Thanks to TTAC‘s sources inside the Blue Oval (the same ones who scuttled rumors of a revived Ford GT), we can exclusively reveal that the long awaited RWD Lincoln is in the works, along with a Ford counterpart. But the newest rear-drive Blue Oval vehicle won’t be a sedan ala the Lincoln Continental or a Ford Falcon revival. It’s going to be a crossover.
On the surface, the idea of two rear-drive crossovers makes zero sense at all. Rear-wheel drive is now primarily used for enhanced driving dynamics, and a crossover isn’t exactly the kind of vehicle that stands to benefit from such a layout. But Ford has tried this before with the Australian market Territory (above) a vehicle that was widely lauded for its performance and practicality.
But a closer look at the dynamics of the auto market place shows that a new full-size sedan is a fool’s errand. The full-size market is shrinking with each year, as large crossovers take an increasing bite out of a once dominant segment. The next generation Ford Taurus is rumored to be dead in the water after it bombed a series of design clinics – instead, a large Ford sedan based on the Fusion’s CD platform will be built for the Chinese market, alongside Project GOBI, a large Lincoln sedan, akin to the MKS, but focused on Chinese tastes and sold world wide.
Aside from the growing crossover market, there’s also the matter of police car sales. Year-to-date, the Explorer Police Interceptor sales are up 52 percent while Taurus Interceptor sales are down 7 percent, with the Explorer outselling the Taurus by a 2:1 margin. By combining the SUV bodystyle and rear-drive dynamics in a Pursuit rated package, Ford could offer a police vehicle that offers law enforcement officials the best of both worlds, while also offers an alternative to the Chevrolet Tahoe that is more fuel efficient and able to use the same mounting points for police hardware as previous Ford vehicles.
A civilian version would be a slightly different beast. Although rear-drive would be a way to differentiate itself from the Edge and MKX, most of the new upcoming RWD CUVs would likely leave the showroom with AWD. We don’t know much about powertrains, styling details or even a moniker for the future Lincoln, but we do know the name for the upcoming Ford version.
Explorer.
It’s official, there are no new ideas left in the automotive world
And you thought Hollywood was the only bankrupt industry with their endless remakes and shitty sequels!
Welcome to the world after 1971…
I defy anyone to tell me the vehicle above is not an exact duplicate of a Ford Freestyle with a 2010 Subaru Impreza grill patched on:
Freestyle: http://www.moibibiki.com/gallery/model-184/ford-freestyle-8.jpg.html
2010 Impreza grill: http://www.clubwrx.net/forums/everyday-impreza-talk/134345123-aftermarket-grille-2011-wrx.html#post2762279
Subaru got Ford back by stealing the Taurus grille for the Legacy.
Can’t find a new vehicle justifying replacement of my current one.
Still waiting for a Lincoln version of the Ford Mustang Coyote, with some hopefully upgraded interior bits & pieces, soft, baseball glove deep brown/brick colored leather seats/dash, some exclusive features maybe AWD, bespoke stereo, special solar glass, 2″ of additional rear legroom some magical way) –
– I’ll even buy a new one if Lincoln Motor Works provides a standard, comprehensive warranty that matches Hyundai!
But I’m weird like that.
The frustrating part is that they have the pieces to make what you seek (and what I seek as well).
I even want Matthew McConaughey to market said vehicle to me and/or convince my girlfriend to ditch her Lexus.
I often wonder why Ford or GM doesn’t offer the kind of warranty the Koreans do. GM comes halfway, with the mileage on the powertrain warranty.
My most recent Korean experience – owning a 2010 Kia Forte EX for about a year – was a disaster, and has left me with the impression that you get a 10 year warranty because you sure as hell are going to need it. The 2012 Ford Focus hatchback and 2013 Chevy Equinox that now occupy our garage are much improved. The Focus had no problems whatsoever, and the Equinox has been the victim of a faulty fuel sensor which I actually just got a TSB letter in the mail for over the weekend. Definitely not a big deal, and much better than the half a dozen times my Forte’s ABS and stability/traction control systems failed… they would’ve failed more, but I didn’t have more time to spend going to/from the dealership.
@DeadWeight,
This could be you dream Ford. It’s using the 5 litre Miami Ford V8.
It might even be nicer than the Lincoln you want.
It’s actually using the same platform as the Ford CUV in the photo.
http://www.caradvice.com.au/289822/ford-fpv-gt-f-351kw-supercharged-v8-sedan-officially-launched/
I think that it’s extremely telling that Mulally didn’t want to save Lincoln, and only agreed to keep it afloat on a shoe string budget as a concession to his successor, Mark Fields, who allegedly demanded saving Lincoln.
