1989 Lincoln Town Car Ohio on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2019 Lincoln Nautilus vs 2018 Cadillac XT5: How they compare on paper

There will no doubt be endless ads touting the "first-ever" 2019 Lincoln Nautilus, which is accurate, but it's really just a mid-cycle update of an existing midsize luxury SUV attached to a greatly welcomed name change. Frankly, Lincoln could've called it the Diamond Jubilee Bill Blass and it would've been an improvement. Whatever. The MKX is dead. Long live the Nautilus. Now, speaking of SUVs with silly alphanumeric names, the 2018 Cadillac XT5 lines up remarkably well with the 2018 MKX. Besides hailing from American luxury brands, they have virtually identical exterior dimensions and similar standard engines as well. Cross-shopping seems assured. But what does the change to the 2019 Nautilus mean for how it compares to the XT5? Cosmetic changes might tweak exterior dimensions by a tenth of an inch here or there, but the interior should remain the same. The Nautilus gets a new engine, though, so check out our spreadsheet below to see if America's (and Canada's) luxury SUVs still stack up. Conclusions The switch to a turbocharged four-cylinder base engine means the XT5 and MKX/Nautilus are no longer on equal terms under the hood. While the Cadillac now has a considerable power advantage, the Lincoln Nautilus could save you hundreds every year based on its likely fuel economy (the 2.0-liter turbo engine, albeit with a different transmission, is in the mechanically similar Ford Edge). Besides the new engine for 2019, the Nautilus also gains an eight-speed automatic and an automatic stop start system. Both of those elements are already included on the XT5. It was announced that the 2019 Nautilus will start at $41,335, which compares to the base MKX at $39,960 and the 2018 Cadillac XT5 at $41,590. In other words, the Lincoln is still less expensive, but just barely. Standard feature content is also comparable, especially as the Nautilus gains standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which are already standard on the XT5. So really, no matter what they're called, the Cadillac and Lincoln should continue to be neck-and-neck competitors. 2019 Lincoln Nautilus Photos View 20 Photos 2018 Cadillac XT5 Photos View 28 Photos 2018 Lincoln MKX Photos View 57 Photos Related Video: Cadillac Lincoln Car Buying Crossover SUV Luxury Comparison consumer cadillac xt5 lincoln nautilus

This 1977 Lincoln Continental Town Car is very green

Autoblog Green editor John Beltz Snyder asked me to come up with something for his side of the room, so I happily obliged. Team player and all. This may not be what he had in mind, but Mr. Snyder cannot deny that the car you see here is in fact extremely green. In fact, the exterior of this 1977 Lincoln Continental Town Car for sale by Worldwide Vintage Autos is rocking two verdant shades. According to this original brochure, it sure looks like a combination of Dark Jade Metallic with Light Jade Valino Grain Vinyl Roof. There was actually a "Light Jade and Dark Jade Luxury Group" for '77 that describes this very car's exterior combo, but that apparently has a "tu-tone" leather and vinyl upholstery inside, whereas this car would seem to have the optional "Majestic Velour Luxury Group" in Jade.  If you wonder why I'm oddly fascinated by Malaise era luxury yachts, descriptors like "Light Jade Valino Grain Vinyl" and "Majestic Velour" should provide key clues. Well, those and the specs. The '77 Continental Town Car was 233 inches long, which is 11.1 inches longer than a 2021 Lincoln Navigator L ... as in the extended-length version. The Town Car was also 79.7 inches wide, which is only 0.2 inches narrower than today's biggest Lincoln. Its wheelbase, however, was 127.2 inches, which is 4.4 shorter than the Navigator. You don't really need to see the specs to notice that length-to-wheelbase discrepancy, though, just check out that rear overhang! Then there's the engine: a 7.5-liter V8. Cool, that must be awesome! False. This upgrade engine for '77 produced 208 horsepower and an admittedly robust 356 pound-feet of torque. It had a three-speed automatic. It also weighed in at 4,880 pounds. Fuel economy? Ah, don't really have EPA figures for '77, so let's just say it was about as green as the Rose's Town Car on "Schitt's Creek."  So there, a very green car. Happy John?

Autoblog Podcast #327

New York Auto Show, Jim Farley interview, 2014 Chevrolet Silverado fuel economy, Ford fuel economy app challenge
Episode #327 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Zach Bowman and Jeff Ross talk about this year's New York Auto Show, Chevrolet's latest assault in the pickup truck fuel economy battle, and Ford's reward for developing a better fuel economy app. Dan also has an interview with Ford's Jim Farley about the future of Lincoln. We wrap with your questions and emails, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Keep reading for our Q&A module for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #327: