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2017 Continental Reviews

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#1 · (Edited)
Lincoln just rolled out one of the most hyped cars of the year — here's the verdict
Business Insider


By Matthew DeBord

The Lincoln Continental is just one of those cars. It really isn't even a car — it's an ideal, a dream, an evocation.

Ford introduced the Continental in the late 1930s, and over the decades it was conjoined with American history, most tragically in 1963, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas while riding in a 1961 Continental limousine.

Ford discontinued the Continental as its flagship Lincoln luxury sedan in 2002, but the nameplate never really went away. You could say that it haunted Ford.

And then, in 2015, a new Continental concept car took the New York auto show by storm. Ford had considered killing off Lincoln after the financial crisis but decided against it and put billions into a revival of the brand. By 2016 we saw the production version of the big new sedan as it hit the car-show circuit.

More recently, as autumn settled in the Northeast, we finally found ourselves behind the wheel of a 2017 Lincoln Continental Reserve with all-wheel drive, stickered at $56,000 but then benefitting from about $20,000 worth of options, taking the final price up to $76,000.

Does the new Continental live up to expectations — not to mention the lofty reputation of its name?

Read on to find out:
 
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#252 · (Edited)
Yep, "Quiet Luxury" and "Elegance" is code for let's tone down the language
and get back to more conservative main stream luxury styling cues..

This is all about Lincoln getting back into the middle of the styling corridor
where more peopl will like what they see...

Could RWD be as easy as someone from engineering showing the chiefs,
the relative ease involved with grafting a modified Mustang front
crash zone (engine bay) onto an existing CD4?

Could it be that,
S550 Mustang is to Alpha Camaro as RWD CD6 Sedan is to Alpha CTS/Omega CT6
Please, let the fun begin soon......
 
#256 · (Edited)
Yep, "Quiet Luxury" and "Elegance" is code for let's tone down the language
and get back to more conservative main stream luxury styling cues..

This is all about Lincoln getting back into the middle of the styling corridor
where more peopl will like what they see...

Could RWD be as easy as someone from engineering showing the chiefs,
the relative ease involved with grafting a modified Mustang front
crash zone (engine bay) onto an existing CD4?


Could it be that,
S550 Mustang is to Alpha Camaro as RWD CD6 Sedan is to Alpha CTS/Omega CT6
Please, let the fun begin soon......
the anticipation part of the fun started a while ago, @jpd80 :joyous:
"the CD4+3 Fwd+Rwd Poll" thread​
(Sept.2013) quickie chop

 
#255 ·
Lincoln is recognizing what luxury customers want, and playing to it. It's quite simple. More engineering focused around lowering cabin noise, plush adjusting seats, features, engine thrust, etc. These are all tangible, immediate benefits that most luxury customers truly want. And at the end of the day, this was all based on an existing platform with some inherent challenges. Clearly the next phase of luxury will introduce a clean sheet approach and take it up several notches. But what should be clear, is that Lincoln is serious about returning to greatness. A back to back drive with the MKS proves this and I think many would and should be surprised at just how athletic this car can be.
 
#260 ·
Yep, you are spot on. I read a comment on another article that shows just how well of a job Lincoln did with this car.

" I am 50yrs old. I remember when my Dad bought his Continental back in 79. I was 12 and it made you feel like you were on top of the world. The smell of leather and the buttons to play with was like riding in you own amusement park. I saw the new Lincoln last week at my local dealer and it felt like I was 12 yrs old again. I didn't say anything, just stood there and looked at it. We took a test drive and I am not sure what the salesman was saying because as far as I was concerned,,,he didn't exist. The only thing different between then and now is that ,,,,I,,,, was driving. My Dad is 81 now and driving days are over but when I brought the car home, we went for a ride. His smile was priceless."
 
#258 ·
Another new review:
http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/lincoln_continental_2017

One thing confused me in this review. They mentioned this:
"The Black Label models have a real shift lever, but it's an electronically controlled hollaback to an era gone by."
And then again at the end under features, mentioned that the Black Label models include, and I quote, "a console-mounter shifter".

What are they talking about...? They can't be talking about the steering wheel paddle shifters, and unless I've been crazy the last year, the Black Label models also have the LCD adjacent push button gear shift that every Lincoln minus the MKT and Navigator have. Was there a last minute change or something on certain models? Or was this a double typo?
 
#264 · (Edited)
Something good is happening between the press and the Lincoln Continental. Automobile magazine has it in its january cover and has two (2!) articles about the car and Lincoln. And both are everything but bad for The Continental and Lincoln.

Something good is happening!