Mulally is many things, but indecisive & under-analytical are not two of those things.
He clearly, left to his own devices, without pressure from Fields, wanted to kill Lincoln since he recognized that it really couldn’t work as a distinct brand while selling rebadged Fords, and he didn’t see the business case for investing the large sum of cash that would inevitably be necessary to provide it with truly distinct platforms & powertrains.
History is still being written, but the story of Lincoln & Mulally’s indifference to saving it will make for a fascinating tell all one day.
Used to have a very different Grill. Very popular in Australia, but Ford US, said no more development funds, but lately have been opening the purse.
Have the six cylinder Falcon engine or the 2.7 diesel. Used to have the turbo version of the Barra, a 12 second 5000lb AWD CUV
In the metal cross between Escape and Explotrer, but Explorer sized
OSX photography for you.
The 2004 Territory restyle did indeed copy the Freestyle (which was itself very derivative of the Explorer.) The 2011+ model (pictured above) has a grille fairly similar to the 2008+ Fiesta.
this should be exclusively Lincoln otherwise they will shoot themselves in the foot. Too much badge engineering going on. To resurrect Lincoln distinct, unique designs are needed.
Most important question: WILL IT DRIFT?
Bullit 2: San Francisco Drift
Perhaps if such a thing comes to fruition, a sedan could be borne via platform sharing. It’s interesting that the platform sharing for the next generation is liklely to go the other way, with the crossover being the originating design intent.
So, instead of jacked-up sedans and wagons we’ll have stanced crossovers?
relevant http://www.stancewheels.com/content/media/121/images/TOUR_SC6_4.jpg
Hmmm, hotter then I would have thought, but…
Ew yuck. Unnatural overhangs dragging the ground everywhere.
There isn’t much to work with to begin with
LMAO
http://scrapedcrusaders.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/landrover.jpg
The return to stationwagondom has commenced.
If Only. You would think someone would boldly go retro with both wagons and sedans, but designers don’t think like that. The auto executives designers answer to don’t think like that either.
I’m old enough to remember when GM sponsored high school design assemblies. The futuristic designs they showed never got built, because somebody asked, “Can you see your mother or grandparents crawling into those low, swoopy cars with odd door shapes?” Nobody asks that question anymore.
Can someone explain to me why Ford won’t use the RWD Mustang platform for the basis of what possibly could be a great Lincoln sedan/coupe
Because the Mustang platform is horribly space inefficient. New Mustang has less interor space than a 2 series, but a bigger footprint than the 3 series. Mustang based sedan would be bigger than a 5 series, but smaller inside than a 3 series. Unless it were absolutely drop dead F-Type gorgeous it would bomb.
Dynamics don’t matter in the luxury realm anymore anyway, if they did BMW wouldn’t have softened the 3 & 5 so much. Ford could make do with a plug in hybrid based on the Fusion. That would be more relevant to people than RWD that will be bought as AWD anyway.
So, in other words Ford’s got nothing to the point where they would have to turn to this old Freestyle looking other world platform to which they plan to launch a Lincoln comeback? I must be missing something because this sounds too GM to be Ford
I suspect the newcMustang, would be a very niche seller, if that outside NA, taking aside all the PR Buildup
Because I’d buy it, and so would seven other people.
+Eight
Subtract one, I can’t afford a new Lincoln. :(
psst, 2-year old ones are cheap
Oh well ok then. I’ll find one with the correct options and color of wood trims.
But probably I’ll be like hey why not loaded Flex?
Followed by hey why not loaded two-tone XC70?
Granted it was many years ago but was the Mark VII a sales bomb?
I don’t a think a Mustang Lincoln would set the world on fire but I doubt it would do worse than the MKT or MKS.
Do you mean VIII?
Wasn’t the VIII a Thunderbird (Fox body)?
The Mark VII was a Fox body, the Mark VIII was mostly based on the MN12 (89+ T-bird and Cougar).
The Mark VIII was an MN12/FN10 car. The Lincoln was built seperately, in Wixom, from the Cougar and Thunderbird that were built in Lorain, OH.
No I mean VII.
The Fox body one with the 302 V8. I think that is the closest Ford ever came to a “Lincoln Mustang”.
It can’t be worse than the MKT. My wife loves hers, but it didn’t move 400 units last month.
This RWD crossover will be the MKT replacement, so the sales bar is low.
was the Mark [VIII] a sales bomb?
