Yahoo Autos At $16,995, Is This 2018 Lincoln Continental A Premium Deal?
Unless you live near an airport, you will unlikely see many Lincolns like today’s Nice Price or No Dice Continental Premiere. That might make this a rather ironic choice for anyone not in the livery business. Let’s see if the price means its eventual buyer will be taken for a ride.
Algebra is the division of mathematics dedicated to the study of mathematical structures formed around variables standing in for unknown values. If we were to apply algebraic logic to last Friday’s 1997 BMW M3 saloon, the equation might look something along the lines of “mileage=X,” in which X is the unknown. Unfortunately, the solution wasn’t forthcoming, and that brought up another number—the $7,200 asking price. Considering the car’s “X factor,” that was deemed too much, bringing about yet another number—a 76 percent No Dice loss.
Here’s another test for you: name all of Lincoln’s current models in ascending order of size. See? It can’t be done! OK, so I went to the Lincoln site and figured it out. Ford’s extra-bougie brand currently offers four models in its lineup. Each is a five-door crossover/SUV style of vehicle only differing by name and size category. All are based on some existing Ford model.
From smallest to extra big, they are the Corsair, which is based on the Ford Escape; the Nautilus, which takes its platform from the Chinese market Edge; the Explorer-based Aviator; and the top dog Navigator, which, under all its fancy bits is a Ford Expedition. It’s pretty easy to tell a Corsair from a Navigator, but the middle two? Yeah, good luck.
The same problem does not exist with this 2018 Lincoln Continental Premiere. Being a saloon in a sea of SUVs means it truly stands out. Being a Continental means it also has almost a century of history behind it to uphold, so it better be fairly nice and not make its owners question their buying decisions.
Alas, such a decision can only be made in the used car market. Lincoln stopped making the Continental and, in fact, cars of any ilk in 2020, rendering it the last in a long line of elegant cars that, for decades, served America’s upper echelon. Unfortunately, that echelon has moved on.
The Continental was a pretty high note to go out on. Based on an elongated and widened version of Ford’s CD4 platform that also underpins the Nautilus and a number of other cars and crossovers, the Continental was elevated above the rest by its retro-adjacent styling. It is very familiar looking, to the point that, upon the model’s auto show debut in 2016, a Bentley rep ran over to the stand, pointed a gnarly finger at it, and cursed the Continental, shouting, “Copycat!”
Looking vaguely like a Bentley isn’t such a bad thing, and the Continental’s styling—especially its cool window edge door handles—has held up very well. According to the ad, this one comes with 100K on the clock, new brakes, and decent tires. Many of these cars went into livery service, and hence, almost all seem to have been painted black. This one is o exception, and its black paint appears to be in excellent condition. That’s accentuated by a smattering of chrome here and there. Handsome factory wheels complete the look, and it tickles my funny bone that this Continental wears Continental tires on those 18-inch alloys.
The interior may not be up to Lexus standards, but it’s damn close. That’s real wood inlaid in the dash, doors, and console, and the seating surfaces are all leather. The most amazing factor here is the room the car’s size affords. The rear legroom is NBA level, and the trunk is big enough to carry multiple golf bags if that’s your bag.
The Continental was made available with three engine choices and the available option of AWD. This car has the base 305-horsepower 3.7-liter DOHC V6 that also can claim 280 lb-ft of torque. That’s a good bit off the 335 horses of the 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 and nowhere near the 3.0’s 400 ponies, but that’s balanced by the larger, lazier engine not being as complicated and, hence, probably longer-lived. A six-speed automatic feeds the front wheels on this edition.
According to the dealer selling the Continental, it is laden with comfort and convenience features and comes with a Pennsylvania state inspection sticker good until next year. The pictures show a tag hanging in the car, which displays a $21,995 price. That obviously didn’t gain much traction on the lot since it’s now advertised on Craigslist at a far lower $16,995. The ad notes that the price is firm and that payment will be demanded in cash, although immediately following that is the assurance that the dealer takes all major credit cards.
What’s your take on this seemingly well-equipped last-of-the-line Continental and that $16,995 asking? Does that seem like a fair price for an almost-forgotten luxury car? Or is it just too much for an also-ran sedan?
You decide!
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Craigslist, or go here if the ad diappears.
H/T to RevUnlimiter for the hookup!
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