Ford unveils new Lincoln Nautilus to be imported from China

Ford The company said late Monday that it will import its next-generation Lincoln Nautilus from China to the United States.

The midsize crossover is currently built for the U.S. at Ford’s Oakville Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada. The automaker recently announced that it will invest C$1.8 billion (about US$1.3 billion) to convert the facility into a new electric vehicle center.

This is the first time Lincoln has imported a car from China to the United States.

Importing cars from China to the U.S. is not unprecedented, but could draw public and political criticism or backlash, especially if relations between the two countries are strained.

most notably, General Motors Since 2016, it has been criticized for importing the Buick Envision crossover from China to the United States.The Detroit automaker has sold more than 200,000 Chinese-made vehicles in what U.S. union officials called an “invasion” and “A slap.”

However, for a company like Ford, importing cars from overseas to the U.S. may make good business sense.

“In this case, it’s a good use of resources,” said Stephanie Brinley, associate director of global liquidity research at S&P. “If it doesn’t import, Lincoln doesn’t get the product, and the brand needs product between now and the arrival of the EV.”

Brinley said the decision to import the Nautilus does not represent a fundamental shift in future Lincoln vehicles for the U.S. market, noting that the company continues to make most of its vehicles for the U.S. market in North America.

“Lincoln is a growing global brand,” a Lincoln spokesman said in an email. “As we execute on our U.S. manufacturing growth plan, we believe it makes sense to centralize Nautilus production in China for both markets (since we already manufacture Nautilus in China for the local market), allowing us to increase manufacturing efficiencies and restructure Our Oakville factory is ready to build our next generation of electric vehicles.”

A week ago, Ford released a report saying it was the largest automaker in terms of cars assembled in the U.S. and hourly auto workers it employs, as well as vehicles exported from the U.S. to other countries.

The new Nautilus will feature a redesigned exterior and an all-new interior, including nearly door-to-door screens for front-seat passengers. It also offers a new feature called “Lincoln Rejuvenate”.

Ford describes Lincoln Rejuvenate as “a multi-sensory in-vehicle experience that includes lighting and digital scents.” Lincoln showed off a concept car called the Star last year that included such features, but the Nautilus is the first US production vehicle with unique features. The automaker already offers vehicles with the feature in China.

“Lincoln Rejuvenate is a static experience that curates sensory experiences related to lighting, screen visuals, and personal preferences (such as seating position and massage options) – leaving customers recharged,” the company said in a vehicle release Monday evening. Indicated.

The scent cartridge for filling the cabin is located in the center armrest. According to the company, the scents that come with the pack include:

• “Mystic Forest, an earthy woody blend with rich patchouli.”
• “Ozonic Azure, a refreshing blend of aromatic patchouli and a hint of bright violet.”
• “Violet cashmere, exotic white flowers and trusty violets are as crisp and refined as fresh linen.”

The car will be powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and a hybrid powertrain. The car is expected to go on sale in early 2024 with a starting price between $51,810 and $75,860.

The redesigned Nautilus and “Lincoln Rejuvenate” come as the once-prominent American luxury brand tries to revive itself.

Lincoln’s U.S. sales fell 4% last year to just under 83,500 vehicles.that’s from recent peak More than 112,200 in 2019.