Lincoln China imports will begin winding down in 2030 as Ford moves to bring its Lincoln manufacturing back to the United States.
The decision affects two SUVs in particular. The Nautilus is already built in Hangzhou, China, while the Corsair is expected to return to the U.S. market as a China-built vehicle for the 2027 model year.
Ford has not said where either SUV will be built once Lincoln China imports end. The company operates nine assembly plants in the United States, but it has not identified which facility, if any, could take over production of Nautilus or Corsair.
The timing also leaves questions about whether both SUVs will remain in Lincoln’s lineup through the end of the decade.
Lincoln China Imports Will Continue Through the 2020s
Ford’s announcement does not immediately change the production arrangements for Lincoln.
Nautilus is currently manufactured in Hangzhou, China. The SUV moved there in 2024 after the previous generation was produced in Canada.
The move to China has not stopped Nautilus from becoming an important model for Lincoln. It was the brand’s best-selling vehicle in 2025, making its future particularly important to the company’s U.S. lineup.
Corsair has taken a different route.
The compact SUV was previously built at Ford’s Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky. Production ended as Ford began preparing the facility for the upcoming Fathom electric truck.
Ford is now expected to import Corsair from China beginning with the 2027 model year.
That would leave two Lincoln SUVs dependent on Chinese production shortly before the automaker plans to end Lincoln China imports for the U.S. market.
Nautilus Is Lincoln’s Best-Selling Model
Nautilus occupies an important position in Lincoln’s current range.
The SUV was Lincoln’s best-selling model in 2025, yet its production moved from Canada to China in 2024.
Ford has not announced a replacement production site for Nautilus after 2030.
That leaves several possibilities for the SUV. Ford could move production to an existing American plant, develop a new generation for U.S. production, or make a larger change to the Lincoln lineup before the deadline arrives.
None of those options has been confirmed.
The only announced decision is that Lincoln China imports will be phased out beginning in 2030.
Corsair Is Heading Back to China Before That Deadline
Corsair presents an even more complicated timeline.
Ford recently ended U.S. production of Corsair at Louisville as the plant undergoes changes for Fathom.
Rather than keeping Corsair in American production at another facility, Ford is expected to begin sourcing the SUV from China for the 2027 model year.
That means the vehicle could spend only a few years as a China-built import before Lincoln China imports begin to disappear.
Ford has not said whether Corsair will return to a U.S. assembly plant after 2030.
The company also has not announced whether the current Corsair will remain in production long enough to require another manufacturing location.
Lincoln Already Builds Two SUVs in the U.S.
Not every Lincoln sold in America depends on overseas production.
The Aviator is assembled at Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant.
The Navigator comes from the Kentucky Truck Plant.
Those two models give Lincoln an established U.S. manufacturing base, while Nautilus currently comes from China and Corsair is expected to join it in 2027.
Ending Lincoln China imports would therefore shift more of the brand’s lineup into Ford’s existing American manufacturing network.
The question is whether those plants have the capacity and production requirements needed for Nautilus and Corsair.
Ford has not provided that information.
Why Ford Is Making the Change
The timing of Ford’s announcement comes as U.S. rules covering vehicles and automotive technology connected to China become stricter.
Software restrictions affecting connected vehicles are scheduled to apply to certain 2027 model-year vehicles. Hardware restrictions are set to take effect for 2030 model-year vehicles.
Those rules have forced automakers to reconsider how Chinese-built vehicles and components fit into their U.S. product plans.
Ford’s decision to end Lincoln China imports beginning in 2030 lines up with the arrival of the hardware restrictions.
Ford has also presented the move as part of a larger effort to strengthen its American manufacturing operations.
Ford Has Nine Assembly Plants in the U.S.
Ford operates nine assembly plants in the United States.
The company also operates five assembly plants in China.
Ford has not identified which American facility could eventually build Nautilus or Corsair.
That decision will depend partly on Ford’s product plans for the two SUVs and the production schedules already assigned to its U.S. factories.
Louisville is already being reworked for Fathom, so returning Corsair there would require another change to the plant’s planned production mix.
Ford could also choose a different facility rather than returning Corsair to Kentucky.
