The Lincoln Continental concept, the ultimate expression of American Luxury and the culmination of nearly two years of research and development, was unveiled today at the Los Angeles Auto Show by Lincoln Mercury President Brian Kelley and Design Director Gerry McGovern. Continental is a powerful but understated executive car with unique proportions that optimize space for the elegant, sophisticated and supremely comfortable interior. The design embraces features from Lincoln’s past, such as center opening doors, but the execution is thoroughly modern. “This is a pivotal year in Lincoln’s long-term growth strategy,” Kelley says. “We are launching three new products this summer to build on our strong foundation, and we are presenting the Continental to show where we will take the brand in the near future.” The new Lincolns are the 2003 Town Car, Navigator and Aviator. The first generation of vehicles to embrace the Continental’s design philosophy will debut mid-decade. “Continental embodies the qualities that define the design direction Lincoln has chosen: elegance, simplicity, precision and an overall restraint,” McGovern says. “Someday, a flagship like Continental could join Lincoln’s showroom,” he adds. “But the emphasis on package efficiency, the approach to surface development and detailing, and certain Continental design cues absolutely will see production.” A Unique Proportion Two important goals of the Lincoln design team were to maximize interior space and optimize ingress and egress. This led to the creation of a unique proportion, in which the Continental’s cabin is centered within the wheelbase. The passenger space is exceptionally large, the trunk is cavernous, and a powerful 6.0-liter V-12 engine resides under the hood. “The Continental is lithe and alive, but simplicity and elegance define the design,” McGovern says. The Continental’s bodywork is finished in a color called Silver Sea Spray. Its surfaces are clean and uninterrupted, and a strong horizontal emphasis defines the front of the car. A signature Lincoln grille milled from aluminum incorporates four round headlamps that use an innovative remote light generator technology developed by Ford Motor Company in partnership with Philips Lighting. In this system, light generated by a single source is transferred to each lamp by fiber optic cable. The technology requires less power than conventional halogen bulbs but produces two and a half times more light. Glare is reduced substantially because light dispersion is well controlled and the beam can be aimed precisely. The outer edges of the hood rise slightly to meet chrome bodyside finishers that are applied with absolute precision. The sheer bodysides provide weight and strength and are interrupted only by subtly flared arches that wrap around 22-inch polished aluminum wheels and Continental tires. The elegant chrome finishers accentuate the car’s length to add tension to the bodysides. The Continental’s horizontal emphasis continues at the rear of the car. A Lincoln star badge divides large LED lamps. The rectangular exhaust tips integrated into the valence subtly suggest that the Continental is powerful and capable. An Uncompromised Executive Car “In an executive car, there are inviolable principles,” McGovern says. “The vehicle must be engaging for the driver, supremely comfortable for everyone, and the car should do the work for you. Above all, space must be used efficiently and ingress and egress must never be compromised.” The Continental presents several innovative solutions:
