Ford is on a roll, as mainstream car buyers embrace the American brand that didn't go bankrupt. Now that Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally is unloading Volvo, however, Ford's upscale ambitions are riding on Lincoln.
Sales at the unit are down 64% from its 1990 peak and buyers average an industry-high age of 62, according to J.D. Power and Associates. "To younger generations, that's grandpa's car," says auto analyst Jesse Toprak of researcher TrueCar, "That doesn't help when you're going up against Mercedes and BMW."
Lincoln dealers are being trained to offer the high-touch service given by some European manufacturers, said Jim Farley, Ford's global marketing chief and former head of Lexus. "There's a tremendous opportunity here in North America to get Lincoln right," he says.
Why Lincoln Lags Luxe
Audi
Average Age of Owner: 49
Median Income: $183,601
4-Year College Degree: 31.66%
Mercedes-Benz
Average Age of Owner: 53
Median Income: $174,558
4-Year College Degree: 27.74%
BMW
Average Age of Owner: 49
Median Income: $169,289
4-Year College Degree: 29.07%
Lexus
Average Age of Owner: 56
Median Income: $141,745
4-Year College Degree: 26.45%
Cadillac
Average Age of Owner: 62
Median Income: $129,656
4-Year College Degree: 21.90%
Lincoln
Average Age of Owner: 62
Median Income: $113,782
4-Year College Degree: 25.47%
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