I read the other day that Ford is contemplating dropping the Lincoln. They have tried to gussy the Lincoln up in recent years, but it just cannot compete with the big luxury boys, the BMWs, Audis, Mercedes. Lexus, Acura (they're having problems, too) and Cadillac. it just comes off as a poor cousin, somewhat shabby and not quite with it. it's a pity, because the major auto companies need a jewel in their crown. Ford tried it with Jaguar but poured tons of money down the drain and figured, during their financial crisis days, to unload it. I think the Indian owner, TaTa Industries, a labyrinthian conglomerate which is into everything from vast real estate holdings to Eight O'Clock coffee, is doing pretty well with Jag.
I remember as a kid when we had a couple of luxurious Lincolns. One, sometime in the mid thirties, was a light green sedan with those great old-fashioned white sidewalls. But the one I really loved was the first Lincoln Zephyr ever produced in 1940, a sleek aerodynamic marvel in navy whose lines would look good even today. It was smooth as silk and very responsive. Of course, I was too young to drive then, hard as that may be for some of you to believe, but my Dad loved to floor it and see it instantly respond. One time he and I were on a country road and he took it up to about 120 mph, much to my delight.
It was a great car, but the world has changed, Lincoln, I'm afraid, is not a survivor.
I once owned one of of those 1940 Zephyrs. I didn't have it very long. Someone who also owned owned one, gave me what I thought was a pretty nice profit for mine and I sold it. I think he wanted mine for parts. It ran great but drank a lot of oil.
ReplyDeleteI envy you both your experiences with a Zephyr. I thought I read that Lincoln recently hired a top designer away from Cadillac and plans to try to appeal to a younger demographic.
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