I did mention funeral homes. I mentioned seniors because they were the Town Car's primary buyers, but not exclusive by any means. As far as demographics go, Lincoln's future, and sustainability, is not going to depend on just one car....and certainly not just the flagship sedan. Don't forget.....the MKZ was just given a good refresh, and there's a new Navigator (and possibly a new Aviator) on the way, too....although I'm not sure that Lincoln actually needs four different SUVs.

 

Jill, let's say you have 70-80k to buy a large sedan. Would you buy that? Lol that's what I thought.

 

How about giving her a chance to answer first? She will probably agree with you and say no, but, even if not, I think you should let her speak for herself.

 

You have to understand that limo fleets, funeral homes, and seniors are not Lincolns target market right? And that having every hearse in America be this Continental and one of these outside every Dialysis center does nothing for Lincolns brand image right?

Remember Lincoln doesn't need to sell a certain number of cars to survive because they're a division of Ford, they can take their time and really do something great with Lincoln. They're squandering that.

 

Oh, I agree that they alone aren't the whole target. But I also don't buy the oft-repeated concept that seniors are just an outdated group of past buyers that really don't matter anymore. The largest generation in history (Baby-Boomers) is now entering (or in) that age-bracket....and, having had good jobs and savings much of their lives, they (collectively, if not individually) have a huge amount of buying power.

 

You don't get Baby Boomers by marketing to old people. Baby Boomers identify themselves as youthful, they don't buy a car that also carried their buddy to the cemetery last week. They want to feel youthful.

The car can have all the characteristics that you like, it's the way that it's built and the sort of car it is that's an issue. This is (according to the pictures Jill posted) a poorly built, FWD rebadged Taurus. That does not a true luxury car competitor make. Even if it's aimed at Baby Boomers this is the wrong approach. If you want examples of cars that are proper well built platformed cars yet also have the characteristics you find desirable...look at the Genesis sedans.

They need to build a car that's so good they don't need fleet business. This isn't it. Mark my words, if they sell 1000 of these to consumers a year it'll be a miracle. They know it too, where are they ads? Watching football today I have seen 7 Genesis ads. Where are the Lincoln Continental ads? It is arriving at dealers right now.

 

"sooner or later you'll ride in one."

 

There's the slogan right here! I can see Matthew McConaughey delivering it right now.

 

Dressed in a ddignified black suit no doubt.

 

It'll really be more like a celebration LOL

 

Feeling and Being are often two different things. One can live in a fantasy land, but you cannot physically turn back the hands of time.

Now, that doesn't mean that one has to live and act like they have one foot in the grave. I'm a Boomer myself (right in the middle of that age-group)...and am generally in pretty good health, except for some knee problems in both knees. But I'm nothing like in my 20s...or even 30s.

No arguments on the latest Genesis....it is indeed a superb product. I did a full-review on the 5.0 RWD, and fond its road manners stunning. My pastor owned one and loved it, though he traded a few weeks ago for a new Honda Ridgeline because he needed more utility. When I review the Continental, the Genesis is one of the benchmarks I'll be comparing it to....though it will more obviously compete more closely with the CT6. The CT6 was nice in some ways, but overall, I wasn't terribly thrilled with it. Just from pictures and videos (I'll reserve final judgment until I see one close up), I think the Continental has done a far better job on both the interior and exterior.

I don't mark anybody's words....I've seen too many predictions proved wrong before, including some of my own.

 

Let me ask you a question, have you been involved in charting the marketing effort and direction of a major company? I have. I'm not relaying my opinion on how different demographics are best marketed to, millions of dollars have been spent researching this...

What people "are" is meaningless. You sell people things based on what they want to be and how they perceive themselves, especially luxury lifestyle items.

Based on our conversations we've had, I'm actually surprised you're a baby boomer, I'd have guessed the generation before.

 

Well, like I said, we'll see. I don't think we really need to argue it here. If you are correct, the sales numbers will prove it. And I've been wrong myself sometimes, too. For instance, I initially thought the Plymouth Prowler would be more popular than it actually was (especially among those who had earlier driven street rods in the late 40s and 50s). But, I guess its outrageous looks, underpowered V6, Side-Stick automatic, trailer-tow for luggage, high price, and even more outrageous dealer price-gouging all worked to doom its sales.

 

We don't yet know how they're going to go about marketing the Continental...because they haven't been marketing it at all. Lincoln's current marketing is lifestyle marketing at a Gen X demographic. As was said above though, boomers know quality, and they like spending money. Boomers who can buy luxury cars have already owned luxury cars, which is why the platform and setup of this car is an issue.

You like to talk about DTS and Town Car buyers...well, those buyers by and large are NOT Baby Boomers. A Baby Boomer is defined as someone born after the end of WWII, so generally we're talking 1946 and later, most people put the end of the boomer generation around 1964. So that means the oldest Baby Boomers are now turning 70, and the youngest are in their early 50s. People who bought their Town Cars and Devilles in their Hayday, lets be generous and say that was ~ 2000, 16 years ago, they were older than 38-54 at that time. Those buyers are members of whats known as the silent generation, or they are members of the greatest generation, not Baby Boomers.

Baby Boomers are the ones who abandoned Lincoln and Cadillac for foreign luxury cars, Baby Boomers are the buyers that really embraced Lexus, as an example. Cadillac IS in fact marketing to those Baby Boomers by trying to build a car similar to what they abandoned their brand for, Lincoln as a comparison is simply building the same Continental that my father bought in 1990, and that Lincoln discontinued in 2002...a FWD warmed over Ford Taurus. Boomers didn't want that 20 years ago, and they don't want it today. Before you say "well, your Dad bought one", my Dad was born in 1942...he wasn't a baby boomer. My Mom was born in 1947 (a boomer)...she hated his big boaty cars.

In any event the oldest of those boomers are retiring and like I said, they're entering a phase of their life where they're not going to be spending money on cars the way that they did in their heyday, the youngest boomers are still in the tail end of that highest earning, highest spending phase but those buyers have never been traditional buyers that a vehicle like the Continental appeals to. What companies need to be doing is focusing on that next wave of high earners, Gen X and Gen Y, which is what Lexus is doing for example, and what Cadillac is also doing. Audi is doing it too, Mercedes as well. Building more accessible, tech rich less overtly ostentatious cars. This Continental is really a throwback.

As for the Prowler, why would anybody have thought that would ever be anything but a niche car?

 

It really is mindbogging that the Plymouth Prowler is being brought up and discusssed. I cannot see how luggage and towing it is any way worthy of discussion.

Good write up regarding babyboomers and whar they want.