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'17 Continental- Editors Comments from AB


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The double standard and reversal of opinions is what bothers me. Don't tell me you loved the concept but hate the production version which as as close to the concept as you can practically get including the blue/chrome interior and relocated door handles. Don't tell me it's ok for every other luxury make to use the same grilles but it's not ok for Lincoln. Bash if you want but at least be consistent about it.

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The double standard and reversal of opinions is what bothers me. Don't tell me you loved the concept but hate the production version which as as close to the concept as you can practically get including the blue/chrome interior and relocated door handles. Don't tell me it's ok for every other luxury make to use the same grilles but it's not ok for Lincoln. Bash if you want but at least be consistent about it.

I think the format of just putting out the discussion without any editing creates the situation of double standards. You'll come out with an opinion and later after some thought, you can reverse yourself creating the confusion. Then again, AFAIC, I don't believe in the idea that any company is beyond reproach where they 'earned that right'.

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And don't forget that this type of blogging probably generates more hits and publicity for autoblog than if they just said they liked it.

Which was mentioned in the comments of the blog. Someone posted all this exposure for good or bad is "good" for the Continental.

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It doesn't really matter what these guys form Autoblog has to say. They maybe all in their 30s (I have no idea really) so they are not the target market for large luxury car. One consistent theme in their comments is that basically Cadillac is "doing it right" while Lincoln is "doing it wrong".

 

A lot of pundits like to criticizes Acura or Lexus too but they just keep on selling. I would not be surprised at all if Continental outsells Lexus GS (23k in 2015) in 2016. It may not top Cadillac's combined XTS/CTS/CT6 (42k XTS/CTS in 2015) sales but who has the better profit margin here? The company with one model or the one with 3 different models?

 

The much pilloried MKZ sold 31k last year (and 34k in 2014) and I expect the updated model to sell better. Cadillac sold 27k ATS last year (and 30k in 2014). MKZ still has a long ways to go to catch up to Lexus ES (65k) or Acura TLX (47k) but it has already beaten Cadillac pretty convincingly in the entry luxury field. So pundits can continue to talk up Cadillac (or whatever brand) but I think Lincoln will gladly take the sales from actual people.

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Once upon a time, editorial objectivity meant that the writer could take their own preferences out of the equation

but these day with the internet, journalists think their opinion is representative of the majority of their readers/ buyers.

 

It's not and pretending that peeves and whinges are how most people view the new Lincoln is just wrong.

Edited by jpd80
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These "editors" understand neither human beings nor the auto business.

 

The idea that people with money might have tastes that differ from theirs--and that those different tastes are neither wrong nor inferior is a thought that has, seemingly, never penetrated their consciousness.

 

The fact that bootstrapping Lincoln is a more fiscally responsible maneuver than treating it like a loss-leading image project, or a major profit driver also completely escapes their notice.

 

The only two questions that these editors should concern themselves with are these:

 

1) Are Lincolns improving faster than the competition?

 

2) Will sufficient people buy them?

 

Everything else is blather.

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As a former FWD Continental owner.. this new Continental is disappointing in the pictures I've seen. I hope it looks better in person at the Chicago Auto show next month.

 

I have seen the '17 MKZ and like it more than the <'16 models. Of course, 400HP, 3.0L helps..lol

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As a former FWD Continental owner.. this new Continental is disappointing in the pictures I've seen. I hope it looks better in person at the Chicago Auto show next month.

 

I have seen the '17 MKZ and like it more than the <'16 models. Of course, 400HP, 3.0L helps..lol

 

Did you like the concept? Have you seen the darker colors?

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As a former FWD Continental owner.. this new Continental is disappointing in the pictures I've seen. I hope it looks better in person at the Chicago Auto show next month.

 

I have seen the '17 MKZ and like it more than the <'16 models. Of course, 400HP, 3.0L helps..lol

What in particular is disappointing about it?

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lol..