"Lincoln critics decry the brand’s lack of a rear-wheel-drive platform, but all Continental models are available with all-wheel drive and its accompanying torque-vectoring differential, which given who the brand is going after—people more concerned with the experience of how to get somewhere rather than how fast they do—should be more than enough. You want an American car with German-challenging dynamics and mind-blowing performance? Google your nearest Cadillac dealer.". - Automobile Magazine. This is the key of the succes to try to make Lincoln relevant again. Traditional american luxury.

"But now Lincoln was finally showing a pulse, a direction to the world. The world (mostly) approved.". - Automobile Magazine


Here the links : http://www.automobilemag.com/news/2017-lincoln-continental-reserve-1940-lincoln-zephyr-cabriolet/

http://www.automobilemag.com/news/lincoln-looks-ahead-impatiently/
 
#268 ·
The most interesting aspect of that article is it was written by none other than Jack Baruth. I think most of us remember him as they guy that pissed off Ford with his MKZ review back when it was new and he still wrote for TheTruthAboutCars. He absolutely trashed the MKZ, and I for one didn't completely disagree with him. Yet here he is touting the Continental as the best American sedan in four decades!

I don't mean this as a slam to you Wings, but winning you (or most any of us at FIN) over with new Ford/Lincoln product is pretty **** easy, that they won over a former harsh critic speaks volumes and volumes about how far Lincoln has progressed. Exciting times ahead for Lincoln fans!!
 
#269 · (Edited)
Jack Baruth? I recall he used to beat his chest about how he writes 'truthful' reviews for TTAC, unlike the R&T's and MT's of the world. Yeah, look at him now. It really is true, we are all freaking hypocrites. Or some anyway.

Yeah, I recall a very brutal MKZ review from TTAC from Derek Keindler. I just went and reread it to see how I feel about it today, and have to say, I thought the same thing today - a brutal hit piece, little more (article is linked below). He did not even fully review the car, if at all, he only attacked a few areas. He condemned Lincoln quality based MOSTLY on a gas cap that would not properly close, as if there was no possibility that it was merely damaged, and not even mentioning as much. Did he even bother to mention potential early build issues.....NOPE.

The next attack was on the big glass roof, and only....ONLY commenting on how it blocks some of your rear vision when fully open. I have driven an MKZ like that and I can tell you, it is not nearly as bad as TTAC journalist lead on. Beside that, they could not find a positive word about having your roof fully open on a sunny day. Really?

Next up, turbo lag and how 'downsizing does not work.' False. Way, way FALSE. Although I would rather have the 3.7L, the 2L EB feels great around town, and is also the BASE ENGINE for a $37K MSRP entry level luxury sedan. And that engine easily gets me 22-23mpg average with my similar AWD Fusion.....not the 16mpg they complained about. ****, I don't think I could get below 18mpg if I tried, short of drag racing every light in the city.

And again, they did not review the car, only how much they hated it, claiming no better than Fusion, and with closing comments like;
"The Lincoln MKZ is one of the most poorly executed cars in recent memory. There is literally nothing redeeming about it. I can think of more reasons to avoid it than to buy it"

So in hindsight, we know there were some very early build issues with the Z, and we also know that it had a few rough edges with interior features and the like. But can anyone honestly read that crap and believe it was merely constructive criticism, only meant to improve the brand? I have been reading car reviews since I was about 14, subscribing to every Clearinghouse automotive rag that existed, and then eventually in larger volumes on the internet. That's over 37 years of car reviews. Literally thousands.

Sorry, that was not a review.
TTAC has a reputation for a reason, and that is just how I feel.




Link to TTAC review of MKZ;

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2013/07/capsule-review-2013-lincoln-mkz/
 
#270 ·
Jack Baruth? I recall he used to beat his chest about how he writes 'truthful' reviews for TTAC, unlike the R&T's and MT's of the world. Yeah, look at him now. It really is true, we are all freaking hypocrites. Or some anyway.
I would say we all are from time to time. I wouldn't however categorize his review of the Continental as hypocritical. It is entirely possible for a person to find the original 2nd gen MKZ unworthy of its premium price and positioning while believing that the Continental is the best American luxury sedan in decades. There is no question that Lincoln has raised it's game with each new vehicle they've released and to compare the 2013 MKZ to the Continental is a bit mind blowing that they're only 4 years apart and from the same brand.

I don't see the change in reviewer attitude as hypocrisy, I see it as kudos to Lincoln for how far they've truly come!
 