Yes and no. “Yes” in that it didn’t sell all that well, and “no” in that most personal luxury coupes were discontinued or were on their way out. Its closest rivals (the Riviera and El Dorado/ETC) left not long after.
+9 I pine for a Continental/Mark 9 Lincoln. It would be the second coming of Christ for about 20 old guys.
The advantage of a RWD layout in a CUV would be towing as longitudinal transmissions and AWD systems tend to be more robust. Case in point, a Durango can tow significantly more than an Explorer in all configurations.
Oddly, my dad (who is pro-Mopar) was not impressed with the Durango. He said “With the V8 the mileage is terrible, and with that 6-cylinder, it can barely pull itself around.”
I was very surprised to hear this negative opinion from him on a Chrysler product. I wasn’t there for the test drive, but it must have been bad.
I could see having that impression if it was equipped with the 5 speed transmission. The 8 speed makes the the V6 feel adequate.
That makes sense, as I’m sure he wasn’t driving a new one.
The difference between the 5 and 8 speed versions is night and day. The pentastar/8spd combo feels as quick as the Hemi/5 speed.
I would tell him to check out one with the 8 speed, but that would be too new to be in their price range.
Derek do your sources have anything to say about a RWD sedan or coupe based off the new Mustang platform? Supposedly this is a poorly kept secret in and around Dearborn.
My guess is they are trying to emulate the GC sales success.
The GC is not a success from Ford’s standpoint, the current Explorer as always outsold it.
Wow sales of explorer are way higher than I would have thought. They are no where near as common as Grand Cherokees here in New England but I do see an awful lot of them when I travel down south (I had two as rentals in Florida in fact) .
“The GC is not a success from Ford’s standpoint, the current Explorer as always outsold it.”
Then why not an Explorer based Lincoln and don’t tell me “MKT” because that’s a visual abortion?
Well that’s what it is. It is actually a better vehicle. It has a longer wheelbase, more features, and a better interior. Realistically, the MKT is more Flex than Explorer.
It is not a pretty car though.
What this sounds like is that the D-platform is dead. Like PCH noted below, if Ford is canceling the Taurus (or moving it to CD4), they either have to move the Explorer/Flex/MKT to the CD4 platform or something else. For the Explorer and MKT replacement at least, it’s something else.
So, Ford really will no longer have a large unibody platform, do you think that’s wise?
It’s still a unibody, duh. Just like Lexus LS and BMW X5 are unibodies while RWD.
Large unibody car? Haha! Sir, you really don’t want a comfortable spacious car with power and fuel economy to boot. Step right up to the new two story F150 ‘murica edition.
What Pete and 28 said.
That Territory…! It’s like someone grafted the Kinetic Design front clip off an Escape onto a New Edge-styled Explorer or Freestyle.
You got it As long as it did not look like an Explorer, it was going to half way successful. Explorer her was a total disaster
I think that Territory will have to lose all the derp styling before they can sell it here. That is just ugly, and looks cheapo.
Make it look like a RWD version of the current Explorer and give it an aluminum body. Done.
I have seen a Territory used on The Amazing Race a couple times (Africa IIRC) and it seemed more like Rav4+ size than Explorer size. But they are 7-seaters.
The Territory has an inch shorter wheelbase and is six inches shorter overall than the current Explorer. I wouldn’t expect the Explorer to get smaller though.
Got your vehicles mixed up, RAV4? Big difference in Size
It rather looks like a caricature of either the Taurus X/Freestyle or the GMC Acadia. I’m sure they’ll dress it with some better sheet-metal. But if this takes off, will it hurt Ford’s corporate fuel economy ratings? Maybe they’ll try a little harder on the hybrid models to make up for it?
Meanwhile, I wonder how the folks at FCA do it. They sell a disproportionately-large number of V6 and V8-powered RWD vehicles, don’t have any hybrids, and their small, fuel-efficient cars are pretty much sales flops. They probably have some of the the worst fleet consumption ratings in the industry.
Going to RWD shouldn’t hurt too much. It isn’t like the Explorer has much better MPG ratings than the Durango. The Explorer Sport gets 17/22 while the Expedition gets 15/20. The Expedition is bigger and heavier. Add weight savings, the RWD 10-speed transmission, aluminium body, and the 2.7TT to the next generation Explorer and there will be an increase in MPG.
I do not know the Territory will survive, as it is based on the Falcon. Ford Australia is currently working on a Lincoln for the Chinese market
So can they build a truck off of this new platform? Or is it still too close to the size of the F150?
