The seats look sumptuous, and are covered in softer premium leather than Lincoln currently uses, featuring shapes inspired by classic Eames lounge chairs. "There's a clean, tailored theme to the seats," Woodhouse commented.
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| Even under close inspection, the Zephyr's Mazda heritage is impossible to see. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada) |
Really, no one who saw the Zephyr unveiled in New York City, and took the time to pour over its every detail, could have guessed where it derives its underpinnings. This bodes well for Lincoln's ability to achieve top-drawer, all-American appearances from its Asian subsidiary. The final product, of course, will be more telling.
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| The new sedan can't arrive in the showroom quick enough for Ford's beleaguered luxury division. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada) |
So how important will the Zephyr be to Lincoln? It'll be the first new model to be introduced since the rear-wheel drive LS debuted in 1999, and couldn't come soon enough for the beleaguered luxury division. Unit sales of Ford's premier domestic nameplate have been on a downward trajectory as of late, with 2004 looking as if headed for a fourth consecutive drop. U.S. sales fell below 100,000 units for 2003, and 2004 doesn't even look as promising with sales through February so low 75,000 for the year seems doubtful. That would be less than half of what Lincoln achieved in 2000, when its new LS helped sales to rise above 155,000 units.
The good news to Lincoln is its new Zephyr should cost less to produce than the LS, at the end of the day. After all, the LS shares architecture with the Jaguar S-Type and Ford Thunderbird roadster, both pricey models, while the new model will come from more common stock.