When Will Ford Motor Company (F) Get Lincoln Going?

The smaller MKZ, which is a newer product, is more visually distinct from its Ford cousin, the Fusion. That’s a good thing, but again, a loaded Fusion isn’t too far from an MKZ in terms of features.

The Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. Photo credit: Ford Motor Co.

After a rough launch, MKZ sales seem to be picking up: Lincoln chief Jim Farley said on Friday that about 3,300 MKZs were sold in May, a strong result. That’s not a surprise: The current Fusion is a strong seller, too.

But overall, Lincoln’s sales in May are likely to be unchanged or down a bit versus last year, Farley said. This is progress?

Ford’s plan for Lincoln is still unfolding
Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) says the MKZ is just the first of four new Lincolns that will make their debuts in the next couple of years. Next up is likely the MKC, a crossover SUV that is (stop me if you’ve heard this before) based on Ford’s hot-selling Escape. Can you tell?

Lincoln’s MKC Concept. Photo credit: Ford Motor Co.

After the MKC, we’ll see. But the big knock against Lincoln for years and years has been that they’re just Fords in fancy suits. Given Ford’s recent strategy of adding luxury options to its mass-market cars (and even its pickups), the line between the two — and the case for buying a Lincoln over a loaded Ford — is blurrier than ever.

A truly premium brand needs more distinct products, even if they’re based on mass-market underpinnings. This is a trick that VW has mastered to perfection with Audi. It’s one that Ford is going to have to master, too.

Jim Farley, the Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) executive who took over Lincoln last year, is said to be a very smart and capable guy. Alan Mulally once described him to me as Ford’s “secret weapon.” I want to believe that Ford has a good plan to turn Lincoln into something special, and that Farley is going to make it happen.

But so far, I’m not seeing it. What do you think?

The article When Will Ford Get Lincoln Going? originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by John Rosevear.

Fool contributor John Rosevear owns shares of Ford and General Motors. Follow him on Twitter at @jrosevear. The Motley Fool recommends Ford and General Motors and owns shares of Ford.

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