Lincoln LS Dead (1:06PM today I built the last one)

[Mack Daddy]

I'm bummed out today because I just finished the last production LS at 1:06pm. She was black on tan with wood trim. As a previous owner of a 2000 V8 LS I think back over these years and regret that this car was left to die. These cars had and have so much potential, and in my opinion Ford blew it on this one. There were subtle upgrades over the years, but no real horsepower. Park a 2000 next to a 2006 and they are not too different. And the price just kept going up up up. What about that name (LS), LS is an option package on a Mercury Sable for cryin' out loud! Don't get me wrong I love this car. I know for a fact that they had a bad ass supercharged LS with a 6-speed stick waiting to be produced, but just like so many other cool ideas at Ford it got shelved. Bummer.

 

[paulownian]

Being new to the Lincoln LS family, I am saddened by this news. On the other hand, I wonder what this will do financially, to the value of the remaining new vehicles on the lot, and to all of those beloved Ls's in the hands of Ls lovers? Do you remember the serial number of the last one? It would be cool to follow it and find out who gets it in the end.

 

[GrayGhost1]

Is anyone taking pictures there tomorrow? Can you get them? If you can definitely post them on here. Do you know who is getting the last LS?

 

[Mack Daddy]

I'll try to find out number and potential future owner tommorow. I work in trim and the car will come off final line around 11:30 thursday morning. Taking pictures in Wixom Assembly is a big no no but you never know.

 

[chriswells78]

What about that name (LS), LS is an option package on a Mercury Sable for cryin' out loud! Don't get me wrong I love this car. I know for a fact that they had a bad ass supercharged LS with a 6-speed stick waiting to be produced, but just like so many other cool ideas at Ford it got shelved. Bummer.

I want Jack Nassir back at the Helm of FMC. BF Jr is a JACKA$$! Ever since he came along; SVT Cobra...byebye, SVT Lightning...Byebye, SVT Adrenaline...byebye, SVT Focus...byebye, SVT PERIOD...byebye, Taurus (Ford's best selling car)...Byebye, They revamped the Contour/Mystique/Cougar with an ugly set of noses and called it a Fusion/Milan/6/Zypher, They put Ford badges on a butt ugly Volvo and called it a 500. What next, is pink in the color pallet of the 2007 F150? Are they gonna kill the Mustang program completely? How STUPID is this guy and his cronies?

Ford's stock is down, most FMC bonds are down, Bankruptcy in the near future for the car company that I grew up knowing and loving?

Rant on pause:

 

[LS4me]

I want Jack Nassir back at the Helm of FMC. BF Jr is a JACKA$$! Ever since he came along; SVT Cobra...byebye, SVT Lightning...Byebye, SVT Adrenaline...byebye, SVT Focus...byebye, SVT PERIOD...byebye, Taurus (Ford's best selling car)...Byebye, They revamped the Contour/Mystique/Cougar with an ugly set of noses and called it a Fusion/Milan/6/Zypher, They put Ford badges on a butt ugly Volvo and called it a 500. What next, is pink in the color pallet of the 2007 F150? Are they gonna kill the Mustang program completely? How STUPID is this guy and his cronies?

Ford's stock is down, most FMC bonds are down, Bankruptcy in the near future for the car company that I grew up knowing and loving?

Nassar is the reason Ford is in the position they are! He went on a buying spree with Volvo (cars only), Jag, Land Rover and Aston Martin. Jag and LR have been bleeding Ford dry! Then Reitzel came along with his Foo Foo designs! Thankfully, none made it to market. Hopefully having a "Ford" at the helm will bring Ford back!!

 

[chriswells78]

Nassar is the reason Ford is in the position they are! He went on a buying spree with Volvo (cars only), Jag, Land Rover and Aston Martin. Jag and LR have been bleeding Ford dry! Then Reitzel came along with his Foo Foo designs! Thankfully, none made it to market. Hopefully having a "Ford" at the helm will bring Ford back!!

He's been there what, 3 years? Most of what I listed has transpired in the last 3 years. The buying of those companies expanded them to a much broader global market and added respect to the brand globally. Every Forturne 500 company is trying like hell to expand globally, getting into South East Asia, India and the Middle East...all rapidly emerging markets. Jack had a vision into the future of automobiles, when he was at the helm, we saw the breakthrough introduction of FlexFuel vehicles. With a little more work, marketing and innovation, I believe that this would have worked. This hybrid crap is worthless, only a band-aid to a continually growing global problem.