#271 ·
Baruth actually reviewed the Conti, unlike the MKZ journalist, IMO, and yeah, I felt the Conti review was fair. And not just because it was positive overall, contrary to what some may believe. Although I might piss and moan about it, I would still much rather read a fair and comprehensive review - even if it includes honest negatives. I also think a review should be very informative, with opinions secondary, and style should be dead last if at all. Journalism ‘style’ shifts the focus to the individual writing it rather than informing the audience. Substance over style wins, IMO. The TTAC review of MKZ seemed to have it all backwards, with opinion as foremost, and informing the reader was somewhere near last.

And the hypocrisy I speak of for Baruth, is in regards to his criticism of MT and R&T in the past as not as ‘truthful’ as TTAC.
 
#273 ·
The RT article was down well, but still shows the RT's effort to tie the Lincoln Continental with a Fusion any way they can. This time they made it all the way to the second paragraph, but just the second sentence before bringing up the Fusion.

'The front half of the car is a derivation of the Ford CD4 platform familiar from the current Fusion, but there's nearly 10 inches of additional length, much of it behind the B-pillar.'

When the point was how much additional space was available for the rear seat passengers, to bring in the Fusion, they had to focus on the front end where there is sharing of CD4 components.

That comparison becomes more desperate when they don't even check their facts and get it wrong:

"Move up to Select, and the 2.7-liter, 335-hp twin-turbo six from the Fusion becomes available."

The version of the 2.7L engine in the Fusion Sport offers 325hp.

In both situations, both mentions of the Ford Fusion were unnecessary for the article about the Lincoln Continental. But it still points at their ongoing attempt to undercut the credibility of Lincoln and Lincoln models.

And how the article ends(as CD/RT/MT which I believe are all owned by the came company), they cast consistently cast doubt on the success of Lincoln overall this time with:

"The difficulty will be getting buyers to look past the default German brands"

Apparently they didn't do their research as for Jan 2017, Lincoln Continental out sold BMW 5-Series 1,167 to 749. Along with Lexus LS(280) or Lexus GS(422), and even the Cadillac CT6(634).

Which makes the quote offered a bit out of place

'.....yet I am reminded of another comment by Samuel Johnson regarding Milton: "Success and virtue do not go necessarily together."

I think this is why their articles speak nothing of Lincoln sales in NA or China.
 
#275 · (Edited)
...'The front half of the car is a derivation of the Ford CD4 platform familiar from the current Fusion, but there's nearly 10 inches of additional length, much of it behind the B-pillar.'

When the point was how much additional space was available for the rear seat passengers, to bring in the Fusion, they had to focus on the front end where there is sharing of CD4 components.

That comparison becomes more desperate when they don't even check their facts and get it wrong:

"Move up to Select, and the 2.7-liter, 335-hp twin-turbo six from the Fusion becomes available."

The version of the 2.7L engine in the Fusion Sport offers 325hp.

In both situations, both mentions of the Ford Fusion were unnecessary for the article about the Lincoln Continental. But it still points at their ongoing attempt to undercut the credibility of Lincoln and Lincoln models....
attributing the CD4 to Fusion is justPlain INaccurate imho if not misleading/misled
...maybe the writer's Mommy owns a Fusion?
*IF* the usual-suspect-blogs were News instead of enterNoozment, I'd hope to see: "Fomoco's mid-large F-Awd architecture that's used for many** (4-7-10+?) models around the globe"

...Which makes the quote offered a bit out of place

'.....yet I am reminded of another comment by Samuel Johnson regarding Milton: "Success and virtue do not go necessarily together." '

I think this is why their articles speak nothing of Lincoln sales in NA or China.
I thought that was a MAZDA quote ...or in reverse = Toyota ...or Mae West!
>:)


** 3 Mondeo bodystyles, Fusion, MKZ
2 Edge bodystyles, MKX
S-Max, Galaxy
ChinaTaurus?
Continental
did I miss any?
 
#279 ·
a (partly) 'SLASH' Review from:
SlashGear.com
2017 Lincoln Continental AWD Reserve Review: American Cheese

Chris Davies - Feb 16, 2017


...Continuously Controlled Damping (CCD) gives the car a settled poise that belies its not-inconsiderable size. Deeper potholes and ill-kept road surfaces will send some rumbles into the cabin, but cornering is flat and the AWD system has decent grip.

Though you get 400 horsepower and 400 lb-ft. of torque with the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6, Lincoln is adamant that it hasn’t tried to make a sports sedan. It’s certainly not slow off the line, but the transmission confirms the Continental’s priorities. Not only is it lacking a few ratios in comparison to rivals, it requires a heavy right foot to provoke a downshift and then suddenly surges, betraying the car’s grace in the process...

