2017 Lincoln Continental
#706
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#707
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Originally Posted by mmarshall
More likely to limo, executive, or funeral-home services than to the general fleet of rental-cars.
I see what apparently are some privately-owned ones, but it can sometimes be hard to tell on the outside. The limos, of course, are most likely (but not totally) to be black.
#708
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i've seen one in wine country temecula (the city is a large tourist destination because of it's wineries and resorts) recently. i'm not sure if it was part of a limo service, although it was very unimpressive to see out in the wild. it just sort of blended in and had i not been an enthusiast, i wouldn't have paid it any attention.
#709
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i've seen one in wine country temecula (the city is a large tourist destination because of it's wineries and resorts) recently. i'm not sure if it was part of a limo service, although it was very unimpressive to see out in the wild. it just sort of blended in and had i not been an enthusiast, i wouldn't have paid it any attention.
I was waiting for this answer since the "fleet" argument has been made ad nauseum. Didn't take long. Could somebody head off to the downtown hotels and start doing measures or counts on which limos are Continentals driven by fleet/limo/taxi drivers? Maybe we could talk about the Conti's viability and its value for money for what it is. Will the 5LS also end up as a fleet vehicle? Not sure right now, but we could speculate
Looks like they use Lexus, MB, and Audi flagships as taxis.
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#710
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No inferiority complex at all lol. Why would somebody feel an inferiority complex over a product that they could purchase for less than the product they currently own? If I were trying to talk down the new LS or an S Class or something you might have a point. If I wanted a Continental however I could go trade for one today and save money...I've lauded plenty of cars over my own car that I own, its all out there in the forum to see.
My issue with the Continental is that IMHO it was a half hearted attempt. Lincoln had an opportunity to break through with a car, people loved the concept design. However...they chose to put it on a Fusion/Taurus platform like they did the old 90s-00s Continental and while the car is very nice for a Lincoln, that caveat is there...its very nice for a Lincoln. If you compare the Cadillac CT6 to a Lincoln Continental theres no comparison. G90 to Continental? Absolutely no comparison. When you take "for a Cadillac" and "for a Hyundai" away, those cars are still really great cars...can't say that for the Continental.
As for what the issue is with fleet sales, fleet buyers have a different set of criteria than retail luxury buyers. Like I said before, the Continental should be a runaway hit with fleet buyers. Its spacious, classy, comfortable, pretty well made and a good value in low trims. The caveat there is that having a bunch of livery and funeral and rental Continentals out there reduces the prestige of the car for a retail buyer, and of the brand itself. All those pictures of taxis are from other countries, this is less of an issue elsewhere than it is here.
Even in the S Class, which you see all over say NYC as a high end livery car. It doesn't make me not want one, but I wouldn't buy a black one. That car though on its own is a great car, and that transcends any concerns like that...the Continental is not a "great" car. Its a "good car for a Lincoln".
My issue with the Continental is that IMHO it was a half hearted attempt. Lincoln had an opportunity to break through with a car, people loved the concept design. However...they chose to put it on a Fusion/Taurus platform like they did the old 90s-00s Continental and while the car is very nice for a Lincoln, that caveat is there...its very nice for a Lincoln. If you compare the Cadillac CT6 to a Lincoln Continental theres no comparison. G90 to Continental? Absolutely no comparison. When you take "for a Cadillac" and "for a Hyundai" away, those cars are still really great cars...can't say that for the Continental.
As for what the issue is with fleet sales, fleet buyers have a different set of criteria than retail luxury buyers. Like I said before, the Continental should be a runaway hit with fleet buyers. Its spacious, classy, comfortable, pretty well made and a good value in low trims. The caveat there is that having a bunch of livery and funeral and rental Continentals out there reduces the prestige of the car for a retail buyer, and of the brand itself. All those pictures of taxis are from other countries, this is less of an issue elsewhere than it is here.
Even in the S Class, which you see all over say NYC as a high end livery car. It doesn't make me not want one, but I wouldn't buy a black one. That car though on its own is a great car, and that transcends any concerns like that...the Continental is not a "great" car. Its a "good car for a Lincoln".
#711
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have not seen one here. and before you guys think it's because i'm in hicksville
i do see loads of teslas, s550s, ls, porsches, cadillacs, etc.
i'm shocked at the sales # quoted (that it's that high) but as speculated, most likely mostly cabs/limos/fleet.
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i'm shocked at the sales # quoted (that it's that high) but as speculated, most likely mostly cabs/limos/fleet.
#712
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One potential snag in actually recognizing a new Continental, when you do see one on the road, is that the front ends of both the Continental and the new refreshed (as of 2016) MKZ sedan look so familiar that it can be quite difficult to tell the two apart from the front or front-quarter angles. Though the MKZ, overall, is a little narrower, and its side door handles don't stick out like the big chromed grab-bars on the Continental, it's still, IMO, not easy to quickly tell the difference unless you are looking at the back, where the C-pillars and trunk lines are quite different.
So, if you are driving down the road, and you see one coming towards you in the opposite lane (s), you may not really know at first whether you are looking at a Continental or MKZ, unless you get a chance to see the center and rear of the car as it goes by.
Continental front:
![](https://blog.caranddriver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/2017-Lincoln-Continental-PLACEMENT-626x382.jpg)
MKZ front:
So, if you are driving down the road, and you see one coming towards you in the opposite lane (s), you may not really know at first whether you are looking at a Continental or MKZ, unless you get a chance to see the center and rear of the car as it goes by.
