????到底需要花上多長(zhǎng)時(shí)間和金錢，才能將林肯（Lincoln）重新塑造成為一個(gè)具有競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力的奢侈品牌？福特汽車公司（Ford Motor Company）的高管們心里清楚得很。

????他們也知道，如今推出用料上乘的三款林肯“黑標(biāo)”（Black Label）超豪華轎車不過(guò)只是權(quán)宜之計(jì)，只是這條漫長(zhǎng)道路上的一小步罷了。

????但是福特也期望，直到自己準(zhǔn)備好用全新車型來(lái)一次徹底的品牌重建之前，黑標(biāo)能為福特贏得一些時(shí)間，同時(shí)增加經(jīng)銷商的利潤(rùn)。他們最近在加利福尼亞的圓石灘汽車巡展（Concourse d'Elegance in Pebble Beach）上發(fā)布了這款概念車型。

????作為唯一在上次大蕭條中幸免于破產(chǎn)的底特律汽車制造商，福特表示打算在21世紀(jì)第二個(gè)十年的中期增加資本投資——這可能意味著林肯的加速變革，包括全新的汽車款式和在海外市場(chǎng)的擴(kuò)張。

????專業(yè)汽車網(wǎng)站Edmunds.com的分析師米歇爾?克雷布斯在一封郵件中稱：“福特已經(jīng)在林肯變革的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)中落在了后頭，因此它正試圖全力重建整個(gè)生產(chǎn)線，同時(shí)提高利潤(rùn)，促進(jìn)銷量。這需要花費(fèi)幾年時(shí)間。福特是否能在林肯的轉(zhuǎn)型中取得成功還有待進(jìn)一步觀察。”

????通用汽車公司（General Motors）的奢侈品牌凱迪拉克（Cadillac）曾經(jīng)被雷克薩斯（Lexus）和德國(guó)汽車制造商奧迪（Audi）、寶馬（BMW）和梅賽德斯-奔馳（Mercedes-Benz）超越，它十年前開(kāi)始推出CTS等新車型。自那以后，凱迪拉克便持續(xù)走高，今年銷量已經(jīng)達(dá)到近7萬(wàn)輛，比去年增長(zhǎng)了39%。

????而林肯的復(fù)蘇尚處于初始階段，2013年目前為止僅售出了30,819輛，與去年同期相比降幅超過(guò)10%。至今為止，黑標(biāo)展示了汽車內(nèi)部的三種設(shè)計(jì)概念主題：現(xiàn)代派、尊享派、中央操控派，分別采用了具有鮮明特色的顏色和材質(zhì)。

????福特表示，黑標(biāo)的顧客在購(gòu)買林肯汽車和安排日程時(shí)還享有專門的定制服務(wù)，但它價(jià)格目前尚未公布。拉夫?勞倫（Ralph Lauren）和美國(guó)運(yùn)通（American Express）等美國(guó)公司也已經(jīng)使用“黑標(biāo)”主題來(lái)建立自身品牌內(nèi)部的高端品牌。

????福特幸運(yùn)地在2006年決定抵押自身資產(chǎn)以籌得開(kāi)發(fā)新車型所需的資金。兩年后，信貸市場(chǎng)凍結(jié)，通用和克萊斯勒（Chrysler）于是遭遇了資金困境，無(wú)法實(shí)現(xiàn)借貸。這兩家公司都在美國(guó)財(cái)政部的指導(dǎo)下，根據(jù)聯(lián)邦破產(chǎn)法第11章申請(qǐng)了重組。

????虛弱的福特也在苦苦掙扎，他的股票最近才重新獲得投資信譽(yù)評(píng)級(jí)。如今，這家公司能夠以具有競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力的利率來(lái)籌集資金了。

????Ford Motor Company executives know how long it will take -- and the billions it will cost -- to turn Lincoln into a competitive luxury brand.

????And they know that offering three "Black Label" ultra-luxury versions of today's Lincoln models with premium materials is a Band-Aid, a first small step on a very long road.

????But Ford (F) is counting on Black Label to buy it some time and to improve dealer profits until the automaker is prepared to commit to a thorough revamping with new models and brand building. The initiative was announced last week at the Concourse d'Elegance in Pebble Beach, Calif.

????The only Detroit automaker that escaped the last recession without declaring bankruptcy, Ford said it intends to increase its capital spending through mid-decade -- which could mean an accelerated makeover for Lincoln, including new models and expansion into overseas markets.

????"Ford is way behind its competition in transforming Lincoln, so it is trying to do what it can to enhance profits and boost sales as it revamps the entire line, which is going to take several years," said Michelle Krebs, an analyst for Edmunds.com in an email. "The jury is very much out on whether Ford will be successful at this Lincoln transformation."

????General Motors' (GM) Cadillac luxury division, which was surpassed by Lexus (TM) and German automakers Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, began a decade ago to offer new models like the CTS. Cadillac, with several new models since, is on the upswing, its sales this year reaching nearly 70,000, up 39% from the previous year.

????Lincoln's revitalization is in its infancy, and it has so far sold only 30,819 vehicles in 2013, down more than 10% from the same period last year. For now, Black Label denotes three fancier design themes for the vehicle's interior: Modern Heritage, Indulgence, and Center Stage, featuring special colors and materials.

????Ford said Black Label customers will also receive dedicated, personalized service when shopping for Lincoln vehicles and scheduling service; the price hasn't been disclosed. Ralph Lauren (RL) and American Express (AXP) are among the U.S. companies that have used a "black label" theme to create a higher-level brand within a brand.

????Ford was fortunate in 2006 when it decided to mortgage itself to raise the capital it needed to build new models. When credit markets froze two years later, GM and Chrysler were caught short of cash and unable to borrow. Both companies filed for Chapter 11 reorganization under the direction of the U.S. Treasury.

????A weakened Ford struggled, too, only recently regaining investment-grade rating for its securities. Now, the company can raise capital at competitive interest rates.