2010 Lincoln Mkx Awd Loaded Navi Htd/cld Leather Heated Rear Seats Pano Roof A++ on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Lincoln Chauffeur service will drive you around and do your shopping

Lincoln is launching a unique service in Miami this year called Lincoln Chauffeur, and it does exactly what you'd expect. Any Lincoln owner can request someone via an app to come to their house and drive him or her wherever they'd like. That driver will then drive the car back. Lincoln pointed out this will allow other household members to use the car, and even helps avoid having to pay for parking when going to the airport. A representative said that a driver could be sent to a bar or restaurant to pick up a car left in favor of a cab after drinking. In addition to driving you to a location, the driver can also go and fill up your Lincoln with fuel and run other errands. Need some groceries? Your Lincoln driver can do that. And the Lincoln drivers are employed and vetted by Lincoln. If you find a driver you like, you can also request that person and Lincoln will try to accommodate your request. The service is currently in the pilot stage and only available in Miami. The next city that will get access to the service is San Diego. However, the plan is to continue expanding. It's also available for all Lincoln owners, new and old, not just members of Lincoln Black Label. Buyers of any new Lincoln will be given the equivalent of eight hours free in the service. This is a significant perk, since Lincoln said the estimated cost is $30 per hour of use at the current pilot pricing. Related Video:

How Lincoln could make itself special again

Things are going better for the Lincoln brand — or, more properly, The Lincoln Motor Company — so far this year, and are likely to continue to do so, comparatively speaking. In the first quarter of 2017, the brand's sales are up 8.7 percent compared with the same period last year. Lincoln delivered 27,083 units in the first quarter. The Continental is certainly a boon, with 3,209 units (almost 12 percent of the total number), something Lincoln didn't have in the first quarter of 2016. Its crossovers, the MKC and MKX, were up 15 and 11.2 percent, respectively, and while the Navigator SUV was down 16.2 percent, the new 2018 model will certainly boost that nameplate. Still, there is undoubtedly a glass — or crystal — ceiling for Lincoln (as well as for Cadillac) that it's not likely to break through regarding total US sales. No matter how you look at it, the US luxury market is dominated by import brands, and there is no reason to think that's going to change. Ever. According to Autodata, for the first quarter of 2017 there were 213,817 luxury vehicles delivered, of which 170,780 were from import brands and 43,037 domestic. While there is a good likelihood that Lincoln will gain some ground, given the lineup extensions that the likes of Mercedes, Audi, BMW, and Lexus are making, as well as the creation of new brands like Genesis and the traction of Tesla, it is going to be all the more challenging for any company to get any significant growth in the luxury category. So growth for Lincoln, yes. Notable growth? No. But there is something the company could do to generate revenue separate from the car and crossover business. It may not make a lot of money in and of itself, but it can provide a distinct edge in the product segment that would cement Lincoln with a unique offering. Kumar Galhorta, president of Lincoln, frequently talks about "experiences." About how the company is working to relieve or eliminate "pain points" from its customers. About how time — or the perceived lack thereof — is something Lincoln is working to address. And it's doing so in a way that gives it a distinctiveness vis-a-vis the competitive set. Lincoln's services are creating a buzz in a way that Matthew McConaughey ads never will. Lincoln is addressing it through service. As in offering pickup and delivery for service appointments for all new 2017 Lincoln models.

Lincoln owners in San Diego, your chauffeur awaits

In an effort to make up lost market share, Lincoln is trying desperately to differentiate itself from other luxury automakers. The automaker is offering and expanding a number of services aimed at setting itself apart not only from Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, and Audi, but also the Fords that so often share showroom space. One such offering, the Lincoln Chauffeur, is expanding beyond its initial rollout in Miami, Florida, across the country to San Diego, California. The concept is simple. For $30/hour, a chauffeur will drive you around in your own vehicle, stopping at the store, the gas station, or even at school to pick up the kids. The chauffeur can do these things with or without you present, meaning the driver can drop you off at the airport and return the car home, allowing others to use the car rather than leaving it parked at the airport. The service is available to old and new Lincoln owners, though the former get eight free hours to try the service. San Diego was part of a planned expansion. If things continue to go well, look for further rollouts in cities across the country. Related Video: News Source: Lincoln via Automotive News Lincoln Ownership