made standard on the Black Label. WhatÂ’s the interior and in-car technology like? The standard and Reserve Navigators are mighty luxurious on their own (including the interior shown in the top two photos above), but if you step up to an expensive Black Label trim, youÂ’re in for an absolute treat. Its interior offers a choice of “Themes” that go far beyond the usual color choices of black, beige and gray, with maybe a different wood type or two. Of the three, "Chalet" is the most conventional with its blend of tan and black, but the oxblood red "Destination" (above bottom-left) and cool blue "Yacht Club" (above bottom-right) are unlike anything offered by another brand (OK, maybe you could special order a Bentley or Rolls-Royce).