 

[SoonerLS]

Nassar is the reason Ford is in the position they are! He went on a buying spree with Volvo (cars only), Jag, Land Rover and Aston Martin. Jag and LR have been bleeding Ford dry! Then Reitzel came along with his Foo Foo designs! Thankfully, none made it to market. Hopefully having a "Ford" at the helm will bring Ford back!!

Actually, I think Alex Trotman gets the credit for the Jaguar and Aston Martin purchases. Those were almost 20 years ago, and if it weren't for that Jaguar purchase, where would our beloved LSes be?

 

[mint05LS]

All good things must come to an end. The LS is alive and well, looking at all of the owners here and the vast array of model years. By the way,you did a nice job assembling my car as the fit and finish is excellent!



http://www.detailcity.org

 

[chriswells78]

Actually, I think Alex Trotman gets the credit for the Jaguar and Aston Martin purchases. Those were almost 20 years ago, and if it weren't for that Jaguar purchase, where would our beloved LSes be?

Exactly, He realized that Lincoln should compete with Mercedes and BMW in the global market, not just Cadillac here in the states.

 

[Joeychgo]

I'll try to find out number and potential future owner tommorow. I work in trim and the car will come off final line around 11:30 thursday morning. Taking pictures in Wixom Assembly is a big no no but you never know.

If there is any way you could take a pic of the final one rolling off the line (without getting in trouble) - I would appreciate it if you posted it here, and im sure the others here would also appreciate it.

 

[paulownian]

I had to check a few profiles to see if there were any other MBA's in this forum besides myself. You all have posted some very astute observations about Ford and it's management. If there are any Ford executives observing, you now have the public's view of your current business plan. Is it time for change - good change this time?

 

[chocolat1701]

when he was at the helm, we saw the breakthrough introduction of FlexFuel vehicles. With a little more work, marketing and innovation, I believe that this would have worked. This hybrid crap is worthless, only a band-aid to a continually growing global problem.

i agree with you 10000000000% the hybrid is crap it only is good for city 40 mph or lower, heck i drive 50 on a 35 all the time so for me that is useless and i think that goes for most peaple who own LS's

 

[chocolat1701]

I'm bummed out today because I just finished the last production LS at 1:06pm. She was black on tan with wood trim. As a previous owner of a 2000 V8 LS I think back over these years and regret that this car was left to die. These cars had and have so much potential, and in my opinion Ford blew it on this one. There were subtle upgrades over the years, but no real horsepower. Park a 2000 next to a 2006 and they are not too different. And the price just kept going up up up. What about that name (LS), LS is an option package on a Mercury Sable for cryin' out loud! Don't get me wrong I love this car. I know for a fact that they had a bad ass supercharged LS with a 6-speed stick waiting to be produced, but just like so many other cool ideas at Ford it got shelved. Bummer.

i will get some chanpaigne today and at the time for the last LS i will have a drink on its behalf and then throw away the rest at when i remember what FORD just did and will be doing.

 

[chocolat1701]

Remember the commercial " HAVE YOU DRIVEN A FORD LATELY" the answer is NO after the LS...........

 

[daves2000ls]

I want Jack Nassir back at the Helm of FMC. BF Jr is a JACKA$$! Ever since he came along; SVT Cobra...byebye, SVT Lightning...Byebye, SVT Adrenaline...byebye, SVT Focus...byebye, SVT PERIOD...byebye, Taurus (Ford's best selling car)...Byebye, They revamped the Contour/Mystique/Cougar with an ugly set of noses and called it a Fusion/Milan/6/Zypher, They put Ford badges on a butt ugly Volvo and called it a 500. What next, is pink in the color pallet of the 2007 F150? Are they gonna kill the Mustang program completely? How STUPID is this guy and his cronies?

Ford's stock is down, most FMC bonds are down, Bankruptcy in the near future for the car company that I grew up knowing and loving?

