Insiders claim Ford’s luxury brand Lincoln is planning a luxury off-roader, designed to compete against the Mercedes-Benz G-Class.
Based on the Ford Bronco – which shares its platform with the Ranger ute – the premium SUV could also offer buyers an alternative to the Land Rover Defender and Ineos Grenadier, according to US publication Autoweek.
With a boxy body-on-frame design, the five-seater Lincoln is expected to be based on the next-generation Bronco, due in 2030 – however, this is believed to be a platform update, rather than being all new.
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Such a vehicle could help steal sales from Mercedes-Benz, and other automakers like BMW and Audi are also rumoured to be working on their own G-Class competitors.
While Lincoln has yet to confirm the model and details remain thin, there’s a good chance the off-roader would offer a higher level of both luxury and performance than the standard Ford Bronco, to ensure it’s presented as a viable alternative to the likes of the G-Wagen.
This means the model could borrow the twin-turbo V6 from the Bronco Raptor – or even a hybrid powertrain – as well as offering the latest technology from the Blue Oval.
Given Lincoln doesn’t have a presence in Australia, it’s unlikely the model would be offered here in right-hand-drive guise. Even the regular Bronco remains off-limits to Australia, as it’s produced only in left-hand drive.
Last year, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class claimed its best year of sales in its 46-year history, with almost 49,000 vehicles delivered globally – an increase of almost 15 per cent year-on-year – with the range-topping G63 from AMG making up approximately 60 per cent of sales, Motorbuzz reports.
Despite originally launching as a vehicle for agriculture and military applications, high-performance luxury versions offered by AMG in the 2000s and 2010s propelled it to a status symbol of the rich and famous, fuelling sales.
Closer to home, the Australian Defence Force has more than 2200 diesel-powered G-Wagens in service as its lightweight vehicle.
Lincoln currently offers a range of SUVs on platforms shared with Ford, with the Corsair related to the Ford Escape, the Aviator a cousin of the Ford Explorer, and the Navigator based on the Ford Expedition.
It also has the Nautilus, which is related to the Chinese Ford Edge L. Unlike its more mainstream cousin, the Nautilus is exported to markets like the US.
Lincoln now has just one passenger car, the Z, which is developed by the Changan Ford joint venture exclusively for the Chinese market.
All Lincolns feature unique sheetmetal and interiors to distinguish them from their Ford cousins, with most offering particularly luxe Black Label variants.