...In some places, Lincoln’s detailing borders on the sublime. The chrome ribbons that run the shoulder-line of the car and integrate sinuous looping door handles are a good example; the electronically-actuated doors themselves, are another. Lincoln’s engineers have used a clever combination of springs and weighting to somehow give the doors a reassuring feeling of heft while still leaving them easy to open and close...

...You could argue that the lashings of chrome trim and the ornate speaker grilles are over-designed, but they go some way to capturing the ostentatious charm of the original Continental Concept that impressed so many people ahead of the production version. Lincoln’s optional Revel audio system sounds great and, though SYNC3 isn’t my favorite infotainment system, it’s clean and straightforward to use...

...though Lincoln may have wrapped the dash-top of this high-end Reserve model in real leather, it picked hide that has the same texture as the elephant-butt plastic found in molded swathes in cheaper cars...

...Choosing the Continental, then, has to be a purposeful decision. Coy, it’s not, though I think the “love it or hate it” design was the right route for Lincoln to take. There’s no shortage of premium sedans making restrained plays for the market Mercedes, BMW, and Audi do so well in; like the Continental, they undercut their German rivals, but competitive price alone is a soulless play in this segment. Better, surely, to capture the hearts of drivers, and win them over for more than just the possibility of saving a few thousand dollars. On that basis, with its brash attitude and a self-confidence that just skirts the line of caricature, just a few tweaks could see the Continental start the charm offensive Lincoln needs.
.
 
#283 ·
^
"I believe there's a styling triumph going on here because you are looking at, effectively, a long-wheelbase cabin car that doesn't really look like it to my eye. And that matters because I think any sedan over 40 Grand where you ever hear the phrase, 'Let me move my seat up for you' has failed."

"Sort of a very chrome-y baroque Mercedes look meets Audi architecture but with also a few hints and cues of Volvo, like on these knurled rings around some knobs tho has none of the Swedes' restraint."

"The instrument panel is also all LCD as you see, which is rapidly becoming the vogue in any car over about 40 Grand.
You can go traditional gauges which I like or you can also go to some avant-garde layouts that almost don't look like an automotive dashboard. Your choice. But they say, credibly, they want to inform but not overwhelm ... and I salute that."

"Self parking is not that uncommon these days but what I think is interesting is not how well the car parks but how well it identifies a spot - and this car was really Good about that."

"The cynical hard-eyed analyst might say, 'None of that matter, this car is built for China and any sales in the U.S are basically gravy'. Whatever the strategy may be they've really done something here that has a unique flavor and stands out in a sea of competitors - few of which are American."

- - - - - - -


Dang - just saw they had a transcript button ...below my monitor's horizon... Oh Good, it didn't work/NOT gonna try it again
but also was nice to see (what I think is) the Jade Gray interior :joyous: while-it-lasts
 
#284 ·
A few more Continental comments from the press:

https://www.cars.com/reviews/2017-lincoln-continental-our-view-1420694281267/

http://www.automobilemag.com/news/2017-stars-contender-lincoln-continental/

Favorite quotes:

Two turbocharged V-6 engines are optional: a 2.7-liter with 335 hp and a 3.0-liter with 400 hp. We drove the latter, whose superfluous power gets intoxicating. By 2,000 rpm or so, a sustained right foot has the sedan hurtling forward with an urgency that rivals many sports cars. The six-speed automatic — free of the extra gears that thwart so many "advanced" transmissions — dispenses smooth upshifts and deft kickdowns, though one editor noted some hard shifts at low speeds. Forget the V-8; the next Ford Mustang GT should get this engine.

Cabin materials are excellent, with upscale graining and soft-touch surfaces virtually everywhere — a consistency you don't always find, even at this price. Premium details abound, from chrome-ringed buttons to genuine leather-wrapped sections of the upper dashboard and doors. Even the steering wheel hub (not just the rim) comes draped in leather, and it looks stunning. From economy cars to luxury models, dashboard stitching is everywhere these days. Real cowhide is still a treat, and the Continental serves up plenty.

 
#285 ·
I agree with the review on the leather, I think Lincoln is doing a great job with leather on the dash but most importantly is the steering wheel. I am jealous when ever I sit in a newer MKZ since the 13 model got a grained leather on the steering wheel and after that they went all smooth. It just feels a lot nicer... wonder if I can swap it out.
 
#286 ·
Anybody out there ever worry about the cruelty of having too much leather in our cars? Sorry to bring this up, kind of a downer and all, but I often avoid leather because of the guilt. PETA claims that the leather industry slaughters a billion animals every year, and very inhumanely. And for every dead beast, there will be a gut pile that needs to be dealt with. I occasionally think about that, as I wonder how much leather I personally need. I understand it's durability properties, but how many actually need leather surfaces where they rarely if ever even touch, just so that we can feel more pampered knowing it is there.

