Ford Motor's Lincoln Luxury Franchise Gets MKX, New Midsize SUV in Bid For Growth

Matt VanDyke, Director of Global Lincoln, says that Ford Motor Co.'s Lincoln brand was up nearly 16 percent in unit sales in 2014 in a market that rose about 7 percent -- meaning that Lincoln gained share last year, a positive development for a name that has lagged behind competition. 'We're now a contributor to Ford's growth,' Van Dyke said, 'and that's a positive development.' The global strategy for Lincoln is to grow sales 'and be successful' in the U.S. and China. The MKX, Lincoln's new SUV to go on sale this year, is meant to compete with such models as the Lexus RX and Cadillac SRX. VanDyke noted that automakers are focused on succeeding in the luxury-vehicle field because while they account for 10 percent globally 'they are responsible for 35 percent of profit.'