LincolnLincoln targets fastest-growing segments 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 17, 2013  As Lincoln tries to reinvent itself, Ford Motor Co.'s struggling luxury brand will target only the fastest-growing luxury segments in which it can competitively and profitably field entries, the company said.... Read More »
Ford studies new models to drive Lincoln revival 3:48 pm U.S. ET | June 13, 2013  Ford may develop new models for Lincoln in fast-growing vehicle segments as part of the automaker's latest attempt to revive the struggling luxury brand and boost its profits. The company did not specify which vehicle segments it was targeting. But in a presentation to investors on Thursday, Ford showed in a chart that it expects the premium small-car and crossover segments to grow sharply by 2015.... Read More »
For Lincoln dealers, fine cheese and Jason Bourne hold key to brand makeover 1:11 pm U.S. ET | June 12, 2013  Ford is spending more than $1 billion to try to resurrect the Lincoln brand and it knows it needs not just better cars, but a luxury car-buying experience that will attract younger, better-educated and wealthier buyers. So it's putting its dealers through training at the Lincoln Academy, where they raise their consciousness and sharpen their senses with exercises including sampling cheese.... Read More »
JAMIE LaREAU Lincoln's maintenance cutbacks offer F&I opportunity 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 12, 2013  Some Lincoln dealers see opportunity in Lincoln's plan to trim its complimentary maintenance program from 4 years/50,000 miles to 2 years/24,000 miles starting with 2014 models.... Read More »
BEST PRACTICES Desert dealer goes solar to save 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  In balmy Palm Springs, Calif., the desert sun shines an average of 350 days a year. So converting an auto dealership to solar energy might seem to be a no-brainer.... Read More »
Lincoln trims free maintenance 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  Beginning with 2014 models, Lincoln is cutting back its complimentary maintenance program to 2 years/24,000 miles from 4 years/50,000 miles. In a May 6 memo sent to dealers, Lincoln said the revised program "complements short-term 24-month leases." In a statement, Lincoln said the new program is "competitive with other luxury brands."... Read More »
Ford, propelled by F series and Escape, achieves best May since '06 1:26 pm U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  A 31 percent gain for the Ford F-series pickup and a monthly record for the Escape crossover helped Ford Motor Co. reach its best May U.S. sales total since 2006. Overall, Ford sales rose 14 percent from a year ago to 246,019, or just 6,875 units fewer than General Motors. It outsold Toyota Motor Sales by more than 38,000 units.... Read More »
Ford recalls more than 465,000 vehicles, including Fusion, Lincoln MKZ 1:39 pm U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  Ford said it is recalling more than 465,000 vehicles in several popular models -- including the 2013 Ford Fusion sedan -- after discovering problems with fuel delivery modules, engine block heaters and missing steering gear parts.... Read More »
THE DEALER SPEAKS: O.C. WELCH, O.C. WELSH FORD-LINCOLN 'All this Bluetooth stuff' is a time-suck for dealerships 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  From the time he started his own car-cleaning and -detailing operation in Savannah, Ga., at age 20, O.C. Welch knew he was going to be a lifer in the car business.... Read More »
LaNeve envisions Lincoln brand as 'warm' luxury 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  A decade ago, Mark LaNeve was general manager of a beleaguered brand called Cadillac, working hard on its rebirth. These days LaNeve is across town working on the rebirth of the brand that was once Cadillac's great American rival but has recently fallen on hard times itself: Lincoln.... Read More »
Lincoln predicts a record May for MKZ, but not for brand 3:19 pm U.S. ET | May 31, 2013  After a problem-plagued launch of the 2013 MKZ, Lincoln executives say the product pipeline is filling and the business is beginning to find normal levels.... Read More »
DAVE GUILFORD Infiniti, Lincoln face one tough challenge 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 27, 2013  Sales for Lincoln and Infiniti have been disappointing. In fact, there was talk that their respective parent companies might kill them. Now dynamic new leaders are trying to create some buzz with exciting lineups. But the brands faces some of the toughest competition in the business: Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Lexus and even the revived Cadillac.... Read More »
