Lincoln needs a modern Continental

"marshknute" (marshknute) 08/22/2013 at 13:23 • Filed to: None

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Lincoln has been the laughing stock of the luxury car market for decades. Actually, that's not a fair statement. Lincoln has been so pathetic that it is no longer entertaining to laugh at them. Their entire stable is a collection of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , badge-engineered, wrong-wheel-drive Ford's.

Despite being one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, with an enormous wealth of resources at their disposal, FoMoCo has consistently failed to provide the necessary funding for a proper luxury car worthy of the Lincoln nameplate, and capable of reviving the brand.

What is a proper Lincoln? Well, yesterday, one of my clients gave me a ride in his mint 1941 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet. This is a proper luxury cruiser, complete with a 4.8L V12 engine and one metric shit ton of style and presence.

It quickly reminded me that American luxury cars were always noteworthy simply because they offered a bold presence and commanded attention like nothing else on the road. That was reason enough to buy one over the restrained Germans. Cadillac !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

I began searching the web looking at Lincoln Continental's, and stumbled upon the renderings you see above and below of a modern interpretation on the iconic 1961 Continental Sedan. It is pure epicness.

I love how the chrome line on the side flanks continues the entire length of the car, and down the front (and presumably the back, too).

IMHO, the front could take some inspiration from the front end of Lincoln's own !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , but otherwise, it fits the bill for exactly the type of flagship luxury sedan that Lincoln needs to be relevant again.

Take the Mustang's chassis, stretch it to accommodate a proper rear seat and drop in a Lincoln-only Ecoboost V6 or a Coyote-based V8. Oh, and don't even think about giving it Ford's horrible haptic feedback touch-sensitive controls. Nobody on the face of the Earth has ever enjoyed using them, let alone preferred to them to proper controls.

Lincoln, BUILD IT.

Victorious Secret > marshknute 08/22/2013 at 13:27

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Wrong wheel drive? Sure.

Up until you realize that the market for luxury cars doesn't give a shit which wheels are being driven. You might think BS, but a vast majority of luxury drivers don't care if its RWD or FWD base, they prefer to get AWD where they can regardless of what kind of AWD. The only people who bitch about it are internet dwellers who aren't spending high 5 figures on a car anyways.

The MKZ isn't much, but its a decent start.

This entire point is moot because if CADILLAC won't sign off on a Ciel flagship, what makes you think Ford would sign off on a new Continental?

Truth is with the rising quality of mainstream cars all the luxury marks are being put under the gun and people don't see the need for them like they used to once upon a time.

It is hard to justify the costs on a new platform when you might never see the money. Hence rebuilding over time. Cadillac didn't just jump to a proper competitor, the first gen CTS was a bit of a dog. A well done dog, but wasn't THAT competitive.

I'll give Lincoln the benefit of doubt and time they need build a proper line.

dogisbadob > marshknute 08/22/2013 at 13:27

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That would be awesome! All it needs are a hood ornament, continental tire trunk, and a BMW diesel engine.

crown victor victoria > marshknute 08/22/2013 at 13:35

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I disagree that the thing pictured above is good looking.

I think the 2008 Ford Interceptor concept would have made a much better Conti. Just needed a different grille and the doors.

But the interior was fantastic .

crown victor victoria > Victorious Secret 08/22/2013 at 13:40

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Also consider that most of the Luxury brands are moving downmarket with new product, not up. Audi's new A/Q3 for North America, BMW's 1-Series cars and SUVs, Mercedes CLA/GLA. These are all fairly recent additions or are about to be introduced. The A3 is really the only exception for our market, but the 5-door was never very popular here and is why they've gone to sedan config for the next gen.

There will always be larger sedans, but it's not a segment that has the same growth potential.

If Lincoln was really going to follow the lead of the other major players, they'd do something in the sub-MKZ space. Even Buick (!) is somehow ahead of the curve here with the Encore, which people seem to absolutely love for some reason.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > marshknute 08/22/2013 at 13:42

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I've been saying this for some time. And if we're gonna dream, dream big with a V12 based on two Ecoboost V6's welded together at the blocks. Just imagine a quad turbo V12 with about 800 horsepower. That would be the ultra limated production engine which would be on posters in every bedroom and garage wall in the world. So much publicity would be made for the brand and Ferrari, Bugatti, and Rolls Royce would collectively shit themselves.
But this will never happen, because Ford sucks.

Frank Grimes > marshknute 08/22/2013 at 13:42

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Needs more porthole window...just kidding.

