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Lincoln Cancels Plans For Compact Audi A3 Rival: Report

 
5 1,082 views Oct 31, 2011

2009 lincoln c concept 003

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Just over a year ago, Lincoln announced ambitious plans to launch seven new models in the U.S. market by 2014. Rumored to be included in that tally was a compact luxury car, meant to compete against the likes of the Audi A3 and the Lexus CT 200h luxury hybrid.

While rumors of a compact Lincoln date back to 2008 (and the Lincoln C Concept of 2009), there was enough specific information leaked about the car to make it seem believable. The car was to be called the Lincoln MKC, and it was to be built on the new Ford Focus platform, with an emphasis on technology to set it apart from luxury rivals.

Now comes word from Ford Inside News that the MKC project has been killed off, since Lincoln is concerned that a compact offering would negatively impact sales of the midsize Lincoln MKZ.


As if that news isn’t bad enough, it looks like the 2013 Lincoln MKZ won’t hit showrooms before late 2012, or several months after the debut of its sibling, the 2013 Ford Fusion.

Lincoln is still planning a compact crossover, dubbed the “MKD,” and it will allegedly be built on the new Ford Escape platform. It will be smaller than the Escape, and a source close to the project refers to it as more of a “tall hatchback” than a conventional crossover.





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Comments (5)

  1. fb_1418622783 avatar Matt Frawley Posted: 10/31/2011 8:36am PDT

    it is not worth luxury brand.
     
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  2. fb_1109206598 avatar Stephen Walton Posted: 10/31/2011 11:23am PDT

    The train wreck that is Lincoln is so sad.
     
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  3. spwilson avatar spwilson Posted: 10/31/2011 12:27pm PDT

    Ford stated that the revitilization of Lincoln was to be done on 1 billion dollars.
    I guess they are experiencing just how far that pittance will go.
    Probably only had enough funding to put a new grille on the Focus.
    The C compact to cannibalize MKZ sales?! Who are they kidding.
    Just end this sad, slow death.
     
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  4. fb_82100996 avatar Richard Shanks Posted: 11/3/2011 10:38am PDT

    They should have kept Volvo. As much as I want Ford/Lincoln to succeed, I think Lincoln is dead in the water. Even Cadillac’s sales are tanking lately.
     
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  5. fb_1491948054 avatar Kurt Ernst Posted: 11/3/2011 12:07pm PDT

    @Rich, I just had a Volvo S60 R Design as a press fleet car, and I was really surprised at how much I liked it. If only it came with a 6MT instead of just your run-of-the-mill slushbox, it would have been even more impressive.
     
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