Lincoln Continental: A Luxurious Full-Size Sedan

For those who are lucky enough to have deep pockets and don’t want to jump onto the SUV bandwagon, there’s always the good old, full-size luxury sedan. While the market trend on this front is pointing towards even more luxury SUVs coming in over the next few years, the charm and elegance of a large luxury sedan isn’t going anywhere.

Among the most prolific of these famous American brands is none other than Lincoln, and their big, bad boy battling it out in the luxury sedan department is their very own flagship, the new Continental.

The Lincoln Continental nameplate has actually been around for over fifty years, but the all-new tenth-generation avatar only came into being in late 2016. It’s built on the Ford CD4 platform, much like its MKZ sibling, and when it went on sale, the new Continental effectively replaced the now aging MKS. In the UAE, the Lincoln Continental rivals the following luxury sedans:

• Cadillac CT6
• BMW 7-Series
• Genesis G90
• Lexus LS

Exterior

Unlike some of its more flashy competitors from Europe or Asia, the exterior of the Lincoln Continental is rather subdued but with a touch of elegance and class. This is quite interesting and a welcome change from some of the cars (especially American ones) that glitter with excess chrome.

The new Continental relies on graceful contours, subtle yet visible character lines, and unique features that are particular to the Continental. The front fascia incorporates the brand’s trademark chrome grille with the backlit Lincoln emblem, stylish multi-element full-LED headlamps, clean hood design with minor creases, and bumper-integrated air-intake channels, elegant chrome décor, and horizontally placed LED fog lamps.

The most notable design traits along the Continental’s well-proportioned side profile include:

• Suave stalk-mounted wing mirrors
• Chrome E-Latch door handles placed along the window line
• Distinctive rear haunches
• Large multi-spoke 20-inch wheels

The low-slung rear of the Continental houses sophisticated LED tail lamps topped off by vivid “Lincoln” branding, a large trunk lid, and neatly-integrated dual exhaust tips under the bumper. The Lincoln Continental measures:

• Length: 5.115 meters
• Width: 2.090 meters
• Height: 1.487 meters
• Wheelbase: 2.994 meters
• Boot capacity: 473 liters

Interior

The cabin of the Lincoln Continental is a luxurious space best experienced when used as a four-seater. Most surfaces are covered with supple leather, metallic accents, or wood veneer, with little (if any) sign of cost-cutting.

Lincoln has included several nifty features, including:

• Radar-guided cruise control
• Twin-panel sunroof
• Hands-free trunk release
• Adaptive dampers
• Active noise cancellation
• Dual-zone climate control
• 10-speaker sound system
• Surround-view cameras
• 8.0-inch touch infotainment system
• Head-up display

Additionally, it comes equipped with eight airbags, inflatable seatbelts, lane-keeping assist, and collision detection with automatic braking.

Engine and Performance

The most powerful variant of the Lincoln Continental produces 370 hp and 575 Nm from its 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine. This motor is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive system. At full blast, the Continental achieves an electronically-limited top speed of 250 km/h, while the 0-100 km/h sprint is completed in just 5.6 seconds. Not bad for a car that’s specifically tuned for utmost comfort rather than breakneck performance.

Verdict

The Lincoln Continental is priced between AED 209,000 to AED 325,000 for the entry-level Premier and the range-topping Reserve AWD trims, respectively.