Victorious Secret > crown victor victoria 08/22/2013 at 13:44

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To that point, its not like the current 1 series or new A3 are cheapened down efforts on the badge. I think the 1 and A3 and what not are genuine attempts at making cars that carry the level of luxury you expect at a price you can afford.

Automakers only care about the bottom line in these situations.

I don't have a problem with a 40k Mercedes CLA, I honestly don't. By all accounts its still a Mercedes through and through, the Haldex AWD means nothing to me, it being a FWD based car means nothing to me.

For a majority (read: 99%) of the market, they won't care about such things. They'll test drive it, if it works for them they'll buy it and it generally does work for them.

Heck, our car club consists of people who own automatic, FWD based Audis as their DDs and winter cars. Like they give a damn WHAT wheels are being driven or HOW. Many factors come into play.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > marshknute 08/22/2013 at 13:45

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Yes, Lincoln needs a new halo car. Those of us who remember or yearn for the classic Continental would prefer they build a modern one over some meaningless alphabet-soup, three-letter label.

However, those renderings provided do not fill me with longing.

Lincoln needs to steal Cadillac's playbook and copy it play-by-play. The Sixteen is simply superb. It evokes the influences of the past while making the whole concept modern.

Those renderings are nowhere near that. Sorry, if those were yours. Right idea, but it fails in execution.

HammerheadFistpunch > marshknute 08/22/2013 at 13:46

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To be honest, the main problem with lincoln...sorry... he Lincoln Motor Company, is that they are clinging to their heritage too tightly. They need to drop the stupid grill, and develop cutting edge products that are more than styling exercises. Cadillac is the typical example given...but its a great exmple.

marshknute > Victorious Secret 08/22/2013 at 13:50

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Cadillac has admitted that FWD can't compete in the top luxury segment. The XTS is an attempt not to lose the slushmobile audience that bought the DTS, but Cadi realizes that it can't compete with the Germans.

The RWD Omega platform LTS will debut in a few years time as a proper S-Class competitor.

The difference between Cadillac and Lincoln is that Cadillac took the necessary steps to rival the established Germans: they started with a unique chassis and a unique set of engines. There was a ground-up improvement in quality when compared to the Chevy lineup to help justify the price premium.

Ford will never reach Cadillac's current level so long as they continue to rebadge the Ford lineup. If they want to be considered a second-tier luxury manufacturer like Acura, then that's fine, but they need to stop pretending to be something more.

Victorious Secret > marshknute 08/22/2013 at 13:54

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I hate to be the one who tells you that the A8, arguably the standard for the segment before the S-Class was revealed, is a FWD car. Oh yes, you can buy an A8 as a FWD car. Even in Quattro form guess what it is? FWD BASED!

Cadillac might not be willing to make a competitive FWD chassis like Audi has always done, that doesn't mean it can't be done. Sweeping generalizations don't apply when you do it right.

People love the A8. It rides well, its a luxury car, it does what it needs to all the time.

Yet the last thing people care about is the fact that no Audi is RWD.

Do you honestly think people who spend money care about which wheels are being driven? They don't. Cadillac might THINK that will get them more sales, but it wouldn't.

crown victor victoria > Victorious Secret 08/22/2013 at 13:54

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No, you're absolutely right. The A3 and 1-Series specifically have all the same qualities as their bigger offerings, just smaller packaging. All they want to do is open up the possibility of sales to a new demographic of buyer. These cars are probably nabbing the badge-conscious but frugal shoppers who might otherwise go Acura or something, and then people who appreciate premium small cars - a market which has not exploded in NA to the same degree that it has in Europe. So they're still trying to crack it, as they should.

I have no problems with these cars existing, either. I think they're actually pretty awesome for a lot of reasons. Nor am I an RWD elitist. You can have a lot of fun in any drive configuration, and it's all down to personal choice. I do feel a bit sorry for the "wrong wheel drive" crowd though, because they are missing out on some fun cars. Yeah, they're not live-axle, V8 coupes or anything, but that doesn't mean they suck.

Some people, as soon as they hear "chronic understeer," just counter with the daydream idea of a big old burnout and epic sweeping drift, even if that's something they'll never actually do. To me, the counterargument is only worth making if it's something that you can or would actually apply in real life. I just wish people would not bust out all the bro-driver hypotheticals and stuff they saw Chris Harris do in a 911 on youtube one time, because it's not really relevant to the conversation.

Victorious Secret > crown victor victoria 08/22/2013 at 13:57

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I think the idea that RWD/AWD/FWD affects luxury buyers is a false one.

These people do not care at all about which wheels get driven, most of them don't even know when being driven around by Jeeves.

