LINC-VOLT

Neil Young wants to drive a hybrid. Oh, but not just any hybrid - a '59 Lincoln Continental.
It's an interesting story, and rather than sum it up, I'll just send you on over to CNN.com for your reading pleasure.

THE DETROIT THREE OFFERS TOO MANY TRUCKS? BY THE NUMBERS

Wall Street insiders attempting to predict the demise of the Detroit Three (GM/Ford/Chrysler) blame most of the domestic auto manufacturing difficulties on the rise and fall of the SUV. They believe that General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Chrysler LLC (mostly under the management of Daimler-Benz) didn't have the foresight to build high quality cars when money was pouring in from easy-profit vehicles like the Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Tahoe, and Dodge Ram. On the surface, these insiders appear to be correct. 

Take American luxury cars, for instance. In the early part of this millenium, the only prominent vehicles at Cadillac and Lincoln were their jumbo SUVs, the Escalade and Navigator. Mainstream brands like Chevrolet and Ford were offering an abomination called the Malibu and an ancient design called the Taurus. The few takers snapped them up at rock bottom prices.

For a deeper look at the gravity of the situation in numerical terms, check this Numbers post from a few days ago with figures supplied by TIME. For perspective on the issue, read The Good Car Guy's question from yesterday. For facts about automaker offerings in the U.S. domestic market in 2009, keep reading. Oh, and by the way, to attempt to sway the argument in favour of cars instead of trucks, models like the F-150, F-250, and F-350 were lumped together. It didn't help. Also, TSV means anything that isn't a car: trucks, SUVs, and vans.

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TOTAL CARS @ GENERAL MOTORS: 21

TOTAL TSVs @ GENERAL MOTORS: 26

TOTAL CARS @ FORD MOTOR CO.: 10

TOTAL TSVs @ FORD MOTOR CO.: 14

TOTAL CARS @ CHRYSLER LLC: 8

TOTAL TSVs @ CHRYSLER LLC: 16

Buick cars/TSVs: 2 to 1

Cadillac cars/TSVs: 4 to 3

Chevrolet cars/TSVs: 6 to 9

GMC cars/TSVs: 0 to 8

Hummer cars/TSVs: 0 to 2

Pontiac cars/TSVs: 6 to 1

Saturn cars/TSVs: 3 to 2

Ford cars/TSVs: 4 to 10

Lincoln cars/TSVs: 3 to 2

Mercury cars/TSVs: 3 to 2

Chrysler cars/TSVs: 3 to 2

Dodge cars/TSVs: 5 to 7

Jeep cars/TSVs: 0 to 7

NOT FULLY RECANTING, THE GOOD CAR GUY SEES LINCOLN MKS AND VW PASSAT CC AND RE-THINKS POSITION

Countless dozens of cars have appeared at dealerships in the lifetime of The Good Car Guy that forced a complete turn around of previous beliefs. 

The first sighting of a Lamborghini Countach resulted in a, "I still want one, but man, she ain't pretty". Unless painted black, the latest Chevrolet Malibu isn't nearly as handsome and classy as first believed. BMW's latest M3 is still a little too soft, but a whole lot more aggressive in the flesh than in photos. Chevrolet's first-generation Avalanche wasn't good to begin with but became absolutely wretched during a drive-by.

Two of the most recent examples are positives, however. With great love for the Mercedes-Benz CLS, The Good Car Guy wanted to love the Volkswagen Passat CC, too. The CC is, after all, a Mercedes CLS on the cheap. Alas, in pictures, the Passat CC was bloated and disappointing. Considering the Passat wagon was a better starting point than the Passat sedan anyway, one couldn't be too surprised.

Likewise, the Lincoln MKS was such a departure from the direction GoodCarBadCar.net believed Lincoln should go.  That direction? The Lincoln Continental concept of 2002 was all-American goodness. The MKS is a Euro-Japanese amalgam of ideas mixed with a nasty grille.

However, in hindsight The Good Car Guy wishes a little more softeness had been used in describing these two vehicles. After witnessing a few MKSs drive by in urban situations (without being able to see the front end), the Lincoln has some serious presence and looks expensive. Will the MKS manage to garner a Good 12 spot? No, but it's far from The Bad 8.

The story is similar for Volkswagen's Passat CC. Looking long, low, and lean in real life, the CC actually fulfills its Benz-CLS-on-the-cheap mandate rather well. Nah, it's not a recommended purchase - there's just too much better stuff available for the price - but the CC isn't ugly in the metal. It's quite nice.

