Lincoln’->ke48s iconic flagship sedan, the Continental,->ke1176 made a comeback in 2016, 14 years since the premium brand discontinued the nameplate for the third time in its history. The news came as Lincoln unveiled the Continental Concept at the 2015 New York Auto Show->ke226 and confirmed that the legendary name is about to return on a production car. Less than a year has passed since the concept was unveiled, and the tenth-generation Continental broke cover at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show.->ke222

So let’s give a warm welcome back to the legendary Continental and wish it a long and prosperous fourth stint among luxury limousines.->ke505

After months of speculation and renderings based on the concept car, the production sedan arrived with similar styling cues and more luxury features than ever. The all-new Continental will is produced at Ford'->ke31s Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan and goes on sale for the 2017 model year. Find out more about it below.

Exterior

Not surprisingly, the production car is heavily based on the concept model, sporting the same subtle design and elegant stance. Changes are minor above the front bumper, where we can see a mildly revised grille, production-friendly headlamps (which are still very similar to the concept's). It's the bumper that got the most significant change, ditching the slender air vents in favor of larger openings. The latter is actually an improvement to the concept if you ask me, as they make the front fascia look more aggressive. Finally, Lincoln removed the chrome stripe from the apron to obtain a more homogeneous appearance. On the concept car, the stripe was present on the side skirts and rear apron too as a feature that paid homage to the Continentals of the 1960s.

Changes are more noticeable around back, where Lincoln reworked almost every detail. For starters, the sedan gained a conventional trunk lid that goes all the way toward the bumper. On the concept, the lid opened just above the taillights. While that feature was definitely appealing to old-school enthusiasts, it was no longer practical for a production car. The taillights are also different, being significantly larger and having a new cluster layout. The good news is that the two units are still connected by a thin LED strip, which gives the sedan a more elegant stance. Furthermore, the lamps also received chrome inserts, a feature you don't see too often nowadays. Other revisions include a deeper recess for the license plate, a subtle trunk lid spoiler, and an apron with dual exhaust outlets instead of the concept's quad-pipe configuration.

When viewed from the side, the Continental remains true to the concept with minor exceptions. A quick looks reveals that the production model switched from chrome window trim to black detailing, received larger mirrors, a new fender badge with "Continental" lettering, revised skirts, and mildly altered multi-spoke rims. Surprisingly enough, Lincoln opted to keep the e-latch door handles rather than switch to production handles. These are discreetly integrated into the beltline, leaving the body side clean. The doors pop open at the touch of a button and then close and secure automatically using power-cinching technology.

To fancy things up even further, Lincoln added an exclusive lighting sequence to welcome owners to their cars. When the driver approaches, LED signature lighting in the lower front fascia and the taillights engage, while signature lighting in the headlamps light up in a fluid motion. The mat lights then brighten the pavement around the front doors.

Lincoln provided no details as to what exterior colors will become available for this limousine, but it would be cool if the concept's Rhapsody Blue metallic paint will be offered, even at extra cost.

Interior

While the exterior has lost some of the concept's pizzazz, the interior is definitely worthy of the Continental moniker. A quick glance is enough to notice that the brand has gone to great strides to deliver a luxurious and comfortable car that could rival with what the latest Cadillacs and Audis have to offer. The coolest part about the Continental's cabin is that even though it's a slightly toned-down version of the concept's, it looks way better and feels welcoming rather than cold. I do miss the blue leather in the concept, but the lighter hues in the presentation model works way better with what this limousine wants to be. Also, the massive amount of chrome seen on the concept's center console and dashboard has been replaced by genuine wood. Perfect!

While the dash inserts, the A/C vents, the steering wheel, and the center console are different, the seats are almost identical to those seen in the concept, More importantly, the Continental is equipped with Lincoln's new Perfect Position Seats, which are "inspired by private jets and high-end office furniture." That's more than just PR talk, as the new design allows the seat to adjust to an individual’s body shape and weight for optimal stretch and comfort. They can also be adjusted up to 30 ways and can be optioned up with massage, heat, and cooling features.

The seats come wrapped in leather, as do the console and the instrument panel. The stitching on the seats is specified at six to seven stitches per inch for a couture-like appearance, while the slats of the door panels are laser-cut. Cleverly placed aluminum inserts brighten up the place.

