Lincoln Wants More Standalone Showrooms To Capitalize On New, Exciting Products

Lincoln wants more of its U.S. dealerships to open up showrooms dedicated to the vehicles from Ford’s luxury brand.

Executives from the automaker assert the dealerships with dedicated Lincoln showrooms regularly outsell those dealers who combine their Ford and Lincoln inventories, Automotive News reports.

The brand’s 30 top luxury markets in the United States account for 70 per cent of the brand’s models, and nearly half of the 150 dealers in these markets have built or are building exclusive stores. Lincoln wants the remaining dealerships to commit to building dedicated showrooms by next July that will be completed by mid-2021.

To encourage owners to make the investments needed for brand new showrooms, Lincoln says it will help them find land and give them a greater cut of the money made for each vehicle sold. Additionally, Lincoln will only allow its dedicated dealerships to sell the high-end Black Label models from the second quarter of next year.

Lincoln’s push to open premium locations comes part of a product offensive which will include the introduction of the Nautilus crossover and a large three-row crossover dubbed the Aviator.

“The next phase of the transformation is critical,” Lincoln director of marketing, sales and service, Robert Parker said.

“This is probably the biggest two years in Lincoln’s history.”

All dedicated Lincoln stores share a common design that includes floor-to-ceiling glass windows at the front, ensuring that the showrooms light up “like a jewel box” at night.

Dealerships can choose to construct a showroom between 6000 and 8000 square feet in size, spread across either one or two levels.