Ford and Lincoln Have Some Better Ideas
Between Automotive News' future product updates and rumors of reveals at dealer meetings, we are starting to get an idea of some of the upcoming new entries to the Ford and Lincoln portfolios. I've already discussed the Mustang Mach-4, so let's look at what else is out there...
Ford Bronco Pickup: There were rumors of a Bronco pickup as far back as six years ago, with Motor Trend reporting a mid-2024 launch. It was reportedly scrapped a year later; the introduction of the offroad-oriented Ranger Raptor to the US market might have played a role, with Ford leadership fearing cannibalization. It’s not clear that situation has changed, but the timing of 2030 suggests this new entry could be derived from the next-generation Bronco (which will be nine years old by then). But is there room for both a Ranger (and Ranger Raptor) and Bronco pickup in the US market? With new models due from Hyundai, Honda, Ram, Kia, and perhaps VW, it’s going to get rather crowded.
Ford “New Escape”: There was considerable angst when Ford pulled the plug on the Escape, whose US volume peaked at over 300,000 units back in 2017. Although Ford was hoping Escape intenders would divert to either Maverick or Bronco Sport, Ford’s recent sales numbers suggest that’s not been happening. Dealers have reportedly been showing a small crossover due by the end of the decade that would be offered with both gas and hybrid variants; it seems like a wise (and overdue) move to get more entry-level buyers into Ford showrooms.
Lincoln “Corsair Electric”: Does Lincoln have an electrification strategy? That’s an excellent (and currently unanswered) question. Five years ago, it was “all EV by 2030”, and three years ago it was “half ZEV by mid-decade”--but now there’s nary a goal to be found. New reports suggest the Universal EV platform that will source next year’s Ford Fathom will also source a smaller Lincoln SUV. A Ford-badged SUV off the platform is likely, and so a Lincoln variant--to replace the cancelled US-market Corsair--isn’t too much of a stretch.
Lincoln “Mountaineer”*: A Bronco-based Lincoln seems to be an increasingly real concept, and with Audi (and possibly BMW) wading into the offroad pool, Lincoln leadership wants a piece of the action. However, with zero offroad credibility and a brand built on serenity and refinement, can the Bronco platform yield something Lincoln-appropriate. Lexus appears to have done so with the GX, which shares its platform with the less refined Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser, so it’s not impossible.
Unfortunately, as you can see, there are no more cars in the mix (besides the aforementioned Mustang Mach-4). A compact hatchback off the UEV or a domesticated version of China’s Lincoln Z (a/k/a Zephyr) could be interesting but so far appear to be off the table. But stay tuned; 2030 is still a long way off...
*Not the official name, but it works, right?
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