(March 23, 2024) A glut of late-arriving 2023 models has driven Lincoln inventory levels to among the highest in the industry, prompting the brand to boost incentives and use other strategies to help dealers sell down the remaining backlog, according to Automotive News.

Lincoln had more than four months' worth of inventory at the end of February, more than any other brand outside of those owned by Stellantis, according to Cox Automotive. About one-third of its unsold vehicles were from the previous model year. Company data shows that Lincoln's February gross stock of 33,000 vehicles was nearly triple that of a year earlier.

Officials pin the high levels on a confluence of factors, including a continued normalization of supply after years of shortages. A months long stop sale on the Aviator for a defective rearview camera system, coupled with a 26-day UAW strike at the Chicago plant where it's built, delayed shipments to dealers until late in the year. A later-than-expected launch for the freshened Corsair over software issues in early 2023 also played a role.

Lincoln spent an average of $4,665 in incentives per vehicle in the first two months of this year, up 65 percent from January and February 2023, according to Motor Intelligence. Incentives on the Aviator, Nautilus and Navigator have more than doubled from last year, Motor Intelligence said.

Source: Automotive News