R.I.P. LINCOLN

Ford Motor Company is holder of many brands. Ford, itself, is the populist; value; everyman brand. Mercury has bid farewell to Canada and soldiers (that's positive spin) on in the United States. Although Aston Martin in has been sold to a British/Kuwaiti consortium, other elements of the Premiere Automotive Group remain. Volvo, Land Rover, and Jaguar remain nestled in the Ford fold.

Mazda is a Ford Motor Company success story. The reinvention of its performance image was more than marketing; it was product driven. Finally, there's Lincoln - former member of PAG, former heralded luxury brand, former transportation of Presidents, and a pipe dream for the impoverished.




Oooh dear Lincoln. What have you become? Connected with the previous GoodCarBadCar post in which General Motors showcases its aging SUV platform under four (formerly six) brands at widely varying price points, this article is meant to show you the depth of a hole a once admired company can dig.

Because Lincoln dug really deep. The ladder Ford needs to chuck down the well to aid Lincoln in its quest to reach the surface is very long indeed, with many large and many small steps. At this point in time, Lincoln sells: two cars (MKZ/Town Car), one truck (Mark LT) and two sport-utes (MKX and Navigator).

Phrase it this'a'way: Ford sells two trim levels of the Crown Victoria named Grand Marquis and Town Car. Ford's Fusion can be seen at the dealer in Milan and MKZ equipment editions. The F150 is especially blingtastic when adorned as a Mark LT. Ford can sell you the MKX version of the Edge if your neighbourhood is more Acura than Honda. Not only that, but your old Expedition pales in comparison to the completely OTT Navigator.

Ya know about the only good news from the JFK assassination? Jack was in the back of a Lincoln Continental, which, at that time, was quite a veeeeehickle. Ya know the worst news you can give to a Lincoln executive? I wasn't alive to see that car in its pre-antiquated state, nor were most of my readers, nor do any of us really, genuinely care about how cool the Conti was in the 60's.

Find me a Cadillac SRXalike with a Bow-tie badge? Impossible. Sure, an Escalade shares plenty with Chevrolet and GMC vehicles, but it manages to stand out as a desirable vehicle. Cadillac's latest CTS is a success story in The Good Car Guy's mind and you can't find anything like it on Chevrolet.com or Pontiac.com.

Ought Caddy to be Lincoln's role model? Perhaps the final imagery in Lincoln exec's minds is that of Lexus or Mercedes-Benz, not their national rival. However, Cadillac revitalized what was a staid, boring, dying model range with design, spunk, and performance. Lincoln can't be looking to Lexus as an example of how to come back from the brink.

As already mentioned, the factor which Lincoln must fight through is that of young buyers (a newly licensed driver will be a few years out of college by the time two or three new generations of each Lincoln model line arrive) aversion to a brand of automobile which has been driven by their grandparents friends. Throughout most of life, BMW and Audi and Lexus have been considered as the top-tier and Cadillac and Lincoln were built for old people and hearses.

Lincoln can't overcome that stigma with a rebadged Fusion or an F150 trim level. We only hate Lincoln more each time a vehicle enters the marketplace with that kind of disregard for what people really want. Give me uniqueness; performance; cool; innovative; high-value luxury. Or rest in peace. We wish a slow and painful death upon no great American brand.

A LIST OF SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN'S EIGHT CARS

Frankly, the old American dream of a wife, a few kids, two cars in the garage and a white picket fence doesn't belong to John McCain. Oh, he's got the wife; kids; and probably picket fence(s) but take a stroll by his driveway(s) and two cars there may not be.

Over the weekend, it was discovered that John and Cindy McCain, candidate for President of the United States and First Lady, combine to own thirteeen cars. Do the math. Inevitably you see at least three of the McCain's homes lacking the obligatory second car. 

(Click here for a post on all the candidate's cars)

Seriously, the part that has made the news has actually centred on the Senator's claims that, "I've bought American literally all my life and I'm proud." While the mainstream press doesn't like to share some of the specific models therefore making it difficult to know exactly where all the cars were built, the list below lets you in on some problems related to John McCain's claim.

