Lincoln Mark LT to Continue in Mexico Based on Ford F-150 Platinum

Ward's reports that sales of the Lincoln Mark LT luxury pickup, discontinued in the U.S. after the 2008 model year, will continue south of the border in Mexico, based on the new 2009 Ford F-150 Platinum.

A Ford spokesperson told Ward's that the Lincoln brand has a very exclusive image in Mexico. Mexican buyers are prepared to pay more for a Lincoln-branded vehicle than they would for a similar one with a Ford badge.

According to Lincoln's Mexican website, a 2008 Mark LT crew cab is priced at $41,300 for a 4x2 and $46,000 for a 4x4. In the U.S., a two-wheel-drive 2009 Ford F-150 Platinum SuperCrew starts at $40,910 and a four-wheel-drive version starts at $44,105.

The Mark LT was the second high-end hauler to not find success under Ford's luxury brand in the U.S. The first was the unique Lincoln Blackwood pickup that never caught on with buyers and was dropped in 2002.