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Autoblog Podcast #403

Episode #403 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Michael Harley, and Ronnie Fung of Autoblog Canada talk about the $5 billion investment Ford is making in Lincoln, the McLaren 650S, and the best apps for drivers. We start with what's in the garage and finish up with some of your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Check out the rundown below with times for topics, and you can follow along down below with our Q&A. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #403:
Topics:

Lincoln poised to double MKZ Hybrid production

The Lincoln MKZ Hybrid has been something of a hit for Ford since the beginning, exceeding the company's modest projected 15-percent take rate for more than two years (we say "modest" because that still means an overwhelming majority of Lincoln customers are passing up on the gas-electric powertrain even though it costs the same as the standard model). Either way, Lincoln builds 700 MKZ Hybrids at its plant in Mexico each month, but has sold 715 of them in each of the past three months. That's why, according to a report in The Detroit News, when the restyled 2014 MKZ Hybrid arrives (non-hybrid pictured), Ford is doubling production compared to 2013. Instead of the hybrid model being 20 percent of production, the new hybrid will make up 40 percent.
Ford is doing well with hybrids in general - its portion of the electrified vehicle segment jumping 12 points in a single year to 16 percent. Assuming Ford doesn't change the pricing strategy (along with the changes Ford is making to calibration to improve fuel economy), the sedan could continue to "[show] other luxury hybrids how it's done" when it goes on sale later this year.

2024 Lincoln Navigator won't offer rear-wheel drive

Another Lincoln rear-wheel-drive trim bites the dust, following the course of the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus. When Cars Direct looked over an order guide for the 2024 Lincoln Navigator, the outlet discovered the omission of an RWD variant. The site inquired with Lincoln about the absence, anf the automaker responded, "24MY Navigator will be exclusively available as a 4x4." The relevant news for consumer wallets is that the change automatically raises the Navigator's base price by $3,000, the cost of adding four-wheel drive to the two trims that offer it, entry-level Premiere (currently called the Standard trim) and Reserve. The good news is that the order guide contained price data for the 2024 SUV, with Cars Direct saying the base Navigator MSRP is otherwise only going up $40. Early MSRP data for the 2024 model after the $1,895 destination charge, and the differences from 2023, shows: Premiere: $84,660 ($3,040) Reserve: $97,220 ($3,390)  Black Label: $112,646 ($1,495) Among the competitive set, the all-wheel drive 2024 Cadillac Escalade in base Luxury trim starts at $85,690, $1,030 more than the 2024 Navigator. The Cadillac's price gets pushed beyond the Navigator's by the $1,500 charge for three years of OnStar and Connected Services. Cadillac doesn't include this in the MSRP, instead listing the line in the Options section of the Summary page on the configurator; however, the "option" can't be removed. The 2023 Jeep Wagoneer Series III 4x4 — the top trim — starts at $77,200, the base trim of the 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer 4x4 starts at $92,945. The 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 starts at $82,950, the BMW X7 xDrive40i starts at $82,895.   According to Ford Authority, Lincoln's leaving the 2024 Navigator pretty much alone while the automaker prepares a refreshed 2025 model. For next year, Flight Blue returns to the color palette for the Standard and Reserve trims, displacing Ocean Blue. The most recent 2025 Navigator spy shots haven't revealed much of note, but it's clear it will carry design influences from the new Nautilus.