Brilliant Or Bonehead? Lincoln Restarts Stand Alone Dealer Program

After extensive back-and-forth with its retail network, Lincoln has relaunched an initiative to persuade some U.S. dealers to build standalone showrooms, a move executives say is vital to improving the brand's sales and standing in the luxury market.

The Lincoln Commitment Program had been on pause since December in response to blowback from dealers worried about store size and the margin that would be withheld from those who didn't comply. The California New Car Dealers Association had publicly voiced concern and asked Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Hackett to reconsider the demands.

PUGPROUD - 8/26/2019 11:33:06 AM

0 Boost

Likely right strategy but is this the right time to put financial pressure on dealers to comply knowing market slowdown on horizon.

vdiv - 8/26/2019 12:22:39 PM

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Oh, poor dealers! Life is SO unfair, everyone hates them, manufacturers, customers, mom 'n pop shops, regulators...

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 8/26/2019 2:25:07 PM

+1 Boost

@PP- Is there really a slow down coming? I think I read recently economists are not so good at guessing when a recession would come once you are more than 6-9 months out from the event. People saying that things will go south in fall 2020 seems a bit like reading a crystal ball. I don't buy it.

PUGPROUD - 8/26/2019 5:38:34 PM

+1 Boost

Car prices are rising much faster than inflation and I anticipate a slowdown in auto sales of premium brands particularly if tariff war ensues. I'll differ to Matt if he thinks otherwise.

TomM - 8/27/2019 6:52:53 AM

+1 Boost

Car sales are already down 2 percent this year - and Edmunds and COX have predicted them going down another similar amount in the second half.

WHether this is of issue with Lincoln Dealers is a question - since MOST of them are already stand alone (from when Mercury was cancelled). THe question is more - How big - how expensive - Lincoln sales still have not approached their once lofty levels - and even with the current line-up won't. I might come down with the possibility of a Medium size but elegant showroom - but still allow dealers to combine service areas initially.

vdiv - 8/26/2019 12:25:28 PM

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009, you're back! You've been missed so much by 001 and 00R who valiantly held the fort (and ok, missed by us too) :)

skytop - 8/26/2019 7:09:04 PM

+4 Boost

Lincoln has made huge success with its new deluxe models.

Does Cadillac sell out of the Chevrolet dealership? Lincoln deserves its own stand alone dealers.

MDarringer - 8/26/2019 7:21:25 PM

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Lincoln is ready to sustain stand-alone dealers. The new products are great. The Continental did what it needed to do which was to usher out the MK idiocy and to usher in names and style. The Nautilus is a great "Hail Mary" renovation of the forgettable MKX. The Corsair should be a hit. The Aviator is a winner.

runninglogan1 - 8/26/2019 8:56:01 PM

+2 Boost

This is a good move. Lincoln now as a lineup good enough to merit its own dealership.