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Weekly Recap: Lincoln Continental serves up the style, Cadillac CT6 delivers the substance in New York

Lincoln and Cadillac grabbed the spotlight this week at the New York Auto Show in a dramatic fashion that evoked the brands' glory days. America's two luxury carmakers went toe-to-toe with their glittering reveals and plans for ambitious expansion. Both were selling their technology, style and the promise of a better future. Cadillac vs. Lincoln. At the Javits Center, 2015 seemed a lot like 1956. Neither company was interested in drawing comparisons with the other, which is fair, and accurate. They're in vastly different places in terms of sales and the pace of their turnarounds, but they hope to reach the same eventual destination at the pinnacle of the luxury-car world. Lincoln used the element of surprise to great effect with the Continental concept. A production version is still at least a year away, and the company was vague on details. Officially, we don't even know if it is front- or rear-wheel drive, though speculation abounds. Who cares? The seats can be adjusted 30 ways! The Continental also showed off a bold chrome grille that will be the new face of Lincoln. The blue bomber also rolled on blinged-out 21-inch polished aluminum wheels, used a 3.0-liter EcoBoost engine and had huge LED head lights with "laser-assisted" high beams. All of this resulted in almost blinding attention. The concept drew rave reviews, stirred controversy with Bentley designers who argued Lincoln ripped them off, and most importantly, pointed a way forward for the newly determined brand that hopes to compete with Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Cadillac and Lexus. View 32 Photos Meanwhile, Cadillac showed the CT6, a finished product that will top its range and is loaded with the best and latest technologies General Motors has at its disposal. With production starting late this year, Cadillac had more specifics at the ready. Engines? Cadillac has a couple V6s and a turbo four for sure. It's working on a hybrid, and has considered a V-Series variant. It's based on a new rear-wheel-drive, aluminum-intensive chassis called Omega, features an advanced collision-mitigation system with automatic braking and has a cabin that's laden with "leathers, exotic woods and carbon fiber." It will be assembled at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck factory and goes on sale next year. At this point, Cadillac is more than willing to talk about every except for the price. The devil was not in the details for Cadillac, as evidenced by the CT6. But it wasn't for Lincoln either.

Lincoln plans electrified versions of all models by 2022, say sources

DETROIT - Ford Motor Co's premium Lincoln brand plans to offer hybrid gasoline-electric versions of all its U.S. models by 2022, according to three sources familiar with the plans. Details could be announced as early as Oct. 3, when Ford Chief Executive Officer Jim Hackett plans to update investors on the automaker's strategy. Company officials are also considering whether to introduce one or more all-electric Lincoln models, one source said. The proposed electrification scheme could be critical to Lincoln's future in China, which will require automakers to make electric vehicles an increasing percentage of their total sales. The Lincoln hybrids are part of a broader Ford program to offer at least 18 new electric and hybrid models over the next five years, the sources said. Lincoln aims to follow a path blazed this year by several European premium brands, including Daimler AG, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group's Volvo Cars, BMW and Jaguar Land Rover, all of which have announced plans to offer more hybrid and all-electric vehicles. Global luxury brands are responding to competitive pressure from Elon Musk's Tesla Inc, and proposals by the Chinese government to mandate significantly higher levels of electric vehicle sales in the world's largest auto market. The plan to offer a portfolio of Lincoln hybrid models was crafted before Hackett took over in May, the sources said. Ford said in January 2016 it would spend $4.5 billion to electrify a portion of its U.S. fleet, including hybrid versions of the Mustang and the F-150, and at least 11 other models. The extent of its electrification effort, including details on specific new and redesigned models, has not previously been disclosed. A Ford spokesman said the company would not comment on future products. As the Lincoln brand rolls out redesigned versions of its existing models and introduces at least one new model, it is planning to introduce plug-in hybrid versions of those vehicles, beginning with the redesigned MKC crossover and the new Aviator crossover in 2019, the sources said. The redesigned Lincoln Navigator utility vehicle, which goes on sale this autumn, is expected to add a conventional hybrid version in 2019. Subsequent redesigned Lincoln models, including the MKZ sedan in 2020 and the Continental sedan and MKX crossover in 2022, are expected to include plug-in hybrid variants, the sources said.

We test Lincoln's 20-speaker Revel Ultima stereo with a rock star

If there's two things Detroiters know, it's music and cars. So when Lincoln approached us with big claims about their latest stereo system, the Revel Ultima System, we sought out a veteran of the Motor City music scene to test it out. First unveiled at the 2015 Detroit International Auto Show in the Lincoln MKX, Revel is bringing its bumping bass to the 2017 Lincoln MKZ. We had Dick Valentine, lead singer of Electric Six and favorite son of Detroit, try out the 20-speaker, 1200-watt system. If you want it on your MKZ, Revel Ultima is part of the $4,400 Luxury Package. Electric Six is perhaps most famous for its early hit, Gay Bar, and the music video filled with shirtless Abe Lincolns in the White House. Since their debut release, Fire, E6 has backed up a regular touring schedule with ten more studio albums, both a live album and live DVD, and an upcoming quasi-reality film titled Roulette Stars of Metro Detroit. We met up with Valentine on the set of the Roulette Stars to explore the depths of his sardonic wit that oozes through every E6 song. Lincoln says that Revel is the best in the biz. And we'll admit, the stats are impressive. But are 20 speakers and marketing terms like Quantum Logic Surround Technology, Clari-Fi Technology and Point Source Architecture enough to impress a Detroit legend? Valentine knows a little something about sound. As the lead singer and frontman of the Electric Six, he's spent over twenty years hearing his tunes played through speakers. While Valentine hasn't owned a car in a while, he does have opinions on jamming inside of them. We played songs from the band's latest album Bitch, Don't Let Me Die to see if Revel truly delivers on it's bold claims. Related Video: Celebrities Lincoln Ownership music audio sound system