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Ford's Galhotra succeeds Farley as head of Lincoln

Ford Motor Company is announcing a major personnel shakeup that could have a dramatic effect on the future of the Lincoln division. Kumar Galhotra (pictured above), currently vice president of engineering at Ford for all of its vehicles worldwide, is taking over as the president of the luxury brand on September 1, replacing Jim Farley. The automaker is also hiring a new head of advanced engineering.
Galhotra has a huge job ahead of him as the new boss of Lincoln worldwide, overseeing product development, marketing, sales and service. His task is to turn the luxury division into a world-class brand as quickly as possible, and he reports directly to Ford President and CEO Mark Fields.
"These changes underscore our commitment to build on the success of our One Ford plan by accelerating our pace of progress. They also make clear we are serious about Lincoln as a world-class luxury brand and that product excellence and innovation are what will deliver growth and define our entire company going forward," said Fields in the company's announcement.

Living Life Large: Driving $2 million worth of cars in one week

Monterey Car Week has quickly become one of my favorite events of the year. There's something for everyone – classic car shows, modern concepts and new vehicle debuts, auctions, racing, and so much more. From a media perspective, there's also a chance to drive a ton of cars. Many automakers bring their latest wares out to Monterey for us to test during our limited free time, and it's a great opportunity to experience fantastic metal against a gorgeous backdrop. That's exactly what I did this year. Instead of flying into Monterey and being driven around, my journey started in Los Angeles and ended in Napa, and I managed to get behind the wheel of some $2 million worth of new cars. Some were old favorites, and many were new experiences. But looking back, this was one of the best weeks of driving I've had in years. Rather than try to come up with some common arc to tie these cars together, here are my notes on all the cars I tested in California earlier this month, presented in the order in which they were driven. 2016 Mazda CX-3 The CX-3 pictured here isn't the exact one I drove in California, but it's close. The only difference was color – my delivered-to-LAX tester wore Mazda's awesome new Ceramic hue (pictured below on the MX-5 Miata). I used the CX-3 to slum through crummy Los Angeles traffic for two hours on the way out to Santa Barbara, with a quick stop at In-N-Out Burger on the way for good measure. A lot nicer inside than I remember. Everyone praises Mazda for its excellence in engineering and design, but there's a lot to be said for the improvements in overall interior refinement. Quiet, comfortable, and well-equipped; the CX-3 made sitting on the 405 freeway a lot more pleasant. Not all that functional. I had a hard time fitting a week's worth of luggage for two people inside. The cargo area and rear passenger compartment were filled, with only enough room on top to see out the back window. A Honda HR-V would've swallowed all that luggage with plenty of room for more. So good to drive. Not surprising, since this wasn't my first time in the CX-3. I knew this CUV would be good on twisty roads, but on the highway it's really exceptional. Road and wind noise are minimal and the overall ride quality is a comfortable sort of sporty. This is definitely something I could drive every day – it's enjoyable during commuting and entertaining on more interesting roads.

Lincoln's L100 teases luxurious autonomy with crazy-long doors

Lincoln chose Pebble Beach (not to mention its brand centennial) to show its new autonomous coupe concept. This unconventional 2+2 has everything you expect from a classic Lincoln luxury car — an extravagant presence, over-the-top appointments and, most importantly, the most ridiculous suicide doors we've ever seen. It may not seem obvious in photos, but the L100 is truly massive. It's longer than a Navigator (Lincoln's words) and arguably has a far more impressive aura. The wheels are tucked beneath the L100's body work to make the car more slippery; the slick impressions adorning the bodywork are lined with LEDs, allowing for a customizable movement "signature."  And then there are the doors. The L100's massive portals are mounted on hinges the likes of which you've never seen, which is appropriate given the scale of this massive coupe. The doors open rearward, then outward imbuing the works with look akin to that of a mechanized insect startled by an intruder. The angle can be customized, Lincoln says, and the ingress/egress points are lined with LEDs that allow for custom lighting effects, including an illuminated "red carpet" that makes puddle lamps look like weak party tricks.  Lincoln Model L100 Concept Exterior 7 View 13 Photos "We are at a special moment in our history. Over the last 100 years, Lincoln has pioneered multiple innovations and pushed the boundaries of design that have come to define our brand as we know and love it today," says Joy Falotico, president, Lincoln. "With the Model L100 Concept, we reimagine what the Lincoln sanctuary might look like for our clients of tomorrow moving us forward to define the next chapter of the Lincoln story." Lincoln was light on the L100's technical details, suggesting only that it utilizes next-gen (solid state) battery tech and a wheel-in-motor configuration to maximize available interior space. The stylized "wheel" panels eliminate turbulence and are sculpted outward from the car's centerline to maximize space for the actual wheels and tires hidden beneath them. Lincoln's designers say it was surprisingly easy to assure clearance for the front wheels to pivot with steering inputs, but despite the L100's size, it's hard not to fixate on how narrow that front track must be. Lincoln's idea of the next chapter is one where people still own their own cars even if they don't drive them. This is in contrast to Cadillac's InnerSpace concept, which is otherwise very similar in both concept and execution.