Happenings at Lincoln
Ford’s luxury division isn’t exactly brimming with activity right now, save for a few updates here and there. After all, it only has three models in showrooms at the moment. But while it doesn’t have the stoutest lineup among its peers, movement and sales have been steady.
That said, Lincoln has been trimming its dealer count in recent years following consolidation efforts. So far, it’s proving to be the right move for the brand, and its finances look healthy right now.
Trimming Excess
Lincoln currently has 387 standalone stores, down from as many as 797 in 2019. Apparently, Lincoln had more dealerships than any other luxury brand in the U.S, which sounds excessive given that its behind Cadillac in terms of sales, and far away the current luxury leaders, BMW and Lexus. Sure, sales were there, but it wasn’t exactly the leanest operation.
These days, it’s quality over quantity, but Automotive News reports that executives want to cut down the number of stores even more. The target? Less than 300 stores by the end of 2027.
Less is More
The massive reduction of stores has done Lincoln well, particularly for the remaining dealers. Per the report, the remaining locations have higher throughput, meaning more deals are being closed. In addition, profitability is up, even as sales are down 12% year-on-year in 2026 so far.
“We’re much better when we take a look at the health of the dealer network; their throughput has increased tremendously. It’s really important to have that healthy network that allows those stores to reinvest back into the client experience,” said Shawn McDermott, director of the U.S. Lincoln retail network, to Automotive News.
Right now, Lincoln is speaking to more dealers to let go of their franchises for it to reach its goal of fewer than 300 stores by the end of 2027. Of course, that won’t be easy, but the company won’t be forcing those who still want to keep their facilities.
Lincoln
2027 Might be Even Better
The primary reason why sales slid this year is because of the Corsair’s absence in the lineup. The Corsair was dropped from the range as the plant that assembled it (the Louisville assembly plant) is being retooled for EVs. That led to the discontinuation of the Ford Escape and the temporary stoppage of Corsair sales in North America.
Unlike the Escape, the Corsair will be back in 2027, but this time, it’ll come from China as a hybrid-only model. Its comeback should help the brand claw back the sales it lost during the model’s hiatus. Given that profits are healthier even without it, the Corsair’s return could signal even greater returns.
