Lincoln Wants Separate Stores for Top Dealers

Ford Motor Co.’s Lincoln unit is asking about 150 dealers in the brand’s top-30 U.S. markets to build stand-alone showrooms to better separate the luxury marque from mainstream Ford models, Automotive News reports.

The newspaper says nearly half of Lincoln dealers in the top-30 markets, which account for 70% of Lincoln’s sales in the U.S., have already started construction on stand-alone stores,. Lincoln will help the remaining dealers find land for the new showrooms, which AN says are expected to be completed by mid-2021.

The luxury nameplate is in the process of launching several new models. This includes the 2019 Aviator (pictured) and 2020 Corsair and Nautilus crossover vehicles.

Lincoln officials say stand-alone stores typically sell more cars than those dualed with another brand. Luxury buyers also want to feel like they’re being pampered in a “luxury environment," Robert Parker, Lincoln's director of marketing, tells AN.

Starting in the second quarter of 2019, Lincoln’s premium “Black Label” vehicles will be sold only at stand-alone dealerships. AN says these stores also will earn more for each vehicle sold. Lincoln’s parts and service departments can continue to be paired with Ford.