2017 Lincoln Continental
#931
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
I was in upstate New York a few weeks ago in a very nice brand new Pacifica (had 10 miles on the odo when I picked it up). Was definitely NOT looking to do canyon carving with a VP and 4 of my coworkers in the car. But despite driving quite sedately, I was still very quickly reminded of how much I hate FWD.
ha, plastic is still plastic. my dash is covered in leather.
#932
Lexus Fanatic
I think much of the anti-Korean bias is out the window today...Samsung, LG, etc...how many peeps own their products? I sure do. Regarding autos, 10 years ago south Korea was making throwaway, disposable POS automobiles...even moreso 15 years ago. So IMO it hasn't been anti-Korean bias, it's been anti-crap bias. Justifiably so. So they have much trust to gain in the markets..they sure have done so in electronics. Granted, they still lack the customer service acumen they should display (even LG and Samsung still suffer this) and while they are improving, they haven't instilled broad-based confidence.
I hope they succeed...as the South Korean's overall goal has been to be the next "Japan" in manufacturing.
While I was chagrinned that the Conti had a very similar, almost identical front end design to the now dropped MKS; overall it's a car in a different class, definitely above IMO. Anyways, as far as the Linc, there IS a RWD version in the pipeline just a few years away.
In my initial post about the Linc, my intent was to share my delight in finding something that I already thought I HIGHLY disliked and bagged on pretty hard; and yet walked away pleasantly surprised first seeing one, and then after driving one. That's all. No FWD debate was ever imagined; sadly, I've seen this trend quite often here...
#933
Lexus Test Driver
Looking back at the Japanese brands, quality and reliability was something they had to earn. It wasn't something they could sell in a commercial, but a trait and reputation that had to be seen firsthand by simply having their cars last a long, long time. Word spread quickly.
It also didn't hurt that at the time, when these brands were really trying to make inroads into our market, American quality was kind of on the decline (real and perceived). I think the Japanese capitalized on that and embraced it as an avenue into this market. Toyota and Honda really focused on that facet and were successful because of it.
They still kind of live and die on that reputation, regardless that the gulf in quality and reliability isn't nearly as bad as it was in the early 80s or late 70s.
The Koreans, frankly, have a tougher mountain to climb because that gap in quality and reliability isn't nearly as bad as it was in the 80s. They don't have the luxury of competing against poor quality cars. But, the same principles that Toyota and Honda had to endure still apply today: the only way they can shed that reputation is by sheer volume of cars just lasting a long time and without much trouble and that word-of-mouth, "hey, this car is great and was trouble-free." That just takes dogged effort and time. You can kind of see them cresting that corner, but unfortunately, it takes a lot more today to prove that than what Toyota and Honda had to improve upon back then.
It also didn't hurt that at the time, when these brands were really trying to make inroads into our market, American quality was kind of on the decline (real and perceived). I think the Japanese capitalized on that and embraced it as an avenue into this market. Toyota and Honda really focused on that facet and were successful because of it.
They still kind of live and die on that reputation, regardless that the gulf in quality and reliability isn't nearly as bad as it was in the early 80s or late 70s.
The Koreans, frankly, have a tougher mountain to climb because that gap in quality and reliability isn't nearly as bad as it was in the 80s. They don't have the luxury of competing against poor quality cars. But, the same principles that Toyota and Honda had to endure still apply today: the only way they can shed that reputation is by sheer volume of cars just lasting a long time and without much trouble and that word-of-mouth, "hey, this car is great and was trouble-free." That just takes dogged effort and time. You can kind of see them cresting that corner, but unfortunately, it takes a lot more today to prove that than what Toyota and Honda had to improve upon back then.
#934
Lexus Fanatic
The Koreans, frankly, have a tougher mountain to climb because that gap in quality and reliability isn't nearly as bad as it was in the 80s. They don't have the luxury of competing against poor quality cars. But, the same principles that Toyota and Honda had to endure still apply today: the only way they can shed that reputation is by sheer volume of cars just lasting a long time and without much trouble and that word-of-mouth, "hey, this car is great and was trouble-free." That just takes dogged effort and time. You can kind of see them cresting that corner, but unfortunately, it takes a lot more today to prove that than what Toyota and Honda had to improve upon back then.
#935
Lexus Fanatic
Saw 3 more Continentals today. All livery vehicles.
#937
Lexus Fanatic
On the streets of DC
#938
Lexus Champion
I saw one yesterday. It was in the Ford-Lincoln dealership where my friend and I were getting info for our $50 gift cards from the auto show.
Actually, on a slow Thursday morning, there was one guy looking at it who said he was close to getting one and was waiting for his sales rep. Still a rare site on the roads around me.
Actually, on a slow Thursday morning, there was one guy looking at it who said he was close to getting one and was waiting for his sales rep. Still a rare site on the roads around me.
#939
Lexus Fanatic
I also want to add that I think people really dismiss and underestimate how important the size of the car matters in North America, especially the USA. Americans like larger cars, SUVS or trucks. Historically, Japan and other import models are usually a slightly smaller size alternative to domestic products. This FWD Conti is larger in every single dimension than the current regular wheelbase LS460. It has a longer wheelbase, wider, longer, heavier, more power, better acceleration times. I could only assume that a 5-series or GS will feel much smaller inside.
As for the the whole FWD vs RWD debate, historically Americans have no issue with FWD models. Offering this new Conti with RWD will make no difference to the Lincoln brand, how long has Cadillac trying to gain relevance for their cars and they have been offering RWD STS models and three generations of CTS on a RWD for more than 10 years now and they are no further ahead of where they were in the past. I am happy for Lincoln as they have finally discovered what type of brand they want to be, and they should stick to trying to make it from this perspective.
#940
Lexus Fanatic
Actually, on a slow Thursday morning, there was one guy looking at it who said he was close to getting one and was waiting for his sales rep.
Last edited by mmarshall; 03-04-17 at 11:25 AM.
#941
Lexus Fanatic
I personally find that Buick interior horrible, materials aren't good, acres of cheesy fake wood...
#943
Lexus Fanatic
Improved, but not what I would call "excellent" at all.
#944
Lexus Fanatic
Oh, I agree that the actual materials weren't the best (I mentioned that when I did the Enclave review a number of years ago). It had what I thought was a very plush look on the surface, if the same old GM plastic underneath. But, surface flash or not, it was, IMO, still a big step forward from what Buick (and the rest of GM) was giving us at the time....bargain-basement rental-grade. As Hoovey pointed out, later models of the Enclave traded the extensive plastic-wood look for slightly better quality but less plush-looking materials.