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2004 Cadillac CTS: John's "daily driver"

2001 Honda 'sedan': one can assume it's a Marysville, Ohio-built Accord

2007 Ford F-Series: good for a ranch or three

2001 GMC 'SUV': GMC built a few in '01 - Yukon, Yukon XL, Jimmy

2005 Volkswagen New Beetle Cabriolet: Built by Mexicans in Mexico

2008 Jeep Wrangler: McCain would actually look like an everyday American if this was it

1960 Willys Jeep: Can you be any more American war hero than an owner of a '60 Willys and an '08 Wrangler?

2000 Lincoln: Guessing Town Car, considering the Senator's age, but it could be a Navigator, Continental, or LS

(3) NEV Gem electric: Like the aforementioned Town Car, every rich retiree needs a Gem

Lexus: Cindy's car is an unspecified Japanese luxury car with a license plate reading "MS BUD"

Toyota Prius: This car could actually be the vehicle of daughter Meghan or the Senator's or Cindy's. One struggles to keep track.

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Barack Obama recently traded in his Hemi V8-powered Chrysler 300C for a Ford Escape Hybrid.

0-60 in CAR & DRIVER OCTOBER

To those hoping that Car & Driver could squeak the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 under 3 seconds in the 0-60mph test, you'll have to wait till next month to find out. In C/D's October issue, there are actually quite a few test results of cars that are $25K now but were much more expensive in their day. Yeah, that means old test results. But it makes for interesting reading. For more 0-60 results, including Motor Trend's 0-60 testing this month, check the 0-60 label. If you're interested in fuel economy with your 0-60 quickness, check out the Magazine MPG label at AutoEnergy.

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Hyundai Genesis 4.6 V8: 0-60mph in 6.0 seconds

BMW 528i: 0-60mph in 6.9 seconds

Lexus LS460: 0-60mph in 6.0 seconds

Toyota Avalon XLS: 0-60mph in 6.3 seconds

Lincoln MKS AWD: 0-60mph in 7.5 seconds

Toyota Tundra 4x4 5.7 V8: 0-60mph in 6.0 seconds

Chevrolet Malibu 2.4 6spd: 0-60mph in 8.6 seconds

Acura NSX (09/'90): 0-60mph in 5.2 seconds

BMW M3 (06/'01): 0-60mph in 4.7 seconds

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (12/'01): 0-60mph in 4.0 seconds

Dodge Ram SRT-10 (02/'04): 0-60mph in 4.9 seconds

Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG (03/'99): 0-60mph in 4.9 seconds

Porsche 911 (08/'89): 0-60mph in 5.1 seconds

Toyota Supra Turbo (09/'93): 0-60mph in 5.2 seconds

Nissan GT-R #1: 0-60mph in 3.3 seconds

Nissan GT-R #2: 0-60mph in 3.6 seconds

Nissan GT-R #3: 0-60mph in 4.1 seconds

Nissan GT-R #4: 0-60mph in 3.2 seconds

Nissan GT-R #5: 0-60mph in 3.2 seconds

FORD EDGE AND LINCOLN MKX RECALLED

142 Ford and Lincoln crossovers are being recalled for fuel tank issues. The weld fixture used on a very few vehicles may have been exposed to a contaminant that could cause a dimple in the bottom of a fuel tank. Being near a spot weld, this dimple could result in a leak. In the presence of an ignition source, fire could ensue. It's likely that dealers will replace 142 fuel tanks.

Giv'em credit. Ford Motor Company caught this one early.

DOMESTIC AUTOMAKERS MAY/08 RESULTS

It was a common belief at the beginning of May, when automakers released their sales date for April, that the first couple days of June would reveal bad news, as well. The commonality of any belief does not prove that belief to be true; however, the statistics manifest as proof that the common belief held true.

In a month where total vehicle sales fell over 10%, car sales climbed over 2%. Small cars were especially successful. Two cars that have not grabbed critical acclaim, Ford's Focus and the Dodge Caliber, jumped 52% and 7%, respectively compared with May of last year. 

It doesn't seem that long ago that America's love affair with truck-based SUVs and cheap gas led to a majority of vehicle sales being classified as trucks. In the 31 days of May, that former majority dropped to the low 40s%. Here are the Numbers for American automakers and their sub-brands in America in May... in agony.