Things get even better in the back, where occupants will benefit from the same comfortable seats in addition to enhanced legroom. The rear compartment is also fitted with audio and climate controls, as well as sunshades. Needless to say, the Continental is the kind of car you want to sit in and relax on your way to dinner or your next meeting.

Making the sedan that much more comfortable is the new Active Noise Control function and the laminated glass, which reduces noise and vibration. A panoramic sunroof that covers nearly the entire roof area if offered as an option. The front half slides up and over the rear, creating a large open-air driving experience for both the front and rear occupants.

Finally, the interior can be upgraded with Lincoln's new Black Label designer themes. You will be able to choose between Chalet, Thoroughbred and Continental-exclusive Rhapsody trim. The latter is similar to the blue-themed interior of the concept car.

Drivetrain

If you're a fan of V-8 engines you probably were disappointed to discover that the Continental Concept had a V-6 powerplant under the hood. My advice back than was to get used to the idea of the future Continental not having a V-8, as Lincoln dropped eight-cylinder engines altogether with the redesigned, 2015 Navigator SUV. And the brand’s press release confirmed just that.

Just like the concept, the production model broke cover with a 3.0-liter V-6 with twin turbochargers. The unit is "all-new" and "Lincoln-exclusive" and pumps out 400 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. The "smooth, responsive, and quiet" powerplant mates to an all-wheel drive system paired with Dynamic Torque Vectoring for confident handling and stability. A six-speed automatic transmission does the shifting, somewhat disappointing given that Ford also has a nine-speed gearbox.

The sedan’s Drive Control system comes with three settings –- Comfort, Normal and Sport –- which adapt steering and suspension settings to the proper road and driving conditions. The new adaptive steering helps optimize steering response, providing a smoother and more precise response to driver input. The adaptive cruise control function is optional.

Two more engines were added to the lineup after the official launch. The base unit is the familiar 3.7-liter Cyclone V-6 mill. Shared across the entire Lincoln lineup, it delivers 305 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque in the Continental. Next up is the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6. This twin turbocharged unit delivers 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. Both engines mate to the six-speed automatic transmission. The all-wheel-drive system is obviously optional.

Prices

Pricing for the Lincoln Continental starts from $46,145, for which you get the Standard model. Upgrade to the Select trim and the sticker jumps to $49,945. If you want to add more luxury, the Continental Reserve can be yours for $59,710 before options. Finally, the Black Label trim retails from $70,045.

Lincoln also offers five options packages. The Select Plus adds blind-spot monitoring and Sync 3 to the Select trim for an extra $1,255. There’s also the $695 Climate Pack with automatic high beams, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and rain sensing wipers, and the $3,105 Technology Pack with 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, Enhanced Active Park Assist, lane keeping assist, and forward collision warning. These two can be added to the Select, Reserve, and Black Label models. Finally, the Rear-Seat Pack costs $4,300 and adds heated, cooled, and multi-contour rear seats, inflatable rear seat belts, and a panoramic sunroof to the Reserve and Black Label trims.

Competition

Cadillac CT6

The new 2016 Cadillac CT6 is the American luxury sedan to beat in its segment, at least from some rather major points of view. In other words, the Lincoln Continental will be forced to play catch up right from the start, and unless it sells like hot cakes in China, it won’t leave much of a mark in Lincoln’s future sales. Built on a new platform, the CT6 seems to tick all the right boxes. Rear-wheel drive with AWD as an option, Powerful V-6 and fuel-efficient four-cylinder units, efficient transmissions, etc. And, it won’t even be Cadillac’s true flagship model if recent sources are to be believed. Pricing for the CT6 starts from $53,495 for the base, four-pot model and from $64,395 for the twin-turbo, 400-horsepower V-6 version.

Find out more about the Cadillac CT6 here.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

New for 2015, the S-Class ditched the boring styling cues of its predecessor in favor of a classy and elegant design, which puts both the BMW 7 Series and the Audi A8 to shame. On top of being gorgeous to look at and carrying an interior than bests just about anything in this segment, the new S-Class is also a powerful machine. The 4.7-liter V-8 in the S550 cranks out 449 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, which is enough to push it from 0 to 60 in five seconds. Definitely the kind of performance Lincoln won’t be able to squeeze from a 3.0-liter V-6. Then there’s the S600, which comes with a massive, 6.0-liter V-12 rated at 523 horses. On the other hand, with a sticker of $95,650 for the base model, the S-Class is way too expensive compared to the Continental.

