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They look at Lexus and say, that their sales are primarily driven by very profitable mainstream shared platform vehicles like the ES. People pan the MKZ for being a Fusion, but no one seems to mind that the ES is a Camry. Ford is scratching their heads. I think what they missed is that Lexus built their reputation on the LS
Exactly. Lexus was basically a spin-off brand that STARTED with cars that were built off of Toyota platforms. When people see today's Lincolns being built off of Fusions, they automatically think back to the cars that Lincoln used to make, and hence it might seem to some people that making a Lincoln out of a Fusion is kind of cheating.
Everytime these threads start, all I can picture is this...
I'm sure when you're "fresh, modern" 1960's and 70's Lincolns were rolling off the line an old man like the one above was clucking his tongue and wondering why anyone would need anything other than a good old Model T..."You can have your fancy 'electic starters' and 'radial tires' nothing can match the build quality of ol' Lizzie here. That there is true American craftsmanship. Pfffh, a radio, a radio?!?!?!?! You're supposed to be drivin' dag nabbit!!! What are ya, too lazy to roll your own dang window down? Who needs to go 55?...why my pappy drove us from Kansas to California just fine at 20! Fins? Fins! What are you a shark? You can have your fancy 'crushed velour' Lizzie hear has real cowhide stuffed with horse hair, that there is true luxury."
There is a difference, though. Many of those old-timers who liked '20s and '30s cars also liked '50s and '60 cars. I know someone who is 81 years old whose first car was a '37 Plymouth. He likes cars of that era but also cars up to the '70s. And he even owns a '79 Lincoln Mark V. He does not like modern cars at all; calls them "plastic bubbles."
He probably likes American cars up to the '70s because they did not yet look like Japanese cars with 90% plastic.
There is a difference, though. Many of those old-timers who liked '20s and '30s cars also liked '50s and '60 cars. I know someone who is 81 years old whose first car was a '37 Plymouth. He likes cars of that era but also cars up to the '70s. And he even owns a '79 Lincoln Mark V. He does not like modern cars at all; calls them "plastic bubbles."
He probably likes American cars up to the '70s because they did not yet look like Japanese cars with 90% plastic.
The point he made was pretty much dead-on. Here's another comparison: Music.
A huge portion of the American populace will tend to only listen to the music of either their youth, or in their prime. Once they pass a certain age, they'll only listen to that sort of music and as almost classic- deride any of that " New stuff that kids play these days"
There were PLENTY of people who hated the designs of the 50's-70's for the same reasons many who grew up during another era say the same about today's cars. Its perfectly fine to have a preference, but don't hold everyone else to a particular era's preferences because history, tastes, styling, and technology marches on.
There is a difference, though. Many of those old-timers who liked '20s and '30s cars also liked '50s and '60 cars. I know someone who is 81 years old whose first car was a '37 Plymouth. He likes cars of that era but also cars up to the '70s. And he even owns a '79 Lincoln Mark V. He does not like modern cars at all; calls them "plastic bubbles."
He probably likes American cars up to the '70s because they did not yet look like Japanese cars with 90% plastic.
What they'll never get, Fleet, is that their comparison analogy is 180 degrees upside down. Today's cars are the Model T - again.
What they'll never get, Fleet, is that their comparison analogy is 180 degrees upside down. Today's cars are the Model T - again.
We've been going backward since the 80s.
Translation: "I don't like the new designs that they have today, thus what I think must surely by the truth."
Meanwhile, most of the rest of Americans do like the designs and thus are selling cars. This has always been the case. Like I said- tastes change.
The point he made was pretty much dead-on. Here's another comparison: Music.
A huge portion of the American populace will tend to only listen to the music of either their youth, or in their prime. Once they pass a certain age, they'll only listen to that sort of music and as almost classic- deride any of that " New stuff that kids play these days"
There were PLENTY of people who hated the designs of the 50's-70's for the same reasons many who grew up during another era say the same about today's cars. Its perfectly fine to have a preference, but don't hold everyone else to a particular era's preferences because history, tastes, styling, and technology marches on.
Much like cars, you can't really compare the top from songs from the '50s-'70s to today's. It's 100% different.
Now, when the older generation criticized, let's say, '60s music, there was a wide variety of music and much of it made the top 40. There were rock music in the top 10 along with more mellow music. I listened to top 40 music until 1981. I stopped doing that because there was less and less I liked in top 40 music, so I started listening to only oldies.
I like the music of my youth but also earlier music, such as the 1950s. I don't care for much music after 1981 or 1982, even though I was still a youth because I think the older music was much better.
Much like cars, you can't really compare the top from songs from the '50s-'70s to today's. It's 100% different.
Now, when the older generation criticized, let's say, '60s music, there was a wide variety of music and much of it made the top 40. There were rock music in the top 10 along with more mellow music. I listened to top 40 music until 1981. I stopped doing that because there was less and less I liked in top 40 music, so I started listening to only oldies.
I like the music of my youth but also earlier music, such as the 1950s. I don't care for much music after 1981 or 1982, even though I was still a youth because I think the older music was much better.
You basically just proved my previous points perfectly.
You basically just proved my previous points perfectly.
What? That most music up to the '70s is still desirable and that modern music is not? On an absolute scale, not just going by "music you grew up to."
Look up some youtube videos of '50s-'70s music and read some of the comments of 12-18 year old people saying things like "Why can't they make music like this anymore?" Or, "I am only 13 years old and love '50s-'70s music."
What? That most music up to the '70s is still desirable and that modern music is not? On an absolute scale, not just going by "music you grew up to."
Nonsense. Music today is just as good as music made at any other time. One of my favorite sayings of all time comes from the late Duke Ellington: " If it sounds good... then it IS good". I'm sorry, but trying to claim that any form of music, automobiles, art, or anything else for that matter is either better or worse than something newer or older is not an argument to begin with.
The ironic part I find in this argument is that while there are some who whine about the good ole' days and how that the cars of their era were the "Best", they also at the same time scorn a lot of the new cars being produced, which I find terribly ironic because its come full circle once more: Cadillac is now producing cars with daring designs. So in other words- doing the SAME thing they did in the 50's. And yet those who proclaim that they dislike the new offerings somehow forget that the very cars they love were ALSO of the same sort of contemporary design.
Wait a minute... what modern Cadillac has a "daring" design? It's more like boxy/stumpy... looking like most other modern cars. Chopped off front and rear ends, plastic bumpers, plain-looking blackwall tires, little chrome, etc.
Can't really be compared to the '50s Cadillacs, especially the mid-to-late '50s Cadillacs... which actually looked like Cadillacs!
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