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Old, but interesting....
As we inch ever closer to the first sight of the new 2015 Ford Mustang, news this week is surfacing that Lincoln is indeed considering not only a sedan variant, but a coupe based on the new platform.
Several news outlets are reporting that a Lincoln coupe based on the next-generation Mustang is being considered and studied. Such a vehicle is said to be contingent upon the initial success of the all new 2013 Lincoln MKZ.
As we discussed earlier this month, Lincoln has renamed their brand to the Lincoln Motor Company and is seeking to exercise its ancestors in a bid to win new customers. The reality however is that only new and exciting product will save the brand from is slide to irrelevance.
While a four-door sedan based on the new Mustang’s platform is likely a given, a sedan would be a roll of the dice as it would be a niche product like the Mustang. The wheel-base of a sedan would be stretched eight to ten inches at minimum, and likely for a coupe as well.
Hardware would be near identical, offering the mid to upper tiers of engines such as an EcoBoost V6, a 5.0 V8 and perhaps even the top dog 5.0 EcoBoost V8. The engines that currently reside in the Mustang and will in the future can all be tuned for a more luxurious sound and made to behave in a refined manner.
Historically, Lincoln has had success with coupes in limited numbers. In recent times the Mark VII was a success, itself sharing the same chassis as the Mustang did in its tenure. It came standard with the 5.0 liter V8 in both luxury and sport trim known as the LSC.
The follow up Mark VIII was not so popular. Its styling was a bit more risque and outlandish, being called by one of my Australian friends, “two tons of American bad taste”. This car had moved to share the Thunderbird’s larger and heavier rear-wheel drive platform.
The key to the success of the Lincoln brand will be product. A high end rear-wheel drive luxury coupe book-ended by a high end luxury sedan could very well be the answer. In fact, we suggest it is the only answer. All if Lincoln’s serious competition offers it, with the one exception of Audi.
Furthermore, competitors like Lexus and Audi find a place for coupes in their line-ups such as the coming 2014 IS Coupe as well as the current A5. At current, the most expensive Mustang Shelby GT-500 fetches up to near $65,000. Thus is isn’t a stretch to suggest that a well done Lincoln sedan and coupe could be spawned to fly in the same strata.
Via themustangnews
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