Is It Time For Lincoln To Bring Back The Mark LT Pickup Truck?

The Lincoln Mark LT is still a legend, although the truck is not in the production for more than ten years. Still, the premium pickup left too many fans disappointed. They will wait for the comeback and hope it will happen soon.

Well, the economic crisis was the main reason why Lincoln decided to step out of the pickup market. Well, in 2008 and 2009, SUVs were already very popular. This segment killed a lot of other classes. Ford even stops the development of sedans, and they brought back Ranger truck after a long break in the US market.

Now again, the automotive market is under the big pressure. No other industry was hit so hard because of the coronavirus outburst. All the companies put future projects at idle. When the situation recovers, we can talk about the premium truck. Well, the Lincoln Mark LT is still just a rumor. However, the increased interest in pickups and the willingness to pay extra for the more quality ride made us think that the luxury model could come back soon.

Lincoln Mark LT

Is There a Market for the Luxury Truck?

Currently, the most expensive truck in the market is a Limited edition of Ford F-Series lineup. Heavily loaded, it can reach a price of $90,000. However, we can’t call it a premium pickup, since it is basically a working truck with the latest equipment. So, the Blue Oval company could carry over the package to its premium branch – Lincoln. We can already find a lot of premium SUVs, siblings of Ford Expedition, Explorer, Escape, with the higher-end offer.

On the other hand, can Lincoln Mark LT survive in the market? Well, the interest is not huge in luxury trucks, although the best-selling vehicles are half-ton pickups. On the other hand, for a long time, mid-size models could not stand the competition of versatile SUVs. Truckers are looking at specs and towing capabilities, rather than posh materials and advanced infotainment features. That is why there are no so many luxury trucks in the market. We can say that only the Denali lineup of GMC Sierra could be called so. This brand delivers the premium package to all of its vehicles, so some consider it a separate lineup.

Ford F-150 Limited premium truck

Lincoln Mark LT – A Luxurious Ford F-150

Lincoln is Ford’s premium branch. It can be used for the start since the F-150 is the best-selling vehicle ever in the US. In 2019, the pickup barely missed achieving 1 million sales. So, the high-end package could be used to give the Lincoln Mark LT a push-start.

Well, the pickup will need some time for the introduction, since it is not easy to make a breakthrough. Well, this is a specific market. While SUVs and crossovers wiped all other segments by taking the buyers away from sedans, hatchbacks, and minivans, it was not so easy with trucks. Even the biggest SUVs can’t match the capabilities of full-size pickups.

Lincoln Mark LT interior

Lincoln Mark LT – When We Can Expect It?

We are investigating speculations about the Lincoln Mark LT truck. However, the current situation with the virus pandemic is definitely delaying the possible comeback (if there were such plans at all). So, the Mark LT is not going to appear in 2021 and probably neither in 2022. The new generation of F-150 is coming next year, and that is the priority for now. Ford updated the Super Duty lineup and brought back Ranger. However, it seems that the V6 or a diesel engine for the mid-size pickup might be a priority over the luxury truck.

On the other hand, we saw a few unfinished businesses by the truckmaker. Do you remember Super Chief? It was a stunning concept. Experts questioned its practicality, but the prototype was nearly production-ready. It never happened. Now, we can hear a new portion of rumors about electric and hybrid trucks. With big SUVs bringing such technology, engineers could use it to start the radical transformation of the pickup segment. Still, this seems even more far-fetched than the Lincoln Mark LT luxury model. On the other hand, these units are the future of the industry, and the electrification will happen sooner or later.

Competition

Like the sporty trucks built on a unibody platform, the luxury trucks won’t have too many fans. The utility comes first and the truckers are looking for the machine which will get the job done. These vehicles are going to get dirty, taking hits from tough terrains. The maintenance in the luxury segment costs more. If you pay attention to details, you will have to drive your pickup to repaint every time. That is why the premium parts and materials are not so popular in this category. Having this in mind, we cannot find too many rivals to the Lincoln Mark LT. GMC Sierra Denali is probably the only one. For another truck in its lineup, Chevy Silverado, General Motors offers High Country Package. Toyota and Nissan are not making their trucks available with too luxurious options.

One of the possible premium trucks in the foreseeable future is Audi Pickup.

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