Lincoln Continental sales decreased in the United States and Mexico, while increasing in South Korea during the fourth quarter of 2019.
Lincoln Continental Sales - Q4 2019 - United States
In the United States, Lincoln Continental deliveries totaled 1,845 units in Q4 2019, a decrease of about 24 percent compared to 2,424 units sold in Q4 2018.During the complete 2019 calendar year, Continental sales decreased about 25 percent to 6,586 units.
MODEL | Q4 2019 / Q4 2018 | Q4 2019 | Q4 2018 | YTD 2019 / YTD 2018 | YTD 2019 | YTD 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CONTINENTAL | -23.89% | 1,845 | 2,424 | -24.80% | 6,586 | 8,758 |
Lincoln Continental Sales - Q4 2019 - Mexico
In Mexico, Lincoln Continental deliveries totaled 6 units in Q4 2019, a decrease of about 74 percent compared to 23 units sold in Q4 2018.During the complete 2019 calendar year, Continental sales decreased about 47 percent to 47 units.
MODEL | Q4 2019 / Q4 2018 | Q4 2019 | Q4 2018 | YTD 2019 / YTD 2018 | YTD 2019 | YTD 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CONTINENTAL | -73.91% | 6 | 23 | -47.19% | 47 | 89 |
Lincoln Continental Sales - Q4 2019 - South Korea
In South Korea, Lincoln Continental deliveries totaled 203 units in Q4 2019, an increase of about 12 percent compared to 182 units sold in Q4 2018.During the complete 2019 calendar year, Continental sales decreased about 28 percent to 612 units.
MODEL | Q4 2019 / Q4 2018 | Q4 2019 | Q4 2018 | YTD 2019 / YTD 2018 | YTD 2019 | YTD 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CONTINENTAL | +11.54% | 203 | 182 | -28.34% | 612 | 854 |
Competitive Sales Comparison
Despite the decrease in Lincoln Continental sales during the fourth quarter, the large sedan shot up to the top of its segment, outselling all rivals. Behind the Continental was the Cadillac XTS (see Cadillac XTS sales), followed by the Acura RLX in a distant third place. Lincoln only sold roughly 750 more units of the Continental as Cadillac did of the now-discontinued XTS.
In addition, the Continental accounted for 60 percent share of the segment, compared to 34 percent for the XTS and 7 percent for the Acura RLX.
Sales Numbers - Full-Size Luxury Sedans - Q4 2019 - United States
MODEL | Q4 19 / Q4 18 | Q4 19 | Q4 18 | Q4 19 SHARE | Q4 18 SHARE | YTD 19 / YTD 18 | YTD 19 | YTD 18 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LINCOLN CONTINENTAL | -23.89% | 1,845 | 2,424 | 59% | 30% | -24.80% | 6,586 | 8,758 |
CADILLAC XTS | -79.02% | 1,062 | 5,063 | 34% | 63% | -36.23% | 11,304 | 17,727 |
ACURA RLX | -57.20% | 220 | 514 | 7% | 6% | -47.23% | 1,019 | 1,931 |
TOTAL | -60.92% | 3,127 | 8,001 | -33.46% | 18,909 | 28,416 |
The full-size premium sedan segment decreased nearly 61 percent in Q4 2019 to 3,127 units.
For informational purposes, we are providing sales figures for full-size prestige luxury cars, which are similar in size to the Continental but generally have significantly higher starting prices and vastly different buyer demographics/profiles.
Sales Numbers - Full-Size Prestige Luxury Cars - Q4 2019 - United States
MODEL | Q4 19 / Q4 18 | Q4 19 | Q4 18 | Q4 19 SHARE | Q4 18 SHARE | YTD 19 / YTD 18 | YTD 19 | YTD 18 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS | -19.25% | 3,750 | 4,644 | 40% | 44% | -16.36% | 12,528 | 14,978 |
BMW 7 SERIES | -6.71% | 2,001 | 2,145 | 22% | 20% | +6.67% | 8,823 | 8,271 |
LEXUS LS | -39.92% | 1,580 | 2,630 | 17% | 25% | -40.57% | 5,528 | 9,302 |
AUDI A8 | +32.13% | 1,246 | 943 | 13% | 9% | +85.30% | 2,963 | 1,599 |
GENESIS G90 | +173.05% | 699 | 256 | 8% | 2% | -0.09% | 2,238 | 2,240 |
TOTAL | -12.64% | 9,276 | 10,618 | -11.84% | 32,080 | 36,390 |
The Ford Authority Take
Lincoln Continental sales continued to decrease during the fourth quarter, closing the year with 25 percent fewer sales than in 2018. The Ford Motor Company clearly expected this to take place, as it made the decision to discontinue the Continental after the current generation, a decision Ford Authority was first to exclusively report. In all, 59 percent share of a shrinking segment is not a winning business proposition.
