2010 Lincoln Mkt Excellent Condition on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Lincoln hopes month-by-month leasing will woo luxury clients

Lincoln is launching a new subscription-based service that will allow customers to lease any of its vehicles on a month-by-month basis as part of a new suite of services aimed at offering flexibility and converting buyers. The luxury brand has also been operating a pilot program in which dealers bring Lincoln vehicles to consumers' homes for them to test drive on their own time — and sometimes even complete the entire sales process at their homes. Lincoln also announced on the heels of the L.A. Auto Show a new collaboration with Clear, a company that provides expedited screening at security gates at airports and sports arenas, plus an expansion of its Lincoln Personal Driver service, formerly known as Lincoln Chauffeur, to Dallas. Kumar Galhotra, Lincoln's president, said the company is trying to create a brand experience for consumers that is warm, human and effortless, and that the new services are based on consumer research that equates time with luxury. "We take this philosophy of warm, human and effortless, and we really embed it" in the vehicles and ownership experience, he said. Lincoln plans to launch its vehicle subscription service early next year, likely in "a couple California cities," Galhotra said, that allows consumers to lease any Lincoln vehicle on a monthly basis. While Lincoln did not announce pricing, the program is based on Ford Credit's Canvas program, which offers monthly subscriptions to pre-owned Ford vehicles and come with insurance, maintenance and warranty coverage. The service is so far offered only in the Bay Area and parts of Los Angeles. The service appears to be similar to the $1,500-a-month Book by Cadillac service and Care by Volvo. Robert Parker, Lincoln's global director of marketing, sales and service, said the service will allow consumers the option of upgrading to larger-size vehicles without being locked into a traditional two-year lease. "We acknowledge the fact that we are a challenger brand. We're not at the scale of the Germans," Parker said. "We certainly aspire to continue to grow, that's not our No. 1 focus.

Lincoln's first full EV coming in 2022 as part of electrification push

Ford may be grabbing all the electric headlines right now, but soon Lincoln will be snagging a few, too. In a presentation to the media, the company outlined its electrification strategy for this decade, and it really kicks off next year with the first full electric Lincoln. Lincoln hasn't said much about what this 2022 EV will be like, not even whether it will be a crossover or a sedan. But the company did say the EV will be based on a modular electric platform supporting rear- or all-wheel drive. It's a new platform not related to the current Mustang Mach-E. This electric vehicle will also be the first of four full EVs launched between now and 2030. Lincoln will also increase its electrification of internal-combustion models. The goal is for the entire line-up to be electrified by 2030, and half of the brand's volume is expected to be electrified around 2026. Besides electrification, Lincoln highlighted some other steps it was taking to make the brand and the ownership experience more appealing. Technology and services were highlights. It's putting out its first over-the-air updates for the Lincoln Nautilus this summer with improvements for navigation, Apple CarPlay and the digital owner's manual. Amazon Alexa assistant is coming to Lincolns this fall, and hands-free driving assist is coming later. Lincoln is also playing with new services, such as a refueling and car cleaning service that's being tested in Houston. Finally, the company is adding more standalone retail stores with a new, more luxurious and customer-focused design. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Weekly Recap For 5.27.16 | Autoblog Minute

Senior Editor Greg Migliore recaps the week in automotive news for 5.27.16. Acura Lincoln Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video Lincoln Zephyr