Lincoln has been an all-SUV brand since the MKZ sedan was discontinued in 2020, but don’t even think about getting any of its models dirty. Its luxurious lineup is designed for the road with the brand’s “Quiet Flight” slogan very much in mind.
That’s not the case with many of its competitors like Lexus, Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz, which all offer serious off-road models, and a new report says Lincoln is about to get dirty to win over some of their customers.
Sources tell Autoweek that a Bronco-based Lincoln is in the works and expected to launch before the end of the decade. Lincoln hasn’t made any formal announcement to this effect or commented on the story, but it also hasn’t denied it.
If it kept the Bronco’s dimensions, the two-row model would be slightly smaller than the Land Rover Defender 110, Lexus GX and Mercedes G-Class, but Ford’s body-on-frame platform could accommodate a larger vehicle, like the three-row Ford Everest SUV that is sold in other countries.
The report doesn’t say if the model is being designed with a fixed roof like the Everest, which is often seen on the roads in Michigan being tested, or a removable roof like the Bronco. It wouldn’t be Lincoln’s only body-on-frame SUV, of course, as the full-size Navigator’s platform is shared with the Ford Expedition’s and related to the Ford F-150s.
Unlike the Navigator and Expedition, the Bronco has a solid rear axle which gives it a less refined on-road ride than a fully independent suspension would, but so do the GX and G-Class and that hasn’t hurt their sales at all.
The report doesn’t suggest what the new Lincoln might be called, but we have a suggestion. While a bronco is a wild horse that evokes rugged off-roading, a pegasus is about as fancy as an equine gets and can fly. Quietly, we assume. It’s also a mythical creature, much like this SUV is until Lincoln makes it real.
SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN TO THE GAS: AN AMERICAN CARS AND RACING PODCAST ON YOUR FAVORITE PLATFORM