Anyway, I digress from my soap box.
Have a luxurious day :)


http://www.peta.org/features/leather-industry/
 
#289 ·
I've not really thought about it, as like Bloggin said, I assume most of it comes from animals that are already being used as food.

---

That said, I design outdoor furniture, and we had a rep come in last week that sells the simulated "leather" to Tesla - now I don't recall if Tesla has both leather and simulated leather available (I think they do), but this stuff was pretty neat and soft.
 
#287 ·
^ I don't feel as bad about leather as I do about fur. With leather, at least the rest of the creatures aren't wasted and are consumed. It's a guilty pleasure. *shrug*. I'm thrilled about all the positive reviews the Continental is getting. They're not perfect, but neither is the car. The negative points aren't unwarranted for the most part. I'm really proud of Lincoln's growth.

Also, back to leather: Lincoln's top of the line soft grained leather is so wonderful. Even better than in what I've seen in many BMWs and MBZs. Another favorite leather in cars for me is Volvo's "inscription" trim level leather.
 
#288 ·
^ I thought most of the leather for cars/clothes/etc came from the beef industry. According to the USDA 41,700,000 cows and calves were killed for food in 2000. Those numbers should be about the same as of 2016. Which would indicate that the majority of the leather in cars, were the byproducts of cows being slaughtered for the been people eat. And provides a use for the over 41 million skins available annually.

Those cows that are raised primarily for the finest skins(better cared for so no/less scratches/wounds), still have their meat entering beef processing chain.

Then when we think about it, most cars that have 'leather' seats, actually have leather inserts and small pieces on the touch areas. It's on the more premium vehicles/trim levels where more leather is used.
 
#292 · (Edited)
I finally drove the Continental today. It was a base Premiere, which of course has the 3.7L. That was my biggest concern as I wasn't sure if it would be enough for the car. Turns out I was right that it is more than adequate. It even shifts a lot smoother than the MKX I drove last year. I was also impressed by the sound system even though it wasn't Revel audio. The ride quality was everything I expected, I'd say it was even better than the MKX. The one negative I discovered was that if the battery died, everyone would have to climb through the driver's side door to get out. Overall, I was very impressed. I was expecting to come away wanting a higher spec model, but that wasn't the case. Once I start seriously looking next year I'll still try a Select to test the Revel audio system. The 10 way power seats were more than enough, but it would still be cool to have the perfect position seats. It's still going to be at the very top end of my price range, but hopefully I'll have a job once I graduate that allows me to afford it!

Here is the link to it: http://www.montgomerylincoln.com/ne...20a0e0ae8307c0e35b0252e81.htm?searchDepth=2:7

Here is the window sticker: http://www.windowsticker.forddirect...n4oagitYH7dY3ePS6qaU7sOcAb1qp6tXYDu5TdQGmHX0=
 
#299 ·
I finally drove the Continental today. It was a base Premiere, which of course has the 3.7L. That was my biggest concern as I wasn't sure if it would be enough for the car. Turns out I was right that it is more than adequate. It even shifts a lot smoother than the MKX I drove last year. I was also impressed by the sound system even though it wasn't Revel audio. The ride quality was everything I expected, I'd say it was even better than the MKX. The one negative I discovered was that if the battery died, everyone would have to climb through the driver's side door to get out. Overall, I was very impressed. I was expecting to come away wanting a higher spec model, but that wasn't the case. Once I start seriously looking next year I'll still try a Select to test the Revel audio system. The 10 way power seats were more than enough, but it would still be cool to have the perfect position seats. It's still going to be at the very top end of my price range, but hopefully I'll have a job once I graduate that allows me to afford it!

I too was impressed with even the base model of the Continental and how it drove.
 
#301 ·
Happily, I'm happily stalking TaurusSHO


monroney sticker
Dealer, & pix
now,
I just want to HEAR how the Cappaccino pLeather looked & felt...
...thinking that's a harder test than the ebony



Ooops - didn't notice you updated your first post
I like the interior don't get me wrong but this color combo doesn't do it for me. The shade of the wood is too close to the leather on the dash would like a bit more contrast there.
 
#295 ·
No need to stalk, I included the links in my post. :grin2: The seats felt fine to me. I actually forgot the base model didn't have Bridge of Weir leather, so I didn't really try to feel them. I guess it's a good sign that the quality was high enough to not notice.
 
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