Navigator Red-Hot in December, But Cold Sales Put Lincoln Brand Sales Down Slightly for 2017
Lincoln Motor Company closed 2017 with a 17% year-over-year decrease in sales volume, delivering sales of 10,619 vehicles in December with only the Navigator seeing an uptick in sales from the previous year. The downturn in December was enough to put Lincoln’s full-year sales for 2017 below its total from the prior year, declining from 111,724 vehicles in 2016 to 111,159 vehicles in 2017.
Lincoln’s retail sales grew 0.2% in 2017, however, outpacing retail growth of the luxury segment for the year. Lincoln SUVs also hit their best full-year retail sales since 2003 with 1.1% growth.
Lincoln’s sole December highlight was the all-new 2018 Navigator, which delivered sales totaling 1,444 vehicles and 30.1% year-over-year growth. What’s more, the Navigator is taking just six days to turn at retail, and approximately 75% of all new Navigator sales thus far have been the high-end Reserve and Black Label trim, boding well for Lincoln’s bottom line.
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Every other Lincoln vehicle saw its sales decline by double digits in December. Volume-wise, the Lincoln MKX led the brand with 2,976 vehicles sold, followed by the Lincoln MKC with 2,504 vehicles sold.
Despite finishing the year with a slight volume sales loss, 2017 proved to be a successful campaign for a number of key products. But for the MKT, all Lincoln SUVs posted a year-over-year sales increase, giving Lincoln’s utility vehicle portfolio a 0.9% year-over-year increase at 71,607 vehicles delivered.
Lincoln MKX sales totaled 31,031 vehicles, up 0.2%; Lincoln MKC sales rose 5.8% at 27,048 vehicles delivered; and Navigator sales, boosted by its December push, were up 1% at 10,523 vehicles delivered.
Lincoln car sales declined 2.9%, but the Lincoln Continental outpaced its 2016 sales and sales of the MKS with 12,012 vehicles delivered. Lincoln MKZ sales fell 10.3% at 27,387 vehicles delivered.
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