 

1. My Conti did have bench seats.. In fact, I like them so well I ordered it on my '16 F250 and my old '05 f350.

 

2. What I see in the '17 Conti is a makeover of the box looking MKS.

 

3. I have not looked at the specs on the two, but the '97 model seemed to have a longer and lower hood.

 

4. I hope the '17 sells well... but it does not beckon any passion from me to buy it. I like the MKZ much better.

 

Maybe the coup will look better... I hope so.

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2. What I see in the '17 Conti is a makeover of the box looking MKS.

I have no idea how you came to that conclusion. There is not one bit of shared metal at all between the two, not to mention a completely different platform

 

 

3. I have not looked at the specs on the two, but the '97 model seemed to have a longer and lower hood.

Not sure how this is relevant, but you might be right.

 

4. I hope the '17 sells well... but it does not beckon any passion from me to buy it. I like the MKZ much better.

Hey, to each their own. I just wish they did more with the back end of the MKZ than they did. It's virtually unchanged.

 

Maybe the coup will look better... I hope so.

There won't be a coupe. If there is, it's not going to be called "Continental". It's going to be called something else. And it for sure won't show up for a while if the rumor mill is to be believed at all.

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From Dan Roth: "My theory, of course, is that Ford doesn't actually want Lincoln to succeed."

I think that Mr. Roth's theory can be analyzed in the context Hanlon's Razor : "Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence."
Properly managing a globally competitive luxury car portfolio has never been a strong suit for Ford Motor Company, at least in the past quarter century. So it seems to me, as it does to Autoblog editor Jonathon Ramsey, it's not that Ford doesn't want Lincoln to succeed - it simply lacks all of the organizational elements to make that happen.
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So it seems to me, as it does to Autoblog editor Jonathon Ramsey, it's not that Ford doesn't want Lincoln to succeed - it simply lacks all of the organizational elements to make that happen.

 

That's right. Now, it seems that Ford is making the commitment to acquire the necessary "polish" that the pre-war marque possessed, IMHO. But it's going to take another 10 years to get things properly 'tuned'. :)

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Properly managing a globally competitive luxury car portfolio has never been a strong suit for Ford Motor Company, at least in the past quarter century. So it seems to me, as it does to Autoblog editor Jonathon Ramsey, it's not that Ford doesn't want Lincoln to succeed - it simply lacks all of the organizational elements to make that happen.

 

 

But yet with GM dumping Billions on Caddy at the expense of Chevy or even Buick the way to go? Alrighty...

 

Lincoln's biggest problem is that people can't pigeonhole it when it comes to Luxury, because its not following the almighty German example. Infiniti, Acura and to a lesser extent Lexus suffer from this and Lincoln has even worse off because of it being the de rigueur choice when it comes to limo and black car usage.

 

On the flipside, Lincoln has the advantage of not having expectations and business model that encourages profit through the use of share platforms like the Japanese makes do.

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I believe the review is a bit harsh and arrogant as Lincoln wasn't paid attention to for a while and nearly shut-down. The Continental was never luxury-sport nor rwd for 30 years, the interior looks comfortable and 300-400hp is more then enough for lux-cruise buyers.

 

I don't know if they want Lincoln turned into a tier 1 luxury maker overnight or just creating clickbait though IMO a "LincStang" coupe would give the brand showroom buzz.

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I believe the review is a bit harsh and arrogant as Lincoln wasn't paid attention to for a while and nearly shut-down. The Continental was never luxury-sport nor rwd for 30 years, the interior looks comfortable and 300-400hp is more then enough for lux-cruise buyers.

 

I don't know if they want Lincoln turned into a tier 1 luxury maker overnight or just creating clickbait though IMO a "LincStang" coupe would give the brand showroom buzz.

All Lincoln has to do is start building cars with styling cues that attract more buyers, build a reputation of nice well built cars

that feel great to be in and be seen in. The performance level need only be adequate for those buyers eg 400 hp.

 

If Lincoln is not interested in chasing down the ATS-v or CTS-V, there's little point in having a RWD based car.

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