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MKZ to be Renamed Zephyr, go RWD


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How much money would Ford have saved by developing MKZ and Continental together at the same time. For the ridiculous amount of money spent on Continental, Lincoln ended up with a car that was just over 7" longer and barely 2" wider, the extra width not really translating in better hip and shoulder room, especially in the rear of the vehicle.

The MKR pointed the way years ago with a RWD concept that eerily mirrored the Aussie Falcon's length width and wheelbase, it's only a short hop from that to a long wheelbase for Continental /Town car. That same philosophy could and should be embraced when developing any future Lincoln cars.

The whole reason Ford struggled to justify quick and efficient development of vehicles has been exposed and corrected by Jim Hackett, vehicles don't need to be researched for years and contrived business cases entered just to get past financing.   I like Jim Hackett's holistic and inclusive view of developing products that are needed and stepping back from those that no longer make sense..

Edited by jpd80
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36 minutes ago, atomcat68 said:

My hope is that the regular sedan is Zephyr and the extended wheelbase with coach doors is Continental and both are at Flat Rock with the Mustang.

The coach door Continentals aren't built at Flat Rock. Well I mean they are but they’re modified off site.

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Thinking about this a little more, I like the Zephyr and Continental on the same chassis, the latter being a stretch LWB version is a great idea.  You can put a lot of batteries in a LWB platform. Electric Continental in city traffic would be great.  The long stretch limo would certainly be called the Town car.  4 door Coupe...Mark X

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MKZ sells more than triple the Continental's sales, and does not seem to have the same attention as the "biggest" brother. It'S a sedan that's been on the market for a decade and it's carried Lincoln in the back like the brand's best-selling car for years. Make a CD6 MKZ, since the platform will be shared between Aviator and Explorer. Put a 2.3 Ecoboost of Mustang HOP 335 on it and a hybrid version

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As much as I like to hear this, we've been hearing of the fabled RWD Lincoln sedan for years.  I'm not going to get too excited until there more hard evidence or a concept.

Follow up with a RWD 4-door Thunderbird for Ford on CD6 and maybe we can forgive them for dropping every sedan in the US lineup.

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3 hours ago, jcartwright99 said:

What matters most to luxury buyers, drivetrain or badge on the hood? 

Depends on the buyer. Some want the badge, some want the luxury, some technology and some want performance. But what the market is showing is that they want a unique experience. They don't want a brand that is trying to be another brand, at that point they just drive the original and not the "fake".

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6 hours ago, jcartwright99 said:

What matters most to luxury buyers, drivetrain or badge on the hood? 

Your point makes sense for sure, however, you have to earn that badge on the hood.  And you only do that by putting out great products that convince buyers to switch over.  A RWD version would be a good step in that direction.

2 hours ago, PREMiERdrum said:

Glad to see this plan appears to be going forward. 

BTW the Continental name isn't going anywhere. 

I'm hesitant to trust this article.  They based it on a 2016 trademark filing/renewal, and info that was ruomored a while back (about RWD) but we've not seen anything about.

I'll be really happy to see it happen, but I'm skeptical at the moment.

 

I know there's talk of Conti becoming Lincoln's EV, but if they're going through the effort of making a RWD MKZ - er - Zephyr, would it not make sense to make a companion Conti too?

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2 hours ago, jpd80 said:

^^^^^ Could be why nothing has been mentioned regarding Lincoln cars, maybe they carry through until two new EVs take their place?

Or is that too far out?

I'm basing the Conti EV talk on what BORG has said elsewhere since he won't post here anymore - he implied it was a larger than Mach E model (that there'd be both Ford and Lincoln versions) and that it may be 3 rows, so more crossover like, but who knows.  He also was adamant there was no Lincoln EV coming at all when he left here, so value the info how you will...

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I hope there will be a RWD leaning AWD option for the vehicle.

Also as long as the rear seating is better than the current model.  The roof line sloped to soon and took the headroom away.

Finally, if there is a two door model, call it the Cougar, - yea I had to say it.
Unless Jennifer Garner has a copyright on the Cougar brand already.  Me-wow!

 

Edited by jniffen
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13 hours ago, jniffen said:

I hope there will be a RWD leaning AWD option for the vehicle.

Also as long as the rear seating is better than the current model.  The roof line sloped to soon and took the headroom away.

Finally, if there is a two door model, call it the Cougar, - yea I had to say it.
Unless Jennifer Garner has a copyright on the Cougar brand already.  Me-wow!

 

Jniffen,

You raise a good point. The key consideration for whatever Lincoln does next on sedans will be the China market. The Continental barely sells anymore here (though the MKZ is still doing ok), but sells well in China. My Lincoln dealer tells me it was mainly designed for the China market, where sedans still sell and a spacious back seat (and rear seat package) is vital, as most luxury sedan owners there have drivers. For this reason, I'm optimistic there will be a big sedan in Lincoln's near(ish) future, though it might end up being made in the new production facilities Ford is building in China, and will be exported back to the North American market.

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Also, I'm starting to see more Connies with the MN plates for limousine service 'LM'#### . Damn good looking car.

 Is there enough limo business to warrant Lincoln to keep one car model around? 

Maybe one that would be inbetween the Zeph and Connies size? 

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