The Lincoln brand was in trouble. The products were nothing but rebadged Fords or aging rebadged Fords. Lincoln had a choice: die or step-up. Ford wisely chose to put some money into the brand, develop a strategy, and slowly begin to execute.
The true first of the new era of Lincoln was an old model name – the Continental. This itself is a refreshing move from the alphabet soup that was the Lincoln lineup. First shown at the 2015 New York Auto Show as a concept, it quickly drew a lot of cheers. At least until everyone realized that it is based on the old MKZ/Taurus platform known as CD4, which drew some jeers.
So, is the new Conti a good car? Well, after spending some time with it, I need to tell you that that this is the wrong question to ask. The real question is; is the new Conti a good Lincoln?
The people who jeered the Continental for being based on an aging front-wheel-drive platform forgot their history. Continentals were front-wheel-drive from 1988 to 2003. While they were never so-called enthusiast focused cars, their sales were decent, in some cases matching current Lexus ES sales, until the Continental’s rather pathetic death.
Then there was the Continental replacement; the 2000 Lincoln LS. The modern looking chrome-less, if slightly boring, vehicle on paper had what was needed to fight the hot BMW 5-series. Ford and Jaguar engineers developed a new rear-wheel-drive platform. There was the front and rear independent double wishbone suspension. There was the availability of V6 and V8 engines. There was even a manual transmission on the V6 model. And there was the Motor Trend Car of the Year® Award!
Sales of the new LS were initially great, surpassing the 50,000 mark and besting the old Conti’s sales. Unfortunately that did not last. Within a handful of years, sales dwindled to less than 10,000 units. The LS, the enthusiast Lincoln, was discontinued in 2006.
The same people who jeered the new 2015 Continental concept also forgot, or ignored, how shockingly strong the sales of the front-wheel-drive Lexus ES have always been. And the ES is far from being an enthusiast focused vehicle in any way. Plus, the ES isn’t even that much of a sophisticated design, both technically and stylistically, but it still outsells the hell out of its competition.
So there was Lincoln, developing the new Conti, and they had a few choices to make. With the ever-shrinking sedan market, with high costs of developing a new chassis, what was Ford to do for the first car of the new Lincoln?
They chose to do the smart and safe thing. They improved an existing platform. They put in the best engine available to them. They designed the exterior with a modern twist on classic style. And then they went crazy with the interior. The result is a not just a good car, but a great Lincoln.
This begs another question – what makes a great Lincoln?
Looking at other historical bits, a Lincoln has to be roomy. It has to be powerful. A Lincoln has to be comfortable. But not just comfortable, the interior has to be inviting, opulent, and provide the latest gadgets. A Lincoln has to quietly float over road imperfections and pass slower cars with ease. Finally, a Lincoln has to look the part – it has to look like a Lincoln, a classic American luxury vehicle, even if it there is some visible Bentley inspiration.
I must admit that, while it isn’t perfect, this new Lincoln is a damn fine vehicle. But it is also a great Lincoln. Ignore the naysayers. Ignore those bitching about the chassis. Judge this car on what it is supposed to be, a Lincoln. When you do, you might be pleasantly surprised.
The beginnings of Lincoln’s master plan are clearly visible in the Continental. It is the vehicle that paved the way for the new Navigator and the upcoming Aviator. Its biggest downfall is that people these days don’t want to buy luxury sedans, because that’s what grandpa drove. They want luxury SUVs, which is a damn shame because there are many great sedans on the market, such as this Continental.
[Disclaimer: Ford Motor Corporation provided this Lincoln Continental for the purpose of this review. All images copyright Kamil Kaluski/Hooniverse 2018]
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