If there’s one luxury brand (or better put, one that aspires to be premium) that has failed to deliver anything remotely close to exciting, that would be Lincoln. In recent years, even Lexus and Acura at some point offered products that have managed to capture the attention of luxury car buyers.

And this is something and that is clearly reflected in Lincoln’s weak sales numbers. In the first 10 months of the year, Lincoln sold 70,935 cars in the States (+1.2% from the same period in 2010), whereas GM’s Cadillac delivered 124,985 vehicles (+5.6%), Buick 151,779 cars (+19.9%) and Lexus 153,739 units (-16.2%).

Aside from the MKZ sedan (+31.7%) and the MKX crossover (+5.3%), Lincoln’s other models saw their numbers plummet this year, including the MKS sedan with 9,824 deliveries from January through October (-18.9%) and the MKT crossover with 4,126 sales in the same period (-33.5% from last year).

At the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford’s premium brand introduced updated versions of the MKT and the MKS, both of which gain a Botox-like makeover with a denser interpretation of Lincoln’s waterfall split grille and some technical enhancements such as a drive control feature and revamped infotainment system, in order to regain customer interest.

But despite the problems, during the LA Show presentation, Derrick Kuzak, Ford Group Vice President reiterated the company’s commitment to Lincoln, adding that future Lincolns will be more unique – in other words, not just more luxurious Fords.

“Our vision for Lincoln is simple. World-class luxury vehicles and an exceptional consumer experience to match,” said Kuzak.

“This includes more investment and standout next generation products. Designs that are stunning and understated and uniquely Lincoln inside and out. We’re also transforming the Lincoln driving experience, to make it refined and engaging, to deliver the responsiveness of a BMW with the comfort of Lexus.”

Needless to say, as history has taught us many times, saying it and doing it are two very different things…

By John Halas

VIDEOS