Lincoln Continental concept
by Steve Laser

Ford has enjoyed great success lately with its retro-inspired Thunderbird. So it comes as no surprise that the Lincoln luxury brand reaches into its past to create the new Continental concept four-door hardtop. Developed concurrently with the MK 9 coupe that debuted at the 2001 New York Auto Show, Lincoln is seeking to establish a uniquely American design philosophy for its future models.

According to Design Director Gerry McGovern, the new concept is more of a styling “litmus test” than an accurate representation of the next generation Continental. “We’re doing a lot of work in our studios to see how far we can stretch the Lincoln DNA,” says McGovern. The target buyer for the concept “is a true luxury connoisseur who isn’t interested in the latest trends. Instead, he wants a vehicle that will withstand the test of time.”

For inspiration, the design team turned the clock back to the early 1960s when a tastefully styled Continental replaced its overwrought predecessor that was rooted in the jukebox era of the '50s. Although it’s a bit early to deem the '61 Continental a classic, its striking silhouette is forever etched in the American psyche as the “Kennedy Lincoln.”

Formality, elegance, simplicity and overall restraint are qualities that apply to a pair of Lincolns separated by four decades and eight presidents. The Continental concept fast-forwards the slab-sided look of the original into the future. Bladed fenders topped with chrome spears, a wide grille flanked by quad circular headlights, center opening doors and thick C-pillars aptly reflect Continental’s heritage. Unlike the stealthy black MK 9 concept, the Continental is dressed in a more cheerful retro hue that Lincoln dubs Silver Sea Spray.

Lincoln’s design team in Detroit and Irvine ,California, endowed the Continental concept with a far more aggressive stance than its ancestor. For instance, subtly flared fenders house massive 22-inch polished alloy wheels. A limousine-like 136.6-inch wheelbase with short front and rear overhangs gives it added stability. Rectangular exhaust tips integrated into the rear valance make a powerful statement. And the gracefully sweeping, coupe-like roofline is nearly centered within the wheelbase.

A hallmark of the '61 Continental, center-opening doors are becoming more common on today’s concept vehicles (witness the Honda Model X, Isuzu GBX, et al). The Continental’s power-activated doors can be set into motion individually via remote control or by simply touching the flush aluminum door handles. Articulating hinges allow the doors to open to 90 degrees, creating an aperture that’s nearly six feet wide. The absence of B-pillars allows unobstructed access to the front and rear seats. To maintain structural rigidity, a steel ring frame is employed around the A-pillar, rear roof pillar, sill and roof rail.

The Continental concept’s exquisitely finished interior brings to mind the cabin of a corporate jet. A full-width instrument panel is built around reconfigurable displays for engine functions and vehicle systems, including concierge and telematics features, navigation and the Lucasfilm THX-certified audio system. (The latter will make its commercial debut on the 2003 Lincoln LS.) The display system’s sharply defined images are created by Organic Light Emitting Diode technology (OLED), developed for the concept by Pioneer Electronics. Current is passed through the film by a matrix of electrodes to illuminate individual pixels, which can display in green, blue, orange and yellow.

A quartet of luxurious bucket seats and the headliner are dressed with full-grain aniline leather dyed a creamy shade of Rhode Island Sand. Inspired by the Charles Eames lounge chair, the seats are adjustable for height and rake and have a fore and aft travel of 10 inches. The seats on the right side can be reconfigured into a bed by reclining the rear seat and folding down the center section of the front seatback. The polished aluminum structures of the seats are left exposed.

Running the full length of the interior is a tall center console. Up front, it houses a “mouse,” as well as controls for the power doors and windows. Built-in laptop holders also stow in the console. Case holders incorporated into the front seatbacks fold down to allow an attaché to be opened without removing it from the sleeve. In its mission as an executive car, rear seat passengers are quite pampered. A cabinet between the seats houses fine crystal and a drink dispenser. Each rear door has a large umbrella holder and compartments that can be personalized (the concept is fitted with cigar humidors).

Innovative solutions have also been applied to the luggage compartment. The power decklid is supported by a parallelogram hinge arrangement that enables it to open while maintaining its horizontal orientation. The idea is to keep the LED taillamps visible while the lid is raised, as well as allowing easy access to three sliding storage drawers. Valets will appreciate the remotely controlled tray that slides out of the trunk to present Zero Halliburton luggage and golf club cases.

Swift transportation is ensured thanks to the installation of a 6.0-liter V12 engine courtesy of the Aston Martin DB7 Vantage (credit the family connection via Ford’s Premier Automotive Group). In this application, it generates an authoritative 414 horsepower and 413 lbs.-ft. of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission drives the rear wheels. The Continental’s chassis uses aluminum and composite body-on-frame construction with composite outer skin. The big sedan rides on a multi-link four-wheel independent suspension with driver selectable electronic damping. The concept also sports variable-assist, speed sensitive four-wheel steering and four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with six-piston front calipers.

Its recent concepts prove that Lincoln is well on its way to establishing an innovative future that is inevitably linked to the successes of its storied past. “The MK9 is overtly sporty and the Continental is formal but both are bound together by Lincoln design cues, a common approach to surface development and an absolute obsession with precision,” says McGovern. “These two concepts, as well as the work we have done in-studio with SUVs, have convinced us that our design philosophy is ’stretchable,’ and that we have completed our roadmap for the future.”

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