Photo: Catalin Garmacea
After popping its cherry on the floor of the New York Auto Show earlier this month, the brand new 2017 Lincoln Continental also showed up in Shanghai today, to lure Chinese customers in as well. Having all of its doors open for the venue, we managed to snap some photos of the car to judge for ourselves whether it’s worth the effort or not.
In short: yes, this is what we’ve been waiting for from Lincoln under the Continental badge. The exterior design sends us back to the golden age of the Conti with a tall, strong shoulder line and a brand new grille up front that also was inspired by older designs.
The wheels show a turbine-style that doesn’t look half bad while the lights are on par both with the times and the legacy of the car. Up front, they are massive and imposing, demanding respect. Round the back, the elongated shape does create an effect on the body that makes the boot look thinner and less bulky than it really is.
The magic happens inside though, as the Continental will be used for shuttle purposes. The magic starts happening once you reach the door handles. They are electrically adjustable and open once you approach the car. That might look nifty but once the battery dies out, you might be disgruntled by the outcome.
Unlike the golden Continental, the doors are conventional but once opened, they reveal a world of luxury. The finest leather was used all around and the designers made sure that aluminum and glass worked together to create a cozy feeling.
The panoramic roof was created so that it forms a single piece with the windshield while metal was used all around the cabin, from the center stack to the doors.
Luxury features include a tablet lap tray that deploys from the through-center console, a champagne storage compartment, and Venetian leather first-class travel cases that are attached from the backs of the front seats. We agree with most of them, but those travel cases could’ve been positioned somewhere else as they look out of place in real life.
As far as the powertrains go, there are few options on the table if we’re to look at what Ford has to offer. Our bet is on an all-wheel drive platform with the 3-liter V6 EcoBoost mill under the bonnet.
It will also be interesting to see how much of what we’re admiring on this concept will eventually make it into production next year as Lincoln might tone things down a bit on the end product. Even so, we can’t wait to drive the new Continental and see how it fares against its German rivals.
The wheels show a turbine-style that doesn’t look half bad while the lights are on par both with the times and the legacy of the car. Up front, they are massive and imposing, demanding respect. Round the back, the elongated shape does create an effect on the body that makes the boot look thinner and less bulky than it really is.
The magic happens inside though, as the Continental will be used for shuttle purposes. The magic starts happening once you reach the door handles. They are electrically adjustable and open once you approach the car. That might look nifty but once the battery dies out, you might be disgruntled by the outcome.
Unlike the golden Continental, the doors are conventional but once opened, they reveal a world of luxury. The finest leather was used all around and the designers made sure that aluminum and glass worked together to create a cozy feeling.
The panoramic roof was created so that it forms a single piece with the windshield while metal was used all around the cabin, from the center stack to the doors.
Luxury features include a tablet lap tray that deploys from the through-center console, a champagne storage compartment, and Venetian leather first-class travel cases that are attached from the backs of the front seats. We agree with most of them, but those travel cases could’ve been positioned somewhere else as they look out of place in real life.
As far as the powertrains go, there are few options on the table if we’re to look at what Ford has to offer. Our bet is on an all-wheel drive platform with the 3-liter V6 EcoBoost mill under the bonnet.
It will also be interesting to see how much of what we’re admiring on this concept will eventually make it into production next year as Lincoln might tone things down a bit on the end product. Even so, we can’t wait to drive the new Continental and see how it fares against its German rivals.
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