By Nitish S. Rele, nitishrele@gmail.com
CONTINENTAL
Tires: 245/40R20
Wheelbase: 117.9 inches
Length: 201.4 inches
Width: 82.3 inches
Height: 58.5 inches
Suspension: MacPherson strut front, advanced-integral link rear
Steering: adaptive, variable power
Fuel capacity: 18 gallons
City: 16 mpg
Highway: 24 mpg
Base price: $56,075
Web site: www.lincoln.com
It took a breather for 15 years but now the Continental is back! Under the flagship Lincoln resides a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine blasting off 400 horsepower @ 5750 rpm and 400 pounds-feet of torque @ 2750 rpm. The full-size luxury sedan is mated to an effortless 6-speed auto gearbox and an option of comfort, normal and sport modes to add variety to the ride. And Dynamic Torque Vectoring automatically adjusts torque between the rear wheels to aid at sharp corners, especially at tight turns.
A split-winged grille with the centered Lincoln emblem, surrounded by HID headlights and LED accents, conveys a tough stance. The E-latch door handles are a rarity even among high-end cars. But it is in the extravagant, trendy and beautifully made cabin that the Continental justly shines. For an extra $1,500, we suggest the Perfect Position option, which are basically 30-way front heated and cooled massaging seats. The user-friendly Sync3 interface controls audio, phone and navigation systems via voice, touch or both. Total passenger volume is an admiring 106.4 cubic feet and the trunk opens up 16.7 cubic feet of space. Tri-zone auto a/c, panoramic sun roof, 40/20/40 reclining rear heated/cooled/massage seats (separately packaged), Revel audio system with 19 speakers, suede headliner, foot-activated trunk, power tilt/telescope steering column, manual rear sunshades and power rear-window sunshade, and the Lincoln welcome/farewell light elements when are standard.
The Continental comes with a plethora of standard safety features, including dual front and side airbags, front knee airbags, side curtain airbag, four-wheel antilock brakes with electronic stability and traction control plus much more.
Weighing at 4,547 pounds, the forceful engine provides plenty of vim and vigor for the large sedan.
The lap of extravagance is no longer just the domain of Mercedes, BMW and Audi anymore.
