#Lincoln

Just as industry analysts and veterans are convinced that the Lincoln brand will share a similar fate to Mercury, Lincoln is determined to prove the naysayers otherwise. According to global product chief of Ford, Derrick Kuzak, Ford promises no fewer than seven new or improved vehicles in the Lincoln lineup by 2014, a mere three years time.

Once a popular SUV that battled head on with the likes of the Cadillac Escalade, the Navigator has failed to win the affections of many buyers who in the luxury SUV segment.

We’ve heard about money being invested. We’ve heard about the division getting its own stand alone design operation, but will Ford stick to its guns and view Lincoln as a long-term investment?

With the current model, neé Zephyr, getting quite long in the tooth, Lincoln is getting ready to launch its successor, with a concept scheduled to be unveiled at the 2012 North American International Auto Show.

Despite some sources claiming that Lincoln could perhaps be headed the same way as Mercury, due to having too many badge engineered vehicles, a recent announcement by Ford Motor Company could prove the naysayers wrong.

Pope Paul VI was the first pope to travel the world, visiting Asia, Africa, and the Americas extensively. When he came to the USA for the first time, he needed something fitting to represent the Catholic Church—and this Lincoln Continental served nicely.

Ford will introduce a new performance customization option to its vehicles in the near future, offering adjustable settings for things like the steering and suspension. Called MyFord Select Drive, it will likely allow for three different settings for the steering responsiveness and the firmness of the shock absorbers, as well as the transmission shift characteristics on automatic models.

A recall has been issued out for owners of 1997-2004 Ford F-150s, 1997-1999 F-250s and 2002-2003 Lincoln Blackwoods to address a fuel tank strap that has become susceptible to corroding due to de-icing chemicals used on roads in cold weather. Owners of affected vehicles will receive a recall notice in mid-September and replacement straps will be installed on their vehicles. If the straps aren’t available when the recall repairs are done, an interim repair utilizing a cable support under the fuel-tank strap will be installed.

Mercedes-Benz dealerships have been awarded the top spot for the third consecutive year in an independent study issued on yesterday using secret shoppers to determine how customers are treated. Both Jaguar and Lexus tied for second place with Toyota and Chrysler being the best among mass-market brands in the Pied Piper study.

For 2012, Lincoln has lowered the price of its not-so-successful EcoBoost MKT three-row crossover by $3,000. There are no equipment of styling changes for this model year, but Lincoln is hoping the lower price will make the car more desirable to consumers. For 2012, the MKT will no longer have the all-wheel drive model with the naturally aspirated 3.7-liter V6. Instead, the AWD model with the 355-hp 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 will cost $46,295 with the price reduction.

When Ford went through a slump in 2006, the company took its employees in groups to see many of its upcoming products to boost morale within the company. With Lincoln set for a rebirth, the company will do the same calling it the “Lincoln Experience”. The employees will be shown new styling and strategy direction for the brand to improve interest and excitement. The workshop will be held for two weeks in July.

One of the newest safety features in the 2012 Ford Explorer are its rear seatbelts, which inflate during an accident. Now, spurred by the Explorer’s success and advanced safety ratings, Ford is making these available on the Flex and a number of Lincoln vehicles.

In an effort to try and stimulate falling sales of it’s North American luxury brand, Ford Motor Company has announced it will be spending $1 billion in a last-chance revitalization effort.

The rejuvenation of Lincoln doesn’t just begin with Roger Sterling. Ford has ordered its Lincoln dealers to spend at least $1 million per dealer to keep up with contemporary luxury trends, or get the hell out of the way.

Despite recent rumors that Lincoln might be headed for the chopping block, not helped by GM CEO Dan Akerson’s outburst last week, Ford Motor Company has repeatedly said that it’s committed to the Lincoln brand. Not only that, but part of future product portfolios will included a Navigator SUV.