Lincoln should leverage the Mustang's platform to inject some much-needed excitement into their lineup

A look back at what Lexus's hailed halo car did for the brand

For the 2010 model year, Lexus blessed our world with the now-legendary LFA, a supercar in a class of its own, powered by a naturally aspirated 4.8L V10 with an exhaust note that sang for the choir of the car gods. Lexus engineers toiled and troubled over the development of the LFA for almost a decade, even going so far as to completely re-develop the car once they realized a carbon fiber frame would be advantageous compared to its original aluminum construction.

Despite the vast effort poured into developing the LFA by Lexus’s dedicated engineers, Lexus lost millions of dollars over the vehicle's lifespan. One may assume this was a failed exercise on Lexus’s part, but turning a profit on the LFA was never their intention. In fact, the LFA served a more philosophical purpose for the brand.

The incredible sports car lifted Lexus from the shadow of its German rivals. It proved to enthusiasts and buyers that its engineers were genuinely capable of making a superior product, not just in terms of excitement and driving dynamics, but also in terms of build quality and reliability. The LFA's impact on the brand lives on to this day.

Fast forward to today’s world, where Lexus no longer features an exotic supercar in its arsenal. Instead, the Lexus LC takes the LFA’s place as the brand’s "halo car". With its far less expensive development costs and lower price point, the LC lineup has proven to be a more profitable exercise for Lexus, while still uplifting the brand image and giving buyers the impression that the LC’s technological innovations will find their way into Lexus’s more mundane offerings.

Related: 19 thoughts about the 2024 Lexus LC: 2 editors, 2 versions, 2,300 miles apart

Take those lessons, and bring them to Lincoln

A Lincoln Mark IX based on the current version of the S650 Mustang's DC2 platform could accomplish for Lincoln what the LC did for Lexus. The Mustang has proven itself as legitimate competition for its much more expensive German sport coupé counterparts. Using this platform for a Lincoln model would see Ford finally put a star performer on the same playing field as the Germans. Why not take that opportunity to show the world that Lincoln knows how to play ball?

The following renders depict imagined possibilities for Lincoln iterations of this platform, as well as market justifications, to show the potential feasibility of these models being produced. Each visual render has been created using generative text-to-photo artificial intelligence software, employing official press images as canvases.

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Different body styles would ensure broad audience appeal

Staying true to the heritage of the Lincoln coupe models of the past, the “Mark IX” would sit on a potentially stretched variant of the Ford Mustang S650’s DC2 platform, with a high-output variant of the Mustang’s V8, likely the 500-HP 5.0L Coyote V8 found in the Dark Horse.

Related: Exclusive photos of the 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse

But what if Lincoln took things a step further than simply rehashing an outdated design philosophy, adapted their thinking to align with the contemporary market landscape, and turned the Mark IX into its own model lineup? That would surely increase the profitability of the model compared to just a 2-door coupé offering while also broadening the audience appeal.

This could include three body styles: a coupé, a convertible, and a sedan (potentially marketed as a 4-door coupé), all sitting on the same platform with a wide array of powertrain options and trim level variants.

Taking advantage of the DC2 platform’s independent rear suspension that arrived with the S550 generation of the Mustang, along with S650’s upgrades, including better stabilizers, lower control arms, rear suspension links, shocks, and springs, would surely mean that Lincoln’s offering would give its European rivals a serious run for their money, not to mention the competition on Lincoln’s home soil: the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing.

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The coupé and cabriolet variants would offer a mix of power and luxury

Powertrain options would likely vary depending on body style. Coupé and cabriolet offerings would stick to the higher-end options due to their luxurious nature. This could include powertrains such as the twin-turbocharged 3.0L EcoBoost V6 found in the Explorer ST, which produces 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque. The Mustang Dark Horse’s naturally-aspirated 5.0L Coyote V8, churning out 500 hp and 418 lb-ft of torque could serve as the more performance-oriented option.

