As the school year draws to a close, the words of the illustrious Jermaine Dupree are probably ringing in your head. "Ferrari, Jaguar, switching four lanes, top down screaming out, money ain't a thang." Unfortunately, the only car available for most college students to drive this summer is grandpa's 1977 Lincoln Towncar. Wouldn't it be great if you didn't have to scrunch behind the steering wheel for fear of being seen in that old clunker? You might just get your wish. Soon the Ford Motor Co.'s new Lincoln Mark 9 will roll onto car dealership floors. With its sleek lines and smooth sporty look, the Mark 9 is the revamped version of the old-school Lincoln. Fasten your seat belts folks, because the Lincoln line is getting a facelift.
Although Lincoln began its appeal to Gen X in 1998 with its Navigtor SUV and LS Sports Sedan, it always was hesitant to alter the classic Lincoln model. After witnessing sales slip from 26,246 to 22,648 Lincolns in 2000 alone, however, Ford decided it needed to reenergize its Lincoln sedan.
In order to boost sales, Ford also needed a way to reinvent its market. Now 38 percent of Lincoln customers are rental-car fleets or limousine services. With newer models rolling out from all car manufacturers every year though, rental companies are seeking the best deals and will not necessarily be loyal to Lincoln. More alarmingly, 62 percent of Lincoln's current owners are an average of 71 years old. These statistics suggested the time was right for a new Lincoln to roll off the assembly line.
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Yet, according to Automotive News, Ford Motor Co. states, "there is nothing wrong with Lincoln. What we want to do is expand and extend that brand and have many more Lincolns available." Ford does not want to scrap the luxury car image that Lincoln has worked hard to secure and maintain. After Lexus and BMW, Lincoln is the No. 3 luxury car in America. To refresh Lincoln's appearance without making drastic changes to brand image, Ford hired design director Gerry McGovern in late 2000 to redesign the Lincoln.
At an Irvine, Calif., car show, Ford unveiled the concept of the MK 9 Lincoln coupe, McGovern's first car in the upcoming line-up. The physical prototype of the MK 9 then was revealed at this year's New York car show. The MK 9 is only the first of eight to nine new vehicle concepts that Lincoln plans to introduce to its portfolio by 2004. Lincoln's new MK 9 coupe will hit show rooms in early 2005. For now, the MK 9 will serve as a symbol for the direction of the future of Lincoln cars.
Lincoln is not the only company that has revamped a classic car. In 1998, Volkswagen reintroduced the Beetle line of compact cars in limited edition. In 2000, Chrysler released the PT Cruiser, which was modeled after a 1920s antique car, and was the winner of this year's Motor Trend Car of the Year.
Ford is making more than just cosmetic touch-ups to its new car. While the MK 9 continues the long-bodied tradition of the historic Mark line up begun in 1940, there are many exciting and innovative features included in the basic package today. The car's aluminum door handles rest flat against the car, making it impossible to use them until the driver or passenger activates the remote control and the handles appear. McGovern designed the car's seats after his own favorite chair, a classic, mid-20th century American Eames armchair.
McGovern is far from an amateur in the world of vehicle design. In fact, he was a leader in fashioning the Range Rover, Discovery, Free Lander and Defender for the Rover Group prior to joining the Ford team.
In these designs for the MK 9, McGovern's goal was to woo the younger generation with a snazzy new Lincoln without losing loyal, older customers. In his Vision Statement, McGovern describes his design as combining a modern look and functionality with the "long wheel base, smooth side panels, and vertical center-opening door of the 1961 Lincoln Continental." The MK 9 is just as long and roomy as the classic Continental, but unlike its boat-shaped predecessor, the new coupe offers a sharp sporty look.
Although the Mark 9 will not be manufactured for a few years, Lincoln's decision to develop the car indicates the company's desire to jump on the youth-driver bandwagon. Sleek and contemporary, the car will replace the boxy Lincoln of old, and provide a new emblem for the company as it rolls into the 21st century.
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