Lincoln Continental being dumped?

[Shelly Harris]

I'm reading that Ford will be dumping the Lincoln Continental at the end of the model year. Sales this year are a measly 12 J compared to the comparable MB at 54K. What is this going to leave Lincoln with?

[linmk2]

According to a recent article in Automotive News, the new head of FoMoCo has stated that only a small percentage of the Ford's line up will be sedans. Ford will be concentrating on SUVs and CUVs and well as pickup trucks. Since the Continental is based on a modified Ford Fusion platform, I suspect that the Continental will be killed along with the Fusion. The Lincoln MKZ is also based on the Fusion and it will go bye bye as well. Currently, the SUV/CUV and truck craze does not seem to be cooling down. In fact Honda dealers are having a hard time selling the once very popular Accord. As for me, I still prefer a sedan over any sort of utility vehicle. I guess I'm in a very small group.

[legrandfromage]

Long time Lincoln user. 1954, Mark IV, Mark VI, Mark VII, Mark VIII, Continental sedan(3) Navigator (3), Lincoln has no product other than the Nav (TOO MUCH $$) since they killed the Town Car with V8 and rear wheel drive. So I leased a Chrysler 300, just terminated that lease and bought 2004 Aviator, which while old, is lo miles one owner for use for a while. Based on history of Lincoln this century with killing Mercury, Crown Vic and Town Car doesn't look to me like their alphabet soup has long to go. No market leadership displayed and not much product differentiation from Ford offerings. What's a guy to do?

[jdsnoddy]

After I graduated from college, my next car was a 1977 Mark V white with white landau top, white leather seats with black carpet, moon roof with every option except the auto dimmers and CB radio. It got 13 MPG and I loved that car. I kept it for 20 years. It just floated down the highway. It was so quiet, you wouldn't know you were going 80 MPH until you looked at the speedometer or saw the flashing lights in the rearview mirror. Thought the electronic ignition module sucked and the clips holding the valence on the front bumper (US Gov't mandated BS since 1973). But overall a very fine car and I loved it.

[Mark II Seeker]

This is disturbing news to say the least. FOMOCO put a lot of effort into the new Continental and I'm surprised that there is speculation on killing it already.

I own a 2017 Lincoln Continental and it's a great car, worthy of being called a luxury car. I prefer sedans over SUV's and though I hope to get many years of service from the 2017, I don't know what I will do when it is time to replace. Just my opinion, but MB is trading on it's reputation. We replaced our '09 E-Class with the Continental because I have no use for a new E-Class with a 4 cylinder engine and it's obvious that MB cuts corners to save money on each new generation of vehicles.

BTW, that loud thud you just heard is the resale value of my '17 Continental if they kill off the model.

[jdsnoddy]

Just my opinion, but MB is trading on it's reputation. We replaced our '09 E-Class with the Continental because I have no use for a new E-Class with a 4 cylinder engine and it's obvious that MB cuts corners to save money on each new generation of vehicles.

I agree. MB were very fine cars which were built for long term serviceability. I looked in the engine bay of a MB 2018, and it looked as if that engine was installed with a shoe spoon. There was absolutely no room in that engine bay. I'm guessing that if you wanted to change a belt, you'd have to drop the entire front end and the engine. No way would I keep a new one past the initial manufacturers' warranty.