Rant on pause:

actually, SVT is alive and kicking, have you heard anything about the new GT500? and yes, mr. shelby is working on it, as for the Lightning the Ram SRT-10 kicks its ass, the Focus is a Focus, and the Adrenaline is a SportTrac, working on the Focus and the Lightning and the Adrenaline took too much time and energy away from what they should have been doing, an SVT LS

 

[chriswells78]

They should have made a stripped down version of the LS as a ford and replaced the non-selling Crown Vic! I heard somewhere that they aren't even going to make a civilian version due to slow sales. Maybe this would have been a better platform for the 500 and could have easily replaced the CV P71 if they take out the leather, use steel on more parts rather than aluminum, basic electronics, less fancy trim and less gadgets equals much cheaper bottom line and one hell of a police cruiser.

I doubt that they ever would have made an "SVT" LS. They might have made an ultra high performance one, but SVT didn't put a badge on anthing that didn't already have a blue oval on it.

From what I understand, SVT has/will be shutting it's doors and the GT500 will not have the SVT name on it, nor associated with it.

 

[2001LS8Sport]

actually, SVT is alive and kicking, have you heard anything about the new GT500? and yes, mr. shelby is working on it, as for the Lightning the Ram SRT-10 kicks its ass, the Focus is a Focus, and the Adrenaline is a SportTrac, working on the Focus and the Lightning and the Adrenaline took too much time and energy away from what they should have been doing, an SVT LS

Actually, that's not correct. SVT is indeed dead as of the end of March. They barely answer their phones. The GT500 is NOT an SVT product any longer and will be marketed by all Ford dealers...not just SVT. I own an 04 Cobra...we've been following this very close....SVT is gone.

I have a LOT of Lightning buddies....and there aren't very many SRT 10's that will touch them. Most all run 11's with ease...and one runs 10's. It takes one helluva lot to get an SRT 10 there.

 

[daves2000ls]

holy :q:q:q:q, svt is dead?

 

[FreeFaller]

It's really such a shame. There were alot to technical toys on these cars that have seemed to dissapear in FLM's new vehicles. In the end I just think it wasn't marketed properly and became far too expensive for it's intended market. Conlflict issues with the Jaguar S-type seemed to keep it from ever getting a more powerful engine (as with the Camaro and the Corvette). Lincoln seems to rely heavily on legacy customers...something that just wasn't ever going to work with the LS.

 

[chriswells78]

Lincoln seems to rely heavily on legacy customers...something that just wasn't ever going to work with the LS.

It really isn't going to work on any model, the legacy customers are starting to die off, unfortunately. And, I see more and more older folks driving newer Toyota Camrys and Honda Accords everyday.

When my wife and I came home with the LS, I asked my wife's cousin (our neighbor) how she liked our new car. She said "Lincoln? Isn't that an old persons car?" She is the same age as my wife and I, 28! Seems to me that they need to work on their marketing a little more, and I don't believe a re-facia'd Mazda 6 is the ticket.

 

[TheRebel]

It really isn't going to work on any model, the legacy customers are starting to die off, unfortunately. And, I see more and more older folks driving newer Toyota Camrys and Honda Accords everyday.

When my wife and I came home with the LS, I asked my wife's cousin (our neighbor) how she liked our new car. She said "Lincoln? Isn't that an old persons car?" She is the same age as my wife and I, 28! Seems to me that they need to work on their marketing a little more, and I don't believe a re-facia'd Mazda 6 is the ticket.

I used to get ragged all the time about my LS being an old person's car, until my buddies started enjoying the temp controlled seats while we flew around some s-curves.

 

[Smokey]

Another car that has really taken over the 50+ market here is the Toyota Avalon. Anyone that was thinking about the LS was steered towards the Avalon by the local dealer it seems. BTW, our L/M dealer also sells Toyota. If you close your eyes and have someone lead you into their showroom and then open your eyes, you would never know they even sold L/M. Nothing in the showrooms indicates it is a L/M dealer. They are building a nice new large dealership on the loop here on the high traffic side and it will be a Toyota only dealer. The old building will continue to be a L/M dealership. Sad indeed.

 

[hockey930]

ford bites man they ruin everything. Volvo's used to be cool before ford messed it up and started making this flimsy door pannels and all on them. I am just pissed, I finaly felt like I had a newer car and now it's old because it is out of production.
Eamonn

 

[Mack Daddy]

svt dead

SVT died when Coletti left he held it together. I saw Jac Nassar the other day in a store. I didn't realize he lived near me. I left before he did walked out the door and saw his ride right up front. Brand spankin new black Jaguar XJR he's doin just fine post Ford.