Who owns the Lincoln Motor Company and where are the cars built?

Lincoln is a leader in luxury car design, known for its focus on comfort and performance. In addition to producing iconic models such as the Continental and Navigator, Lincoln was the official supplier of presidential vehicles from 1939 to 1989. This tradition began when then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered a 1939 Lincoln K Series, which was later equipped with security targets such as bulletproof glass and armor plating. Other Lincoln-riding presidents include John F. Kennedy and George HW Bush. Another of Lincoln’s claims to fame was providing the Batmobile for the 1960s television series. Adam West’s Batman drove a modified 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car at the show.

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Lincoln Motor Company was founded in 1917 by engineer Henry Leland and named after Abraham Lincoln, the first president Leland ever voted for. The company originally produced Liberty V12 aircraft engines during World War I. Leland sold Lincoln to the Ford Motor Company for $8 million in 1922 (equivalent to $140 million today), which still owns the brand over 100 years later. Henry Ford’s son, Edsel Ford, who was president of Ford Motors at the time, championed the acquisition. He remarked“Dad made the most popular cars in the world; I want to make the best.”

Until 2024, Lincoln built all the cars for the US market in North America at factories in Illinois, Kentucky and Canada. In April 2023, Lincoln hit the headlines when it announced that it would move all production of the Nautilus to its Chinese factory in Chongqing, including those sold in America, marking the first time that Lincoln cars for the American market have been exported from outside North America.

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The decision is not as surprising as it first appears. Although Lincoln cars are not sold in Europe or Australasia, there is a strong market for their vehicles in China, South Korea and the Middle East. According to statistics released in 2022Lincoln car sales in China exceeded sales in America for the first time in 2021.

Lincoln cars have been manufactured in China since 2020 for sale to the Asian market. Production is led by Changan Ford, a joint venture between Ford and the Chinese-owned Changan Automobile company. The company has now expanded its operations to cater to the US market.

The Oakville Assembly Complex in Ontario, Canada, previously responsible for manufacturing the Nautilus, will now focus on Lincoln’s upcoming range of electric vehicles.

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For now, the rest of Lincoln’s lineup is still being built in North America. The Lincoln Aviator is made at the Chicago Assembly Plant in Illinois. This facility has been producing Ford vehicles since 1924, when it would produce 600 Model T Fords per day. Today, in addition to the Aviator, the site also collects Ford Explorers and Police Interceptor Utility vehicles.

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The compact crossover SUV, Lincoln Corsair, is manufactured at the Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky. The lot is next to the Louisville International Airport and also makes Ford Escapes. Ford also owns another manufacturing plant in Louisville, Kentucky Truck Assembly, where the Lincoln Navigator and Navigator L are built. This site also produces the Ford Super Duty and Ford Expedition.

Of course, not all automotive components are built from scratch on the premises. The engines are produced mainly at Ford’s plants in Ohio and Michigan, and transmission systems are also primarily built in the United States. However, many smaller components are manufactured abroad. Lincoln buys parts from around the world, including airbags from Sweden, steering systems from Hungary and sunroofs from Germany.

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