Lincoln Motor Co. says profitability and throughput at its growing roster of standalone dealerships is on the rise as the brand nears the end of a push to consolidate its U.S. retail network.
Executives expect that fewer than 300 stores nationwide will sell Lincoln vehicles by the end of 2027, down from 387 today. The network ballooned to 797 locations at the end of 2019, more than any other luxury brand, before a consolidation effort began in 2023.
The brand also has been encouraging dealers to decouple Lincoln showrooms from their Ford Motor Co. stores since 2018, when it launched a glass-paneled design it calls “vitrine.” Today, dealers operate nearly 200 standalone Lincoln stores, and executives in October celebrated the opening of the 100th vitrine showroom, at Hassett Lincoln on Long Island in New York.
Fewer stores has led to greater profitability
The lower store count has doubled throughput at remaining locations, Lincoln says, with standalone stores on track for 2026 to be their third-best year in terms of profitability.
“We’re much better when we take a look at the health of the dealer network; their throughput has increased tremendously,” Shawn McDermott, director of the U.S. Lincoln retail network, told Automotive News. “It’s really important to have that healthy network that allows those stores to reinvest back into the client experience.”
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Rising dealer profitability is notable because it coincides with a 12 percent decline for Lincoln volume in the first nine months of the year. The sales slide largely stems from the U.S.-built Corsair crossover being discontinued in late 2025. The brandplans to import 2027 Corsairs from China next year.
McDermott said Lincoln continues to talk with dealers about giving up their franchises in certain markets. He is confident the brand will get enough volunteers to reach its goal.
“We’re not going to force anything,” McDermott said. “It’s difficult because the conversations you’re having with these stores, they’re very attached to the brand and they don’t want to give up on the brand, but I do think a lot of them understand that for the health of the overall network, it’s what needs to be done. I do think we have a path to get underneath that 300 number.”
New Long Island store a ‘vote of confidence and leap of faith’
Don Zergebel, the owner of Hassett Lincoln, said he invested heavily to build a 24,000-square-foot vitrine store because he believes in the brand.
“It’s a vote of confidence and a leap of faith on my part that Lincoln will regain its stature as a top-tier luxury contender,” Zergebel told Automotive News.
The facility in Wantagh, N.Y., includes a 5,000-square-foot basement parts warehouse and a service department with new equipment and break rooms that he hopes will be a recruitment tool for service technicians.
The showroom features a lighted runway to display Lincoln vehicles, as well as lounge areas and a cafe for customers. Second-floor offices and conference rooms overlook the showroom.
A 15-foot water wall is across from the entrance, and Zergebel plans to show off classic cars in a special display area near the front.
He said he believes the store will help him compete in a crowded luxury market alongside Mercedes, BMW and Lexus.
“There’s some very, very tough competition, not just in terms of product, but in terms of facilities,” Zergebel said. “But this vitrine stands right up there. It comes off very contemporary, and has a certain casual elegance about it, which is very inviting.”
Zergebel, who will celebrate his 45th anniversary selling Lincolns in December, said he’s confident in the brand’s direction, particularly given the reintroduction of the Corsair next year.
“The investment was the right thing to do at this time,” he said. “We’re certainly poised to maximize our potential and provide best-in-class customer service.”
