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OK, I know I shouldn’t take this personally, but Lincoln’s latest chapter in its abortive new naming strategy is almost laughable.
Let’s Copy Them Nice Folks at Cadillac!
First, Ford decided that Lincoln should use an alphanumeric naming strategy just like Cadillac, the Europeans and Japanese luxury car brands. It doesn’t matter that case studies like Acura have proven that this strategy is fraught with peril. “Let’s go be exactly like Cadillac! They are real smart folks, so they must be doing it right – even down to Escalade not using alphanumerics. ” So Navigator is still Navigator instead of MKN.
Lets Pronounce it “Mark Z”!
Then, at the 2006 Chicago Auto Show, Ford execs and PR folks couldn’t get how to pronounce the new names straight. Some were saying the new name for the year-old Zephyr should be pronounced “Mark Z” while others were spelling it out “EmKayZee”. Well if the folks internally couldn’t get it straight, who can?
Asking for clarification at a high level luncheon, we were told emphatically that it was “Mark Z”, “Mark X”, “Mark S”.
NO, Let’s Pronounce it LINCOLN EmKayZee!
But now Ford has flipflopped on the naming again. Now, we are to spell it out, but be sure to include the word LINCOLN before the alphanumerics. You see, this was to strengthen the LINCOLN name and not the vehicle line names.
Poor Lincoln.