Here's the conversation I've been having for the past month with Lincoln Motors; bottom line is Lincoln is going to stop claiming to be the most fuel-efficient luxury vehicle.
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Email Questions: I am holding my copy of The New Yorker magazine, dated January 14, 2013, and reading the full-page advertisement for the 2013 MKZ Hybrid manufactured by the Lincoln Motor Company. This ad makes the following claim: "our all-new 2013 MKZ Hybrid is not just the most fuel-efficient luxury vehicle in America,* but ...." where the footnote reads "*EPA-estimated 45 city/45 hwy/45 combined mpg. Actual mileage will vary." This claim is false, and the Lincoln Motor Company, in making this claim, is knowingly misrepresenting your car compared to its competitors. This is a violation of law in every state in this country. In fact, the most fuel-efficient luxury vehicle in America is the Model S, produced by Tesla Motors, Inc. of California. The 2012 Model S is rated at 89 MPGe by the U.S. EPA. Moreover, there can be no question that the Model S is a luxury car. Motor Trend magazine, indisputably among the leading car magazines in the world, wrote: "By any measure, the Tesla Model S is a truly remarkable automobile, perhaps the most accomplished all-new luxury car since the original Lexus LS 400. That's why it's our 2013 Car of the Year." http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear...year_tesla_model_s/viewall.html#ixzz2Hd02irEM
So before us we have three facts:
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Dear Robert,
Thank you for contacting Lincoln Motor Company. We appreciate the time you have taken to write us regarding fuel economy of the 2013 MKZ Hybrid.
We understand that you are inquiring about an advertisement regarding the fuel economy of the 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. We apologize for any inconvenience this advertisement may have caused. The 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is rated at 45 miles per gallon (MPG) combined for both city and highway by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Fuel economy for the Tesla S is measure in miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe). MPGe represents the miles per amount of energy of a non-gasoline fuel that is equivalent to the amount of energy in a gallon of gasoline. To learn more about the difference between MPG and MPGe, please visit www.epa.gov.
The 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid delivers on its promise that it is a great alternative for luxury buyers. It’s environmentally conscious, practical, loaded with premium amenities and, best of all; it performs at consistently high levels, thanks to its responsive hybrid powertrain.
Robert, to schedule a demonstration drive for the new MKZ, please contact our Lincoln Customer Relationship Center at 1-800-521-4140. We are available Monday – Friday, 8:00 A.M – 8:00 P.M EST and Saturday 7:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. EST to assist you. When you call we can also send you a brochure and quote the current incentives available.
Thank you again for contacting Lincoln Motor Company.
Sincerely,
Samantha
Lincoln Motor Company
Lincoln Marketing Program Headquarters
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Dear Samantha,
Thank you for your reply, but it is unsatisfactory. Lincoln claims the MKZ is "the most fuel-efficient"; are you now qualifying that "fuel" must mean "gasoline"? The fact that a federal agency has established MPGe as the benchmark to compare to MPG places a high burden on Lincoln to make such a claim. If you were to claim instead that the MKZ is "the most fuel-efficient gas-fired vehicle", then you would not be engaged in false and misleading advertising. Absent such a change, or similar, you are still misleading the public by your false claims. Lincoln doesn't get to make up the standard of comparison -- you're using the EPA rating, and so you must use the comparable EPA rating for your competitors.
I reiterate that, unless Lincoln Motor Company satisfactorily addresses this issue, I will contact the states' attorneys' general to pursue legal action against you.
Kind regards,
Robert Stoddard
Boston, MA
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Received: 1/29/2013 11:31 AM
To: BAC M.P. HQ - CSFORD
Subject: Re: Sales/Advertising CRM:0189152
I am meeting with the Massachusetts Attorney General on Friday at 3pm. Do you have any update on this concern, or should I just raise it with the AG directly?
Regards,
Robert Stoddard
----------------
Dear Robert,
We understand your inquiry about our recent Lincoln MKZ Hybrid advertisement. While Ford Motor Company does not agree that its claim regarding gas mileage is misleading, in future advertising of this nature, we will clarify that its reference is to gas-powered vehicles.
Robert, if you have any additional questions, please contact our Lincoln Customer Relationship Center at 1-800-521-4140. We are available Monday – Friday, 8:00 A.M – 8:00 P.M EST and Saturday 7:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. EST to assist you.
Thank you again for contacting Lincoln Motor Company.
