Ford’s luxury arm, Lincoln, has been a noteworthy play in the livery game for a long time. The mighty Panther Platform formed the backbone of limousine, police, and hearse vehicles for decades, with FoMoCo (kind of) continuing that dominance long after the discontinuation of the Town Car and Crown Vic with the MKT. But with the discontinuation of the MKT limousine program, Lincoln limos are officially no more.
The last Lincoln limo was the Lincoln MKT
This turn of events has created an opportunity for Lincoln’s cross-town rival, Cadillac, to re-enter the livery space. In fact, our sister-site Cadillac Society, recently spied a stretched version of the Cadillac XT5 undergoing testing with a six-door configuration – identical to that offered on some Lincoln MKT limos of the past.
The spied XT5 limo looks a bit cobbled-together mule, something we attribute to the model in question being an early mule with non-production body panels. Even so, it should serve as good an indication as any that Caddy is looking to pick up exactly where Lincoln left off with the MKT livery program.
Just until a year ago, Cadillac had a full-fledged livery program with the XTS. The large luxury sedan was offered in five variants, including a stretch limo, an armored sedan, and a hearse. Incidentally, that program was dropped when the XTS was sunset after the 2019 model year.
Shortly after that, Cadillac dipped its toes into the livery market with a special livery package for the 2020 Cadillac XT5. The pack could be optioned to a regular XT5 and included a Black on Black color scheme, a full-size spare tire and a special 150,000 mile warranty.
And if these new spy shots are anything to go by, Cadillac will soon return to the livery segment with a stretched variant of the XT5 – which is a direct rival to the Lincoln Nautilus. The development could make FoMoCo executives in Dearborn reconsider offering Lincoln limos for livery customers.
The Lincoln Nautilus, pictured, could make a great platform for a new Lincoln limo platform
And though the MKT is long gone, The Blue Oval has multiple utilities in the Lincoln stable from which it could derive a limousine. Specifically, the Nautilus could make a great platform for Lincoln limo, hearse or even an armored vehicle. Meanwhile, larger models like the Aviator and Navigator could also be used, but their rear-drive underpinnings would make stretched upfit applications more challenging compared to the front-drive bones of the Nautilus.
We’ll be here to bring you any updated related to a potential Lincoln limo, so be sure to subscribe to Ford Authority for more Lincoln news and around-the-clock Ford news coverage.
Comments
Due to the terrible decision to abandon the sedan market, get prepared to read countless articles dealing with competitors taking over markets where Ford had substantial presence.
Completely agree.
Amen. Funny how TOYOTA/LEXUS, MERCEDES, and CHRYSLER are able to build sedans. Anyway LINCOLN could use the AVIATOR platform for hearses and stretch limousines but I’ve seen pictures of the NAUTILUS based hearses. I just never understood why full sized vans aren’t used for hearses. Plenty of room and the hearse builder could put their own badge on it. Many are using that MERCEDES METRIS for hearses now. Not full size but that van seems to be good for that.
The Aviator and Navigator are more complex to turn into a limo and operate it (maintain it) because it’s RWD-based. It’s much easier (less complex) to do that to a front-drive model like MKT, Corsair or Nautilus.
Lincoln is running out of a lot of things, this is the main reason Lincoln desperately needs a Flagship Sedan for the brand. NO Crossover Lincoln or Cadillac should be used as a Limousine, they simply look Horrible and Uninspiring to both Brands. It’s a great time and too easy to make Lincoln America Leading Luxury Brand, if I was looking at luxury SUVS right now it would be Land Rover so Lincoln is in big trouble moving forward. How do you go from owning Aston Martin, Land Rover, Jaguar to now Not Knowing how to build A Luxury Model?
Completely agree
The large luxury sedan market isn’t dead.
Ford abandoned it. The last Continental had a generic exterior and a tacky “plastic-chrome” interior. It was utterly uninspired.
A Tesla Model S type electric large sedan with a design reminiscent of the iconic 1961 Lincoln ( with “suicide” or “coach” doors) containing Mercedes level quality and technology would sell in the $80,000-$100,000 range and be a magnificent halo vehicle for the Lincoln brand.
I can’t believe you can up with that??? I been saying that for so long. Lincoln you listening ???
I can’t believe you came up with that ?
How about Lincoln just making limos straight off the line? It’s not like they are not needed. And being able to design one from the tires up can get rid of all the little bothersome issues that conversion cars have, like welds that don’t hold ect…if they can sell a 52,ooo dollar truck they should be able to sell a business a 152,ooo a limo.
Ford made a terrible decision when they decided not to produce sedans anymore. A limo based on an SUV looks terrible. I don’t like SUV’s or Crossovers but if I were to buy a luxury SUV it would be a Range Rover. I hope Lincoln stops with this nonsense and starts producing decent sedans again. Every serious luxury automaker does.
Again we on the same page
Lincoln is now a Buick, not Cadillac, rival. It is sub par in both technology like magnetic ride control and quality making it an overpriced premium brand in league with Acura and not Audi.
Lincoln design is okay but new Buick Envision is far superior. In regards to larger CUV/SUV Buick dealers have GMC to pick up the slack.
Sad, Lincoln is a has been.