Quote:
Originally Posted by lamborghinifan
Hmmm, seems it’ll be the long wheel base too, so 6 people and a proper boot. Wonder if it drives as good as a euro, and just how expensive it’ll be.
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Ford took Lincoln in a very different direction than GM did with Cadillac.
With Cadillac, GM pursued chassis dynamics that would rival the German competitors. To achieve that, they created bespoke platforms to compete with RWD BMW and Mercedes sedans. In this regard, they achieved their goals, most praising the excellence of the chassis and steering. But...................no one bought them. It seems like Cadillac buyers wanted a Cadillac and not an American 3 or 5-Series BMW. So, all that money spent on bespoke platforms when in actual fact buyers wanted the Escalade, which was based on a ladder frame Chevy/GMC truck platform.
Ford's approach with Lincoln couldn't have been more different. Ford knew that without starting from a clean slate, they were never going to achieve BMW-esq driving dynamics. And after seeing GM fail to gain traction from that approach, they realized that no matter how good they drove, people were not buying BMW's for their chassis prowess..........it was all about the badge and driveway cred.
So, Lincoln products are based on existing Ford platforms and models. The saving made here allowed them to put more money into the interior materials and finishes. They then decided to focus on comfort rather than "sporty" dynamics, mainly because this is what the target market actually wanted and not the perceived superiority of stiff suspension and high corning speeds. And even though they don't have the same sales potential, the range of Lincoln vehicles are considerably more profitable for Ford than what GM have done with Cadillac. The same approach has been highly successful for Toyota with Lexus, or even the GM with Buick.
Long story short, I wouldn't expect a Lincoln Navigator to handle like a Euro. But it would be safe to bet it would be much more comfortable over our terrible quality roads.