The success of Ford’s turnaround plan for Lincoln depends significantly on China, the world’s largest car market, where Lincoln will officially debut in late October.
Lincoln has started preparations for the event, with the first shipment of MKC and MKZ vehicles arriving in China on September 10 at the Shanghai port.
“This is a significant milestone for Lincoln globally. The journey from design, to the assembly line, and now to Shanghai—represents Ford Motor Company at its best,” said Lincoln China president Robert Parker.
The first Lincoln dealerships will open in Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou in October, with the company targeting the inauguration of eight dealerships in seven major cities throughout China by the end of 2014.
“We could not be more excited to show customers the unique environments and experience we’ve created in our Lincoln dealerships,” said Parker. “This is the culmination of months of teamwork and collaboration both in North America and here in China. On behalf of the entire team in China, I want to thank and congratulate the team on both sides of the Pacific,” the executive added.
The next two shipments of Lincoln vehicles will arrive in China by early October to support the grand opening events scheduled for the end of the month. At the beginning of sales, Lincoln will only offer the MKC SUV and MKZ sedan in China, with the two models to be followed by a midsize SUV, an all-new full-size luxury sedan and the full-size Navigator SUV.
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