Lincoln May Revive Classic Nameplates, But Only For China

Like many automakers, Lincoln has spent the last few decades purging famous nameplates from its range in exchange for a simpler, alphanumeric naming structure.

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Gone are names like Continental and Versailles; in their place MKZs, MKSs and MKTs. If you weren't familiar with the models, the homogenized monikers could refer to anything. But in China, some of those famous names could return.

China is proving an increasingly important market for most large automakers these days, as a car-buying middle class blossoms with economic growth. Cars from the west are becoming more popular and buyers are particularly taken with luxury brands like Lincoln. Importantly, says USA Today, buyers in China still remember Lincolns from rosier times--the cars of presidents and other government officials, rather than the hastily-rebadged Fords of the 90s.