Thanks to the on-going global parts and semi-conductor shortage, getting a vehicle built and delivered in a timely fashion is just as impressive as getting a man to the moon. For one of the 12 humans to have ever walked on the moon and back, getting his brand-new Lincoln Nautilus required some connections within the Ford Motor Company.
Buzz Aldrin, the last surviving member of the Apollo 11 crew ordered a 2022 Lincoln Nautilus in October from the Galpin Lincoln dealership in California. He wanted it delivered in time for his 92nd birthday on January 30, but his order sat unproduced for months amid the semi-conductor shortage, reports Automotive News.
Things were so bad at Ford’s Oakville Assembly plant that they’ve lost more than 120 days of production since the chip crisis began last year—more downtime than any other Ford family.
But when you’re one of the world’s most famous astronauts, you tend to have connections.
Lincoln President Joy Falotico was alerted to Aldrin’s plight through a text from former Ford CEO Jim Hackett, who had been contacted by Aldrin’s team.
To underscore the point, Hackett sent her a photo of the December 1969 National Geographic with Aldrin on the cover.
Falotico said the team immediately worked to pull ahead his order and get it delivered. Mission accomplished.
The team even added a special touch: a custom plaque inside the vehicle that reads “Especially made for Buzz Aldrin by Oakville Assembly Plant employees.”
Falotico said it was encouraging to watch the team accomplish its goal, although the episode was a sobering reminder of the widespread impact of the industry’s production issues.
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