The brand in recent years has emphasized crossovers and SUVs, redesigning older vehicles and introducing new nameplates. It also has placed value on the interior, using high-end materials and eye-catching designs that have earned praise from critics.

"The improvement in the new Lincoln SUVs did help its value increase," said Eric Ibarra, Kelley Blue Book's director of residual values.

Cox Automotive forecasts the Nautilus will have higher residual values than its predecessor, the MKX, by 3 percentage points at 36 months. It predicts a 4-point bump for the Corsair over the MKC and an 18-point increase for the Aviator compared with the now-discontinued MKT.

Lincoln deliberately kept the MKT in production for a few months after the introduction of the Aviator to help protect its residual values, pumping the MKT into fleets so the Aviator could go to retail customers.

Lincoln's residuals could be further helped by new products in the coming years.

The brand this year will introduce a plug-in hybrid variant of its Corsair crossover. The timing of the EV — likely an SUV — that it's developing with Rivian is unclear, though it's expected to be sometime after Rivian launches its own vehicles this year.

The Continental, Lincoln's lone remaining sedan after the MKZ's planned demise, is expected to be cut in 2021, although Sprague argued that it still has value for the brand, especially in China. In the U.S., Lincoln has tried to juice sales by offering a limited run of high-end models with suicide doors, although overall Continental sales fell 25 percent last year.

Sprague said the improved residuals likely will lead to greater lease rates but did not provide specifics. In 2019, about 45 percent of Lincoln's reported sales were leases, according to Cox.

He said Lincoln would continue on the path it started.

"We're going to continue to take action to strengthen the brand," Sprague said. "That's healthy not just for us but for dealers as well."