2005 Lincoln Town Car Signature on 2040-cars

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Lincoln's $5B revival bid hinges upon new D6 chassis

It's no secret that Lincoln has received short shrift from the Ford Motor Company for years, and former CEO Alan Mullay even wanted to kill the whole thing off when he ran things. Today, things appear to be trending in a different direction. Fresh investment has helped enable a sizable marketing push for its well-regarded MKC compact crossover, a couple of awards for the company and plant the seeds for a major expansion into China. While the situation is still in the early going, it looks like Lincoln is on a tentative (if long) path towards a turnaround. If new reports are accurate, the brand is poised to build on that momentum with its largest investment in new products in years thanks in large measure to a new modular platform codenamed D6.
According to four unnamed insiders speaking to Reuters, FoMoCo is investing over $5 billion over the next five years, partially to create a new modular platform to underpin multiple Lincoln vehicles - and possibly some Ford products, too. Development is reportedly being overseen by the division's new boss, Kumar Galhotra. At the moment, specific details about the D6 chassis aren't yet known, but it's rumored to have the flexibility to support front-, rear- and all-wheel drive vehicles. According to Reuters, the first model using the framework could be an MKZ replacement and seven-passenger MKT successor in 2019.
Until the D6-based models hit, expect to see continued expansion from Lincoln. Ford management isn't trying to turn around the division overnight and is planning "in terms of generations of products," according to current CEO Mark Fields. The strategy unsurprisingly includes a production version of Lincoln's recent MKX Concept, as well as an all-new Navigator using aluminum-intensive architecture. Reuters also claims the MKS is due for renewal in the meantime, including with a longer-wheelbase version to appeal to the brand's new Chinese buyers.

Junkyard Gem: 1977 Lincoln Continental Mark V

For the 1977 model year, Ford debuted the new Lincoln Continental Mark V, one of the biggest of the personal luxury coupes that were all the rage during the era. While 400 pounds lighter than its Mark IV predecessor, the Mark V was still a thirsty, 4,652-pound symbol of American exceptionalism. Here's an example of a first-year Mark V, spotted in a San Francisco Bay Area self-service wrecking yard. If we are to judge from the sun-baked interior, top-down rust, and moss growing on the bodywork, this car spent at least 20 years decaying outdoors before coming here. Still, flashes of its original opulence may be seen here and there. For example, the Cartier clock (which probably failed by about 1983). There were Cartier Edition Mark Vs (along with Givenchy and Pucci versions), but all the Mark Vs got the Cartier clocks. With the 1973 Oil Crisis just a few years behind and the 1979 Oil Crisis a couple of years ahead, some attempt to improve fuel economy was needed in the engine compartment. This car has the 400-cubic-inch version of the 351 Cleveland V8, rated at 179 woefully inadequate horsepower and 329 good-enough pound-feet of torque. Outside of California, the 208-horse 460-cubic-inch V8 was an option. These cars were very comfortable on the highway, with their soft springs and cushy seats. No, the wood isn't real. Worth restoring? No way, not when you can find nice one-owner examples for four figures. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. "To its owner, Continental Mark V is more than a new car. It's a Mark of tradition." Related Video: Featured Gallery Junked 1977 Lincoln Continental Mark V View 25 Photos Auto News Lincoln Luxury

Lincoln Aviator could make a comeback

The idea of Lincoln dropping its alphanumeric scheme in favor of real names was welcomed by fans of the marque and even appeared possible after the rousing reception to the Continental concept. Now, rumors suggest that the next of the luxury brand's nameplates to see a possible revival just might be the Aviator. Don't get your hopes up quite yet, though. The Truth About Cars admits that this tip comes from a second-hand source, but the person reports that Lincoln has a project codenamed Aviator as a model based on the Explorer. There's evidence to give the rumor some shaky support, though. Ford already has the trademarks for the name and AV8R. Also, an Explorer-based vehicle in 2019 is included for the brand's predictions in the recent Car Wars forecast. Autoblog reached out to company spokesperson Sam Locricchio, but he would not speculate about future products. The same source claims to The Truth About Cars that the Blue Oval might not replace the Ford Flex or Lincoln MKT when the current generations come to an end. Also, the next-gen Expedition and Navigator could use 10-speed automatics and follow the F-150 to get aluminum bodies, which is also already rumored. Although, all of this should be taken with a big grain of salt until anything more official has arrived. Lincoln spokesperson Stephane Cesareo gave The Truth About Cars no comment on the rumor, but said, "By 2020, we expect to expand the segments that we participate in by adding two new nameplates to the Lincoln brand. We have not provided any indications about the products or their names." Related Video: