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Lincoln prepping MKZ re-launch?

Launching an all-new car is no easy task. Case in point is the 2013 Lincoln MKZ, introduced with the fanfare of a major nationwide marketing campaign, including expensive Super Bowl ads, just as Ford was curbing production over potential quality issues. The resulting mess was nothing short of a nightmare for any automaker - customers visiting dealerships looking for cars that hadn't been delivered yet. Disappointed buyers walked out of Lincoln retailers without new keys in their hands, or switched to a competing brand to fill empty spaces in their driveways.
The impact was painful, as Lincoln's sales in January and February of this year were among the lowest it has recorded in more than a quarter century. Even though March looked a bit brighter, with the supply crisis reportedly over (there are 3,000 units in transit and production is approaching 200 units per day) the automaker is reportedly studying the feasibility of giving its pivotal MKZ the launch it originally deserved.
According to TheDetroitBureau.com, putting the MKZ back on consumer's radar could cost Ford tens of millions of dollars, but that kind of investment may be warranted if potential buyers have forgotten about the new model... or worse, if they have forgotten about Lincoln.

Why Grandpa loved Lincoln: Looking back at a century of design

It’s been 100 years since Henry Ford, in the aftermath of World War I, purchased the scraps of the Lincoln Motor Company. Ford put his son Edsel in charge of the automaker, and challenged him to create a luxury car company that could rival Cadillac, Packard and Pierce-Arrow. This meant, first off, bringing actual automotive designers into the fold, building out FordÂ’s first such department. The Model T, FordÂ’s then long-in-the-tooth mainstay, was created by engineers, and looked it. “For Lincoln, the innovation and setting of new standards of modernity has always been a core of our design,” said Kemal Curic, a 20-year veteran of Ford, and global design director of Lincoln since 2014. “Since its founding purchase from Henry Leland, Lincoln was always courageous to introduce new designs.” These included concentrations on streamlining and exuberance. These focci yielded a number of vehicle designs that were influential not just for the brand, but for the industry. 1936 Lincoln Zephyr, 1939 Lincoln Presidential Limo “Some of the cars that changed America were the 1936 and ‘38 Zephyr. The ‘36 for its aerodynamic look, and the ‘38 for its patented horizontal grille,” said Lincoln archivist and historian Ted Ryan. “Also, the 1939 Zephyr Continental, developed in ‘39 as a 1940 model – later known just as the Lincoln Continental – instituted another icon that stayed in place for decades with the spare tire initially exposed, and then treated with the spare tire hump.” Both Ryan and Curic also called out a number of other inspiring Lincoln models. These included the 1955 Lincoln Futura concept – which was later turned into the Batmobile by George Barris – and the 1961 Continental, famed for its rectilinear slab sides and suicide doors, plus its role as a presidential limousine in the Kennedy era. “These cars emphasized horizontality,” Curic said. “We like to relate that to the designs of Frank Lloyd Wright in his architecture. Wright loved his Lincolns. These proportions on the exterior were always Lincoln signifiers.” 1961 Lincoln Continental, Lincoln Futura Concept Lesser known than these is an example of what, back in the day, was known as a Hybrid: a car featuring an American powerplant and European design. “IÂ’m a huge fan of the 1955 Indianapolis Concept,” Curic said, a stunning jet-like vehicle that was last up for auction by RM SothebyÂ’s in 2013.

These are the cars with the best and worst depreciation after 5 years

The average new vehicle sold in America loses nearly half of its initial value after five years of ownership. No surprise there; we all expect that shiny new car to start depreciating as soon as we drive it off the lot. But some vehicles lose value a lot faster than others. According to data provided by iSeeCars.com, trucks and truck-based sport utility vehicles generally hold their value better than other vehicle types, with the Jeep Wrangler — in both four-door Unlimited and standard two-door styles — and Toyota Tacoma sitting at the head of the pack. The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited's average five-year depreciation of 30.9% equals a loss in value of $12,168. That makes Jeep's four-door off-roader the best overall pick for buyers looking to minimize depreciation. The Toyota Tacoma's 32.4% loss in initial value means it loses just $10,496. The smaller dollar amount — the least amount of money lost after five years — indicates that Tacoma buyers pay less than Wrangler Unlimited buyers, on average, when they initially buy the vehicle. The standard two-door Jeep Wrangler is third on the list, depreciating 32.8% after five years and losing $10,824. Click here for a full list of the top 10 vehicles with the least depreciation over five years. On the other side of the depreciation coin, luxury sedans tend to plummet in value at a much faster rate than other vehicle types. The BMW 7 Series leads the losers with a 72.6% drop in value after five years, which equals an alarming $73,686. BMW's slightly smaller 5 Series is next, depreciating 70.1%, or $47,038, over the same period. Number three on the biggest losers list is the Nissan Leaf, the only electric vehicle to appear in the bottom 10. The electric hatchback matches the 5 Series with a 70.1% drop in value, but since it's a much cheaper vehicle, that percentage equals a much smaller $23,470 loss. Click here for a full list of the top 10 vehicles with the most depreciation over five years.