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Lincoln 'not true luxury' yet, says Ford design chief

Lincoln is "not true luxury," according to Ford's design boss, J Mays. His statements come from a story in The Detroit News that saw candid language on the issues facing Ford's troubled premium brand. Notably, there's a need for a strong character, with Mays saying, "Every brand needs to have a DNA and a unique selling point and things in the vehicle that make you think, 'That's that particular brand.'"
With a range of rebadged Fords, it's not hard to see why that DNA is missing. Mays hinted that a full recovery for Lincoln will be a ten-year process, that's been kicked off with the MKZ sedan. While that car is still largely a Ford Fusion under its extremely pretty wrapper, it's the first Lincoln in some time to inject its own unique take both through the exterior styling and through interior features, such as the vertical, pushbutton gear selection.
Some analysts weren't so certain about Mays' 10-year estimate. Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics thinks it'll be more like 30 years before Lincoln can show a true return to form. The issue, as Hall explains it, is that, "luxury has a degree of exclusivity," that Lincoln just doesn't have. Michelle Krebs from Edmunds adds, "it's definitely a wanna-be luxury brand," comparing the troubled American brand with Infiniti and Acura, two other brands that have struggled to find their place in the luxury market.

Performance cars driving sales gains

We're living in a fantastic time for performance cars. For drivers, there are a bevy of exciting models either already here or on the way that cater to different demographics within the niche, like the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata, Ford Shelby Mustang GT350 and Dodge's Hellcat-powered products. While trucks and crossovers still offer a booming market at the moment, sporty vehicles are another way for automakers to make some cash, too. According to Ford Performance director Dave Pericak speaking to Automotive News, "Performance vehicle sales around the world continue to grow – with sales up 70 percent in the United States and 14 percent in Europe since 2009." Automakers love this popularity because the sporty models create a perfect storm to make big money on each sale. One reason for the strong margins is that performance vehicles are generally based on existing models or platforms. That keeps development costs lower and allows for a focus on tech like turbocharging or light-weighting to subsidize investments for future products. When it comes time to arrive in the showroom, automakers can load them with equipment, according to Automotive News. With transaction prices already growing thanks to longer loans, buyers have been willing to pay more as of late, as well. The customers in the segment also tend to be younger and more affluent. For example, 30 percent of customers for Ford's ST models have a household income over $100,000 and Millennials buy them twice as much as other products from the brand, according to Automotive News. Despite popular myths, young people still like to drive, which could mean possible return customers. The performance trend certainly isn't on the wane yet. In fact, vehicles like the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Focus RS and Fiat 124 Spider show more fun is on the way. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2014 Ford Fiesta ST View 47 Photos News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Scott Olson / Getty Images Ford Car Buying Car Dealers Performance sales performance car

Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale revealed, Dodge Challenger Black Ghost driven | Autoblog Podcast #796

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor John Beltz Snyder. John has been driving the 2024 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392, while Greg has been making noise in another last call from Dodge, the 2023 Challenger Black Ghost. John, along with Associate Editor Byron Hurd, recently tested the 2023 Honda CR-V and Kia Sportage hybrids for an upcoming comparison review. In the news, Felipe Massa seeks to overturn the 2008 F1 Championship in his favor through legal means; Ford might return to the street-performance truck scene with the F-150 Lobo; Volkswagen has been hinting at something interesting at the Munich show by tweeting a mysterious video of a rabbit (the animal); and while the podcast recording was underway, Alfa Romeo unveiled its beautiful 33 Stradale supercar. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #796 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving 2024 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost Additional reading: 1970 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost hammers for $975,000 at Mecum Spring Classic 2023 Honda CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid vs. 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige Massa vows to fight for Hamilton's 2008 Formula 1 title Ford F-150 Lobo reportedly coming as street-oriented performance truck Volkswagen teases Rabbit in mysterious video Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale supercar revealed with gas and EV versions, gorgeous either way Additional reading: Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is a fast Alfa, developed fast Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: Green Podcasts Alfa Romeo Dodge Ford Honda Jeep Kia Volkswagen Truck Coupe Crossover SUV Electric Hybrid Luxury Off-Road Vehicles Supercars