[TxTom]

I read that Lincoln sales was up 21% in May, YOY.

Included 677 MKCs the last weekend in May!

Where are the buyers??? Apparently not on this Forum, or maybe just visitors.

 

[humpty dumpty]

And 3 up in Canada! They really are kicking ass this year, well relative to their traditional performance. They moved 8845 total vehicles in May 2014. This was the second time they moved north of 8000 units in 2014 contrast that with only one month in all of 2013 (August).

I am curious though about those 677 MKC sales, where does the figure come from? I'm wondering if a big chunk of that is simply allocation sold to dealers?

 

[dmace0908]

If I see one of those MKC's roaming the streets before mine comes in, I'm going to be upset...that was the whole point of "pre" ordering! Or so I was told...

 

[TxTom]

And 3 up in Canada! They really are kicking ass this year, well relative to their traditional performance. They moved 8845 total vehicles in May 2014. This was the second time they moved north of 8000 units in 2014 contrast that with only one month in all of 2013 (August).

I am curious though about those 677 MKC sales, where does the figure come from? I'm wondering if a big chunk of that is simply allocation sold to dealers?

At one time (maybe still) auto sales reported was really considered a "sale" when the factory ships/invoices the unit to the dealer...nothing to do with a retail/fleet sale to the real, paying customer.

If that is still the case, then the reported "sales" is not a very good indication of how the industry is really doing...could be just building inventory, not really "selling."

This is an industry issue, not just Lincoln. They need to report net inventory changes, but I don't see that figure mentioned in the press!

 

[Thrillceeker]

At one time (maybe still) auto sales reported was really considered a "sale" when the factory ships/invoices the unit to the dealer...nothing to do with a retail/fleet sale to the real, paying customer.

If that is still the case, then the reported "sales" is not a very good indication of how the industry is really doing...could be just building inventory, not really "selling."

This is an industry issue, not just Lincoln. They need to report net inventory changes, but I don't see that figure mentioned in the press!

Agreed.

There is a must-read article this morning in Automotive News:

http://www.autonews.com/article/20140603/RETAIL01/140609946

The 2015 MKC, Lincoln’s entry in the fast-growing compact luxury crossover segment, appeared on the sales charts for the first time in May with 677 units sold.

Many of the units are dealer demonstrators and test models.

Though Lincoln is running a social media campaign to promote its newest vehicle, the big advertising push will come in September, according to Andrew Frick, Lincoln group marketing manager.

So many of those sales were apparently to dealers, not private customers just yet.