Its flawed thinking that having RWD will get anything done in a sales front. You can say "OHH LOOK RWD" but what does that mean to the luxury buyer? Absolutely nothing at all.

Victorious Secret > crown victor victoria 08/22/2013 at 13:59

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I can see some modern Taurus in the side profile, but good lord would that ever be an awesome full size sedan for Ford.

Victorious Secret > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) 08/22/2013 at 14:00

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The first side view looks like a Rolls or Bentley.

I don't want them emulating those two.

I want them emulating their own modern style.

crown victor victoria > Victorious Secret 08/22/2013 at 14:07

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I think there is some sensitivity there, but definitely not anywhere near as much as people assume.

The manufacturers in that space who already have RWD platforms (BMW, Mercedes, Infiniti) will sell things that have that feature, and then they can say stuff about "performance drive dynamics afforded by RWD that discerning buyers will appreciate." But then Audi and Acura have a slew of existing FWD platforms, so they sell FWD cars with AWD added.

And they all have AWD, because that's important to a huge % of the North American buyer pool, not because it's a substitute for inferior FWD. Up until this model year, AFAIK, you could buy a FWD A8, and the A6 can still be had in FWD with the 2.0T. Again, this just opens the range up to price-conscious shoppers. It's not a reflection of the "shoddy roots" of the product. It's about choice diversity and pushing the higher-margin AWD systems.

marshknute > Victorious Secret 08/22/2013 at 14:09

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Audi isn't an entirely appropriate comparison. Yes, it proves that a FWD-based car can be a more-than-credible player in the S-Class segment, but Cadillac and Lincoln don't have the luxury (pun intended) of taking that approach.

Audi was always a respected luxury manufacturer that sat just below Mercedes and BMW. It was the safe, well-rounded, and slightly dull third sibling of the family. Over the years, they improved their quality, performance, and style until they reached their current status.

Cadillac and Lincoln, meanwhile are/were coming from a point of shame and mediocrity. The only way to gain credibility at that level is to beat the competition. If you are only as good as, people will continue to buy the established/trusted brand. For Cadillac/Lincoln to make a genuine revival, their cars have to be notably superior to their rivals' for customers to take notice.

desertdog5051 > marshknute 08/22/2013 at 14:11

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I think the second paragraph of Victorious Secret's post about how most luxury car buyers not caring about RWD or FWD is an accurate statement.

Luxury cars have to have styling and elegance.

bobkustofawitshz > marshknute 08/22/2013 at 14:12

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I LOVE this. Seriously. Love it. (At least from the side... The front needs some work). This is exactly what I want to see from Lincoln - a modern (not too modern) Continental; a big long wheelbase RWD flagship sedan with suicide doors. Elegant, timeless, oozes class and luxury. You see this rolling down the street, turning heads and dropping jaws, and you know instantly what it is. It has presence. This is what a Lincoln should be, and if they sold this car, I'd go out and buy one today.

I am going to print this picture and mail it to Lincoln. I suggest you do the same. Thanks for sharing this.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > Victorious Secret 08/22/2013 at 14:57

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Agreed.

A modern take on the Continental is an excellent idea. Slapping some retro on a modern car is not.

CobraJoe > marshknute 08/22/2013 at 15:59

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Every plan to revive Lincoln has a certain core idea that must happen: Lincoln needs to be special.

Every successful luxury car maker these days has a specific image they try to upkeep. BMW is RWD for driving fun, Mercedes develops some crazy toys, Lexus builds off of Toyota's reputation, Rolls Royce caters to old world luxury, Bentley tries to add some power to the mix, and Aston is the king of GT cars. Right now, Lincoln has no identity. Kind of like Acura. They're a nicer version of the base cars, but that's about it.

So, first step, become special. Next step: Kick someone's ass and brag about it.

That's how Cadillac rebounded so quickly, they became the world beaters in the sports sedan market. Then they made sure everyone knew it.

So, why not bring back a classic? Why couldn't Lincoln become the comfortable and well built Retro option? Bring back some style that makes people notice you driving by, but don't skimp on the build and ride quality. I know that retro inspiration is completely against Lincoln's attempted identity right now, but why? It's a major staple in Ford's identity.

Jid M > marshknute 08/22/2013 at 23:27

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Sweet baby Moses in a canoe... that is unbelievably sexy....

JasonStern911 > marshknute 08/23/2013 at 01:00

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Lincoln has been in decline for ages, but they lost support from Ford when Ford bought Jaguar back in 1990. If Ford shut down the brand, people would be as remorseful as when General Motors shut down Oldsmobile.