2004 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate Very Rare Presidential Edition! Navigation! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Lincoln says MKZ supply crisis over

After an excessive number of recalls on the 2013 Escape and Fusion, we can't really fault Ford for being a little extra cautious with the launch of the 2013 Lincoln MKZ. Last month, we reported that dealer supply of the car was extremely limited due to more attention being paid to quality checks of cars rolling off the assembly line, which led to a 73-percent drop in MKZ sales from last year on top of a 32-year low in monthly sales for Lincoln in January.
The reason for the delay was that the sedans were being shipped from the Hermosillo, Mexico assembly plant to be inspected even closer at Ford's Flat Rock, Michigan plant before they were able to head to dealers. Things seem to be straightening out for Lincoln and the MKZ's production now, as Automotive News is reporting that supply should be up to a "normal level" by the end of this month.

Two limos used by President John F. Kennedy are going up for auction

Two Lincoln limousines last used by President John F. Kennedy are being auctioned by Bonhams in New York. As reported by fordauthority.com, the cars are part of The American Presidential Experience sale. Neither Lincoln is the infamous open convertible in which Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas (that car is on display at The Henry Ford museum in Michigan), but one of these was used by the president on that fateful trip. The white 1963 Lincoln Continental convertible carried the President, Mrs. Kennedy, and Texas Governor John Connally, on the morning of November 22, 1963 in Fort Worth, Texas. They rode in this Lincoln from the Texas Hotel, where the President and Mrs. Kennedy had spent the night, to a breakfast where JFK gave a speech. From there, they drove through Fort Worth, on streets lined with crowds, to Carswell Air Force Base for the flight that would take them to Dallas. The car was a loaner from local dealer Bill Golightly, and was sold in 1964. It spent time in several different museum collections and has been partially restored, receiving a new engine and a repaint in its factory Ermine White. The red leather interior, however, is said to be original. The pre-sale estimate for this Lincoln is $300,000–$500,000. The second Lincoln is a 1960 Continental Mark V Executive Limousine. It was modified by Hess and Eisenhardt and features bulletproof doors, a divider window, a two-way telephone, and rear-seat climate controls. This car was leased to the White House and was used by President Kennedy for personal trips around Washington, as opposed to official trips for which the larger presidential limousine would be used. After President Johnson took office, this Lincoln returned to the Ford Motor Company and was purchased by a private individual who had a contact at Ford's Washington office. It, too, later spent time in various historical collections, and its body has been restored but the interior remains original. The pre-sale estimate is $200,000 to $300,000. History buffs who miss out on either of the cars might raise their paddles for some of the other items offered. There's a full-scale facsimile of the Oval Office, a partial fuselage of a Boeing 707 retrofitted as a replica of the Kennedy-era Air Force One, as well as numerous smaller items. The auction takes place on October 14.

Ford's China sales keep falling, down 30% in third quarter

BEIJING — Ford's July-to-September vehicle sales in China fell 30%, as the U.S. automaker continued to lose ground in a prolonged sales decline in its second biggest market. The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker delivered 131,060 vehicles in China in the third quarter, Ford said in a statement. Ford's sales in China fell 35.8% in the first quarter and by 21.7% in the second quarter. In the third quarter, sales of the automaker's mass-market Ford brand fell 37.7%, while its luxury division Lincoln saw sales drop by 24.1%. It delivered around 421,000 vehicles in the first nine months of the year, according to Reuters calculations. Ford has been struggling to revive sales in China after its business began slumping in late 2017. Sales sank 37 percent in 2018, after a 6 percent decline in 2017. The automaker plans to launch more than 30 new models in China over the next three years, of which more than a third will be electric vehicles. It also said it would localize management teams by hiring more Chinese staff and aimed to improve relationships with joint venture partners. Ford has launched a series of new models in the third quarter in China, including Focus, Edge, and the electric Territory. In China, Ford makes cars through its joint venture with Chongqing Changan Automobile Co and Jiangling Motors. It has said it would partner with Zotye Automobile Co to sell lower-priced cars, but there seems to have been little progress. In a series of moves, Ford named a new president for its main local venture, Changan Ford, in August and said it would enhance its partnership with Changan through research, production and marketing cooperation in September. Ford is also planning to revamp some of its existing manufacturing facilities with Changan to localize production of its premium brand Lincoln. Changan Ford's sales down by around 33.5% in the third quarter, according to Reuters calculations based on Changan's filings. Ford rival General Motors' July-to-September vehicle sales in China fell 17.5%, to 689,531 vehicles. As GM and Ford China sales extend declines, U.S. car companies' market share of total China passenger vehicle sales fell to 9.5% in the first eight months of this year, from 10.7% in the year-ago period, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). Over the same period, German carmakers' share has risen to 23.8% from 21.6%, and Japanese automakers' share rose to 21.7% from 18.3%.