DAVE GUILFORD Why Infiniti, Lincoln face the same challenge 2:51 pm U.S. ET | May 22, 2013  The luxury marque hasn't lived up to its dreams. In fact, there was talk that its parent company might kill it. Now with a dynamic new leader, it's trying to build buzz with a more exciting lineup.... Read More »
China is a learning lab for Lincoln 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 13, 2013  Lincoln is studying the habits of luxury shoppers at Shanghai's luxury malls for new ideas in customer service that eventually could find their way back to U.S. dealerships.... Read More »
NICK BUNKLEY Lincoln shoots for a happier ending after troubled MKZ launch 4:30 pm U.S. ET | May 1, 2013  How far off track did the launch of the redesigned Lincoln MKZ get? The car, whose chassis bears the burden of a once-thriving luxury brand now trying to prove it's still relevant -- originally was supposed to start arriving at dealerships last fall, around the same time Steven Spielberg's movie Lincoln was hitting theaters around the country.... Read More »
Lincoln to hike MKZ Hybrid mix; Ford volume up 18% 2:42 pm U.S. ET | May 1, 2013  Ford Motor Co. will increase the production mix of Lincoln MKZ Hybrids to 30 percent for the 2014 model year, from 20 percent now, to meet increased demand, a Ford executive said today.... Read More »
Farley: Lincoln MKZ sales rebound, set record in April 4:21 pm U.S. ET | April 30, 2013  Ford said it sold more Lincoln MKZ sedans in April than in the first three months of the year combined, as the luxury brand began to recover from lengthy production and distribution delays on the car.... Read More »
Ford video library lets buyers control training 12:01 am U.S. ET | April 15, 2013 Ford has amassed a library of about 150 videos, 30 to 60 seconds long, explaining Ford and Lincoln features such as MyKey, Blind Spot Monitoring and Active Park Assist.... Read More »
Ex-Cadillac boss LaNeve takes helm of Lincoln's ad agency 12:01 am U.S. ET | April 15, 2013  Mark LaNeve, former top North American marketer at General Motors and ex-head of Cadillac, now is devoting his talents to Cadillac's traditional American-luxury rival: Lincoln.... Read More »
Ex-GM marketing boss LaNeve takes over Lincoln's ad agency 5:15 pm U.S. ET | April 8, 2013  Mark LaNeve, former top North American marketer at General Motors and ex-head of Cadillac, has taken over as president of the Lincoln brand's ad agency. LaNeve replaces Cameron McNaughton, who had been president of the agency, Hudson Rouge, since it was founded in 2011.... Read More »
Ford volume climbs 6% on pickups, crossovers 4:24 pm U.S. ET | April 2, 2013 Ford Motor Co.'s U.S. sales in March were its highest since May 2007, the company said today, led by sales of pickups and crossovers.... Read More »
EDITORIAL Dealers deserve exemplary service from Lincoln 12:01 am U.S. ET | April 1, 2013 The example Lincoln set for its dealers during the difficult launch of the MKZ fell short of the service the automaker hopes those dealers will lavish on consumers.... Read More »
DIFFICULT BIRTH The MKZ's difficult birth 12:01 am U.S. ET | March 25, 2013  Lincoln executives admit they have only one shot at reinventing their faded brand for a new generation of luxury customers. But the MKZ, the first major vehicle of a new and better Lincoln lineup, has stumbled badly out of the blocks, angering dealers, wasting a costly advertising launch and driving away customers who have waited months for undelivered cars.... Read More »
Lincoln MKZ inspection backlog nearly eliminated, Ford says 11:35 am U.S. ET | March 21, 2013  Ford Motor Co. has stopped routing redesigned Lincoln MKZ sedans from their Mexico assembly plant to a Michigan factory for quality inspections and repairs.... Read More »
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Big delay, little help for Lincoln dealers 12:01 am U.S. ET | March 11, 2013 Lincoln should have given the Super Bowl commercial money to its stand-alone dealers so they could survive until Jim Farley gets his act together.... Read More »
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Special Report
 Dealer O.C. Welch's big-truck turnaroundAfter Mercury's demise, South Carolina Ford-Lincoln dealer O.C. Welch had to find a way to replace lost revenue. He decided to load up on Super Duty pickups – and sell them online. Mon., June 17» Watch the Video |
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