There's been a lot of furniture rearranging over at the Lincoln Motor Company lately, but new product such as the MKZ is trickling out. On the face of it, newer models like the MKC seem like they're getting better and less Ford-ish, too. The worst aspect of Lincoln's lineup? The names. The MK-whatevers are forgettable. That might change, just not for U.S.-bound cars.
USA Today reported that some of Lincoln's classic names – which include Continental, Zephyr and, um, Versailles – could be resurrected on existing cars because of the way they resonate in China and with potential customers there. Ford's global marketing VP, Jim Farley, says Lincolns still conjure up memories of American presidents and '60s nostalgia, apparently.
Which begs the question: Continental and everything else make Americans think of good ol' Lincolns, too. So why do we have to put up with the MK-nonsense? Just because we had to put up with generation after generation of aged Town Car shouldn't mean we can't have real names, too.
The biggest news here seems to be Ford will do a lot to make sure Lincoln doesn't die on the vine in China. Changing names for two different markets is a big step. It would be so much more simple if every market was on the same page. But, apparently, Americans won't accept real names over numbers for luxury cars.
Photo: Lincoln
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Lincolns Could Get Real Names Again, But Only In China