HARD TO HANDLE: The Lincoln Continental Fails to Inspire
Does the Lincoln Continental go far enough to revive the brand? That’s the question on everyone’s minds after seeing the finished product at this year’s Detroit Auto Show. Can the new Continental reinvigorate the brand to a point where it once again becomes profitable for Ford? Lincoln states that it’s looking at a different class of buyer than Mercedes, BMW, Audi, and Cadillac.
The company is looking for a consumer that doesn’t want flashy chrome, ridiculous power, or anything that the Germans and Cadillac are offering right now. The car is meant for comfort and elegance, or at least that’s what Lincoln says.
Here’s the thing though, it doesn’t go far enough. The new Lincoln Continental just looks like a larger MKZ. There’s nothing special about it. No suicide doors, no personality whatsoever. It’s just another beige car with a higher price tag which will sit on dealer lots for ages collecting dust until the dealer inevitably drops the price by $20k.
Sure it has really cool seats, and a Revel Audio system which many consider one of the best in the trade, but that doesn’t help it’s status. Lincoln needed a wow factor, and this is just not it.
