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Lincoln to get high-end Harman Revel audio in 2015

"They've never been in autos before, and this is going to be an absolute point of differentiation for us." – Matt VanDyke Lincoln executive Matt VanDyke admits he was "moderately interested" when he heard his brand was considering a partnership with a high-end speaker company. Then he listened to the silky sound they made. "I sat there and I was blown away," he said. That may be overselling the speakers, but they do sound good – we know, we've checked 'em out. Lincoln is betting subtle enhancements – like Harman's Revel audio systems – will help the historic automotive brand appeal to a new generation of buyers. The companies announced a 10-year deal on Wednesday to place Revel speakers in Lincoln cars and trucks beginning in 2015 models. Terms were not disclosed. Though Revel is a new name, Harman has long offered a wide array of car under other brands, including Harman Kardon, Infinity and Lexicon. The partnership launches with the next-generation MKX crossover (concept version shown above), which arrives in showrooms in 2015, and the speakers will be available on other Lincoln models, too. Revel is Harman's top-of-the-line brand that's marketed to audiophiles, and its home systems can easily cost several thousand dollars or more. In Lincolns, passengers will be able to tune their Revel system to three settings: normal stereo sound; "audience," which creates concert-like acoustics; and "on-stage," which is designed to make passengers feel like they're standing among the band. Revel and Lincoln designers also collaborated on the style of the speaker grilles to integrate them into the vehicles, and the uplevel Revel system, called Ultima, will use aluminum covers. "They've never been in autos before, and this is going to be an absolute point of differentiation for us," said VanDyke, Lincoln's global director. Though Revel is a new name to the auto sector, Harman has long offered a wide array of in-car audio and infotainment systems under other brands, including Harman Kardon, Infinity and Lexicon. The Revel partnership is part of Lincoln's efforts to elevate its image and make the brand more relevant to new and younger customers. Lincoln's Black Label line, a customization and service program, will launch at 32 dealerships in six states this year, before expanding nationwide in late 2015. Additionally, Lincoln signed Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey to star in its advertisements.

May 2016: FCA wins, Ford and GM stumble on weak car volumes

The May 2016 sales numbers are in, and it looks as though FCA is getting some vindication for boldly cancelling two slow-selling car models. Meanwhile, Ford saw overall sales dip and GM's May volume took a big dive versus the same month in 2015. While Marchionne's decision to axe the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart has drawn criticism as being short-sighted, it's working for FCA so far. Although the Dart and 200 aren't out of production yet and no capacity has been shifted to crossover or trucks, May's numbers show that the emphasis on Jeep and Ram models makes sense right now. FCA's US sales rose 1 percent last month compared to May 2015, putting the year-to-date total at 955,186 vehicles, an increase of 6 percent compared to the same period last year. Standouts included the Jeep Renegade, Compass, and Patriot, and the Fiat 500X. Ram pickup sales were down 3 percent. And your fun fact is that Alfa Romeo sales were up precisely 10 percent, for a total of 44 4Cs sold versus 40 in the same month last year. At FoMoCo, the Ford brand took a hit to the tune of 6.4 percent from May 2015 to 2016, registering 226,190 sales last month. Lincoln showed improvement on its modest numbers, going from 9,174 to 9,807, a 6.9 percent increase. Overall, Ford was down 5.9 percent for the month to 235,997; despite the slump, year-to-date total Ford sales are up 4.2 percent to 1,112,939. Strong sellers included Escape, Expedition, F-Series, and Transit - big stuff. Most small and/or efficient models (Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, C-Max) saw sales slides. Fusion sales were also down, likely due to effects of model changeover to the freshened 2017 model. Ford has promised four new crossovers and SUVs by 2020 and if things keep trending this way the company will be able to sell them, but things could change in the next four years. GM saw the worst of it for domestic brands. Retail and fleet sales were down for each of the four divisions, with the May 2016 total dropping 18 percent to 240,450 vehicles. GM's year-to-date sales are down 5.0 percent in 2016 to 1,183,705. Both the Sierra and Silverado were down significantly, and the majority of Chevy, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac nameplates saw sales decreases, with both small cars and larger utilities included. Not even big stuff could help GM this month, it seems. We'll have more on the rest of the industry's May sales as those figures trickle in.

2017 Lincoln MKZ shows the new face of progress

No one can accuse Lincoln of failing to keep to the MKZ modern after the latest, comprehensive upgrades for the refreshed 2017 model. The sedan goes on sale next spring and features significant changes to the design, powertrain, and available technology. The designers give the luxury sedan's face an aesthetic overhaul with a mesh grille that's inspired by the Continental concept, and the company also offers LED adaptive headlights as a further improvement to the front end. That said, it looks a little derivative – many staffers are comparing it to similar Jaguar and Kia designs, not that that's a bad thing. Inside, the center console moves away from capacitive controls in favor of actual knobs and buttons. Huge changes happen under the hood, too. The all-wheel-drive MKZ is available with 400 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque from a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6, and the mill is exclusive to Lincoln for now. The optional Driver's Package on these models should further improve the handling thanks to a torque-vectoring rear differential derived from the Ford Focus RS. The same V6 makes 350 hp in front-wheel drive trim, and customers can also order a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder or hybrid powertrain. Lincoln has a load of safety and driver assistance tech for the MKZ, too. The adaptive cruise control system can deal with stop-and-go traffic and even hold the sedan in place without the driver using the brake pedal. Pre-Collision Assist can also help avoid accidents by automatically activating the brakes. Related Video: Quiet Luxury: Intuitive Technology, Effortless Performance and Distinctive Design Drive 2017 Lincoln MKZ Suite of cutting-edge intuitive technologies including available adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, auto hold, Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection and enhanced park assist help ease the new Lincoln MKZ driving experience Effortless performance enabled by available new Lincoln-exclusive 3.0-liter GTDI V6 engine, which creates a quiet, powerful ride, or popular hybrid option Distinctively redesigned from the inside out, including three new Lincoln Black Label themes available, plus two available Revel® audio systems delivering the height of Lincoln luxury LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18, 2015 – Discover your new favorite space. The new Lincoln MKZ combines intuitive technology, effortless performance and distinctive design to deliver an enhanced driving experience Lincoln calls quiet luxury.