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2017 Lincoln Continental Flagship Spied for the First Time in Production Form

Lincoln's brand new Continental design study made its debut at the beginning of this month in the Big Apple. Like the Bentley SUV, it received quite a bit of criticism, due to its controversial front end design, but it seems the American car company is already moving into production.
2017 Lincoln Continental 18 photos
Photo: SB-Medien
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Our spy photographer stationed near a FoMoCo test facility in Michigan snapped the very first images of a production prototype. Even though it's camouflaged, we can easily see the headlights, which are unmistakably the Continental's LEDs.

The Continental is one of only a few iconic names Lincoln has left untouched. So for them to launch a successor comes with both risks and potential rewards. A full-size luxury sedan is precisely what the company needs in order to fight Cadillac. It's also a good way to attract interest and shake off the idea that Lincolns are just rebadged Fords.

Two features helped the concept stand out in New York. One was the paintjob, which was done in Rhapsody Blue Metallic and coordinated with lots of chrome pieces that covered all the lower portion of the car. The second was the interior, which was dressed in indigo blue Venetian leather and Alcantara.

The Continental is not just about driving; it's also about being chauffeured around from one business meeting to the next. That's why ample legroom and entertainment/connectivity features are all part of the package.

Platform and engines

One thing we know for sure about the Continental Concept is that it comes with a 3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged V6 engine. That's a very specific displacement that only Lincoln has, so nobody can say they used a Ford F-150 motor and cut corners.

Lincoln and Ford both sell a lot of cars in China, so it's reasonable to expect this flagship to be offered there. After all, extra legroom and imposing design is exactly what they value in a car.

Even though the Continental is a competitor for the S-Class and 7 Series, it's going to be based on a front-wheel drive platform, the CD4. Still, all-wheel drive will be offered as standard, so luxury buyers won't have a reason to turn their noses in disgust, especially when we tell them the Audi A8 is also front-wheel drive when quattro isn't specified.

We don't yet know the exact output of the 3-liter twin-turbo V6, but it's reasonable to expect somewhere in the region of 400 hp. They could add a V8 somewhere above that, but the Chinese could receive a four-cylinder at the bottom end of the spectrum.

Expect the Lincoln flagship to drop by your local showroom next year as a 2017 model year. Prices should start at around $70,000, thus undercutting the Germans.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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