Ford has announced the hiring of Max Wolff, a former Cadillac designer, to head up the complete overhaul of its luxury Lincoln brand.

With the discontinuation of the Mercury brand, Ford has announced that it will be shifting focus to a redesign of the Lincoln nameplate, with seven new vehicles expected over the next four years. To help along that process, the company brought in Wolff, who oversaw the exterior design of the CTS Coupe and several other popular Cadillacs at General Motors.

"Max's drive, talent, and knowledge of automotive design within the premium segment of the market make him a great addition to the global design team," said J Mays, Ford's chief creative officer and vice president of design. "He is a recognized design leader and has a successful track record in the development of production and concept vehicles, including the Holden SSX show car."

Lincoln has lagged behind luxury brands like Lexus, BMW and Mercedes-Benz even as Ford grew its market share with increased sales this month to be come the second highest-selling brand in the country.

Those who shop the used car market may be able to find good deals on cars from Mercury and other discontinued brands. The used car market will also be the only place to find older Lincoln models, like the Town Car and Aviator, which are expected to be phased out in the near future.