Lincoln Continental Concept Previews Brand’s New Flagship Sedan

Perhaps its best-known nameplate, Lincoln has revived the Continental badge for a new concept car that’s headed to production next year.

Amid a sea of hard-to-remember badges like MKS and MKT, the Continental name still holds relevance, harkening back to an era when Lincoln was actually a relevant luxury brand.

Previewing a new flagship large sedan for the brand, the car will not borrow an engine from the current Ford lineup, but will instead make use of an exclusive 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 engine.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

SEE ALSO: Top 10 Most Reliable Car Brands

Coated in the Continental’s signature color of Rhapsody Blue, a modern yet almost art deco design gives a unique flair and Lincoln says the front-end design, “signals the arrival of a new face for Lincoln.”

The car itself also delivers numerous notable features including patented 30-way seats and E-Latch door handles that are flush with the car’s body. The doors also open and close on their own thanks to a button on the door handle “wings.”

Once inside the cabin is pure opulence with Venetian leather seats and Alcantara inserts, as well as a satin headliner and shearling wool carpet.There’s even Rose Gold used for the trim around the instrument cluster.

But the interior experience is all about spoiling the rear seat passengers with a fully reclining passenger-side seat and a desk that deploys from the center console. And of course, there’s a champagne storage compartment. In addition, there’s a unique adjustable-tint sunroof that can be controlled by the passengers to minimize or maximize the amount of sunlight that enters the cabin, adjusting the vehicle’s interior temperature by as much as 18 degrees.

2015 New York Auto Show Preview

“Luxury at its best is about simplifying and quietly exceeding expectations, rather than being the loudest statement on the road,” said Mark Fields, Ford Motor Company president and CEO. “The Continental Concept showcases the promise of quiet luxury from Lincoln going forward. It also is a strong indication of what’s to come next year as we introduce our new Lincoln Continental full-size luxury sedan.”

Lincoln will debut the new Continental Concept at the New York Auto Show this week.

Discuss this story at our Lincoln MKS forum