Ford Relaunches Lincoln Brand

Ford Motor Co., which last month rechristened its 90-year-old luxury brand as Lincoln Motor Co., rolled out an all-new MKZ sedan and declared its intent to re-establish Lincoln in the ultra-competitive luxury-car market.

Ford says the brand will be recast as a source of unique style and innovative technology and aimed at younger buyers who are looking for "progressive luxury." The average age for Lincoln owners today is 65.

The relaunch will be highlighted in February with Lincoln's first ads ever aired during a Super Bowl football game.

The marque will offer serious prospects a night on the town with a Lincoln loaner. Lincoln also has created a concierge service that assigns a personal guide to help each customer through the shopping, purchase and ownership experience.

Lincoln plans to introduce three more new models within the next four years. The brand attracted only 85,600 buyers last year, down from a peak of more than 230,000 units in 1990. Sales this year have slipped 3%.

Analysts say Lincoln is off to a good start with the new MKZ. But many figure it could take the marque a decade or more to earn the credibility to be taken seriously by picky luxury-car buyers.