Oct 14, 2026 · 11 min · 7 segments
Once the ultimate symbol of American luxury, Lincoln now faces an uncomfortable question: Does the legendary brand still have a reason to exist? In this episode of *TechMobility Topics*, I take a…
Ken ChesterHost
Successful players in the space invest many billions of dollars over long periods of time, forced to make decisions years in advance, any of which could make or break the company.
General Motors did the same thing a few years before with Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Hummer, Saturn, and Saab.
And while Ford has successfully figured out trucks and SUVs, the automaker's been hit or miss with its upscale brand.
I'm gonna give you some history, but the problem is really when it comes to history and Lincoln, history is the very problem it's got.
It's got history, and the history's not resign- is not catching hold of potential young buyers.
The company that Leland took over was end up called Cadillac, and it was the only auto company that Billy Durant in building General Motors had to pay cash for, $4.5 million, in, uh, 1911.
The reason why that's important, Henry Leland would go back again and build, uh, a quality car, build a second company.
That motor car company was called Lincoln, and he was building high-scale, upscale cars.
He thought he would buy Lincoln and shut it down to get even w- with Henry Leland.
But unfortunately, and I'm going back at least 30, 35 years, Lincoln seems to have lost its way.
Successful players in the space invest many billions of dollars over long periods of time, forced to make decisions years in advance, any of which could make or break the company.
General Motors did the same thing a few years before with Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Hummer, Saturn, and Saab.
And while Ford has successfully figured out trucks and SUVs, the automaker's been hit or miss with its upscale brand.
I'm gonna give you some history, but the problem is really when it comes to history and Lincoln, history is the very problem it's got.
It's got history, and the history's not resign- is not catching hold of potential young buyers.
The company that Leland took over was end up called Cadillac, and it was the only auto company that Billy Durant in building General Motors had to pay cash for, $4.5 million, in, uh, 1911.
The reason why that's important, Henry Leland would go back again and build, uh, a quality car, build a second company.
That motor car company was called Lincoln, and he was building high-scale, upscale cars.
He thought he would buy Lincoln and shut it down to get even w- with Henry Leland.
But unfortunately, and I'm going back at least 30, 35 years, Lincoln seems to have lost its way.
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