Los Angeles motor show - Lincoln - coming to Europe?

Ford may be planning to export its luxury Lincoln brand outside North America to give it a global flagship range once the sale of Jaguar has been completed next year.

A couple of hints dropped at the Los Angeles Auto Show yesterday, coinciding with the launch of the new Lincoln MK S, suggested the troubled company is seriously considering the plan.

First, chief executive Alan Mulally revealed during his keynote speech to open the show that his product teams want to see Lincoln 'going around the world as a premium brand'.

Then Mark Fields, president of Ford of the Americas, said he hoped Japanese and European customers would be as impressed by the rejuvenated Lincoln range as those in the US.

Peter Horbury, the British-born designer of the MK S, is less sure that Lincoln would transfer to Europe, however.

'Our first job is to re-establish the brand here in America,' he said. 'With globalisation of things like safety it would be less difficult than it once was to transfer Lincoln to other markets, but there are no plans that I know of.'

A diesel - currently not offered - would certainly be necessary to give the range any hope of succceeding in Europe.

Lincoln MK S
The new Lincoln MK S is described as 'a luxury all-wheel-drive sedan (saloon)'. Power comes from a 270bhp 3.7-litre V6 engine, and a turbocharged, fuel-saving direct-injection version giving the power of a V8 will be added within a year.

Advanced features include keyless entry sensors that remain hidden in the central door pillar until activated. The driver simply enters a five-digit code, 'which means we don't have to put a satellite into space just to let you get into the car,' said Horbury.

The sale of Land Rover and Jaguar
It now seems inevitable that Jaguar and Land Rover will be sold to one of the three bidders on Ford's short-list during 2008.

'They're great brands, and it's not as though we don't love them any more, but we need to concentrate on the Blue Oval (Ford),' said Mulally.