Read more about the Mercedes-Benz S-Class here.

Conclusion

While the nostalgic will probably jump for joy at the news that the Continental nameplate will return to the Lincoln stable, we need to keep our feet firmly on the ground and take a look at the bigger picture. The tenth-generation Conti is indeed a good looking flagship, has a luxurious and well-equipped interior, and a stout V-6, but things are far from perfect. Unfortunately, Ford did not invest in a new RWD platform that would be worthy of a true luxury brand, but used a derivation of the CD4 architecture, which also underpins the MKZ and the Fusion. Sure, the new Continental may very well be a great car, but it will find it rather difficult to compete against most of its rivals in the full-size luxury segment if under the skin it will be just an elongated Fusion with a fancier name. For now, the new Continental is far from being the iconic rear-wheel drive, V-8-powered land yacht we all adore.

Updated History

Updated 10/09/2015: A new report indicates that the 2017 Continental will be unveiled in January 2016 at the Detroit Auto Show. The model will be initially offered as in front-wheel-drive configuration, while all-wheel-drive will be offered as an alternative. Lincoln has no plans for a hybrid version anytime soon.

Updated 04/01/2015: Lincoln unveiled the Continental concept at the 2015 New York Auto Show and announced a production version will follow in 2016. As expected, we used these information to create a rendering for the production version. You will notice that the production version will look pretty much identical to the concept, except some new wheels, new headlights, an updated front bumper and of course door handles and side mirrors.

Rendering

Not much has been changed from the concept car, especially since recent Lincoln studies weren't far off the production cars that followed. Not to mention I'm positive the production Continental will borrow more than 90 percent of the concept's design. That said, the sedan in this rendering has a set of production-friendly headlamps, a slightly reshaped front bumper, and body-colored side skirts and aprons. Conventional door handles have also been added just in case Lincoln decides to ditch the fancy ones seen on the concept, as well as different wheels, and mirrors. The paint is a bit darker than the concept's Rhapsody Blue.

Now that we've seen the 2015 Continental Concept, it's safe to say this rendering is miles away from the actual design, but you must take into consideration that it was created long before Lincoln unveiled the sedan.

Brief Continental History

The Continental came to life in 1938 as a one-off, two-door convertible commissioned by Edsel Ford. Based on the gorgeous, streamlined Zephyr, the first Continental sported a long hood, long front fenders, and a short trunk lid with an externally mounted, covered spare tired, which soon became the series' trademark. The convertible was powered by a 4.8-liter V-12 engine. Production of the first-generation model began for the 1940 model year and ended in 1948. The name was revived in late 1955, but this time as a separate division of Ford Motor Company. Known as the Continental Mark II, the second-gen coupe had a unique, elegant design and a never-before-seen level or luxury inside the cabin. Power was provided by a 6.0-liter V-8. Crafted with has become known as the highest quality control ever seen in the automobile industry, the Mark II was among the most expensive car in the world, fetching $10,000 at a time when Fords were sold for less than $2K. Despite its enormous price tag, Ford lost money on each Continental sold in 1956 and 1957.

The redesign penned by John Najjar for 1958 saw the introduction of the four-door body style. Significantly larger than its predecessor, the Mark III came with a 7.0-liter V-8 under its hood. In 1961, the Continental was redesigned and rebranded as a Lincoln product. Now also available as a four-door convertible, the fourth-generation Continental became famous for its front-opening, rear "suicide doors" and for being used as a base for the SS-100-X limousine in which President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The Mark IV survived for nearly nine years on the market, until the fifth-gen model was launched for 1970. For this generation, unibody construction was replaced by body-on-frame, as the Conti shared, for the first time, a common platform with the Ford LTD. Two engines were offered in the firth-gen car, a 6.6-liter and a 7.5-liter V-8. Production came to a halt in 1979, when the nameplate was discontinued after a 24-year run.

Revived for the second time in 1982 using the Mustang's Fox platform, the Continental received, for the first time, a V-6 engine and an inline-six diesel mill. The 1988 redesign moved the model onto FoMoCo's long-standing D186 platform (1986-2007), which it used for two generations until the Continental name was retired in 2002. A futuristic concept car was unveiled that year with a Continental badge, but it was never put into production.