Lincoln Tentatively Planning Rear-Drive Coupe

[ausrutherford]

Hopefully Follows Wave of New Product
FordInsideNews
December 19, 2012
By: Austin Rutherford

The Lincoln Mark X Concept, the last vehicle to share the Mark Series name

Over the past two years, Lincoln has been working on a plan to restart the brand. Among these efforts came the renaming the marque back to the Lincoln Motor Company, adding its own design and engineering team, and own advertising plan. All throughout this, the media and automotive fans alike have been calling for one thing in particular: a rear-wheel drive car. Speculation surrounding a rear-drive Lincoln has spurred recently, and FIN has been told one such reason is because a Mustang-based coupe is now in the card's for Ford's luxury brand.

There is one thing to keep clear. This is less set in stone then most products under development in the Ford umbrella for Lincoln has been given a “last chance” in the 2013 MkZ and/or 2014 “MkD” (if they end up calling the compact CUV that name). If one or both of these products fail on the marketplace, the mothership could pull the plug on the company Henry bought for revenge.

If all goes according to plan with successful launches of those two essential products, the Mustang-based coupe will commence in late 2015. As always with future product talk, the actual date of introduction will likely vary due to development. Assuming things stay relatively close, we expect this car to be a 2016 or 2017 model.

[free_energy0]

This is a no-risk non story attempt to make news.

[Orbit Orange]

I'll believe it when it happens.

[ModernCarGuy]

I would love to see Lincoln be something again... Lets face it Lincoln has not been anything for about forever and four score and.... well since Abe was born.... Lincoln should do some of what Caddy and Audi have done. I say have one or two cars that are rear wheel and an entry level fwd compact and mid size then have your cuv as fwd and have a mid size and large size rear wheel drive car... the mid size can be a two door two seat car in the likes of Audi TT but bigger for our fat behinds in America. Have it based off the mustang

[BlackGTP]

Though discussed in many previous threads, I feel bad for Lincoln. I don't see much of a way that Lincoln can succeed given the limited funds provided. Though I don't think a rwd coupe will turn around Lincoln (they need to focus on mainstream product first), 2016 or 2017 is way to far out.

I'd like to see Lincoln go for broke and totally create a new car company (with the Lincoln name). Meaning a whole new look with absolutely no reliance on the past for styling. Every time I see a Lincoln they always scream "old people cars" or too 1970's with the styling cue's they are using. And clearly these styling cues aren't working, otherwise people would be buying. Clean sheet of paper is the way to go.

[BlackGTP]

This is a no-risk non story attempt to make news.

Got something better to talk about?

[ausrutherford]

This is a no-risk non story attempt to make news.

If there is a "no-risk" option here, its coming from Ford themselves. If Lincoln lives, development continues as it is today and the coupe launches. If Lincoln is killed, it is killed as well.

[GM_Guy81]

Too little too late. Though giving Lincoln its own engineering and marketing resources is a good baby step, thats all it really is and it begs the question why they didn't have that already??

One or two good products is nice, but its not enough to save such an extensively damaged brand. The LS back in the day was a great vehicle with RWD and decent dynamics. The problem is it was followed up by total fail FWD cars with nothing special about them. Soon the momentum gained by the LS was lost and they were back to square one.

Sitting here and making determinations about future RWD vehicles based on the success of some FWD stuff is asinine.

[Pisswilly]

They can call it the Muscoln. Just change the front and rear clips like they did with the Fusion to make the MKZ.

[johnstarnes]

I hope we see a concept car for it soon.

[Mcmflow]

They can call it the Muscoln. Just change the front and rear clips like they did with the Fusion to make the MKZ.

When did this guy go blind?

[ausrutherford]

They can call it the Muscoln. Just change the front and rear clips like they did with the Fusion to make the MKZ.

You do realize the the 2013 Fusion and MkZ share no skin right?

[EJD1984]

I would think that this would wind up being a direct competitor to the rumored Buick Riviera.

[T'Cal]

Why is Lincoln hesitating doing this? GM is doing the identical thing with their alpha platform for the ATS and Camaro, and the Caddy is getting rave reviews. Why would Ford use the improved Mustang platform for only one vehicle when it's worthy of so much more duty? Lincoln needs to do this by offering a Lincoln coupe, a sedan, and a convertible on this platform. Lincoln also needs a large RWD flagship sedan that competes with the 7 Series and S Class.

[SCCA1995]

I would think that this would wind up being a direct competitor to the rumored Buick Riviera.

Only if GM builds a Riviera on the Alpha platform. I would more than likely go for the Riv in this scenario. The previous Lincoln Mark models have looked sleek, but otherwise boring in design. The Riv has had style for most of it's existence.