Monday, January 10, 2005

Ford Motor Co. / Lincoln Lincoln Zephyr

Zephyr aims to revive Lincoln's luxurious past

The midsize sedan is the first of five new vehicles designed to lure back buyers.

By Eric Mayne / The Detroit News

Show reports Zephyr aims to revive Lincoln's luxurious past Lincoln counts on new models for 2006 Model Information Get detailed reports, specifications, ownership costs, and wholesale and retail prices. Photo Galleries 2006 Lincoln Mark LT 2005 Lincoln Aviator 2005 Lincoln Town Car 2005 Lincoln Zephyr Video Lincoln Comment on this story Send this story to a friend Get Home Delivery

Ford Motor Co. is counting on the new Lincoln Zephyr midsize sedan to bring the winds of change to its sagging American luxury car brand.

The Zephyr, which means "gentle breeze," will be unveiled today at the North American International Auto Show. It arrives in Lincoln showrooms later this year, one of five new vehicles coming to revive Lincoln.

"Lincoln needs our attention -- and they're getting it," Ford Chairman and CEO Bill Ford Jr. said. "What it needs first and foremost is fresh product."

Lincoln's passenger car lineup has suffered in recent years from a stodgy image. Typical Lincoln buyers are 55 and older.

Longtime rival Cadillac has enlivened its profile with edgy styling and raucous marketing campaigns that feature energetic Led Zeppelin music. Last year, Cadillac outsold Lincoln by nearly 100,000 units.

Despite the success of SUVs such as the Navigator, Lincoln sales fell more than 12 percent in 2004.

Ford promises the Zephyr will look, feel and drive like a luxury Lincoln even though it will share a basic design with the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan. All three cars will be built in Hermosillo, Mexico, and go on sale this fall. With a pebble-grained leather and satin-nickel trim interior, Zephyr is the most upscale of the trio.

Powered by a 3.0-liter V-6 engine, it will be launched with front-wheel drive. An all-wheel-drive option will be added later.

Competitive vehicles, all priced in the $30,000 range, include the Infiniti G35, Cadillac CTS, Lexus ES 330 and the Acura TL.

Preceding Zephyr will be next month's arrival of the Lincoln Mark LT -- the brand's second attempt to break into the luxury pickup segment since 2001. The Blackwood was phased out of production after a single model year because of manufacturing problems and slow sales.

"We learned some very important things from the Blackwood," said Alex Hultgren, Mark LT marketing manager. "One was, if it looks like a truck, it really needs to really function like a truck. (Buyers) wanted a fully functional bed; they wanted four-by-four capability."

The Mark LT, based on the Ford F-150 pickup, will feature both. The next new vehicle from Lincoln will be a redesigned Aviator. The current model, based on the Ford Explorer SUV, will be phased out within the next two years in favor of a crossover that blends SUV and minivan attributes. The last new Lincolns, due on the market within four years, will be cars.

You can reach Eric Mayne at (313) 222-2443 or emayne@detnews.com.