Do Lincoln And Ford Cars Come From The Same Factory?
Many car companies share decades-long histories, but probably one of the longest is the relationship between Lincoln and Ford. They've been closely tied to each other for over a century now, although they actually didn't start off as partners.
When the father and son duo, Henry and Wilfred Leland, founded the Lincoln Motor Company in 1917, they were initially an independent entity. The business thrived for several years and even managed to start operating a modern manufacturing plant. Unfortunately, a financial crisis stalled its progress in late 1921. That's when Henry Ford came into the picture and acquired Lincoln for $8 million just months later.
Under the management of Edsel Ford, Henry's son, Lincoln grew to become the luxury car brand it is today. It started with the Lincoln Model L that Calvin Coolidge used as a presidential car. Then came the iconic Lincoln Continental in 1939, followed by the Continental Mark II in 1955, and a range of other luxury models that penetrated both the US and international markets.
Lincoln and Ford's long-standing relationship remains to this day, with Lincoln being another car brand Ford owns. Their bond is so tightly knit that some Lincoln and Ford cars are even manufactured in the same factories.
What Ford factories manufacture both Lincoln and Ford cars?
Ford has a massive manufacturing footprint across multiple countries, from the United States to China to Spain. However, only a handful of its facilities actually roll out Lincoln cars, alongside Ford models.
In the United States, both Ford and Lincoln cars are assembled in just three of the nine factories Ford runs. The Chicago Assembly Plant — one of the oldest and has been operating since 1924 — produces the Lincoln Aviator, Ford Explorer, and Police Interceptor Utility. The Kentucky Truck Plant, located on a 500-acre site in Louisville, Kentucky, is focused on the Lincoln Navigator, some Ford Super Duty Truck models, and the Ford Expedition. And finally, the Louisville Assembly Plant, also in Kentucky, manufactures the Lincoln Corsair and Ford Escape.
Outside the United States, Lincoln and Ford cars are built together in only three Ford facilities. One site is in Ontario, Canada. It's where the Lincoln Nautilus and Ford Edge models come from. The other two facilities — the Chongqing Vehicle Operations and Hangzhou Plant — are both in China. Only opened in 2014, the Chongqing site makes the Lincoln Corsair and Zephyr, alongside a few Ford cars like the Mustang Mach-E and Mondeo. The Hangzhou Plant is responsible for two Lincoln cars, the Nautilus and Aviator, as well as the Ford Explorer and Edge L.
Besides the car itself, other Lincoln and Ford parts share the same factory for production, too. For instance, one of the Ford EcoBoost engine factories — the Valencia Engine Plant in Spain — rolls out the 2.0- and 2.3-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost engines for both the Corsair and Nautilus and several of the Ford cars, including the Everest and Focus ST. The Sterling Axle Plant in Michigan builds the rear and front axles for the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator.