Luxury cars are luxurious because of the unique "exclusive" feeling in them, unique. For example, there are many exclusive Rolls-Royces, exclusive door doors, exclusive door umbrellas, and exclusive rim central logo fixed design.
Exclusive means expensive! Of course, most cars will not be as expensive as Rolls-Royce. But usually luxury car brands also have their own exclusive high-end platform. For example, Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus, Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7 share the Volkswagen MLB EVO platform. This platform is the high-end platform of the Volkswagen Group, and it will not be used by Volkswagen's low-end brand Skoda, Seat. So luxury cars should have a luxurious bottom line.
[1] As a luxury brand car, the most unacceptable thing for Chinese users is to change shells and special supplies.
Although due to platformization and modular production, luxury brands now like to change shells, but they are often not positioned as high-end luxury brand cars, are more entry-level cars, such as Audi Q3 and Tangyue collinear production, Audi Q2 and Volkswagen Tange co-line production. But where the price is 300,000 and above, A4L, Q5L, A6L, it is impossible to produce collinearly with volkswagen, in this regard, Audi still adheres to the bottom line, high-end must have a high-end look!
BMW is the same, the front-drive platform is only X1, X2, MINI models. High-end rear-drive platforms start from the 3 Series to X3, and the 5 Series will not be shared with MINI.
[2] 100,000 yuan of cars can be specially supplied, luxury brands can not!
In addition to changing the shell, the most disliked thing for Chinese users is the special supply! There are no cars in foreign markets, and one is specially developed for the Chinese market. If such a car is cheap, the 100,000 yuan class compact car can still be accepted, such as Langyi, Bora is not available abroad, are the special cars of the Chinese market. But if you look at luxury brand cars, how many are specifically for the Chinese market? It can be said that there is not one. Of course, the longer wheelbase is like the A6L, BMW 5 Series, except for the adjustment of the configuration for the Chinese market.
In the minds of Chinese consumers, some foreign cars must be developed for the global market and must be able to meet the vehicle collision standards of various countries around the world. And in terms of performance, configuration to meet the needs of users in different countries around the world. Definitely more to consider in product design. Such a car is a good car. For the Chinese market research and development, then there must be a multi-faceted compromise, only to meet the domestic standards, then the product force is not as strong as the global car!
[3] Lincoln Z, special supply + shell change, all gathered!
The Lincoln Z is a special car, as we all know, Ford and Lincoln have abandoned the traditional sedan in the US home market, And ford will specialize in SUVs and pickups, as well as new energy vehicles in the future. As a result, the car market has become a blank. Because of this, Ford's research and development efforts and speed in cars have slowed down. So much so that for a long time, neither Ford nor Lincoln launched a brand new sedan product. The Chinese market Ford Mondeo has not been updated for 9 years and has lagged far behind its competitors.
Therefore, lincoln Z is a proper special car launched for the Chinese market, and foreign markets do not have it.
As a hulled model, Lincoln Z and Ford new Mondeo share platform, everyone can see the interior can understand, the iconic Dalian screen, the two cars are almost exactly the same. And a look is designed for the Chinese market, because now most luxury car brands and joint venture brands, do not use such a large area of the central control screen, but their own brands use more.
We say Volkswagen and Audi also changed shells, Q3 and Tangaku, Q2 and Tange. However, Audi and Volkswagen at least maintained their own independent design styles on the basis of changing the shell. You don't think it's An Audi in a Volkswagen, you don't think it's a Volkswagen in an Audi.
But when you're in a Ford, you think it's Lincoln. You'll think of it as a Ford in a Lincoln. Therefore, such a luxury brand car, can the user accept it?
summary:
I believe that shell change + special supply is not Lincoln's original intention, it is Lincoln's helplessness.
First of all, many luxury models of the Lincoln brand in the U.S. market are not suitable for domestic production, such as the Lincoln Navigator, which is too big, too bulky, too niche.
Secondly, due to the strategic contraction of the Ford Group, Lincoln has no way to continue the product research and development of the car, resulting in a lack of products.
Third, Lincoln's domestic production is not too early, but the recent development is not bad, in 2021 the Chinese market sales of 91,000 vehicles, an increase of 48% year-on-year, it is the need to continue to use new models to continue to exert strength. But it was at such a time that the new product could not keep up. So there is no way, Mondeo changed the shell, transformed into Lincoln Z, first domestic and then say.