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Lincoln's L100 teases luxurious autonomy with crazy-long doors

Lincoln chose Pebble Beach (not to mention its brand centennial) to show its new autonomous coupe concept. This unconventional 2+2 has everything you expect from a classic Lincoln luxury car — an extravagant presence, over-the-top appointments and, most importantly, the most ridiculous suicide doors we've ever seen. It may not seem obvious in photos, but the L100 is truly massive. It's longer than a Navigator (Lincoln's words) and arguably has a far more impressive aura. The wheels are tucked beneath the L100's body work to make the car more slippery; the slick impressions adorning the bodywork are lined with LEDs, allowing for a customizable movement "signature."  And then there are the doors. The L100's massive portals are mounted on hinges the likes of which you've never seen, which is appropriate given the scale of this massive coupe. The doors open rearward, then outward imbuing the works with look akin to that of a mechanized insect startled by an intruder. The angle can be customized, Lincoln says, and the ingress/egress points are lined with LEDs that allow for custom lighting effects, including an illuminated "red carpet" that makes puddle lamps look like weak party tricks.  Lincoln Model L100 Concept Exterior 7 View 13 Photos "We are at a special moment in our history. Over the last 100 years, Lincoln has pioneered multiple innovations and pushed the boundaries of design that have come to define our brand as we know and love it today," says Joy Falotico, president, Lincoln. "With the Model L100 Concept, we reimagine what the Lincoln sanctuary might look like for our clients of tomorrow moving us forward to define the next chapter of the Lincoln story." Lincoln was light on the L100's technical details, suggesting only that it utilizes next-gen (solid state) battery tech and a wheel-in-motor configuration to maximize available interior space. The stylized "wheel" panels eliminate turbulence and are sculpted outward from the car's centerline to maximize space for the actual wheels and tires hidden beneath them. Lincoln's designers say it was surprisingly easy to assure clearance for the front wheels to pivot with steering inputs, but despite the L100's size, it's hard not to fixate on how narrow that front track must be. Lincoln's idea of the next chapter is one where people still own their own cars even if they don't drive them. This is in contrast to Cadillac's InnerSpace concept, which is otherwise very similar in both concept and execution.

Lincoln Corsair reportedly getting a PHEV among three engine options

What's a Lincoln Corsair, again? That would be the forthcoming replacement for the current Lincoln MKC compact crossover, and we know little about it besides its name change and the fact it'll be related to the also-redesigned Ford Escape. However, The Truth About Cars says it saw paperwork Ford filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration detailing Corsair powertrain options. These VIN decoder documents reportedly indicate three available engines, including, most notably, a plug-in hybrid. TTAC, which didn't post the documents, indicates the hybrid's heart will be a 2.5-liter Duratec four-cylinder – such an engine currently power base models of the Ford Escape and Fusion. All-electric driving range is unknown, but the Fusion Energi can go 25 miles, and crossover competitors do anywhere from 22 to 26 miles on EV power. What we do know is that all PHEV Corsairs will come with AWD. This would be the first time we've seen mention of a Lincoln Corsair plug-in hybrid, but the idea isn't far fetched. The new Lincoln Aviator will offer a plug-in hybrid version, and we know there's a traditional hybrid version of the related Ford Escape crossover on the way. Spy shots of that vehicle from earlier this month didn't show the plug-in port where Ford likes to put it, on the left front fender. We expect a different powertrain in that model and we also wouldn't be surprised if there's an Escape PHEV as well. The other two powertrains will reportedly be the MKC's 2.0-liter Ecoboost four-cylinder as the base, with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost continuing to be an optional upgrade. TTAC also says the VIN document indicates that trim configurations have changed to simply offering standard and Signature trims (from the MKC's standard, Select, Reserve, and Black Label levels). This is hard to believe given that every other Lincoln offers a Black Label and is usually the model featured in promotions and official photography. There's still a lot to be learned about the Lincoln Corsair, including whether these VIN documents are accurate. We expect to know more later in the year. Given that the Lincoln Aviator was shown before its Ford Explorer sibling, we wouldn't be surprised if the Corsair made its official introduction first. Related Video:

MKC Concept is the real fresh start for Lincoln [w/poll]

We were admittedly bullish about the Lincoln MKC Concept when we introduced it to you yesterday, as we were taken aback by how cohesive the C-platform crossover is in the metal. As it turns out, so were you, dear reader. With hundreds of comments booked on our original Deep Dive story, the overwhelming temperature of the Autoblog Commenteriat is one of surprise and delight - quite an accomplishment for a marque that many had written off for dead. The reception here under the bright lights of the Detroit Auto Show appears to be no less positive, but we thought you might want a second, closer look afforded by these live photos.
Lincoln remains mum on production MKC drivetrain specifics (we're thinking it will start with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder out of its similarly sized Ford Escape relative, or maybe the midlevel 1.6-liter), but we shouldn't have to wait too long. The showcar is expected to closely mirror the production model (due as early as later this year), so much so that Ford global marketing boss Jim Farley explicitly told the press conference masses, "When you see the MKC, do not think concept." That's good news, as the MKC is pivotal to Lincoln's effort to rebuild awareness and consideration on the back of its MKZ sedan, a model just now going on sale. In fact, with the small crossover segment exploding, the MKC could very well turn out to be more important to the brand than the MKZ.
After seeing these new photos, are you more or less enamored with Lincoln's new concept? Leave a comment after voting in our poll below.