Name Changes
Lincoln has created a lot of confusion by using the letters “MK” for their vehicles. While this is something that has been experienced by the owners of the vehicles for some time, it was just recently experienced by the marketing chief of Lincoln Motor Co. and that is why Lincoln is changing the names of some of its vehicles.
Robert Parker, then head of marketing for sales and service for Lincoln, was in an airport parking lot when he experienced a husband and wife who could not remember which Lincoln they owned: an MKZ or an MKC. After experiencing this first hand, he said, “It just really punctuated the challenge for me. It was like, OK, it’s not just an internal discussion. This is real. People that don’t work and do this every day have a hard time with numbers and letters. We sometimes, as marketers, get a little too far over our skis.”
Lincoln is now making strides to help alleviate some of this confusion. For 2019, the company just introduced that the 2019 Nautilus will replace the MKX. The Nautilus is going to be a midsize crossover. Lincoln executives also confirmed that they will be removing the jumble of letters on all future nameplates and replacing them with travel-themed names. This is something that has been hinted at since the Continental flagship sedan was revived last year to replace the MKS.
“When we launched the Continental, I think we underestimated how much affinity there was, not only for the name but the fact that people like to associate names with cars. This kind of connection consumers have, especially to American brands and names.”
-Robert Parker, Director of Marketing
Other changes in the works include a new name for the MKC, replacement of the MKT by a large crossover called Aviator, and a new name for the MKZ. The company is looking to make other changes that will be released over time as well. These name changes are just the beginning of the revitalization of the Lincoln brand name and vehicle lineup.
Nautilus Name Meaning
Lincoln has not used the Nautilus name before. It was a name that was chosen because it goes well with the travel theme that was started with the Navigator and Continental. Nautilus is Latin for “sailor” and helps to reflect on the journey of the band including the reinvention and eventual expectations.
The Nautilus will only consist of a partial redesign of the MKX. There will be a new front end, an eight speed transmission, a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and driver assist-tech that includes evasive steering that will aggressively turn the wheel to avoid a crash if the driver goes to either side accidentally. There will also be some interior improvements that will give it the best-in-class headroom and legroom.
There has not been a release for the expected price of the Nautilus but it will be available for purchase in the spring. At that time, feel free to stop by for a test drive to see if its the right vehicle for you.
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