subject: Ford Makes Big Plans for Lincoln Lineup [print this page] Ford Makes Big Plans for Lincoln Lineup Ford Makes Big Plans for Lincoln Lineup
Ford has recently announced that it will discontinue the Mercury brand which now allows it to concentrate on the Lincoln brand. The automaker has decided that it will now add a compact model to the Lincoln lineup. This is very good news for the dealer network that carry the Lincoln and Mercury brands as it will help vehicle sales while they phase out Mercury. The Mercury brand is scheduled to be shut down by the fourth quarter of this year.
Ford has recently stated that Lincoln will get "seven all-new or significantly refreshed vehicles in the next four years," which will help offset the loss of Mercury sales. The Lincoln brand has never been known for small cars, but Ford has plans to produce a compact car which will compete with cars such as the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, and even Ford's own Focus.
The new compact model will based on the new 2012 Ford Focus, but will be a much more luxurious car to keep in line with the luxury image of the Lincoln brand. With a new compact car and an increasing product line, a much stronger Lincoln lineup will be better positioned to compete with similar luxury brands such as Cadillac and Lexus.
An integral part of the upcoming refreshed Lincoln lineup will be Ford's new EcoBoost engine technology. Ford EcoBoost engine include turbocharged and direct injected six-cylinder engines. This line of new engines is designed to achieve 20% better fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse emissions by 15%. The EcoBoost V6 engine has made an appearance in the 2007 Lincoln MKR Concept, and was first available as an engine option in the 2010 Lincoln MKS.
