Lincoln Continental Revived As A Concept Sedan Looking East

Giving new life to an iconic name is tough, but the struggling Lincoln brand is trying to do just that with the new Continental concept car —  a preview of its future look, and a bet on defining a 21st-century mission for Ford's luxury brand, with an eye toward growing in the world's most bustling luxury car market, China.

First, the good news: The Continental concept, unveiled today ahead of the New York auto show, does have beautiful lines. A new, less baleen whale-style grille with a chrome Lincoln cross that lights up when the car is “awakened,” and a bucketful of new technologies. Features like 30-way adjustable seats with cleverly designed split thigh bolsters that can be individually adjusted, door handles at the beltline that open elegantly with a touch of a button hidden underneath and feature both soft open and close, a “smart-glass” roof that tints at the touch of a button, and a 3.0-liter twin-turbo Ecoboost engine, all combined with safety and convenience features already offered on the new Lincoln MKX.

Add into that mix the “quiet luxury” touches they’ve included—things like a Harmon Kardon-designed Revel audio system and active noise control to cut down on exterior or engine noise and you have a car that, at least from a spec sheet, hits all the luxury buttons.