Sincerely,
Samantha
Lincoln Motor Company
Lincoln Marketing Program Headquarters
{by the way, I was not bluffing about my meeting with the Mass AG. Of course, we were talking about something else entirely, but that's beside the point}
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Email Questions: I am holding my copy of The New Yorker magazine, dated January 14, 2013, and reading the full-page advertisement for the 2013 MKZ Hybrid manufactured by the Lincoln Motor Company. This ad makes the following claim: "our all-new 2013 MKZ Hybrid is not just the most fuel-efficient luxury vehicle in America,* but ...." where the footnote reads "*EPA-estimated 45 city/45 hwy/45 combined mpg. Actual mileage will vary." This claim is false, and the Lincoln Motor Company, in making this claim, is knowingly misrepresenting your car compared to its competitors. This is a violation of law in every state in this country. In fact, the most fuel-efficient luxury vehicle in America is the Model S, produced by Tesla Motors, Inc. of California. The 2012 Model S is rated at 89 MPGe by the U.S. EPA. Moreover, there can be no question that the Model S is a luxury car. Motor Trend magazine, indisputably among the leading car magazines in the world, wrote: "By any measure, the Tesla Model S is a truly remarkable automobile, perhaps the most accomplished all-new luxury car since the original Lexus LS 400. That's why it's our 2013 Car of the Year." http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear...year_tesla_model_s/viewall.html#ixzz2Hd02irEM
So before us we have three facts:
- The Tesla Model S is a luxury vehicle manufactured and sold in America, directly competitive with the 2013 MKZ;
- The Tesla Model S is rated by the federal regulators as being nearly twice as fuel-efficient as the Lincoln MKZ; and
- Lincoln Motor Company is claiming, in national print advertising, that the Lincoln MKZ is the most fuel-efficient luxury vehicle in America.
--------------
Dear Robert,
Thank you for contacting Lincoln Motor Company. We appreciate the time you have taken to write us regarding fuel economy of the 2013 MKZ Hybrid.
We understand that you are inquiring about an advertisement regarding the fuel economy of the 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. We apologize for any inconvenience this advertisement may have caused. The 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is rated at 45 miles per gallon (MPG) combined for both city and highway by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Fuel economy for the Tesla S is measure in miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe). MPGe represents the miles per amount of energy of a non-gasoline fuel that is equivalent to the amount of energy in a gallon of gasoline. To learn more about the difference between MPG and MPGe, please visit www.epa.gov.
The 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid delivers on its promise that it is a great alternative for luxury buyers. It’s environmentally conscious, practical, loaded with premium amenities and, best of all; it performs at consistently high levels, thanks to its responsive hybrid powertrain.
Robert, to schedule a demonstration drive for the new MKZ, please contact our Lincoln Customer Relationship Center at 1-800-521-4140. We are available Monday – Friday, 8:00 A.M – 8:00 P.M EST and Saturday 7:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. EST to assist you. When you call we can also send you a brochure and quote the current incentives available.
Thank you again for contacting Lincoln Motor Company.
Sincerely,
Samantha
Lincoln Motor Company
Lincoln Marketing Program Headquarters
-------------
Dear Samantha,
Thank you for your reply, but it is unsatisfactory. Lincoln claims the MKZ is "the most fuel-efficient"; are you now qualifying that "fuel" must mean "gasoline"? The fact that a federal agency has established MPGe as the benchmark to compare to MPG places a high burden on Lincoln to make such a claim. If you were to claim instead that the MKZ is "the most fuel-efficient gas-fired vehicle", then you would not be engaged in false and misleading advertising. Absent such a change, or similar, you are still misleading the public by your false claims. Lincoln doesn't get to make up the standard of comparison -- you're using the EPA rating, and so you must use the comparable EPA rating for your competitors.
I reiterate that, unless Lincoln Motor Company satisfactorily addresses this issue, I will contact the states' attorneys' general to pursue legal action against you.
Kind regards,
Robert Stoddard
Boston, MA
---------------
Received: 1/29/2013 11:31 AM
To: BAC M.P. HQ - CSFORD
Subject: Re: Sales/Advertising CRM:0189152
I am meeting with the Massachusetts Attorney General on Friday at 3pm. Do you have any update on this concern, or should I just raise it with the AG directly?
Regards,
Robert Stoddard
----------------
Dear Robert,
We understand your inquiry about our recent Lincoln MKZ Hybrid advertisement. While Ford Motor Company does not agree that its claim regarding gas mileage is misleading, in future advertising of this nature, we will clarify that its reference is to gas-powered vehicles.
Robert, if you have any additional questions, please contact our Lincoln Customer Relationship Center at 1-800-521-4140. We are available Monday – Friday, 8:00 A.M – 8:00 P.M EST and Saturday 7:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. EST to assist you.
Thank you again for contacting Lincoln Motor Company.
Sincerely,
Samantha
Lincoln Motor Company
Lincoln Marketing Program Headquarters
{by the way, I was not bluffing about my meeting with the Mass AG. Of course, we were talking about something else entirely, but that's beside the point}