(Photos: Lincoln) It’s called the Lincoln Continental 80th Anniversary Coach Door Edition. It is a tribute to the 80th anniversary of the first Lincoln Continental (1939) and to the iconic Elwood Engel-designed suicide Continentals of the 1960s. They start out as a Continental Black Label sedan, then are shipped to Cabot Coach Builders in Massachusetts for the Lincoln-engineered modifications that include a six-inch wheelbase stretch and the conversion that results in the two rear suicide doors. There’s more modifications as well, including a full-length center console that effectively breaks up the rear seat, a tray table, a tablet holder, and all of the electronic wizardry and luxury bits that are in vogue right now. They will be shipped next summer, all eighty of them, to the tune of just over $100,000…right in line with the cost of a 1956 Mark II, adjusted for inflation…and if enthusiasts are lucky, more might be cranked out for the 2020 model year before Lincoln carves out the tombstone for the Continental altogether.
For Lincoln, this seems like a bit of nostalgia crossed with an urgent desire to move cars off of lots. Will it work? Well…if they are going to kill the Conti off, at least they are giving it a high note to leave on. But it does get one wondering: what older feature do you think would do well on a new car? Honestly, the Continental reference has me looking straight at the four-door convertible market. The 1967 Continental was the last factory-built four-door sedan convertible built by an American manufacturer. There have been random custom builds since (The ASC Helios, a Chrysler 300C droptop conversion, comes to mind) but in the age where the SUV has taken the role of the family car, maybe there is still room for a four-door sedan as the fun car.
Mechanical Hand brake!
1) Glass outer headlight . Sorry the b/s about safety not buying for the reason they are plastic. If they can keep glass out of your face in a wreck with just a thin piece or cooking plastic wrap between 2 layers. They can do the same with headlights. and stop the yellowing plastic that is a safety issue.
1b) I’d also like pop up headlights to come back. sorry the safety b/s that outlawed them needs to be tossed.
2) Also. go back to a header panel a grill and a separate bumper, Then make the bumper if not chrome, a different color or shade of gloss. maybe matte or satin. so if in a small tap. no need for 1000.00 paint work to match it to the car. Heck I can see color keying the bumper to say the racing stripes or the trim color. making it easy to replace and repair from tiny bump hits. as it now not have to match the fenders/hood/headerpanel. same with the rear. part of the reason new cars look goofy is the huge bumper covers that are the whole rear end cap.
3) , bring back the dished wheel. I’m willing to give up a little handling if I have to, and a little areo to have wheels that don’t look like flat plates.
4) lastly, go back to the stereo system being separate, from the touch screen that controls the whole darn car/truck. few reasons for this but mostly that the apps and tech they put in today, might not be useable tomorrow. You think that apple and droid play are going to be supported and or updated forever. or any of the other apps? what happens if blue tooth goes and is outdated, and cell phones don’t use it anymore, or the ubs plug. the radio needs to be made separate from the unit controlling the whole car. So that when they are 10 years old or the market switches to a new media overnight you are not stuck with a vehicle that doesn’t support it and you can’t upgrade it as it controls the whole car. Can you imagine being stuck with that push button am radio in that car you drove to school or is your fun car today? because the radio was controlling the car settings and your heater controls? or that am/fm unit.
technology moves to fast to be putting it all in one unit, there is going to be many pissed off vehicle owners the day the next “thing” comes about and the older tech is phased out. analog cell signal/phones are dead, 5g is coming, when 3g and 4g are not supported. and or Bluetooth is replaced. what then?
nothing like having a 6-8″ plus screen unit that can’t do anything. in the dash and you can’t replace it , and if you can it’ll be a 2-3 thousand dollar upgrade.
You sir, should be running the show! Bravo on all points!
Not having to pony up for the top trim level to get the good looking body treatments or engine combo.
Say the mustang and Camaro, and challenger/charger.
want the look of the demon, but don’t have 100k, well buy the base car with the R/T trim.
The mustang lx trim gets you the gt500 look in a turbo4 car or basic gt.
The Camaro the RS trim gets you the z-28 zl-1 or whatever they call it this week on the turbo4 or basic v8 car
And lastly , find a way to put a spare back into the cars, even if it is an option. so the buyer can choose or down the line get a spare wheel/tire and have a place to dump it. Not a fan of no spare.
Easier still.
Allow options to be separate things. So that you can get this engine without leather, for example–instead of choosing one of three levels and that’s all the choice you get (other than color. Maybe.)
I understand the need for packages on vehicles to reduce the number of combinations going down the assembly line and to increase efficiency. But the automakers should introduce a better weight saving package for their performance cars. No cruise control, no air conditioning, no power windows and no power locks. This should also be reflected in the price.
For the love of Christ: SMALLER RIMS. Just because everyone says that gigantic rims are the current \”style\” doesn\’t mean they don\’t look like shit…
How about some tasteful styling. Most new cars/suv’s/trucks look like they came out of someone’s ass. I can only think of a handfull that are somewhat pleasing to look at. And for god’s sake why can’t any automaker build a cheap econobox that looks cool instead of screaming “I’m poor and this is all I can afford”.
I’m 100% with you on this one! The new Chevy’s, especially the 19′ Silverado look like folks have been hitting the crack pipe.
Analog gauges.
Fuselage body styles – and Dished rims – Stainless trim – and how about Steam Propulsion with Modern materials and controls !
Old style front door vent windows ,l sure do miss those.
Amen!
Vent windows ,and a price not so close to buying a house. If I pay 70K it better have an address.
Just for fun…. let’s put the stick shift back on the column and have a front bench!!! Lol
1)Heating & AC that work off 3 knobs/slider. WTF do I need a damn touch screen to be warmer/cooler?
2) Chrome. Tastefully applied.
3) Dished wheels
I’m going to go ’80s and say revive the long-tailed, midsized hatchback! About 60% of the sedans out there have gone with a near-horizontal rear window and tiny trunk opening, like a ’64-’66 Barracuda. Make the trunk lid pivot at the top of the rear window instead of the bottom, and it’s going to be a lot easier to load and unload.
Bench seats, knobs and levers for heater control and individual options instead of “package 101B” . An airbag equipped 72 Galaxie would suit me fine..