1967 Lincoln Continental on 2040-cars

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Ellen DeGeneres sends up Matthew McConaughey's Lincoln ad

Lincoln had to have known that when it released its new ad campaign for the new MKC with Matthew McConaughey, it would open itself up to a bit of good old fashioned ridicule. The television commercial was, after all, good for a laugh or two. And true to their mission, talk show hosts haven't missed the opportunity to have a little fun at Lincoln's and McConaughey's expense.
Conan O'Brien was first to send up the television spot, but now Ellen DeGeneres has taken a stab at it too, superimposing herself in the back seat of the compact luxury crossover, downing some pot brownies and generally playing Costello to McConaughey's Abbott. It's worth a watch, if only to see Ellen getting down in her usual, offbeat style.

Lincoln to resurrect old nameplates for China?

Judging by the success that many luxury automakers are currently experiencing in China, it's no surprise that Lincoln plans to take advantage of the situation by peddling its wares across the Pacific. Lincoln will open its first Chinese dealership next year, but potential buyers there won't be mucking through the same alphabet soup of car names found in American showrooms. USA Today reports that Ford's luxury car division could revert back to legacy names (like Continental and Zephyr) in China while keeping the MK_ names here in North America.
In speaking to Ford exec Jim Farley during the LA Auto Show, USA Today says that Lincoln could switch its naming structure as models are refreshed. Farley didn't confirm that the naming revamp would be a China-only decision, but article leaves little hope that American buyers will get to see the return of classic names anytime soon.
Why would Ford rehash old Lincoln names for China only? Buyers there seem to have a better historical associations with the nameplates than in the US. Chinese also still hold Lincoln in high regard, associating the marque with use by prominent government officials.

Lincoln Continental prototype breaks down, requires a tow

Sometimes, cars break. Sometimes, said cars happen to be prototypes covered in camouflage. And sometimes, spy photographers are on hand to capture the sad sight. Such is the case here, as our trusty long-lenses have captured images of a stricken Lincoln Continental getting a tow back the shop. It's not clear what happened with the wounded Continental, but its unfortunate breakdown has given us a great look at the car's sprawling glass roof. Like the current MKZ, it looks like the Conti's panoramic roof can slide back, although we doubt it will cover up any element of the rear window, like its smaller sibling. And unlike our previous round of spy photos, this latest gallery gives us a look at a rather substantial set of integrated exhaust tips (i.e. fakes that have been fitted directly to the rear bumper cover). We can also spy a bit of the interior, although it's nowhere near as good as our last round of images. These shots do, however, show off a full roll cage and a fire extinguisher, but we wouldn't count on those being offered with the production model. Their presence here, though, leads us to believe that the car in question is probably some kind of vehicle dynamics tester. Look for a full introduction of the all-new Continental next month, when it debuts at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show. Related Video: