Ford is one of the most popular automakers in the world, and it’s well-known for vehicles like the F-150, Mustang, and Expedition. Did you know the American company also owns a luxury car brand? Buying a Lincoln gets you a luxurious Ford model, and the price is still far lower than other luxury brands.

What is Ford’s luxury brand?

Lincoln is officially 101 years old. The Ford Luxury brand celebrated its 100th birthday as part of Ford on Feb. 4, 2022. 

Originally, Lincoln and Ford were separate companies. Henry Leland owned it, according to Ford, but he was willing to part with the Lincoln Motor Company for $8 million in 1922.

Rather than combining the two companies, Henry Ford kept them separate. Ford is the main company, while Lincoln makes the luxury vehicles. 

This is not new in the auto world. For example, Nissan has a luxury brand of its own known as Infiniti. Acura is Honda’s luxury brand, and Toyota has Lexus.

Are Ford and Lincoln engines the same?

Since Ford and Lincoln are owned by the same company, it only makes sense that the two share platforms, engines, and more.

The Ford Edge and Lincoln Nautilus are one such example. Both have a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which produces 250 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. There is also a turbocharged 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, which increases the horsepower to 335 and the torque to 380. 

The Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator are another example. Both are built on the same platform as the F-150 and have the same engine, but the power is different. The Expedition’s 3.5-liter V6 engine generates 380 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. It gets 16 city, 23 hwy, and 19 MPG combined.

By comparison, the Navigator’s produces 440 hp and 510 lb-ft. The fuel mileage is slightly less, with a rating of 16 city, 22 hwy, and 18 combined, but it’s not enough to make a major difference.

Why is Lincoln more expensive than Ford?

The Nautilus has an MSRP of $46,220, which is about $7,000 more than the Edge’s price of $39,440. It makes sense when you consider that the Nautilus adds more features, like massaging seats, leatherette seats, an eight-way power driver and front passenger seat, a 13.2-inch infotainment screen, and 10 speakers.

Still, the Edge is no slouch. The ST trim adds AWD, 12 speakers, and leather or suede microfiber seats. It also has a 2.7-liter V6 engine, which generates 335 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque. All this is available for a price of $46,485, which is only slightly higher than the Nautilus base trim.

The Expedition and Navigator are in similar situations. The Navigator offers many features such as a larger infotainment screen, four-wheel drive, and heated rear seats. 

The only area in which the base trim Expedition seems to outshine the Navigator is the towing capacity. The Navigator can only tow 8,300 lbs, while the Expedition can tow 9,300 lbs.

The base Expedition costs $55,105, as compared to the Navigator’s starting price of $82,765. The Expedition Max King Ranch has a similar price range of $82,015, and the features are better. 

It comes with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, which produces 400 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque. It has premium leather seats, multi-level heated driver and passenger seats, a 15.5-inch infotainment screen, 22 speakers, and more.

There currently aren’t any comparable Ford vehicles that cost more than their Lincoln counterparts. 

Given this information, if you can afford a Lincoln, you may be better off buying the higher Ford trim levels. It will cost you about the same amount, and you’ll get more.