Even so, Cadillac has now discontinued the XTS, a circumstance that could work out in favor of the Continental prior to its own discontinuation. As such, it will be interesting to see how Lincoln Continental sales fare throughout the 2020 calendar year given current market trends that strongly favor utilities and trucks at the expense of sedans.
About The Numbers
- All percent change figures compared to Lincoln Continental Q4 2018 sales
- In the United States, there were 76 selling days in Q4 2019 and 77 selling days in Q4 2018
- U.S. Ford Motor Company Q4 2019 sales results:
- U.S. Ford Q4 2019 sales results (Ford brand)
- U.S. Lincoln Q4 2019 sales results
- Ford Motor Company Brazil Q4 2019 sales results:
- Ford Brazil October 2019 sales results (Ford brand)
- Ford Brazil November 2019 sales results (Ford brand)
- Ford Brazil December 2019 sales results (Ford brand)
- Ford Motor Company Korea Q4 2019 sales results:
- Ford Motor Company Korea October 2019 sales results:
- Ford Korea October 2019 sales results
- Lincoln Korea October 2019 sales results
- Ford Motor Company Korea November 2019 sales results:
- Ford Korea November 2019 sales results
- Lincoln Korea November 2019 sales results
- Ford Motor Company Korea December 2019 sales results:
- Ford Korea December 2019 sales results
- Lincoln Korea December 2019 sales results
- Ford Motor Company Korea October 2019 sales results:
- Ford Motor Company Mexico Q4 2019 sales results:
- Ford Motor Company Mexico October 2019 sales results:
- Ford Mexico October 2019 sales results
- Lincoln Mexico October 2019 sales results
- Ford Motor Company Mexico November 2019 sales results:
- Ford Mexico November 2019 sales results
- Lincoln Mexico November 2019 sales results
- Ford Motor Company Mexico December 2019 sales results:
- Ford Mexico December 2019 sales results
- Lincoln Mexico December 2019 sales results
- Ford Motor Company Mexico October 2019 sales results:
Comments
There’s noting Prestige about the Continental, had Lincoln or Ford really wanted to sell 4000k-5000k of these cars a month. They would built the Coach Door Edition with AWD as the Standard model which is a Prestige Luxury Lincoln Continental instead of building just 100 unseen models of that automobile. Jim Hackett is the Definition of a cookie cutter CEO who knows nothing about the car business at all. What the American car makers want Us all to believe is the car market is dead because they are building Boring Sedan, at the same time Ford has No problem sells a 100,000$ Shelby GT500, A 450,000$ Ford GT, but Lincoln simply can’t build a real mass produce model of the continental coach door edition for 90k-100k ??? RIGHT, Jim Hackett Ford needs to vote you off the island – Go Fish
Wish Lincoln would get rid of those gawdy looking wheels. Nice wheel covers with 1/2 inch white wall tires would look fantastic and certanly complement the car! If they have to make a 4 door Lincoln, a pillared hardtop instead if a cheaper looking sedan would prove to be more attractive.
At least three of the Continental’s closest rivals are leaving the market: the Cadillac, the Acura RLX and the other Lincoln sedan, the MKZ.
Gas is very cheap so electrics will lose appeal and people are upsizing the SUVs so a larger sedan feels safer. Lincoln dealers have only SUVs to sell without the Continental. The US jobs building them will be a sensitive topic, particularly in the hard-hit region where they are built.
The rivals that have dropped out all hand other sizable sedans in the same brand – some of the lost sales from the departed model will just shift to those.
Lincoln going down to one sedan makes lots of sense, but going to zero sedans is a giant leap and this decision should be delayed as long as possible and probably longer than that.