Hmmmmmmmmmmm good point. Unit body, RWD, small truck…
Really good point… any really good answers?
Unibody was a big no-no back in ’61 when Ford tried it on their F-100s and 250s, but that was when everyone actually used the bed to carry things and massive body flex was the result. Nowadays everyone uses a new pickup for towing and the bed remains empty, so I don’t think it would be as bad a situation.
The unibody 61 Ford was not a unibody in the sense of the way we use that term today. The 61 had an integrated cab and bed but was on a standard ladder frame. The concern was the repair-ability of that configuration more so than flex. As far as being used for towing being gentler on causing the frame to flex that is not the case. Put 750 lbs of tongue weight on a hitch and it will cause a lot more flex than 1500 lbs in the bed. The hitch concentrates the weight over a relatively small area at the very end of the frame. Properly loaded the weight in the bed will be distributed over the length of the frame and put part of the weight on the front axle, instead of the rear axle acting as a fulcrum point for the tongue weight.
@bball40dtw,
A truck is already built on this platform.
They can come standard with a supercharged V8 performance version. This would be a far better option for Ford in the US to sell as the performance truck and not the 98mph speed limited Tremor. An inline 6 or even a turbo charged in line 6 is offered.
If you want economy they also have the LPG version.
http://resources.carsguide.com.au/styles/cg_hero_large/s3/dp/images/uploads/FPV_Pursuit_Ute_front-w.jpg
http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring/car-photos/ford-fg-falcon-ute-6-big.jpg
It’s called the Ford Falcon.
Right, they sell a ute that shares a platform with the Territory. There is nothing to suggest that Ford is bringing over the Territory and turning it into a Lincoln and Explorer. As they pair down platforms globally, there is a better chance this is related to the Mustang.
The Falcon platform that underpins the Territory is being retired in two years.
That doesn’t leave a lot of remaining candidates in the Ford lineup for a RWD crossover.
(I see now to whom you were responding. You do know that you’re wasting your time, right?)
I know. It gets me every time. I should have just said that the Falcon is dead and there is no way in hell the Explorer and unamed Lincoln crossover are going to be built on an expensive outdated Australian RHD platform that can’t find buyers in it’s domestic and intended market.
There are 23 million people in Australia. Some of them are smarter than others.
“There are 23 million people in Australia. Some of them are smarter than others.”
COTD! ;-)
Territory based on Falcon. Ford is building , i5 looks like some pretty substandard products to fill the niches
@bball40dtw
Ford, has been dramatically up scaling numbers in the Australian based design team. So who knows what they are working on. I know vehicles for the Chinese market and the Ford Ranger, but they are working on many more for Ford
It is based on the Ford Falcon platform
If it’s not using a pickup frame as a starting point, then it’s presumably using the Mustang platform. The Mustang really could use some help with amortizing its costs, so that would make sense.
And a Lincoln sedan isn’t exactly going to add volume like an Explorer. I can only hope that, for selfish reasons, the volume from the Explorer will allow there to be that mythical sedan at some point.
At first, I was going to say that I didn’t see the point of changing the Explorer back to RWD.
But if the Taurus is going to get the ax, then perhaps this tells us more about the desire to consolidate platforms than any particular interest in RWD. With Volvo sold off and the Taurus heading for the used car lot in the sky, there would be less and less need for a FWD larger car platform.
I didn’t think the CD4 would be a good platform for the Explorer anyway. I’m glad this is the direction they are going in.
Apparently the dynamic that killed large, non-premium sedans in Europe is well underway in this country, with the added pressures of the switch to crossovers, thanks to lower gasoline prices.
Wait a minute, there were large non-premium sedans in Europe?
GAZ Volga is technically in Europe…
That may be the Russian interpretation of premium
.
I’ve got to say I know zero about this car, but based on looks alone this “GAZ Volga” is one hot looking vehicle
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/8697/volgav124.jpg
Sure. Ford and GM both made full-size sedans over there (small by US standards of the time, but big for Europe). They came here as the Merkur Scorpio and Cadillac Catera respectively. But they were just big cheapish cars back home, not luxury cars. Renault, Fiat, and Peugeot had equivalents as well.
But Europeans never really did cars-by-the-kilogram, so sales dwindled away and they are all dead now. Why buy a non-premium barge when you can have a 3-series for the same money?
Also for (more recent) non-premium large sedan: Renault VelSatis.
