by Robert Lewis (02 Dec 01)

Ford is putting renewed emphasis on Lincoln, its classiest American make, with one new model recently in the showrooms, another just announced, two more to come, and the next concept car also on the way.

Following on from the Blackwood, which was launched in October, the next model to be unveiled is the fourth-generation Town Car (pictured). Although it stands on a new platform and has much improved safety features, the styling of this majestically proportioned saloon has reverted to a more formal approach, very much in keeping with the Lincoln heritage.

Lincoln (which is, indeed, named after Abraham) hasn't always been part of the Ford empire. It was founded in 1917 to build wartime aircraft engines, and moved into car production in 1920, but fell into deep financial trouble. Henry Ford's son Edsel urged his father to buy it. Under Edsel's management, Lincoln produced some fast and elegant machines, with the original Continental, launched in 1940, being the first car given an accolade for design excellence by New York's Museum of Modern Art.

The Ford family has always taken a keen interest in Lincoln. The 1956 Continental was designed and developed under the direction of Edsel's son William Clay Ford, who's still on the Ford Motor Company board of directors. And it's worth bearing in mind that hisson Bill (William Clay Ford junior) is the chairman and chief executive of the whole shooting match.

Lincoln Autonomous Again

Before the recent revival, with its own design, development, purchasing, finance and manufacturing organisations re-established, Lincoln had been allowed to fade a little. But the Town Car series ("Lincoln's bedrock") has some very loyal customers. Almost 60% of current owners are repeat buyers, and many say they don't even think about buying anything else.

That's different from the situation with the other models in the present range, where 60% of the people who buy the luxury-class Navigator sports utility are first-time Lincoln customers. The figure rises to almost 70% in the case of the LS.

The new Town Car, with a much firmer central structure, improved luggage space, rack and pinion steering (at last), brake assist and a generally more up-to-date specification, was developed with input and advice over the two-year development schedule from more than 20 owners of the previous model. They were all active or retired Ford Motor Company employees who, naturally, wouldn't blab.

Among the many things they wanted to see were improved dynamics, even lower sound levels, the return of the bonnet-top emblem which they liked as a parking aid, more generous interior stowage space, and a second, digital speedometer able to be set to imperial or metric read-outs. That's partly because many of them, living in the Ford heartland of Michigan, often go north into Canada, and they want both scales.

There will be Executive, Signature and top-rated Cartier models, the latter expected to account for a fifth of all sales. Although the Town Car is a sizeable machine in standard form, long-wheelbase Executive and Cartier options will be offered.

More Models Coming Soon

The next new Lincoln will be an up-rated Navigator, to be unveiled in January at the Los Angeles Show. It will be followed by the company's first mid-sized 4x4 sport utility, the Aviator, which will make its debut in March at the New York Show.

And there's to be a new Continental concept car, another step on from the sensational Lincoln Mark 9 concept revealed in March of this year (pictured above). It will also be premièred at Los Angeles, and it must be only a matter of time before a showroom version appears.

Lincoln is the only American make in Ford's Premium Automotive Group, the other members of which are Jaguar, Aston Martin, Land Rover and Volvo. There was a move in the late 1990s to re-introduce Lincoln to the UK, but nothing came of it. With the improved dynamics of the latest Town Car, and a new Continental probably waiting in the wings, it's not impossible that there will be, at least, more interest from mainland Europe.

On its home ground, the Lincoln marque has been revitalised since its headquarters moved from Michigan to Irvine, California, also the base for the North American operations of the whole Premium Automotive Group, which is busy right now introducing the Land Rover Freelander V6 to the transatlantic market.

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