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37.8 - posted percentage loss for Buick for May 2008 compared with the same period one year earlier

26 - posted percentage loss for Cadillac, May/08 against May/07

27.1 - posted percentage loss for Chevrolet, May/08 against May/07

28 - posted percentage loss for the whole Chrysler group, May/08 vs May/07

16.6 - posted percentage loss for Ford, May/08 against May/07

38.8 - posted percentage loss for GMC, an all truck and SUV brand for May of this year against May/07

61.7 - posted percentage loss for Hummer, an all heavy-duty SUV brand that GM is interested in selling, for the May/08 vs May/07 comparison

42 - percentage loss for luxury brand Lincoln for May of '08 against the same period last year

28 - percentage drop in sales faced by Mercury, Ford's pointless brand, for May/08 against May/07

25.9 - percentage drop in sales for Pontiac, a brand featuring some new models, for this May against last May

28 - percentage drop in sales for GM-owned Saab for May/08 against May/07

32.7 - percentage plummeting in product sales for Saturn, featuring its best model lineup ever, for May/08 vs May/07

24 - percentage drop in sales for Ford-owned Volvo for May/08 against May/07

18,455 - lead, in sales, that the Chevrolet brand had over the whole Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep group in May

15,603 - combined sales in May for FMC's luxury duo (Volvo and Lincoln), out-performing GM's Swedish-American dup (Saab and Cadillac) by 107

97.5 - Pontiac Vibe's percentage points lead it held over the Pontiac brand as a whole in May-vs-May sales

23.4 - average decline in sales for Ford's four main SUVs, the Escape; Edge; Explorer; and Expedition

44.3 - jump in sales this May vs last May, measured in percent, for the Chevrolet Aveo

655,000 FORD TRUCKS RECALLED

Ironically, the first time I felt the power assist disappear in an automobile, I was driving a Ford Motor Company product, the same company involved in today's massive recall. The Mercury Sable was a company car; I hated it, but the gas was free. Required effort to depress the pedal was of the enormous variety. Fortunately, I was only traveling at low-speed on a divided thoroughfare early in the morning. 

F150s built in 2005 and 2006 may suffer from a swelling hose. Swelling hoses are bad, and when enough swelling occurs the hose disconnects. As in the Sable I drove, the required pedal pressure is of the enormous variety - perhaps even greater. It's a dangerous scenario, and one that 655,000 Ford F150 and Lincoln Mark LT owners could face. Thus, the recall. Accidents directly related to this issue have been few and far between, but the 11 would've grown quickly were Ford to not begin the recall early this summer.

Read about other Recalls, recent or otherwise, with a simple click.

PSEUDO-AMERICAN LUXURY

Ford Motor Company's remaining luxury brands post-Land Rover/Jaguar sale form a duo that is eerily similar to General Motors' upper tier tandem. Yes, it's Swedish/American.

The Ford trio of Brits are long gone. Aston Martin is now in handled by a British/Kuwaiti setup with some American influence, too. Jaguar and Land Rover are Tata's.  That leaves Dearborn with Volvo and Lincoln. General Motors sticks it out with fledgling Saab and Cadillac.  

All Cadillac, Lincoln, Saab or Volvo articles are available with a simple click

How do they do? March was not a good month for Ford. Lincoln faced a 20% drop in sales compared with the same period last year. Volvo met a drop of over 6%. This equates to approximately 5,000 fewer sales from those two brands this March. 

Meanwhile, Saab sales increased. 125 extra units exited dealer doors this March. Cadillac produced a slight percentage drop of 0.8 with sales down 1,490 vehicles during a month which held two fewer selling days. 

Although The Good Car Guy already discussed Japanese and German luxury sales last month, it is interesting to take note of the numbers.  

Cadillac sales personnel sold more cars than Audi, Infiniti, or Acura consultants could manage. Then again, two German brands (BMW & Mercedes-Benz) and Lexus sold at a greater rate than Caddy. Acura and Infiniti outperformed Lincoln. The Swedish battle was over before it started. Volvo only needed a little more than one quarter of the month to sell more than Saab's total.  

One more fact? The People's Car - that'd be Volkswagen - was outsold by Cadillac last March. This time around, Volkswagen produces a jump of over 20% and thus claimed a 2,134 advantage over the preeminent American luxury marque.

IS IT JUST ME....?

Is it just me, or are the comparisons below completely unflattering?  Does the Lexus GS angle dethrone the Jaguar XF from its lofty perch? An Infiniti EX from the rear 3/4 is just a jacked-up Subaru Impreza?Which car comes out worse for wear, the Renault Vel Satis or Lincoln MKT?  

Apologies for the design-heavy content on GoodCarBadCar today. Ha, who cares - we all love the good, the bad, and the ugly.  

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JALOPNIK'S RIDICULOUS MSRP'S

It has got to be one of this week's most interesting automotive articles.  Jalopnik - and its readers - have compiled a top ten list of the most ridiculous Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price.  No, not base price. Few could deny that the Honda Accord is a decent value as a new car, so an Accord mentioned in a Ridiculous MSRP list doesn't seem right.  But somehow, I think you might agree with Jalopnik's placement of the Accord coupe on this list.  Follow the link to Jalopnik.com or check out the brief rundown below.

