Lincoln to Revamp Stalled Subscription Service

Ford Motor Co.’s Lincoln brand reports very weak consumer interest in its vehicle subscription plan, which offers access to multiple models.

Robert Parker, who heads Lincoln’s marketing, sales and service, tells Automotive News that most subscribers have been using the service for only one or two months before dropping out. He says they are tapping the plan simply to maintain their mobility while they shop for a new vehicle or wait for their own car to be repaired after a crash.

Lincoln began testing its scheme—which costs between $500 and $950 per month, including insurance, maintenance and roadside assistance—in California early this year. The program is significantly less expensive than rival plans in large part because it involves used rather than new vehicles.

Even so, any service that provides access to multiple models costs more than a conventional lease. AN cites an analysis by Edmunds.com of competing subscription services based on new cars, which bluntly concludes that their cost “makes no sense to anyone.”

Parker tells AN that Lincoln may tweak its program to link it more directly to its dealers. The current scheme funnels subscribers through Ford’s Canvas online service.