The recently updated Lincoln high-end SUVs are selling faster than anticipated with Ford now straining to meet demand. Buyers are reported to mainly opt for the high end trim options that can cost as much as $100,000.
The 2018 Lincoln Navigator was made available for the dealerships at the start of December. Sales were so good that Ford cannot produce as many SUVs as necessary, according to company executives.
Navigator sales make up a small part of all the vehicles sold by Ford in January, under 1%. However, the amounts are almost 100% higher than in January 2017. Ford overall sales went down by 6.6%. At the same time, Lincoln SUV sales fell around 20% because of the company not being able to deal with the demand.
Mark LaNeve, Ford US marketing, sales and service vice president, declared:
“We could have sold a lot more in January if we had them.”
Over 80% of the Lincoln buyers wanted to buy the most expensive Navigator trims, Black Label and Reserve. These trims sell at around $100,000 and $90,000, respectively.
Industry analysts pointed out that the main reason for the increased sales is that the redesign is the first one done by Ford in 10 years. The 2018 Lincoln Navigator has more space and highly wanted features among consumers like adjustable seats with cooling and heating.
Navigator is now enjoying a popularity that is higher than the Cadillac and its similar Escalade, which did enjoy an increase in sales by 15% when compared with January of 2017.
Ford is now interested in moving money gained from highly profitable truck and SUV sales to mobility businesses like designing autonomous vehicles. Financial stability increase is also a goal of Ford, with Navigator being a good prospect for future possible redesigns.
Consumers can expect Ford to increase manufacture speed for the Lincoln Navigator and other SUVs that may enjoy high popularity while moving away from those that have a declining sales report.
Have A Question? Ask Jessica!
-
Jessica: Hi, I'm Jessica, the Consumer Press AI, can I help you with a consumer question?
