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2022 Lincoln Nautilus Review | What's new, price, mpg, photos

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus is the middle child of Lincoln’s excellent crossover and SUV lineup. It fills the space between the three-row Aviator and compact Corsair, competing with other two-row midsize SUVs. Up until a year ago, it was also the odd one out in that it lacked Lincoln's mid-century-modern-inspired interior design that's wowed since it originally showed up in the Navigator. That changed last year as the Nautilus finally got its makeover and it instantly made the Nautilus a more viable option in a stacked class of excellent choices from BMW, Mercedes, Lexus and Volvo, just to name a few. And if youÂ’re only considering American options, it walks all over CadillacÂ’s XT5 in both luxury and drive experience. DonÂ’t expect it to handle or drive like the German luxury options, though. Lincoln knows its target market is much more concerned with things like ride quality than they are skid pad ratings. WeÂ’ll give them credit for not trying to make this crossover something it shouldnÂ’t and can't be, too. While the twin-turbo V6 will still hustle you down a road, the isolated interior and eye-catching technology makes the argument for why you should come home with a Nautilus. Should you? It's hard to say it's a better SUV than a BMW X5 or Mercedes GLE, but then it's also priced lower than those and other European contemporaries, which at least makes up for its various deficiencies. Interior & Technology  |  Passenger & Cargo Space  |  Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive  |  Pricing & Features  |  Crash Ratings & Safety Features   WhatÂ’s new for 2022? Very few things are changing for the 2022 Nautilus, since the model was treated to a fairly notable refresh for 2021. That said, Lincoln is adding two new colors: Bronze Smoke Metallic and Gilded Green Metallic. ItÂ’s also gaining another Black Label interior option with Flight (dark tan and black combo) joining the Alpine White that was the sole Black Label interior for 2021. Beyond the colors, Lincoln made some minor packaging changes. It's also important to note that this could be the final year for the Nautilus, as Lincoln is reportedly turning its attention to other crossover concepts.  2021 Lincoln Nautilus Reserve View 24 Photos WhatÂ’s the Nautilus interior and in-car technology like?

Ford extends shutdown, Stellantis confirms layoffs due to chip shortage

Ford and Stellantis this week announced new production cuts due to the global semiconductor shortage, with popular models including the Ford F-150 and Jeep Grand Cherokee facing cuts. Stellantis plans to temporarily lay off workers at one facility as production is curtailed.  According to Automotive News, Ford is extending shutdowns at some of its North American facilities into May. The Blue Oval has been forced to reduce or idle production of both its redesigned F-150 pickup and the popular Explorer due to the chip shortage. The Mustang, Transit, Edge, Lincoln Nautilus and Aviator will also continue to be affected. Stellantis is planning to temporarily lay off workers at a Jeep plant in Detroit during April and May due to a shortage of semiconductor chips. The company will cut two work crews at its Jefferson North plant in Detroit for three weeks starting April 26, then call them back and lay off a third crew from May 17 through the week of May 31, according to a schedule obtained by Bloomberg News. The plant on Detroit’s east side normally operates two shifts with three work crews six days a week to keep it running 20 hours a day. “Stellantis continues to work closely with our suppliers to mitigate the manufacturing impacts caused by the various supply chain issues facing our industry,” company spokeswoman Jodi Tinson said in a statement. “Due to the unprecedented global microchip shortage, Jefferson North will adjust its production schedule through the end of May.” Jefferson North employs about 4,800 hourly workers and makes the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the top-selling Jeep model last year, and the Dodge Durango SUV. A redesigned version of the Grand Cherokee is scheduled to start production in August, according to researcher AutoForecast Solutions. This article contains reporting from Bloomberg. Plants/Manufacturing Ford Jeep Lincoln Technology chip shortage

The Zephyr could help Lincoln, seriously

The Zephyr could help Lincoln. The concept car revealed this week at the Shanghai Motor Show is gorgeous and a conversation starter. People noticed Lincoln.  The brand is quick to say the car, officially called the Zephyr Reflection Preview, is only intended for sale in China and what we’re seeing is a concept. In other words, donÂ’t get excited and donÂ’t read too much into the reveal. Why not?  Mercedes, Audi and BMW still do pretty well with sedans. So do Lexus and Cadillac. IÂ’m not saying Lincoln should line up three wide against the C-Class, E-Class and S-Class and try to go head-to-head. Just make one car, maybe complemented by a crossover variant, like the Volvo S60 and V60 Cross Country relationship. Tiptoe into the segment. Price it right, make it electric and see what happens. IÂ’ve argued Chrysler only needs a few models to become relevant again. Lincoln already has more than a few solid models. Lincoln is relevant. The Navigator is the superstar, and the brand has a respectable lineup with attractive design, solid powertrains and clever chassis setups (like the AviatorÂ’s independent rear suspension). Lincolns arenÂ’t more expensive Fords with flashier grilles anymore. Ironically, thatÂ’s exactly what the last Zephyr was — a gussied-up 2006 Ford Fusion — that lasted for one year before being renamed the MKZ. Ford Motor Co., including Lincoln, famously pivoted away from cars. That was a mistake. The Ford brand can compensate with Bronco Sports and Maverick pickups and maybe a crossover-wagon thing that sort of replaces the Fusion. Lincoln could use something beyond crossovers and SUVs. At this point, youÂ’re probably saying, “Uh, Continental, hello — Lincoln tried this." In fact, Lincoln has actually sold 768 Continentals this year as it sells off remaining inventory of the now-discontinued sedan. IÂ’d argue the ContinentalÂ’s demise wasnÂ’t due to its merits. ItÂ’s a pretty good car. It just had the misfortune of launching in 2016 as the market for sedans continued to shrink. The Continental was never going to be a volume play, but the measly sales figures it did achieve didnÂ’t justify its existence, even for a halo car. The Cadillac CT6, the ContinentalÂ’s domestic rival, met the same fate for the same reasons. Why would a new sedan fare any better? Lincoln didnÂ’t reveal the powertrain of the prototype, but an electric Zephyr sedan could bring in a whole new customer to the brand.