2015 Ford Mustang 50th Anniversary Edition, Photo Credit Ford Motor Company

With the new S550 Mustang platform slated to debut in just a few months, we’re hearing rumors that Lincoln could be looking to take the platform and create an upscale performance car. As Lincoln currently only offers front-wheel-drive vehicles, crossovers, and the Navigator large SUV, it only makes sense that the company is looking to expand its horizons into different markets.

And with the Cadillac CTS-V providing an excellent nameplate “halo” car for that nameplate, it puts the GM company square into the sights of FoMoCo’s upscale division as it looks to become a full-line luxury brand. 

In an interview with Edmunds.com, Lincoln’s global head of marketing, sales and service, Matt VanDyke explained “We know we need added nameplates. We know that we need to get into other segments with other vehicles.” Asked if that meant a possible sporty Lincoln model developed on the rear-drive 2015 Ford Mustang platform, VanDyke said, “Sure. We won’t rule out anything.”

Lincoln shares vehicle platforms and powertrains with Ford, but they make substantial changes such as lengthening and shortening those platforms to create different vehicle profiles along with many other styling changes to give their luxury vehicles a vastly different appearance from the mass-market Ford-branded vehicles.

It will be interesting to see if this comes to pass. We’d love to see a new rear-wheel-drive platform for Lincoln based on the Mustang, where it could go head-to-head with the CTS-V. We have no idea whether this will ever come to fruition, but the mere fact that Lincoln insiders are willing to talk about it publicly gives us the feeling that it’s a distinct possibility.