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Lincoln dealers to build standalone dealerships separate from Ford

Way back in 2011, Ford Motor Credit Co. established Lincoln Automotive Financial Services as part of what Automotive News called "a campaign to set the Lincoln brand apart." Lincoln's been on a wild, public ride in the seven years since, which included a near-death experience in 2013 under former Ford CEO Alan Mulally. But Ford's luxury brand has rebounded and is ready to take another shot at setting itself apart. Automaker execs have asked dealers with twinned Ford- Lincoln dealerships in 30 major U.S. markets to build standalone stores. According to company data, the move isn't a gamble — dealers with standalone showrooms sell more vehicles. Lincoln's standalone dealerships in the 30 major U.S. markets that account for 70 percent of luxury segment sales increased 48 percent from 2014 to 2017, compared to an overall Lincoln brand sales increase of 18 percent. After a former Ford-Lincoln dealer in Minneapolis opened a devoted Lincoln store this January, sales have climbed 60 percent so far this year. Dealers in Orange County, California, and Atlanta, Georgia have seen sales double since opening exclusive Lincoln storefronts. The sales manager at the Atlanta dealer said, "Customers have pulled up and said, 'This is how it should be.'" Robert Parker, Lincoln's head of marketing, said, "Customers expect the environment to be equal to the product. They want to buy a luxury product in a luxury environment." That issue repeatedly comes up when a mass-market brand launches a luxury product; observers have lately wondered how much the issue affects sales of Hyundai's Genesis brand. Out of 845 Lincoln showrooms nationwide, there are 150 Lincoln dealers in those 30 major U.S. markets. So far, 72 dealers have made or are working to make the standalone switch on their own. Lincoln is asking the remaining 78 shops to follow suit, to agree to a new facility by July 2019 and to have the store finished by July 2021. Only the showrooms would need to be exclusive, service and other back-end departments can remain in Ford-branded complexes. Wielding the carrot, Lincoln will help dealers with relocating, and pay more for every car sold. Wielding the stick, Lincoln said that come Q2 2019, it won't let twinned dealers sell Black Label trims if they don't already. Over the next couple of years, Lincoln will complete the revamp of its lineup. Said marketing honco Parker, "The next phase of the transformation is critical.

Detroit automakers keep their masks on to keep the factories running

United Auto Workers members leave the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Warren Truck Plant in May. Fiat Chrysler along with rivals Ford and General Motors Co., restarted the assembly lines after several weeks of coronavirus lockdown. (AP)   DETROIT — When the coronavirus pandemic slammed the United States in March, the Detroit Three automakers shut their plants and brought their North American vehicle production to an unprecedented cold stop. Now, four months after a slow and sometimes bumpy restart in May, many General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles  factories are working at close to full speed, chasing a stronger-than-expected recovery in sales. So far, none of the Detroit Three has had a major COVID-19 outbreak since restarting production, even as the coronavirus is surging in Midwestern and Southern communities outside factory walls. "We have people testing positive, but it's not affecting operations," said Ford global manufacturing chief Gary Johnson. Keeping the pandemic at bay has pushed the automakers and 156,000 U.S. factory employees represented by the United Auto Workers into unfamiliar work routines and extraordinary levels of cooperation among the rival automakers that will have to be sustained for months to come. For automakers, the automakers' COVID response has been as much about instilling new habits as relying on new technology. Workers log their symptoms, or lack of them, into smartphone apps and walk past temperature scanners to get to their work stations. But company and union executives said masks, along with physical distancing, are the key to keeping assembly lines rolling. "The mask is the foundation" of protecting workers on the job, said Johnson. Complaints about masks Autoworkers are accustomed to wearing protective gear such as shatterproof glasses and gloves. Masks that cover the mouth and nose, however, were not standard equipment on auto assembly lines, and were a tough sell at first. "The biggest complaint is wearing a mask," United Auto Workers President Rory Gamble told Reuters. "A lot of our members perform physical tasks. Wearing the mask inhibits breathing." Beyond that, Gamble said, masks and distancing make it harder for workers to have conversations on the job or socialize during breaks. "ThatÂ’s pretty much out the window, and it makes for a longer day," he said. Masks make it harder for co-workers to read each other's expressions — often crucial in the noisy environment of a car plant.

Crushing 1984 Ford Ranger to make a point about clean cars

Being a professional politician is often about more than just getting legislation passed, and a little showmanship can go a long way towards getting a point across. California State Senate leader Kevin de Leon recently staged just such a flashy stunt when he crushed a 1984 Ford Ranger at a rally kicking off an EV incentives pilot program. De Leon sponsored a bill last year that, in part, tried to give greater support to low-income buyers who wanted to trade in their old clunker for a zero-emissions vehicle. He hoped to improve the state's Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, which has been accused of especially helping the wealthy. After watching their Ranger get destroyed at this event, the Mendoza family that owned the truck drove away in a 2013 Toyota Prius, according to the Sacramento Business Journal. Under the pilot program, buyers in two air districts in the Golden State can take advantage of these incentives. Depending on their income and the vehicle they are purchasing, people can get a rebate of between $1,500 and $9,500, according to the Sacramento Business Journal. For now, the California Air Resources Board has set aside $5 million from the state's cap-and-trade program to fund things in these areas. Later, it will vote whether to adopt the initiative statewide. Not to be outdone, Arnold Schwarzenegger has thrown his prodigious muscle behind this program, and he put out an even more explosive video showing how to get rid of these old vehicles. You can watch a clip of the Ranger's destruction from the Sacramento Business Journal above and the Governator's response, below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: Sacramento Business Journal, Arnold Schwarzenegger via YouTube Government/Legal Green Ford Toyota Car Buying Green Culture Electric Hybrid Videos California cvrp kevin de leon