The end of Lincoln China imports therefore does not automatically mean every affected model will return to its previous American plant.
Ford Says the Move Will Add Jobs
Ford says expanding Lincoln production in the United States will create thousands of new jobs.
The company finished 2025 with 56,300 hourly employees, according to Ford, more than any other automaker.
Ford also says it produced and exported more U.S.-built vehicles than any other automaker in 2025, with more than 2 million vehicles coming from its American assembly plants.
Additional Lincoln production would increase that domestic output.
Ford has not provided a model-by-model breakdown of the jobs expected from the Lincoln manufacturing expansion.
The company also has not said how much investment would be required at individual plants.
What Happens to Nautilus After 2030?
Nautilus is the bigger question because of its sales position.
It became Lincoln’s best-selling model in 2025 while being manufactured in China. Moving production to the United States would allow Ford to keep the SUV in the American lineup without relying on Chinese manufacturing.
But Ford has not committed to that move.
If Nautilus remains part of Lincoln’s lineup after Lincoln China imports end, the company will need to identify a production site or develop another manufacturing arrangement.
A future generation could also change the equation.
Ford has not announced whether the current Nautilus will continue unchanged through 2030, receive a redesign before then, or be replaced by another model.
What Happens to Corsair?
Corsair faces a similar question, but its production situation is more immediate.
U.S. production has already ended, and Ford is expected to bring in China-built Corsair models for 2027.
That puts Corsair on a temporary production path if Ford follows through with the planned end of Lincoln China imports in 2030.
Ford could move Corsair production to another U.S. plant, redesign the model around a different production strategy, or make a change to the Lincoln lineup before then.
The company has not announced which direction it will take.
Lincoln’s U.S. Production Will Expand
Ford’s plan will increase Lincoln’s reliance on American manufacturing over time.
Aviator is already produced in Chicago, while Navigator comes from Kentucky.
If Nautilus and Corsair also move into U.S. production, Lincoln would have a larger share of its lineup built domestically.
The end of Lincoln China imports is therefore not simply a change in where two SUVs are assembled. It could reshape the manufacturing footprint of the entire Lincoln brand.
Ford has not yet provided a detailed timetable beyond the 2030 target.
Chinese-Built Lincolns Will Remain in the Lineup Before the Shift
Nothing in Ford’s announcement indicates an immediate production change for Nautilus.
The SUV continues to come from China today.
Corsair is expected to follow the same route beginning in 2027.
That means Lincoln China imports will remain part of Ford’s U.S. business for several years before the planned phaseout begins.
Customers will therefore continue to see China-built Lincoln vehicles in American dealerships during the period leading up to 2030.
The important unanswered issue is what replaces that production once Ford reaches the deadline.
Nautilus and Corsair Face Different Production Timelines
Nautilus is already built in China and is expected to remain there for U.S. sales until Ford begins its 2030 phaseout. Corsair has a shorter path ahead: U.S. production has ended, and China-built models are expected to arrive for the 2027 model year.
Ford has not announced a U.S. assembly plant for either SUV after 2030. It also has not said whether Nautilus or Corsair will receive another generation before then.
That leaves two separate production questions for Lincoln. Nautilus would need a new U.S. manufacturing arrangement if Ford keeps the current model in production after 2030, while Corsair would need another production location only a few years after its expected move to China.
The 2030 Deadline Changes Lincoln’s Manufacturing Strategy
The end of Lincoln China imports gives Ford several years to determine where the affected SUVs should be built.
Nautilus is already established as Lincoln’s best-selling model and currently comes from Hangzhou.
Corsair is preparing for another move, with China expected to become its U.S. production source for 2027 after American production ended at Louisville.
Meanwhile, Ford has nine U.S. assembly plants and says additional Lincoln production will create thousands of jobs.
Ford has not said which factories will receive the work or whether both SUVs will continue in their current forms.
Nautilus is currently built in China, and Corsair is expected to follow in 2027. Ford has not identified U.S. plants for either SUV after 2030, nor has it confirmed how long both models will remain in production.
The company has only confirmed one part of the plan: China-built Lincoln vehicles sold in the U.S. will be phased out beginning in 2030.
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