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Published: 2019, October 21

• Cover Story

Cover Art: The Ford-Lincoln Limousine & Livery team (L to R): QVM Engineering/Program Coordinator Jeff Metz, Fleet Marketing Manager Kimberly Johnston, and Modified Vehicle Specialist (Service) Matthew Messina with a Lincoln Navigator L at Fair Lane, the Henry Ford Estate. Photography by Bryan Chris. Ford’s connection to the chauffeured transportation industry is written in the records of history: The celebrated Lincoln Town Car was etched in the minds of the public as the archetypal vehicle representing black car service for more than two decades. The Lincoln MKT Town Car, a vehicle tailored for our distinctive needs and those of our passengers, valiantly took up the mantle of its predecessor and lives on to serve this industry, while the rebooted Continental has taken affordable luxury to the next level and the Navigator L has continued to be a strong favorite (and a hot seller this year!) for fleet SUV needs. Add to the list the Ford Expedition MAX and versatile Transit and it’s a one-stop shop.

"Most people do not realize that the QVM ­Limousine Program will be 30 years old in 2020. It has a rich history of engineering, program management, quality control, and customer/business relationships ...”
– Jeff Metz, QVM ­Engineering/Program Coordinator

In fact, Ford-Lincoln Limousine & Livery Vehicles has done much more than just produce quality, luxury vehicles; the OEM has also been a longtime financial supporter of chauffeured transportation, including the NLA. Since 2015 alone, Ford-Lincoln has given more than $410,000 through sponsorships and rebates to the national association—much-needed dollars that help the NLA fight on behalf of all operators across the country. Ford-Lincoln has also been a sponsor of the Chauffeur Driven Show since our inception in 2013, and will once again be sponsoring when the CD/NLA Show debuts in Las Vegas this February.

The Lincoln Navigator L (shown) and Ford Expedition MAX offer three rows of seating As we ponder what the future of transportation looks like, including the development of autonomous and electric vehicles, you’d be hard-pressed to imagine one where Ford doesn’t continue to play an essential role.

Of course, Ford-Lincoln offers more than just a classy exterior. Part of what makes Ford-Lincoln the complete package of essential brands—beyond producing a lineup of vehicles that fill every niche for corporate transportation, and access to a network of dealer service locations across the country that are specifically trained to care for those products and get you back on the road quickly—is the strong Ford-Lincoln Limousine & Livery team. Led by Fleet Marketing Manager Kimberly Johnston and, on the engineering side of the business, QVM Engineering/Program Coordinator Jeff Metz (both of whom have been in the industry for more than two decades), members of the team are among the most accessible representatives of the OEMs. Rounding out the squad is Modified The Lincoln MKT Town Car is still available to livery customersVehicle Specialist (Service) Matthew Messina, Assistant Brand Manager (Transit) Tim Maes, and Kevin Jeffers, Ford of Canada. The team regularly attends industry shows and association events, building on the relationships that they have made with the operators who buy and love their products.

“It has always been about our dedicated team, the family of dealers/customers we serve, and the breadth of industry-leading products we offer. It has been an honor to work in the industry since 1998, and I look forward to serving limousine and livery operators and dealers for many years to come,” says Johnston.

The Ford-Lincoln Limousine & Livery team at the Henry Ford Estate (L to R): Fleet Marketing Manager Kimberly Johnston, Modified Vehicle Specialist (Service) ­Matthew Messina, and QVM Engineering/Program Coordinator Jeff Metz with a Lincoln Navigator L, just one of the vehicles in their Livery lineup“Most people do not realize that the QVM Limousine Program will be 30 years old in 2020,” adds Metz. “It has a rich history of engineering, program management, quality control, and customer/business relationships that I am proud to be a part of now for over 24 years.”

The Limousine and Livery team has also been instrumental in extending the availability of the MKT Town Car and has worked directly with its dealers to stock MY19 well into 2020. The crossover purposely built for the industry (500A)—with plenty of rear legroom, amenities tailored to your passengers, and cargo space—will continue to be sold exclusively to livery customers through next year. According to Johnston, thanks to current attractive incentives, the best selection is now.

For operators looking for a little extra elegance, the Continental has continued to embody refined luxury in our space. With seating for up to three in the rear cabin, the large sedan has everything a passenger would need, including manual door sunshades, two USB charging ports, an armrest with power controls, a chauffeur switch to customize the amount of legroom, and tri-zone climate control for the ultimate in comfort—not to mention its stunning exterior. Also available are heated rear seats and a hands-free trunk lid that opens up to a generously apportioned cargo area.

"It has always been about our dedicated team, the family of dealers/customers we serve, and the breadth of industry-leading products we offer.” – Kimberly Johnston, Fleet Marketing Manager

The Lincoln Navigator L When trips require more than a sedan can accommodate, the massive Navigator L and Ford Expedition MAX are your go-to SUVs for added space and lots of comfort. Both are available with second-row bucket seating and power-reclining third-row seating to handle those larger groups. Like other Ford-Lincoln products, smart-charging USB ports are ready for passengers to juice up their many requisite electronics on the ride to their final destination. There’s a reason why the fourth-generation Navigator continues to be one of the brand’s best-selling large SUVs. For additional driver assistance, the Navigator L has an optional Lane Keeping Aid, Driver Alert System, and Autonomous Emergency Braking should it sense that a collision is imminent, as well as Blind Spot Information System (BLIS).

The Lincoln Navigator L is one of the brand’s most popular SUVs As we march toward the end of the 2019 calendar year, the MY20 vehicles (for livery) will start hitting dealers throughout Q4, which will include the Continental, Navigator L, Expedition MAX, and Transit. As always, Ford-Lincoln protects its products with an industry-leading 4-year/150,000-mile PremiumCare Extended Service Plan on all of its livery models (excluding Transit), covering more than 1,000 components.

If you’re reading this at the Chauffeur Driven Show in Boston, be sure to drop by booth 100 to say hello and to check out their vehicles on display. The team is always ready to answer any questions you have.   [CD1019]