lincoln

The Luxury Market’s New Look

Oct 17, 2016 by tgriffith

A car grabbed my attention from about four lengths ahead on the highway coming into downtown. A Bentley? No, it didn’t have the right rear end. A Rolls? Definitely not.

Once I got closer I realized that the car was a new Lincoln Continental and looked darn good cruising among the mass of plebeian automobiles on the highway. So good, in fact, that I had to wonder when the last time was that a Lincoln caught my attention and demanded a double-take.

Okay, in all honesty, the last time it happened was with the MKT, a crossover SUV of exceptionally unfortunate proportions. The Continental, though, turned my head for all the right reasons. Seeing that car, paired with the recent release of the Genesis luxury brand, got me thinking that the luxury market suddenly looks a lot more interesting than it did even a year ago.

Should Lincoln Build a Luxury Mustang?

Mar 7, 2016 by tgriffith

Remember when Lincoln was cool?

No. You probably don’t.

The reason you don’t is because Lincoln hasn’t been cool since about 1964, when its rear-wheel-drive land yachts defined luxury and class.

Lincoln has been in decline since those glory days and currently struggles for relevance in a fiercely competitive luxury market that is dominated by Audi, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, and even Cadillac.

How can an automaker that has become a relative afterthought establish itself as a real player in the luxury game?

In Lincoln’s case, it must look to the Ford Mustang

The Two Tiers of Luxury: Which Do You Prefer?

Last updated: Sep 19, 2019 at 4:04PM
Published on: Mar 19, 2015 by tgriffith

"Tier 2" does not mean "inferior." — “Tier 2” does not mean “inferior.”

Is a Lincoln as good as a Lexus?

Can an Acura take down an Audi?

Will an Infiniti be as good as a BMW?

There are two groups of cars in the luxury world: the ones that command respect and the ones that desperately want it. Automotive News breaks these down a little more formally, calling them the “Tier 1” group and the “Tier 2” group.

Tier 1 includes BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz. Tier 2 includes Lincoln, Acura, Cadillac, and Audi.

If I were making the rules, I’d put Audi up in Tier 1, because it has decidedly outsold the others in Tier 2 and has, in my humble opinion, eclipsed the quality level of BMW.

The Tier 1 group continues to establish its dominance, while the Tier 2 group struggles to maintain relevance. Are cars from Tier 2 worth considering?

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