Ford Revives Continental Marque

Ford Motor Co. has unveiled an all-new range-topping Lincoln Continental in concept form. The luxury sedan will be publicly unveiled this weekend at the New York auto show and is scheduled to go into production next year.

Understated except for its flashy 21-inch wheels, the concept features an exceptionally sleek shape and a powerful, planted stance. A distinctively new grille shape breaks from Lincoln's current style with separate multi-lens LED lights flanking a one-piece grille made of repeated chrome Lincoln emblems.

"E-latch" door handles integrate into the car's beltline for a clutter-free side profile. The handles activate doors that open, close and latch electrically. The rear of the car combines Lincoln's signature full-width tail lamps with the clean look reminiscent of contemporary Audi cars.

Inside, the concept offers a satin headliner overhead and shearling wool carpeting underfoot. Interior lighting is provided by soft-gold LEDs. A variable-tint sunroof can help lower cabin temperature as much as 18 F.

Rear seating for two is provided by elaborate 30-way seats separated by a tall center console. The passenger-side rear seat can be fully reclined by touching a button that moves the unoccupied front passenger seat forward. The console houses a champagne chiller, audio and climate controls and a deployable tray for personal tablets. Leather travel cases are fitted to the backsides of the front seats.

Ford promises a powerful ride from a Lincoln-exclusive 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 engine. Operators can select comfort, normal or sport driving modes. Electronic safety and convenience features include pre-collision assist, pedestrian detection, an enhanced park assist system and 360 surround view displayed on the center stack navigation screen.