Lincoln Mulls Ditching 'MK' Nameplates
The recently revealed Continental Concept may be the beginning of new nameplates for Lincoln.
“Without divulging the future,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford Motor Co.’s president of the Americas, “We’re very excited about the Continental name and the attention it’s gotten.” Continental is a nameplate from Lincoln’s past and is being introduced on the successor to the MKS, a trend which might continue with Lincoln’s other models.
SEE ALSO: Lincoln Continental Concept Previews Brand’s New Flagship Sedan
Talking about the company’s current MK naming scheme, Hinrich said, “It’s, frankly, where the auto industry — the premium industry — has gone, if you look at all the nameplates. But another way Lincoln could distinguish itself is to leverage its heritage. So I’ll leave it at that.”
The current naming structure was actually implemented as a nod to the past, with MK meaning “Mark” in reference to the Continental Mark series of cars. With Lincoln looking to reinvent itself, a shift to a new naming scheme doesn’t seem far fetched, especially when you consider that sales of Lincoln’s MK cars are down 7.2-percent overall this year while the Lincoln Navigator, the brand’s only current vehicle with a non-MK name, is up 84 percent.
[Source: Automotive News]
Discuss this story at our Lincoln MKC Forum
Stephen covers all of the day-to-day events of the industry as the News Editor at AutoGuide, along with being the AG truck expert. His truck knowledge comes from working long days on the woodlot with pickups and driving straight trucks professionally. When not at his desk, Steve can be found playing his bass or riding his snowmobile or Sea-Doo. Find Stephen on <A title="@Selmer07 on Twitter" href="http://www.twitter.com/selmer07">Twitter</A> and <A title="Stephen on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/117833131531784822251?rel=author">Google+</A>
More by Stephen Elmer
Comments
Join the conversation
Bring on the names! This move could really differentiate Lincoln from the competition, plus they have such rich heritage they're fools for not tapping into that sooner.