LINK UP WITH THIS LINCOLN
Yes, the Continental has a Fusion chassis, but try it and you won’t care
David Booth: It’s been 15 years since we’ve seen Lincoln’s Continental and even longer since we’ve seen a serious luxury sedan from Ford’s upmarket brand. Indeed, the recent history of Lincoln has been expedience — tarting up various Fords with extra leather and buttonry and mediocrity.
The first hint that Ford was getting more serious about Lincoln’s bona fides was the recent MKZ. Yes, it wa s still a Fusion in drag, but features unique to the Lincoln — most notably a King Kong of a 400-horsepower twin turbo 3.0-litre V-6 — help set the MKZ apart from its lowlier sibling.
Now comes the Continental. Yes, it’s still built on the same CD4 platform as the Ford Fusion, but it’s longer, wider and taller. Those looking for proof that FoMoCo is finally committing to Lincoln as more than just a subset of Ford’s mainstream products need to take a ride in the 2017 Continental. Neil Vorano: David, this conversation is starting to sound like a similar one we could have had back in 2004 with another historically luxurious American nameplate: Cadillac. Caddy had languished for decades as a rebranded and faux-luxury marque, pretending to be but not being even close to the likes of BMW or Mercedes; it was more a ride for blue-haired Floridians than high-powered execs. And then the STS debuted, and look what they’ve done since. Cadillac is back to being a real, bona fide luxury brand. So I keep that in mind when I think about the fact the Continental is based on the Fusion chassis; it’s not an ideal way to reboot one of the most storied nameplates in history, but you’ve got to start somewhere, I guess.
But let’s be honest: No one will be able to pick out the fact the Continental shares this chassis with another car, especially not if they’re given a chance to sit on the sumptuous leather chairs — 30-way adjustable, I might add — or take it for a spin. As you state, dear sir, there’s nothing shared (apart from the bit underneath that only your mechanic can see) with a lower-level car. Oh, sorry: the 3.0-L V-6 is shared by the Lincoln MKZ, but it’s still a Lincoln, so there’s no issue there. DB: I sort of a agree you with the Cadillac referencing, only Lincoln has dithered longer and, perhaps more importantly, pretended not to dither longer. That being said, as good as the motor
is, you’re right, that twin turbo V-6 isn’t the best thing about the new Continental; its sumptuous interior is. From the soft leather to the natural-finished wood, the materials inside the big Lincoln are the equal of its German competition. NV: Elegant is the word I’d use to describe this new car, both inside and out. It has a refined and well-laid-out interior. And yes, I even like those transmissionshifting buttons and the electric door openers. The exterior has a subtle, clean design but it offers something other Lincolns haven’t had in a long time: presence. It doesn’t scream out luxury car, but its larger proportions and the details are such that it doesn’t look like anything else on the road — except maybe a Bentley. But, hey, if you’re going to emulate anyone, a Bentley isn’t such a bad muse.
Here’s another thing I like about the Continental, and perhaps Lincoln’s move forward: there are no sporting aspirations with this car. Unlike Cadillac, which has a few cars that rival the likes of the uber-hot M5, this Continental is all about quiet luxury. Oh, sure, the engine is powerful and torquey, and it can take corners with aplomb, but it’s not meant to be clipping apexes — and behind the wheel, you don’t even care. DB: I agree with your comment about the interior’s elegance, related to the leather, wood and other materials. But the pushbutton gear selector, while not terrible in and of itself, is far from elegant and looks like it was originally designed for a Ford. And the electric push-button door-opener is about as useful as push-button start and it’s just one more electronic gizmo to go wrong down the line. I can just see ECU fault 89: Driver locked in car!
As for not being sporty, you’re right, but the Conti is accommodating. The front has lots of room and the rear accommodations are part palace: Lots of room to
dance and lots of buttons to play with. NV: As an $80,000 fully loaded all-wheel-drive luxury car (with genuine executive room and features in the rear seats), Ford’s premium brand has pulled off a real coup here. You say the interior is the equal of its German counterparts, and I agree; in fact, so is the engine, and in some cases, far superior. While the driving dynamics may not be fully up to par as, say, an Audi A6 or Mercedes E-Class — the steering is a little vague and heavy off-centre — the difference is negligible, and it still offers a truly luxurious ride. And all this is offered at thousands, in some cases tens of thousands, less than the competition.
I know value isn’t a word you generally associate with cars of this class, but the Continental has it, considering its dizzying array of features: self-parking, full safety tech suite, adaptive cruise, surround-view cameras and more. What I’m afraid of, though, is that we’ll see more of these in the limousine lines at the airport, as opposed to in reserved executive parking spots at the office, and that’s just a shame. It may take a while before the brand is seen again as a genuine player in this segment. DB: Of all those statements, it is the last that I agree with most. This is an excellent step for Lincoln, but it is just a first step. The brand will not be judged by the Continental, but by the cars that come afterward. Judged solely on its own merits, this new Continental is a solid 8.0. I, too, hope it is not relegated to simple limousine duty. It deserves better.