Comebacks are never easy, but they are doable. Ask Cadillac.
Not so long ago, GM's luxury car division was on the mat, the count at seven or eight. Cadillac had lost its mojo and traded it for Metamucil. Its cars weren't even gaudy anymore, just old.
Then there was an ether-fed cold start.
Over the course of about 10 years, beginning in the late 1990s with the introduction of the Catera — the first Caddy in decades that zigged rather than shuffled — Cadillac redefined itself as the American luxury-sport brand.
It can be done.
Now, Lincoln is in the process of trying to do it but in a different way.
What It Is
The Continental is Lincoln's new flagship sedan.
It is cleverly positioned in between midsized (and mid-priced) luxury-sport sedans like the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes E-Class and the much pricier and only slightly larger full-sized BMW 7-Series and Mercedes S-Class sedan.
Base price is $44,720, and it tops out at $65,075 for the Black Label edition with the new 400-horsepower twin-turbo V-6 engine and all-wheel drive.
What's New
The Continental is new both in the car and the name, resurrected after several years in retirement.
Also new is Lincoln's Black Label experience, a kitchen sink concierge service that includes in-home shopping, a premium maintenance plan that even covers routine wear items like tires and oil/filter changes, and pick-up and delivery of the car when service is needed. You also get a personal liaison you can call anytime to intercede on your behalf with any questions or issues, and, finally, privileged access to a nationwide network of exclusive high-end restaurants from coast to coast.
The only thing they forgot is the Grey Poupon in the glove box.
What's Good
It looks rich but not old.
It makes the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes S-Class look overpriced.
It's not a rebadged Ford this time.
"Serene" and "soothing" is Lincoln's ad copy — and it's not just ad copy.
What's Not So Good
No Grey Poupon in the glove box.
Under the Hood
The Continental is available with three engines, all of them V-6s, as opposed to the usual two and turbo fours in this class.
The Connie's standard 3.7-liter V-6 has 305 horsepower.
Next up is a 335-horsepower 2.7-liter V-6 with twin turbos.
The top engine is a 400-horsepower 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 with 400 foot-pounds of torque.
All three are paired with six-speed automatic transmissions, and if you go with the 3.0-liter V-6, you also get AWD.
On the Road
This is a luxury sedan, not a luxury-sport sedan. Finally.
The ridiculous pretense that a big sedan must also corner like a Porsche 911 else it is somehow a failure is dispensed with here. With a long wheelbase (117.9 inches) and a heavy weight (it'll be almost 5,000 pounds with a driver and passenger on board), it rides solid rather than firm. That doesn't mean it wallows. And, it floats.
In further keeping with the luxury idea, the Connie is easy to drive. Technology/gadgetry is there, but demurely in the background.
Putting the transmission into gear does not involve nontactile toggles or rotary dials but classic Lincoln pushbuttons for each range. It is both elegant and simple, two qualities that should always be paired in a luxury car.
To open the door — not that you'll want to — just tap a button.
At the Curb
The Connie is a larger, roomier and more substantial-looking car than midsized luxury sedans like the BMW 5-Series and Mercedez Benz E-Class. In fact, it's nearly as large and substantial-looking as BMW and Benz's top-of-the-line rollers, the 7-Series and the S-Class.
There are things you can get in a Connie that you'd have to step up — way up — to a 7-Series or S-Class to get, like a rear seat executive package with reclining and massaging seats.
Besides all this, it is just gorgeous.
The Rest
The Connie's SYNC 3 interface is also elegantly simple to operate, which makes the car pleasant to drive.
The 30-way adjustable seats are among the best you'll find at any price. And the 19-speaker Revel Ultima audio rig features Clari-Fi digital sound reconstruction technology that makes compressed digital music sound as good as vinyl and other full-spectrum recordings.
The Bottom Line
Why compete when you can end-run?
Lincoln's aim is to be what everyone else isn't.
To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com. His new book, Don't Get Taken for a Ride! will be available soon.
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