Fresh images of the new 2017 Lincoln Continental have appeared online affording us our best look yet at the FoMoCo’s latest effort at building a flagship luxury sedan.
Looking at these new press shots, found over at VWVortex, we can firmly say that Bentley’s previous chief designer, Luc Donckerwolke, who has since moved to the Hyundai Group, can rest assure that, no one will ever confuse the Lincoln Continental with the Bentley Flying Spur. Period.
We’ll quickly remind you that Donckerwolke had lashed out against Lincoln’s design team the previous year when the American brand showed the Continental concept at the New York Auto Show, stating in a Facebook page, "I would have called it Flying Spur concept and kept the four round lights".
While most basic design elements from the concept made it to the production car, key changes to the Continental’s footprint, the taller greenhouse and some other modifications such as the less curvy front end, result in a more generic -if not bland, from some angles - look. In fact, as several of you pointed out in the commentary, the grille looks Jaguar-esque while the lights have something very Acura to their styling.
The interior, on the other hand, remains more true to the concept, sans the overuse of chrome on the trimmings.
We’ll get to see the new Continental up, close and personal at the Detroit Motor Show on Tuesday.