1964 Lincoln Continental on 2040-cars

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Lincoln trumpets $129M investment, 300 new jobs in Louisville for MKC

Remember when we used to talk about how close Lincoln was to being axed and how it seemed any day now the Grim Reaper would use it as a car service back to the grave? Last time we did it was, oh, not even a month ago. What a difference 27 days makes: Ford and Lincoln are trumpeting a $129M investment in the Louisville Assembly Plant that builds the MKC.
In July the MKC was the third-best-selling Lincoln of the brand's six offerings, beat by the MKZ and - by a much smaller margin - the MKX. It has sold 2,895 units in the two months it's been on sale, which is more than half the year-to-date sales of the MKS, MKT and Navigator. It's already important, is what we're trying to say, and this is before the Chinese market gets a crack at it later this year.
The money headed to Kentucky will be joined by 300 new workers, another marker in Ford's march to create 12,000 hourly jobs in the US by next year. You can read more about it in the press release below.

Ford CEO Jim Hackett reviewing the future of technology, Lincoln, overseas markets

By Paul Lienert and Joseph White Ford Chief Executive Jim Hackett is reviewing the automaker's operations in India and other markets, as well as Ford's future product programs including plans to build a self-driving commercial vehicle in 2021. Hackett, who took over as CEO in May, has told investors he is working on a 100-day review of Ford's operations but has so far provided few details of the process, except to indicate that it is looking at the automakers' luxury vehicle strategy, the future of its small vehicles and investments in emerging markets. Ford Chief Financial Officer Bob Shanks told Reuters in an interview that the review covers a range of issues, including Ford's strategy for India. "We have a lot of work to do (as) we address issues of how to fix India," Shanks said. "Everything is on the table." General Motors in May said it would stop selling cars in India but continue to produce vehicles there for export. Shanks said no decisions have been made and noted that Ford has a larger business in India than GM did. "We are very cognizant that will be the third-largest market in the world," he said. "Some big decisions will be made," Shanks said, but he cautioned Ford may not disclose all those decisions at the end of the 100-day review. Hackett is addressing challenges that have contributed to a nearly 8 percent decline in Ford's share price this year. The review of the Lincoln luxury brand includes whether current plans will meet former CEO Mark Fields' ambitious targets for growth and revenue, people familiar with the process said. Ford has set a target of putting a self-driving shuttle into commercial ride-sharing fleets by 2021. Hackett is reviewing the investment and timing for that project, the sources said. Hackett also assessing whether to reduce and consolidate production of models such as the Fiesta subcompact and two midsized sedans that are built in multiple locations around the world, but are experiencing slowing demand. One proposal would shift production of the next-generation Mondeo midsized sedan from Europe to Mexico, where it would share an assembly line with its sibling, the Ford Fusion, avoiding the cost of retooling two plants. Shortly after he took charge, Hackett approved a proposal to shift production of the next-generation Focus for North America from Mexico to China, saving the company an estimated $500 million by consolidating two factories into one.

Lincoln Continental suicide doors: A lot has changed since 1961

It looks like we've hit peak Lincoln Continental for the 21st century with the Coach Door Edition. At least, 80 people will be enjoying the best that Lincoln (and Cabot Coach Builders) can offer. We figured now was a perfect time to look back at the original Continental with suicide doors, now that there's a return to form. Make sure to scroll through the barrage of historical Continental photos Lincoln provided to us from its archive above. Lincoln was aiming to offer a design throwback to the 1961 Continental with its return to suicide doors. Back then, Lincoln wanted a car to compete with GM's " Standard of the World," ergo Cadillac. The goal was to make a car so enticing that people might want to buy a Lincoln instead of a Cadillac as their next luxury-mobile. It never stomped down Cadillac, but the Continental made a strong statement. Sales spiked at 54,755 Continentals in 1966 – Cadillac sold 196,685 cars that same year. For nine years (1961-1969), Lincoln made the Continental with suicide doors as the only option (barring the two-door coupe introduced in 1966). The car was offered as a four-door convertible or hardtop for most of the suicide-door generation, but the convertible was dropped after 1967. It was the droptop that was most iconic, and the car many of us picture today when thinking about that Continental. The pillar-less look of the Convertible with the top removed and the doors swung wide exudes class and luxury. This generation of Continental appeared in movies like "James Bond's Goldfinger", and more recently in "The Matrix." Celebrities owned them back in the day. Who doesn't want to exit their large convertible through suicide doors onto the red carpet, right? 2019 Lincoln Continental Coach Door Edition View 51 Photos Obviously, Lincoln wanted the normal Continental released for model year 2017 to take the world by storm. As rumors swirl of its untimely death after 2020, it's safe to say the new Continental hasn't exactly done that. What if it had suicide doors to begin with? Would we have been looking at the next Mercedes beater? Probably not. But still, we would have been blown away if that's what Lincoln showed us at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show. Maybe those in the market would have been too. The new Continental with suicide doors serves an entirely different purpose than the original. Producing only 80 of them makes sure of that. Maybe a few celebrities will buy one, but this one won't have the same cultural impact of the old.