Lincoln eyeing a 2022 EV and boutique dealerships in its near-future

The American luxury brand will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year

Matthew Guy

Jun 16, 2021 • June 17, 2021 • 4 minute read • Join the conversation

“Whatever you are, be a good one.” That quote is often attributed to Abraham Lincoln, and frequently uttered by so-called inspirational speakers while nattering about happiness and career choices. It’d seem the Lincoln Motor Company is taking the advice of its namesake to heart, sketching out a 10-year plan that’ll bring it into the next decade.

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Lincoln hasn’t historically always been very clear on the “whatever you are” part of that motivational missive.

In fact, company execs that spoke about these future plans during media availability earlier this week said as much, stating changes made to the brand since the introduction of its ‘Quiet Flight’ philosophy have helped focus efforts and message. A common design language – one that no longer resembles a krill-hungry baleen whale – now stretches across a lineup populated by vehicles with real and memorable names, unlike the old mash of MK-Whatever.

Earlier this week, the brand gave us a peek into what it’s got in the hopper between now and 2030. As Lincoln approaches its 100th anniversary next year, it’s laying out plans to electrify its entire portfolio of vehicles by decade’s end, with a full lineup of connected vehicles.

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In fact, the first fully electric Lincoln vehicle is on track to debut next year. Official spokespeople for the brand demurred when asked if the upcoming electron-eater shares anything with the all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E. They did say that the Zephyr Reflection concept that appeared at Auto Shanghai gives clues to the brand’s styling direction as it embraces an electrified future.

In total, Lincoln is planning to use its new rear- and all-wheel-drive battery-electric flexible architecture to deliver a quartet of new and distinct fully electric vehicles by 2026. These machines will be ‘global’ in nature, meaning they will appear in markets other than North America (read: China).

Suggestions were made that so-called ‘derivatives’ could spawn from these four vehicles; perhaps the brand sees success enjoyed by BMW and Mercedes with the cut-roof variants of their popular SUVs (X5 vs X6, and so forth). Lincoln expects half of its global volume will be zero-emissions vehicles by mid-decade.

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Note that plans to ‘electrify’ do not mean every car goes ‘all-electric,’ and can simply refer to a vehicle whose powertrain incorporates some hybrid gubbins, such as the existing Aviator Grand Touring. Contrast this aim with that of Cadillac, who told Driving on a call earlier this year that it would be exiting this decade as a manufacturer of all-electric vehicles.

“As we accelerate Lincoln’s transformation in North America and China, there is no better time to propel the Lincoln brand forward with electrification,” said Joy Falotico, president of Lincoln. “Electrification will take Quiet Flight to a new level with the smooth, exhilarating take-off feel and serene quietness our clients expect from a Lincoln.”

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So that’s the skinny on product. What about distribution?

Michael Sprague, North America director of Lincoln, said that one in three transactions are currently completed online through the brand’s remote sales platform. Pedants will note that ‘completed’ doesn’t necessarily mean a true end-to-end transaction, which is an aspect Lincoln wants to see more of through its online channels. They’re also trialing some non-traditional in-person sales outlets, such as boutiques and what Lincoln is calling ‘brand-exclusive Vitrine’ dealerships.

The latter, with a name taken from a term generally used to describe glass display cases at diamond or jewelry stores, is said to be a place that moves away from traditional transaction spaces to a modern layout centered around the client. Interestingly, Sprague described them as a “non-threatening environment,” a remark that will surely inflame dealers. By the way, these new retail concepts are said to be owned by dealers, and are not a push by Lincoln to sell directly to consumers in a Tesla-esque manner.

Lincoln is also testing a subscription-based service in Houston, described as a ‘mobile fuel and spa’ for your car, leveraging real-time data through the vehicle’s connected features to proactively remind clients if their Lincoln requires fuel or routine maintenance. The service also offers the convenience of at-hand vehicle detailing. It all seems to be a two-pronged push to insert the Lincoln name in areas of town in which it would be tough to place a full-sized dealership, while also cultivating an always-on relationship with the customer.

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Ultimately, of course, the success of any automaker relies on its product. To that end, Lincoln is also touting its upcoming ability to push over-the-air updates to vehicles, starting with software updates being pushed out to 2021 Nautilus clients later this summer.

Lincoln will also begin to offer ActiveGlide, a seemingly repackaged and rebranded variant of Ford’s BlueCruise, that will permit a driver to operate hands-free on pre-qualified sections of divided highways thanks to advanced camera, radar, and driver monitoring technologies. A study of an animation showing dashboard features of an as-yet-unnamed Lincoln revealed a ‘Deep Sand’ mode, which does not currently appear on any Lincoln in our market.

With all these efforts, it’d seem the brand has settled on an answer for the “whatever you are” half of Lincoln’s quote. We’ll wait to sample its all-important upcoming product before declaring it a good one.