1966 Lincoln Continental Convertible on 2040-cars

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Lincoln Continental death looms with changes at Flat Rock Plant

Ford's Flat Rock Assembly plant just south of Detroit produces the Ford Mustang and the Lincoln Continental. Automotive News reports that the automaker plans to produce two battery-electric crossovers at the facility, the EVs scheduled for sale in the 2023 model year. The EVs were previously meant to be built in Ford's Cuautitlan Stamping and Assembly plant in Mexico, which builds the Fiesta. According to the AN piece, moving the EVs to Michigan means the end of Lincoln Continental production in the U.S. Sunset is expected in "late 2021" for a sedan that is just three years old, and that never got the momentum to assert itself and reassert the Continental nameplate. The Continental has been on death watch since at least March 2018, when Ford Authority reported that the luxury sedan wouldn't get more than one generation. The changing of several guards in the top ranks scotched a plan to move the Continental onto the CD6 platform for rear- and all-wheel-drive vehicles. In September 2018, Jalopnik put more meat on those crossbones, saying Flat Rock workers alleged the big Lincoln could bid adieu as soon as this year, and automaker insiders had seen production merely scheduled — not approved — for 2020, with nothing beyond that. Then, as now, Ford appears to be leaving open the possibility for Continental production to continue in China, and just maybe be exported here. The two twinned midsized EVs, using the codenames CDX746 and CDX747, would come in Ford and Lincoln flavors. Said to be roughly the size of the Ford Edge/Lincoln Nautilus platform siblings, the automaker has requested suppliers gear up for annual production of up to 65,000 units between the two models. When they arrive, they'll form part of the 16 EVs Ford plans to have on the market worldwide by 2022. The others we know of so far are the crossover that will channel the Mustang, an electric F-150 pickup, and an EV project with Rivian.

Lincoln electric SUV to use Ford-backed Rivian's 'skateboard' chassis

DETROIT — A battery-powered Lincoln SUV, due in mid-2022, will be the first Ford Motor Co. vehicle built on a custom electrified chassis that resembles a skateboard, which was developed by Ford-backed startup Rivian, according to several people familiar with the program. The all-wheel-drive Lincoln SUV could compete against Rivian's R1S, an electric sport utility vehicle slated to go into production in early 2021 that will be priced from $72,500. Both models will use Rivian's so-called skateboard, a flexible platform that combines electric motors, batteries, controls and suspension. On Tuesday, Ford declined to comment. Rivian did not respond to a request for comment. The new Lincoln, which carries the internal program code U787, also could compete with premium offerings from others, including General Motors Co <GM.N>, which plans to introduce at least two new electric SUVs by 2023, one for Cadillac and one that could revive the Hummer name, sources have said. Ford invested $500 million in Rivian this year and plans to help it begin production next year at a former Mitsubishi plant in Normal, Illinois. When Ford made the investment, it said it would use Rivian's skateboard to develop its own electric vehicle, but did not disclose details. It is not clear where Ford intends to build the Lincoln SUV, which will be among the first of several battery-powered utility vehicles planned for Ford's premium brand in North America and China, according to supplier sources familiar with those programs who asked not to be identified. Ford expects to introduce a compact Lincoln electric crossover in late 2021 or early 2022 and a mid-size companion in 2023, the sources said. The U.S. auto industry plans to invest billions of dollars over the next few years to build all-electric pickups and SUVs, sectors of the market that have been among the most profitable, especially for Detroit-based automakers. But analysts have questioned whether demand from consumers and commercial customers will come close to matching production. Founded in 2009, Rivian has raised $1.9 billion from investors, including e-commerce giant Amazon, which has ordered 100,000 electric delivery vehicles from Rivian. The first Amazon vans will be built in Normal and are to be delivered in 2021. Ford aims to sell an electric F-series pickup in late 2021, sources have said.

2025 Lincoln Navigator revealed with dramatic look, massive screen in Monterey

Say a big hello to the 2025 Lincoln Navigator, now more grand-looking and chock full of tech than ever before. This marks the fifth generation of Lincoln’s three-row luxury SUV, and while its bones are largely carryover, its appearance and interior experience are totally fresh. As for those hard points, the Navigator is still rolling with a body-on-frame construction, independent rear suspension and the 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 paired with the 10-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive standard. Said engine produces 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque, the same output as the 2024 model. Both the standard length and the L model return, with the latter pictured in white just below. While this Navigator may end up driving much the same as the current one, it sure does look largely new from the outside. A fresh grille design gives it a mighty loud and proud aesthetic from the front and is complemented by a big light bar for even more visual presence. Like other new Lincolns, this one features the “Lincoln Embrace” for approach that plays an animation via the lights to welcome your return to the car. The full-width taillights do the same with new light-up “3D” badging. Chrome is thrown out the window in favor of satin aluminum trim accents (a Jet Black Appearance package will apply glossy black trim instead), and just like the refreshed Escalade, 24-inch wheels are newly added to the party – 22-inch wheels are the new standard. One particularly new big-deal feature youÂ’ll notice on the exterior is the “Lincoln Split Gate” that is essentially a split tailgate the likes of which you find on BMWs and Range Rovers. Similar to others, the tailgate is split so three-quarters of the gate opens up, while the remainder folds down. It allows for easier loading and unloading, but can also be used as a seat (600-pound capacity) when parked. Lincoln even offers a “Cargo Tailgate Manager” option that can function as a seatback for the tailgate, a table for tailgating events or to split the cargo area into a multi-level storage shape. Things really start to look totally new when you hop into the front seats and take in the new 48-inch panoramic display that spans the whole width of the dash. YouÂ’ll recognize the Lincoln Digital Experience setup from the 2024 Nautilus where it debuted, and it operates in a similar manner here.