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Lincoln, GMC clean up in AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards

In recent years, there have been a lot of dire pronouncements made about Lincoln's future, or a lack thereof. But Ford's premium marque is like the Rocky Balboa of the auto business; every time the company seems ready to go, it comes back for more. Apparently, that dogged persistence is paying off, because the industry analysts at AutoPacific have put a big check in their win column with their newly released 2014 model year vehicle satisfaction survey. And despite recent enmity for its seemingly never-ending recall saga, it appears General Motors knows how to satisfy new owners, too.
In fact, not only was Lincoln named as the premium brand with the highest new owner satisfaction, even scored three models on the list of passenger cars with the most gratified buyers - the MKS, MKZ and MKZ Hybrid.
GM's stable of brands was also among the top companies in this year's survey. GMC was named the top popular brand by AutoPacific, with its Sierra pickup and Acadia crossover singled out for awards in their segments. Chevrolet also did incredibly well, with more cars on the list than any other brand. The Corvette, Camaro, Sonic and Impala all made the cut in their respective categories.

Ford Explorer problems gutted third-quarter sales

In early September, the Detroit Free Press published a feature noting numerous problems Ford's having with the 2020 Explorer and 2020 Lincoln Aviator launches. Issues with both SUVs, built at Ford's Chicago Assembly Plant, were so rife and dire that the automaker was trucking the vehicles 275 miles away to Michigan for repairs. Bloomberg reported earlier this month that Explorer's third-quarter sales dropped 48 percent compared to the previous model in 2018, with dealers unable to get enough units on lots for customers. Nor is the snafu over: Automotive News reports that another "batch of about 2,500 Explorers in need of repairs" arrived recently in Michigan, and sales through the first nine months of 2019 are down 31 percent. Sales dips during model changeovers are to be expected as old inventory gets sold down and new production ramps up, but this is different. Ford U.S. sales boss Mark LaNeve told Bloomberg earlier this month, "We’ve got adequate inventory in our stores. For Q4, availability wonÂ’t be an issue. WeÂ’ll be able to hit our stride with Explorer starting now." It's hard to know whether that's true, with thousands of Explorers still piling into Michigan; the batch AN mentioned represents about 5 days of sales during an average month in 2018, before the drawdown and interruptions hampered matters. And when Consumer Reports tested the Ford Explorer it bought this summer, it titled the review, "2020 Ford Explorer drives nicely but has many flaws / Poor interior quality and a high price overshadow the SUV's improvements."   On top of that, the AN piece mentions a new impediment to uncorking the Explorer sales stream: Worker strife in the Chicago plant. Allegedly, "Roving groups of workers are intimidating other employees, creating a hostile environment, the people said. ThatÂ’s driving up turnover and leaving some vehicle assembly unfinished, contributing to the company having to complete the work at the Michigan factory or at dealerships, the people said." Ford's been fined twice before for the same kinds of issues at its plants, once in 1999, again in 2017, but a spokesperson said Ford isn't aware of any such problems now. The pressure otherwise has got to be unpleasant for everyone on the Explorer team, from CEO Jim Hackett down. The automaker was meant to be "turning the corner" in April, but as of now, shares are down, credit rating is down, earnings are down.

Is this the production version of the Lincoln Zephyr concept?

Lincoln stepped out of the sedan segment when it ended production of the Continental in late 2020, but it's already planning a comeback. Leaked patent images suggest that the stylish Zephyr concept unveiled at the Shanghai show earlier in 2021 is well on its way to production. Uncovered by Japan's Sun News, the sketches show the outline of an elegant-looking sedan whose proportions match the Zephyr's almost perfectly. It's a three-box sedan with a long wheelbase and an almost fastback-like roof line. Some details tell us we're not merely looking at renderings of the concept, like more realistic headlights, redesigned air intakes in the front bumper, bigger door mirrors, and a reshaped rear bumper. These are the changes we'd expect Lincoln to make in order to turn the concept (pictured below) into a car it can build and sell. Lincoln Zephyr Reflection View 5 Photos Powertrain specifications were not leaked, though we're guessing the sedan will use turbocharged engines sourced from the Ford parts bin. Similarly, we don't know what it looks like inside; the concept's cabin featured a two-spoke steering wheel and an extra-wide screen. Just like the exterior design, the interior was futuristic enough to earn the "concept" label but not to the point where building it wouldn't be feasible. Lincoln hasn't commented on the patent images, but it has already confirmed plans to turn the Zephyr into a production car. The model is scheduled to make its official debut later in 2021, though there's a catch: It will exclusively be sold (and presumably built) in China. As of writing, nothing suggests the firm will add another sedan to its lineup in the United States, where demand for low-riding cars has crashed. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 2022 Lincoln Navigator Black Label Inside and Out