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2017 North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year entries announced

Over 40 vehicles will compete for the 2017 North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year awards. If that name looks a little strange, it's because the competition added a third category. In years past, pickup trucks, crossovers, SUVs, commercial vans, and minivans competed for the same award. That's why there were occasionally weird comparisons, like last year's competition between the Volvo XC90 and Nissan Titan XD. The new format separates pickups and commercial vans into the truck contest and CUVs, SUVs, and minivans into the utility competition. A complete list of eligible vehicles is below, but here are a few highlights. For one, the entire list of entries has a luxurious lean. Of the 43 vehicles, nearly half of them are from premium brands. There are two eligible Bentleys – the Bentayga and Mulsanne – the Rolls-Royce Dawn, Jaguar F-Pace, Audi Q7, and the Mercedes-Benz GLS-, E-, and S-Class Maybach. The performance ranks are lofty, too, with the Audi R8, Acura NSX, Alfa Romeo Giulia, Mercedes SL- and SLC-Class, Porsche 718, and F-150 Raptor. The mainstream entries are just as comprehensive. From the Chrysler Pacifica to the Chevrolet Cruze to the Fiat 124 Spider to the Mitsubishi Mirage, NACTOY has covered an enormous price range with this year's contestants. Of course, these are only the eligible vehicles. They'll need to run through three rounds of judging, starting in September at NACTOY's traditional Hell, MI, test drive. The Canadian and American journalists involved in the judging will announce this year's nine finalists – three in each category – on December 6. Cars Acura NSX Alfa Romeo Giulia Audi A4 Audi R8 Bentley Mulsanne Buick Cascada Buick LaCrosse Cadillac CT6 Chevrolet Bolt Chevrolet Cruze Fiat 124 Genesis G90 Hyundai Elantra Infiniti Q60 Jaguar XE Kia Cadenza Lincoln Continental Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan Mercedes-Benz S550 Maybach Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Mercedes-Benz SLC-Class Mini Clubman Mitsubishi Mirage/G4 Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman Rolls-Royce Dawn Toyota Prius Prime Volvo S90 SUVs Audi Q7 Bentley Bentayga Buick Envision Cadillac XT5 Chrysler Pacifica GMC Acadia Infiniti QX30 Kia Sportage Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class Jaguar F-Pace Mazda CX-9 Nissan Armada Trucks Ford F-Series Super Duty pickups Ford F-150 Raptor Honda Ridgeline Nissan Titan half-ton Related Video: Featured Gallery Bentley Bentayga View 23 Photos News Source: Automotive News - sub.

Lincoln to adopt Mini-like personalization strategy?

There's no single silver bullet that will cure all that ails the Lincoln brand, and Ford knows that just as surely as we do. Coming out with exciting new models like the well-received MKC crossover counts as several steps in the right direction, assuming of course that the production version is as appealing as the concept just shown at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, but more is needed. According to Jim Farley, executive vice president of Lincoln, one more trick may be "mass customization."
Put another way, Lincoln is considering ways to allow buyers to customize their new vehicles right off the showroom floor, similar to how things are done at Mini, and, to a lesser extent, Scion, where Farley previously served as corporate manager. Imagine, for instance, ordering a new MKC with a large Lincoln insignia embossed into the leather seatbacks, according to Automotive News.
While we're not so sure anybody is all that interested in paying extra for more Lincoln logos, it's a strategy that has proven rather fruitful at Mini. Only time will tell if Ford's erstwhile luxury division will once again be seen as something truly worth reaching for, and if customers are willing to pay a further premium for customization.

The Lincoln Continental is back [w/videos]

Lincoln is making a huge splash in New York this week, rolling out the Continental Concept you see here. Not only does this bring back an iconic bit of Lincoln nomenclature (just as some competitors are making things more complicated), it previews the new Continental fullsize sedan that will come to market next year. This is "a concept which for us signals the future of what we call quiet luxury," Ford Motor Company president and CEO, Mark Fields, said during an event Sunday. "The Concept is a very strong hint – I'll underline very strong hint – as to what you'll see in the production vehicle." There's no other way to say it: the Continental looks stunning. It's a long, low-slung sedan, with a shape that's reminiscent of the Ford Interceptor Concept from 2007. But this thing is all Lincoln, and shows a host of new design cues that will no doubt work their way across the brand's range. Most notably, the split-wing grille is gone, with this new chrome centerpiece showing a "new face for Lincoln" (where have we heard that before?). The Continental also incorporates LED matrix headlamps, with laser-assist high-beams and tiny Lincoln logos embedded inside. For the doors, Lincoln uses "E-Latch" handles that tuck discretely into the Continental's beltine. The concept rolls on polished aluminum, 21-inch wheels with painted pockets. Up above, the Continental has a SPD SmartGlass tinting sunroof that can keep the interior up to 18 degrees cooler. Around back, the Continental has a wide, planted stance, with taillamps that stretch from side to side. These lamps have "light-through-chrome" technology, which means they have a chrome look when not illuminated. Rounding out the whole design are slim, wide exhaust outlets that look fantastic. The main focus of the Continental is luxury, and Lincoln says this car uses "the brand's most sensual materials ever." That includes Venetian leather seats and door panels, Alcantara on the seat inserts and armrests, a satin headliner and wool carpet. Lighting is also a key feature, with an ambient glow that radiates throughout the cabin and "soft-gold" LED lights in the center console. As for comfort, the Continental's 30-way seats are said to mold to passengers' sizes and shapes. Rear seat passengers have it best, though, with a two-seat layout, tray tables, a champagne storage compartment, and detachable, handmade Venetian leather travel cases.