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Want a new 2022 Lincoln Navigator? You'll have to custom order it

Lincoln showed the refreshed 2022 Navigator in August of last year, but the luxury SUV only entered production on January 18 of this year. After just three months of rolling down the line at Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant, Lincoln has closed the doors on pumping out inventory units. Ford Authority noticed the Navigator page at Lincoln's consumer web site now reads, "The 2022 Lincoln Navigator is only available for custom order. Some models, trims, and features may not be available. Please contact your local Lincoln Retailer for updates and assistance." It's a small bit of sub-optimal news for shoppers who want to hit the dealer lot and shop for an SUV like choosing a pet at a shelter. It hasn't been such a bad thing for Lincoln, though. Ford has made it intentions clear about the future of dealer inventory and custom orders, emphasizing that it wants less of the former and more of the latter. With the Navigator, that part of the plan appears to be working out, FA reporting that retail orders in February were up 291% over February 2021. Threads on the Blue Oval Forums show buyers willing to wait for their orders as well, one buyer who placed an order on January 20 still holding out for a VIN and tentative production date at the time of writing. It doesn't appear the move to custom orders is the result of overwhelming demand, however. Rather, it seems that Ford just can't make enough Navigators to satisfy what demand there is. Production issues at the Kentucky Truck Plant that also builds the Ford Expedition and Super Duty pickup have crimped output for all three models. Expedition and Navigator sales in the U.S. are both down more than 56% through the first three months of this year. Navigators that do make it out the plant doors are leaving without Active Park Assist 2.0, a standard feature on the Lincoln that is constrained on a number of Ford vehicles as well thanks to you know what. Ford is at least able to do the next best thing, which is installing an Active Park Assist 2.0 Prep Kit that screws in the sensors and hardware. When chips are available, which the automaker believes could be 12 to 18 months, an owner can stop by a dealer to have that chip installed free of charge. It's a nicer solution than a Semiconductor Shortage Package for everyone involved. Order books for the 2023 Lincoln Navigator are expected to open in two months, with production slated to start in September. Maybe things will be better then. Or not.

Why Grandpa loved Lincoln: Looking back at a century of design

It’s been 100 years since Henry Ford, in the aftermath of World War I, purchased the scraps of the Lincoln Motor Company. Ford put his son Edsel in charge of the automaker, and challenged him to create a luxury car company that could rival Cadillac, Packard and Pierce-Arrow. This meant, first off, bringing actual automotive designers into the fold, building out FordÂ’s first such department. The Model T, FordÂ’s then long-in-the-tooth mainstay, was created by engineers, and looked it. “For Lincoln, the innovation and setting of new standards of modernity has always been a core of our design,” said Kemal Curic, a 20-year veteran of Ford, and global design director of Lincoln since 2014. “Since its founding purchase from Henry Leland, Lincoln was always courageous to introduce new designs.” These included concentrations on streamlining and exuberance. These focci yielded a number of vehicle designs that were influential not just for the brand, but for the industry. 1936 Lincoln Zephyr, 1939 Lincoln Presidential Limo “Some of the cars that changed America were the 1936 and ‘38 Zephyr. The ‘36 for its aerodynamic look, and the ‘38 for its patented horizontal grille,” said Lincoln archivist and historian Ted Ryan. “Also, the 1939 Zephyr Continental, developed in ‘39 as a 1940 model – later known just as the Lincoln Continental – instituted another icon that stayed in place for decades with the spare tire initially exposed, and then treated with the spare tire hump.” Both Ryan and Curic also called out a number of other inspiring Lincoln models. These included the 1955 Lincoln Futura concept – which was later turned into the Batmobile by George Barris – and the 1961 Continental, famed for its rectilinear slab sides and suicide doors, plus its role as a presidential limousine in the Kennedy era. “These cars emphasized horizontality,” Curic said. “We like to relate that to the designs of Frank Lloyd Wright in his architecture. Wright loved his Lincolns. These proportions on the exterior were always Lincoln signifiers.” 1961 Lincoln Continental, Lincoln Futura Concept Lesser known than these is an example of what, back in the day, was known as a Hybrid: a car featuring an American powerplant and European design. “IÂ’m a huge fan of the 1955 Indianapolis Concept,” Curic said, a stunning jet-like vehicle that was last up for auction by RM SothebyÂ’s in 2013.

Ford rakes in record $2.5b profit during Q1 of 2016

Fears that the auto industry is due for a downturn may be fading. Ford posted record profits in the first quarter of 2016, the company announced Thursday. Chief financial officer Bob Shanks said Ford enjoyed its best quarterly performance in history, generating operating profits of $3.8 billion and a record profit margin of 9.8 percent. Overall, the company's $2.5 billion profit in the quarter more than doubled from the 2015 quarterly results. "The first quarter was an absolutely terrific start to the year, an all-time record for the company, with very strong performance across the business," said chief executive officer Mark Fields. "We're excited about our future and confident in our ability to deliver long-term growth and profitability as we expand our business model to be both an auto and a mobility company." During the quarter, Ford announced the creation of Ford Smart Mobility, a new subsidiary that would vet future mobility projects in the realm of car-sharing, fractional ownership and autonomous deployment. The company also kicked off a billion-dollar makeover of its Dearborn, Michigan campus and headquarters. The company's after-tax earnings of $0.68 per share trumped Wall Street's expectations, and were significantly up from $0.39 per share a year ago. The results were buoyed by the company's fourth consecutive quarter of growth in Europe, which comes after a long period of stagnant sales. Ford's earnings results come amid reports that April car sales are on pace to jump 4 percent year over year, which would make it the best-selling April in history. Kelley Blue Book projects that car sales will reach 1.51 million this month, placing the industry on track for 17.5 million vehicles sold in 2016. Even as SUV and crossover sales drive the market, analysts say Nissan and Honda are positioned to benefit from renewed interest in mid-size cars. "Following a disappointing March, we expect sales to get back on track in April with SAAR in the mid-17 million range," said Tim Fleming, analyst for Kelley Blue Book. "Increased fleet sales and rising incentive spending among automakers remain the factors to watch, but the retail demand appears to be holding steady, signaling the industry's strong run isn't over quite yet." Related Video: Image Credit: Getty Earnings/Financials Ford Lincoln 5g Connectivity mobility auto industry financial