Ascot Limousine President Mike Forster (L) picks up three 2013 Lincoln MKT Town Cars on Monday, April 30, 2012 from the South Bay Ford livery team of Barbara Martinez and Steve Wood. Ascot Limousine's MKT Town Cars are the first ever sold by the Los Angeles dealership.

LOS ANGELES — The 2013 Lincoln MKT Town Car, now with more than 1,000 deliveries and orders on the books nationwide, took another leap into the Southern California limousine market this week with the first delivery to an operator at South Bay Ford, a major West Coast limousine vehicle dealership.

Ascot Limousine Services Inc. of Culver City and Beverly Hills bought three of the MKT Town Cars, and its president, Mike Forster, picked them up at South Bay Ford on Monday, April 30 from Steve Wood, vice president, and Barbara Martinez, commercial livery manager. The MKTs entered fleet service on Tuesday, May 1.

Ascot Limousine, which has operated in the L.A. region since 1980, runs a fleet of luxury vehicles numbering in the 30s, depending on the time of year, Forster told LCT. The three MKT Town Cars will replace three Lincoln Town Car Executive L sedans.

“Basically, Town Cars have had the reputation as the industry leader for a long time,” Forster said. “We looked at what was out there, and with the price point, felt the MKT is right where it needs to be.”

Ascot will use the MKTs as conditional tryout vehicles to see how clients like them. “We’re getting a feel for which way the industry is going, and whether vehicle will be accepted or not,” Forster said. “We drive some very high end clientele who very picky and specific. Personally, I think the MKT is a beautiful car, but it doesn’t replace a sedan. We’ll see how they like it.”

Ascot Limousine serves a clientele consisting mostly of corporate executives, celebrities and business travelers. The MKTs will start out transporting clients to and from Los Angeles International Airport before being used for other trips and for “red carpet events,” Forster said.

Ascot Limousine also has Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedans and Town Car stretch limousines in its fleet.

South Bay Ford livery department page here.

— Martin Romjue, LCT editor