Lincoln-Mercury becomes Toyota, but magician not needed
If you drove by Green’s Automotive Group on New Circle Road in Lexington this week and got a strange feeling something had changed, you were right.
Owner Clay Green sold his Lincoln-Mercury dealership back to Ford and very quickly expanded his Toyota dealership into the Lincoln-Mercury space.
Where nine new Toyotas once sat along the front of the dealership, there’s now 30 — and a lot of motorists probably haven’t noticed the change.
“We are going to be focused on expanding the Toyota program,” Green said. “It’s one we have had a lot of success with.”
Ford wants to put Ford and Lincoln-Mercury dealers under the same roof — Green isn’t a Ford dealer — so Ford will be moving the Lincoln-Mercury dealership to one of two other Lexington Ford dealers “rather soon, probably within 30 to 60 days,” he said.
Until then, local drivers who want to buy a new Lincoln-Mercury vehicle can go to dealers in Richmond, Frankfort or Danville, Green said. Those who need repairs can go to any local Ford dealer and all warranties will be honored.
Green’s Ford trained technicians are now working for those dealerships, he said. Most of his other Lincoln-Mercury employees switched to his other dealerships, but “a few” had to be laid off.
After 17 years as a Lincoln-Mercury dealer, it was a tough thing to do, he added, but “I think for the customers and the brand it will work out better for everybody.”