Continental front:
![](https://blog.caranddriver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/2017-Lincoln-Continental-PLACEMENT-626x382.jpg)
MKZ front:
#713
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I'm shocked at the sales # quoted (that it's that high) but as speculated, most likely mostly cabs/limos/fleet.
IMHO, we'd probably see even better sales-figures to date, had there been any significant reviews and/or road-tests earlier. But, for months, there seemed to be a auto-press blackout on reviews for some reason. That still hasn't been explained.
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Last edited by mmarshall; 01-22-17 at 10:59 AM.
#714
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One potential snag in actually recognizing a new Continental, when you do see one on the road, is that the front ends of both the Continental and the new refreshed (as of 2016) MKZ sedan look so familiar that it can be quite difficult to tell the two apart from the front or front-quarter angles. Though the MKZ, overall, is a little narrower, and its side door handles don't stick out like the big chromed grab-bars on the Continental, it's still, IMO, not easy to quickly tell the difference unless you are looking at the back, where the C-pillars and trunk lines are quite different.
So, if you are driving down the road, and you see one coming towards you in the opposite lane (s), you may not really know at first whether you are looking at a Continental or MKZ, unless you get a chance to see the center and rear of the car as it goes by.
Continental front:
![](https://blog.caranddriver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/2017-Lincoln-Continental-PLACEMENT-626x382.jpg)
MKZ front:
![](https://www.bodykits.com/images/F145452511)
So, if you are driving down the road, and you see one coming towards you in the opposite lane (s), you may not really know at first whether you are looking at a Continental or MKZ, unless you get a chance to see the center and rear of the car as it goes by.
Continental front:
![](https://blog.caranddriver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/2017-Lincoln-Continental-PLACEMENT-626x382.jpg)
MKZ front:
The luxury brands now want you to recognize the brand first -- the vertical headlights of Cadillac, the BMW twin-kidney grille; the big 3-pointed Mercedes-Benz star; the Audi Singleframe grille (which is being co-opted by Hyundai and Genesis); the Lexus spindle grille; the pinched Infiniti grille. If you can recognize that it is a Lincoln (and not confuse it with Bentley or be totally confused as to what it is), and it causes you to turn your head to see whether it is a MKZ or Continental, then Lincoln is successful; otherwise, Lincoln will be as lost as Acura. (Acura had something instantly recognizable with its shield but it seems it is giving that up, hopefully not for anonymity.)
#715
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I agree with the above about the Lincoln and the branding. That is exactly what Lincoln is going after. It seems more that ever, luxury brands are moving away from the distinct model portfolio and onward to a distinct brand look and identity. The MKZ and Continental were carefully designed to look as similar as they are.
#716
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People still buy Lincolns lol? Why?
I almost never see any new Lincolns in the Chicago area. Everything is dominated by the German and Japanese cars.
When you do see a new Lincoln you can't help but ask why someone would buy that over a Mercedes or Lexus, costs aside if you have $60-70k for a new car, odds are you can afford something that costs $10k more... just saying.
I almost never see any new Lincolns in the Chicago area. Everything is dominated by the German and Japanese cars.
When you do see a new Lincoln you can't help but ask why someone would buy that over a Mercedes or Lexus, costs aside if you have $60-70k for a new car, odds are you can afford something that costs $10k more... just saying.
#717
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Originally Posted by 97-SC300
People still buy Lincolns lol? Why?
I almost never see any new Lincolns in the Chicago area. Everything is dominated by the German and Japanese cars.
When you do see a new Lincoln you can't wonder but ask why someone would buy that over a Mercedes or Lexus, costs aside if you have $60-70k for a new car, odds are you can afford something that costs $10k more... just saying.
I almost never see any new Lincolns in the Chicago area. Everything is dominated by the German and Japanese cars.
When you do see a new Lincoln you can't wonder but ask why someone would buy that over a Mercedes or Lexus, costs aside if you have $60-70k for a new car, odds are you can afford something that costs $10k more... just saying.
If I pulled up to my office in a Lincoln people would say "people still buy Lincolns?!" LOL
#718
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Oh gee. Maybe a new modern updated V6 with 400 horses. Something different and distinct than everyone else on the market. Absence of that frustrating thing called remote touch....Or perhaps a new platform (LS460) that does not date back to 2007?
#719
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It matters less now that people can tell the difference between a Continental or a MKZ; it matters more that people can recognize that it is a Lincoln and not some other brand.
The luxury brands now want you to recognize the brand first -- the vertical headlights of Cadillac, the BMW twin-kidney grille; the big 3-pointed Mercedes-Benz star; the Audi Singleframe grille (which is being co-opted by Hyundai and Genesis); the Lexus spindle grille; the pinched Infiniti grille. If you can recognize that it is a Lincoln (and not confuse it with Bentley or be totally confused as to what it is), and it causes you to turn your head to see whether it is a MKZ or Continental, then Lincoln is successful; otherwise, Lincoln will be as lost as Acura.
The luxury brands now want you to recognize the brand first -- the vertical headlights of Cadillac, the BMW twin-kidney grille; the big 3-pointed Mercedes-Benz star; the Audi Singleframe grille (which is being co-opted by Hyundai and Genesis); the Lexus spindle grille; the pinched Infiniti grille. If you can recognize that it is a Lincoln (and not confuse it with Bentley or be totally confused as to what it is), and it causes you to turn your head to see whether it is a MKZ or Continental, then Lincoln is successful; otherwise, Lincoln will be as lost as Acura.
(Acura had something instantly recognizable with its shield but it seems it is giving that up, hopefully not for anonymity.)
Last edited by mmarshall; 01-22-17 at 03:22 PM.