Lincoln ended North America production of its two sedans, the MKZ and Continental, in 2020 as it pivoted to selling higher-margin utilities.
But not everyone in the luxury segment followed suit.
Today, Lincoln’s higher-volume rivals are finding success with sedans, including new electric vehicles such as the Mercedes-Benz EQS and Cadillac Lyriq.
Acura’s recently resurrected Integra, on sale for the first time since 2006, was named 2023 North American Car of the Year.
Lincoln even has gotten positive reviews in China for its Zephyr sedan, which isn’t sold in the U.S.
Chris Poulos, chairman of the Lincoln National Dealer Council, said he’s torn on whether Lincoln should reverse its decision to discontinue sedans in North America.
“If you’re going to ask me if I’d take another vehicle — and clearly there’s people around that would say they’d love to have the Zephyr here — I think the numbers would have to ring true for another sedan to make its rounds in North America,” said Poulos, general manager of West Point Lincoln in Houston. “Do I wish we had a true luxury sedan? Yeah. I’m sure there’s a cross-section of people who would absolutely be down with that.”
Still, he said Lincoln’s current lineup is outperforming the discontinued models and that he’s pleased with the brand’s strategy, even as sales fell 4 percent in 2022.
“Even with Continental, I wasn’t getting the demand I had hoped to get,” he said. “The volume we’re getting out of the vehicles we have currently is better than they were with the sedans we had. I’d have to say the direction is appropriate, unless it’s something that’s so out-of-this-world it creates a special demand in the marketplace.”