And this is why Lincoln sucks at marketing and no one gives their products a second thought. My father-in-law, the perfect well to do client to buy a big quite Lincoln for cross country trips, and they have owned three Navigators, is in the market for a big sedan. When I told him there was a new continental coming out, he had no idea. Showed him a picture, he said that look pretty nice. But he will go buy an Audi or Maserati or possibly a Lexus and not give Lincoln a second thought.

 

If this car turns out to be only half as good as the hype surrounding it, IMO it will have been worth the wait. You seem to be saying that there is little or no hype to it. While I respect your opinion, I disagree on that part of it. This car drew some good-sized crowds at the L.A. and Detroit Shows, and also at the D.C. Auto Show where I saw it myself. Even though it was up on a turntable, it, and the Cadillac CT6, probably drew more floor-traffic, and more interest, than any other vehicles at the show. (and I was at the show for the better part of 4 days). The CT6, of course, also drew a lot of interest....but Cadillac displayed it differently...instead of up on a flood-lighted turntable (doors open) lie the Continental, they had the CT6 out on the floor, roped off, with the doors also unlocked. Jill (correctly) noted the lack of auto-press Continental test-drives, even though the car itself is going to be released in less than a month. I think that's probably Lincoln's way of getting people to look at the car.....go see it for themselves. You can't sign on the dotted line for a car while watching it on Motorweek or reading about it in magazines and forums.

 

No offense (a I'm not trying to show any disrespect to your father)............but it sounds to me like it's going to be his loss. On the other hand, If he doesn't read anything (or doesn't want to read anything) before he starts to shop, that's not your fault, either....or Lincoln's. You did your part (correctly) by telling him what was available and showing it to him....now, what he does from there is up to him.

I run into a similar problem quite a bit with Hyundai and Kia. Some people still have their minds stuck in the Dark Ages, when the Koreans basically built junk. They have been building credible (in some cases, even excellent) products for the last 15 years or so now, but some people still refuse to even go look at them.

 

What hype? I haven't seen any hype about this car except from you

Thats what he's saying, there should be more hype.

Ive said it many times, it's the company's job to reach the consumer, the consumer isn't to blame because the company never reached them with their message...the company is.

 

I don't agree. There's plenty on the Internet, though mostly from you-tube videos and static-reviews. What's really missing, though, (as Jill pointed out) are true test-drives, and seems to be what at least part of this discussion is about....if it is part of Lincoln's strategy or not.


The point I was making, though (without putting specific blame on anybody, in or out of the company) is that if one doesn't want to go look at something, there isn't much than really can be done.......that is simply their decision.

 

People won't "go look" at something they don't even know exists. More people believe in Bigfoot at this point than know Lincoln is less than a month away from launching a new continental. Google only returns Continental pictures, reviews, and videos if you type in "Continental." That was the point I was making about my father-in-law. He seems to be well aware of what Audi, Lexus and Maserati are offering him in a large 4 door sedan.

 

LMAO. I do, too, every time I look at my size-15 shoes.

Well, then maybe it would do him some good to follow Car Chat. Sounds like he's retired, and has some time on his hands.

And if he's that well-versed in the brands you mentioned, he'll know then (or he will after you point it out to him), that he'll pay a lot more for an Audi A8, Lexus LS, or Maserati Quattroporte than he will for a lower-line Continental, if he avoids the Black Label/Reserve/Concergie series.

 

He does not possess the sickness of being a "car guy" like we do, so he has no interest wasting his time following internet boards. He may pay more, but frankly the cost of things is some what irrelevant for him and his retirement situation, we should all some day be so lucky. He buys Navigators because that is what my mother-in-law likes, when it is time for a new one they do not even look at other options. He is more open minded, has owned Lexus, Jag and Audi in the past, right now he drives a 2010 King Ranch F150, but he is looking to get back into a higher-end sedan. I would guess he will end up in an S8 if I was a betting man. I have suggested he consider the LC500 now that kids are all grown and it is just him and my MIL.

 

Sounds like the perfect buyer for a Lincoln Continental.

 

Almost. The perfect buyer for a Continental would come out of a Lincoln Blackwood or Mark LT, not a Ford King Ranch....but a King Ranch is pretty close.

 

Is this supposed to be a joke? They don't make trade models anymore.

 

Actually, no, not quite a joke (though I did intend at least a little humor with it) ......and there are a few of them still running around. One can, in fact, own something (and trade it in or sell it) that is no longer in production. I only posted it, since you mentioned a (perfect) trade for a Continental, to humorously compare apples to apples. But you are correct that both pickups are no longer made, and that there are a lot more King Ranch owners than own Lincoln pickups.

BTW, only some 1000 Blackwoods were ever built. I saw one of them at the D.C. Auto Show that year, and another one not long ago, parked at my favorite grocery store. It was (arguably) the dumbest pickup ever built......using rare African Blackwoods (hence the name) to trim and line a cargo bed. Little wonder it didn't sell.

 

Ok....

 

I saw a Mark LT the other day on the road. So apparently they sold one...

 

In its five-year run from 2005 to 2009, it sold some 36,000 copies. Not very impressive.....especially compared to its less-expensive F-150 cousin.