#10-  Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD LTZ @ $97,011 including $42,000 in options

#9- Lincoln Town Car @ $56,020

#8- smart fortwo passion cabriolet @ $29,928 including about $10K in options

#7- Honda Accord Coupe @ $39,122

#6- Volvo C30 @ $46,792

#5- Mercedes-Benz C300 @ $57,944

#4- BMW 135i @ $52,550

#3- Mini Cooper @ $55,535 (more expensive than the parent brand's sporty coupe above but with 180bhp less)

#2- Porsche Boxster @ $118,295 trebling the base price

#1- Porsche Cayenne @ $163,573 including $1,880 to match the interior air vents to the exterior colour

NUMERICALLY SPEAKING - #4

124 pages of February/08's Car&Driver inspired me to provide The Good Car Nation with a complete look at the big numbers in autodom over the last month. Discussed, written, and edited by C/D, but provided to you succinctly, here are the numbers you need to know.

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20 - percent of the overall energy used in the USA by private vehicles.

1100 - cost per hour (in dollars) to use the wind tunnel at the Auto Research Center in Indianapolis.

145 - loss of horsepower from Lincoln's MKR concept to the standard MKS production car.

5 - births required (in a one-shot, five-at-a-time deal) for Kia UK to give you a free car. Birthing one child will net you a $1,000 discount.

15.5 - size, in inches, of the Brembo carbon-ceramic - vented and cross-drilled - brakes on the upcoming Corvette ZR1.

60,000 - price per gallon of the clear-coat finish that Chevrolet will be applying to the exposed carbon-fibre weave on the ZR1.

8 - extra cubic feet of interior volume in the rear of a Jeep Liberty when compared with the Nissan Rogue.

1000 - Extra towing ability, measured in pounds, of the Liberty, when compared with the Rogue.

40 - Extra horsepower provided by the Liberty's V6, compared with the Rogue's 2.5L four-cylinder.


1.1 - time saved in the Rogue, compared with the Liberty, in the sprint to 60 mph.

118 - top speed, in mph, of the Rogue; 6mph higher than that of the Liberty.

0.79 - lateral grip, in g's, of the Rogue, .12 greater than the Liberty's max around a 300ft skidpad.

5 - extra miles each gallon of fuel takes you in a Rogue when compared with the Liberty, both on the highway and in the city.

13 - STi logos emblazoned on the new flagship Subaru Impreza.

6.8 - 0-60mph time of the new Honda Civic Mugen Si sedan, 0.1 seconds slower than that of a regular Civic Si coupe.

0.88 - lateral grip offered up in the Mugen Si, .03 lower than that of the Si coupe.

81 - weight gain in the Mugen Si sedan over the regular Si coupe.

8190 - price increase of the Mugen Si sedan over a base Si sedan.

1000 - buyers who Honda believes are willing to pay an extra $8190 for a Mugen badge.

THE BAD 8 - PART VI

Lincoln Town Car

For a second there, you thought it was still 1994. Ford Motor Company is still selling the Lincoln Town Car. It still weighs over 4,300 pounds, generates no more than 239 horsepower, and suffers from a suspension system that's independent only at the front of the car. The transmission in this luxury car makes use of just four speeds. Park a smart fortwo alongside and enjoy the complete view of the heavily chromed wheels. Step inside, and although high-in-features and comfortable, the all-around design and ugly column shifter make you think high-end Wal-Mart.

So Lincoln's Town Car is slow, overweight, humongous, ugly, and antiquated. A surprising amount of Town Car buyers are individuals (65%) rather than taxi/limo/hearse buyers, but even with the '60% repeat customer' tagline, that first number is appallingly low. Unfortunately, the latest news seems to show that the upcoming MKS will not boot the Town Car from showrooms.

For now, the best we can do is place the Lincoln Town Car on The Bad 8 as a recommended "AVOID" for 2008.

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Alternatives: Chrysler 300C SRT8, Cadillac STS, Lexus ES350, Audi A6

Necessary Incentivizing To Switch To The Good 12: 50% off + the paperwork required to progress the sale to your Floridian great-uncle.

Anything Else? Forget what the Lincoln reps might tell you: the platform on which every Town Car rests (named Panther) was introduced in 1978 in Ford and Mercury showrooms and in 1980 for the Town Car.