(July 2, 2011) While the Ford division of Ford Motor Company continues to hit on all eight cylinders, its luxury Lincoln division continues to be mired in quicksand, slowly sinking into obscurity.

This was pointed out again by monthly sales figures. A complete overhaul of the entire Lincoln lineup is planned, but is it coming too late to save the once North American luxury brand leader?

While Lincoln sales were up 17 percent in June to 7,361 units, they still amounted to only 3.8 percent of Ford's total sales of 193,415. For the first six months of the year, Lincoln has recorded only 42,203 sales, down four percent from last year.

2011 Lincoln MKX

The MKX, the Lincoln version of the Ford Edge mid-sized crossover, is the brand's best seller accounting for well over half of Lincoln's sales the first six months of the year.

Lincoln is on track to sell about 80,000 units in 2011. A decade ago in 2002, Lincoln sales amounted to nearly twice that at 159,000 units.

To put its current situation in perspective, Mercedes has sold 118,021 units in 2011, BMW has sold 113,705 units, Cadillac 76,122, an earthquake-crippled Lexus 88, 010, and Audi 55,909.

— Jim Meachen