World Auto News & Reviews

Lincoln is still in the midst of an identity crisis, but a new report is indicating the brand could introduce an entry-level concept at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Automotive News is speculating that the concept will be based on the Ford Focus and preview a production model that will be launched within three years. This seems fairly logical, since the company has already showed a Focus-based model as the Concept C which was introduced at the 2009 North American International Auto Show.

Today, our spies have brought us the very first spy photos of a stretched limousine variant of the MKT Livery model.

What makes this MKT quite unique – aside from the fact it has very obviously been crudely stretched for testing purposes – is the fact that it is also donning what appears to be an EcoBoost badge on the tailgate. Officially, Ford says that the livery variants of the MKT will come with the 3.7-liter V6 engine, but the automaker also suggested more powertrain information would be available closer to launch, which made us particularly curious when we saw this badge.

The Lincoln Town Car is a the ride of choice for limousine companies and car services around the world. One problem, we’re rapidly approaching the official death knell of the panther platform, and that means that soon enough no more new Town Cars are going to be built. Lincoln is ready to fill that upcoming void and is using the 2011 Internation Limousine, Charter and Tour Show as a platform to debut its MKT Town Car and Limousine.

As part of its efforts to revive the brand, Ford’s Lincoln division has hired designer Max Wolff away from General Motors’ Cadillac brand. Wolff will head Lincoln’s design division.

Wolff, a 38-year old native of Australia, has spent the last 12-years in GM’s design division. While at GM Wolff penned the next-generation Chevy Aveo as well as the production Cadillac CTS Coupe and XTS flagship concept.

According to Automotive News, some Lincoln dealers aren’t willing to put up the cash for expensive showroom updates until their company shows them physical proof of future products. Ford has asked some dealers to spend as much as $1 million on facility upgrades, even while admitting that there won’t be any new products for up to two years. With Ford tight-lipped about what exactly their new luxury lineup will look like, many dealers aren’t sure whether or not a large investment in their showroom is a worthwhile endeavor. Ford has said that dealers that fail to comply with the changes may see incentive money cut in the near future.