A limited-production, high-performance variant of the coupe is a possibility as well, which could use any one of Ford’s many high-output supercharged V8 engines. Power would be sent to either the rear wheels or all four wheels through an optional all-wheel drive system using Ford’s 10-speed shiftable automatic transmission.

Related: 2025 Ford Explorer — what you need to know

A 4-door coupé could bring practicality into the mix

The “4-door coupé” body style is where the Mark IX would likely find the strong majority of its buyers. Providing a fusion of practicality and exciting driving dynamics equates to an all-in-one package. Whereas the coupé and convertible would be offered solely with the 10-speed automatic transmission option being the grand-touring vehicles they are, the 4-door coupé presents itself as the ideal place for Lincoln to utilize the Mustang’s 6-speed manual transmission.

Powertrain options would range from a basic variant using Ford’s turbocharged 2.3L EcoBoost 4-cylinder which produces a healthy 315 hp and a surprising 350 lb-ft of torque, to an upgraded performance-oriented model with the Dark Horse’s 500 hp Coyote V8 paired with the aforementioned optional 6-speed manual. At the top of the ladder could even be a Predator V8 offering using the 760 hp supercharged 5.2L V8.

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Lincoln could even offer high-performance & racing variants

Of course, with the addition of a legitimate performance model into Lincoln’s lineup, limited-production, high-performance, and racing variants are inherent possibilities that could serve to further uplift its brand image and identity without spending too much money on development costs, thanks to its access to Ford’s incredible parts bin.

Surely I’m just dreaming here, but wouldn’t a Mustang GTD-based Lincoln on a poster be worthy of a spot on your childhood bedroom wall? Equipped with an insane 815 hp supercharged 5.2L V8 mated to an 8-speed dual-clutch rear transaxle, Lincoln could, dare I say, encroach on Porsche and Aston Martin’s territory. A model like this could achieve Lexus LFA levels of halo car glory for Lincoln without the millions of dollars in losses.

Related: 2025 Ford Mustang GTD gets exterior color palette option with thousands of hues

Furthermore, a GT3 racing variant could prove beneficial to Lincoln’s sporting image. As Henry Ford said himself, “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday.” This is a strategy that Ford has employed successfully for generations, so why shouldn’t Lincoln follow suit?

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Is this feasible, or just a daydream in today’s world?

Car enthusiasts have dreaded the seemingly inevitable outlawing of automobiles powered by internal combustion engines. Emissions standards have choked manufacturers’ abilities to produce uncomplicated, back-to-basics sports cars, and safety regulations have forced manufacturers to make less intuitive choices, such as favoring electric power steering over hydraulic for the sake of lane-keep assist features that many drivers turn off immediately. Would it make sense for Lincoln to invest in a Mark IX lineup that involves little electrification, if any?

Related: How Trump’s win could reshape U.S. car policy

Politics play a heavy hand in such dreams too

Wherever you fall on the political spectrum, the fact is that under Donald Trump’s upcoming presidential administration, the landscape is changing for automotive manufacturer regulations, at least in North America – Lincoln’s home.

Trump has proposed an emissions standards reform. According to our very own Elijah Nicholson-Messmer, “one of the primary targets in Trump’s crosshairs is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation on tailpipe emissions.” With Trump’s focus on shifting back to oil and gas, now could be the perfect time for Lincoln to introduce the Mark IX model, using its lack of electrification to reduce development costs, and potentially postponing hybrid or EV models for the future should the market demand it.

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Final thoughts

In recent times, many automakers have struggled to stay in touch with their buyers, largely due to harsh regulations and increasing development costs. The production of an attainable halo car for Lincoln’s lineup would serve as a healthy injection of excitement back into its lineup that would resonate not only with Ford buyers, but buyers all over North America who are desperate for a new car that understands their real wants and needs while retaining a refined, premium feel that Lincoln is more than capable of offering.

Do you feel that a Mustang-based sports coupé, cabriolet, and 4-door coupé lineup within Lincoln’s model range could add some much-needed zest to the somewhat flavorless brand? Let us know in the comments, we’d love to hear from you!