I actually got a ride in one of those. It was divine…
It is truly sad that the French never managed to make a real premium marque that lasted. They actually do LUXURY waaaaaaay better than the Germans do. Actual LUXURY, as opposed to German High Tech it’s luxury because it is expensive, or American Faux Luxury.
In Europe, luxury cars tend to be leased as company cars, not purchased.
In Germany, an executive generally doesn’t get to choose among brands; the employer will have a fleet arrangement that will limit the range of options.
As a result, the type of cars that are available can actually play a role in job choice. And Ford and GM have no chance at that market, since they probably won’t be on the fleet menu, anyway. Any automaker that tries to move large cars without company car preferences has no chance.
I’m not seeing the same factors at work.
In Europe, the company car tax breaks drive the luxury market. In essence, the execs who are driving the big cars have their driving subsidized. Those who don’t get company car allowance are more inclined to drive smaller cars, in part because anything larger costs too much to buy or operate if it isn’t being subsidized.
In the US, we have had a downsizing trend due to the leap in oil prices, along with this shift to crossovers. We don’t really have anything that is the equivalent to the company car here.
They don’t necessarily drive small cars. There are lots of old high mileage Audi A8’s with FWD and 2.5tdi or 2.8 V6 engines for sale here for instance.
Could you imagine a mid-60’s loaded Oldsmobile 98 with a straight 6 and three on the three?
I do actually. The cars in the segment below grow in size/power/refinement, and people who would have bought higher trim levels jump ship to more prestigious brands. How well are the Taurus and Impala selling?
I hope it works out for Ford, as GM tried this with the Cadillac SRX and I don’t think it met expectations. Just be sure to craft a car out of it later after this new model is gangbusters and I’m happy.
I think the first-gen SRX’s failure relative to the second-gen is too often attributed to RWD vs. FWD. The first gen (though I thought it looked decent) seemed to have been styled too wagon-like, and in those early days of Art & Science, was a clunky design that didn’t look “premium” or “blingy” enough. Granted, the RWD setup probably had something to do with the proportions, but most non-car people I know just say they thought the first-gen was ugly. I don’t think it was the RWD that doomed it but rather they way it looked.
They all looked the same in those days, if people really thought SRX was uglier than the other ugly models, they need to get their eyes checked.
Besides, Abby Lee Miller drives one!
It looks like an Escape with a Fiesta front end.
If it’s going to be a Lincoln, why does it have a Ford badge on it?
It looks like they are going after some of the Terrain/Equinox success.
The only problem is there are already a couple dozen nearly identical cars
just like it already on the market, and if it’s labeled a Lincoln, the price will have to be higher than most.
So many of you are making the assumption that the picture shown is the Lincoln which is the subject of the article. It’s not.
Well, I would hope not, but under it’s Lincoln pretty exterior we now all know that this will be the heart and soul of the “new” Lincoln, hence the truth about cars
This has some potential. But give us a driver selectable t-case and shutoff on stability control for winter time hooning.
Is there any car right now that doesn’t have ESC shutoff?
Most cars nowadays do not have ESC that you can actually shut off completely, at least with a switch. They typically have a switch that will turn off the traction control portion but the stability control stays on though it may take a bit more to get it to intervene. ESC is required by law. That mandate is what put the final nail in the Ranger and Panther platform’s coffins.
You know who’s made a car out of SUV? Porsche. Cayenne begat Panamera. Results are for everyone to examine.
I personally like the Panamera, but it has it’s critics
We have seen the Ford Everest (SUV version of the global Ranger?) prototypes testing in the US, so maybe that is what Ford is bringing us.
It isn’t going to be truck based.
Didn’t the over reliance on SUVs nearly bankrupt the US auto industry. It looks like Lincoln has learned nothing from recent history. How can you even call yourself a legitimate car manufacturer with only two passenger cars in your lineup? Lincoln really needs something to compete with the ATS and Audi A6.
No, making money (off SUVs) didnt bankrupt anyone. A lot of factors played a role in GM and Chrysler’s respective issues (as well as Ford’s). But, if you traded in your Explorer for a Prius, its a very common assumption that really holds no water when tested.
akear: yesterday I was going to look at (and probably buy) a $2000 1999 Lincoln Cartier Town Car, but somebody beat me to it. More anecdotal evidence that Lincoln is doing fine! :)
When? The wife likes her Explorer, wondering if this switch will coincide with her refresh schedule. Please say MY 2016 but I’m guessing that’s way too early. While I’m wishing, keep the 3.5EB optional with the Navigator’s state of tune, give it some aluminum love, and throw in that new tranny you are working on (just don’t fudge up the programming!).