Ford unveils new Lincoln Nautilus to be imported from China

Ford Motor will bring its next-generation Lincoln Nautilus from China to the U.S., the company announced Monday evening.

The mid-size crossover is currently produced for the US at Ford’s Oakville assembly plant in Ontario, Canada. The automaker recently announced it will invest C$1.8 billion (about $1.3 billion) to transition the facility into a new electric vehicle center.

This is the first time Lincoln will import a vehicle to the US from China.

Importing a vehicle from China to the US is not unprecedented, but it can cause public and political criticism or backlash, especially when tensions between the two countries are high.

Most of all, General Motors has been criticized for importing its Buick Envision crossover from China into the US since 2016. The Detroit automaker has sold more than 200,000 of the Chinese-made vehicles, which U.S. union officials called an “invasion” and a “slap in the face.” “

However, importing a vehicle from abroad into the US can make good business sense for a company like Ford.

“In this case, it’s a good use of resources,” said Stephanie Brinley, associate director of research at S&P Global Mobility. “Without imports, Lincoln doesn’t get the product, and the brand needs products between now and when its EVs arrive.”

Brinley said the decision to import the Nautilus does not imply a fundamental change for future U.S.-market Lincolns, noting that the company continues to build most of its U.S.-market cars in North America.

“Lincoln is a global brand that is growing,” a Lincoln spokesman said in an email. “As we execute our US manufacturing growth plans, we believe it makes sense to centralize Nautilus manufacturing in China for both markets (as we already manufacture Nautilus in China for the local market), allowing us to achieve manufacturing efficiencies and to retool our Oakville facility to get ready to build our next generation of electric vehicles.”

The news comes a week after Ford released a report saying it is the top automaker in terms of vehicles assembled and hourly workers employed in America, as well as vehicles exported from America to other countries.

The new Nautilus will feature a redesigned exterior and a new interior that includes near-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 cabin experience, including lighting and digital aroma.” Last year, Lincoln revealed a concept vehicle called the Star that included such features, but the Nautilus is the first production car for the US to be produced with the unique features. The automaker offers cars with this feature in China.

“Lincoln Rejuvenate, a stationary experience, orchestrates specially curated sensory experiences related to lighting, screen visuals, personal preferences such as seating position and massage options – allowing customers to recharge,” the company said in a release announcing the vehicle on Monday evening .

Fragrance cartridges for filling the car compartment are located in the center armrest. The company said the flavors that come with the package include:

• “Mystic Forest, an earthy blend with woody, rich notes of patchouli.”
• “Ozonic Azure, a fresh blend of fragrant patchouli and traces of bright violet.”
• “Purple cashmere, exotic white flowers and trusted violets that are as clean and refined as fresh linen.”

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

The redesigned Nautilus and “Lincoln Rejuvenate” come as the once famous American luxury brand tries to rejuvenate itself.

Lincoln car sales fell 4 percent last year in the U.S. to fewer than 83,500 vehicles. That’s down from a recent peak of over 112,200 in 2019.