Lincoln talks facilities, not electrification

Lincoln executives promised dealers that they were committed to electrification but declined to provide any new details.

The brand used its make meeting at the NADA Show to tout the company's progress on a facility program and thank dealers for their perseverance through the pandemic.

"The main message was really thanking the dealers for the incredible job with COVID and how it positioned us to get a fast start this year," Lincoln President Joy Falotico told Automotive News.

Falotico was joined by Kumar Galhotra, Ford's president of the Americas and International Markets Group; Lisa Drake, COO of North America; Elena Ford, chief customer experience officer; and Ford Credit CEO Marion Harris. New Chief Marketing Officer Suzy Deering joined for a panel discussion.

Executives stressed the importance of growing online sales and improving customer service experiences such as pickup and delivery.

"I think Lincoln is poised to handle this type of environment well," said Bill Dawes, chairman of the Lincoln National Dealer Council. "We're definitely in the game, if not ahead of the game."

Executives also discussed progress with the brand's facility program, noting the stores they expect to open this year and in 2022. Lincoln has said retail sales at new brand-exclusive dealerships rose about 25 percent last year, compared with a 0.5 percent retail decline for Lincoln overall.

But how the brand plans to grow its lineup was not discussed. Executives were upbeat about an upcoming freshen of the Nautilus crossover and the Corsair plug-in hybrid variant but provided no details on additional electrified products or a timetable for a Lincoln battery-electric vehicle, dealers who attended said.

Falotico said the brand did not discuss any sales goals but expected improvement over 2020, when overall sales fell 6.1 percent.