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Lincoln is changing the way it sells cars (for the better)

Tucked inside an outdoor shopping complex in Scottsdale, Arizona, among various trendy stores is something one would’ve thought hilariously out of place not so long ago: a Lincoln dealer. But this isnÂ’t any old dealership, Lincoln or otherwise. This would be the Sanderson Lincoln Boutique, the first of its kind for FordÂ’s luxury brand. Walk through the big glass doors and youÂ’re greeted by a 2022 Navigator on your right, a 2022 Aviator Grand Touring straight ahead, and to your left, an expansive coffee bar. Vintage promotional images from LincolnÂ’s midcentury glory years line the walls, which is a treat to anyone fond of that automotive era. There are smaller seating areas elsewhere, including one enclosed in glass presumably for more privately discussing a sale, but the overall vibe is reminiscent of an airline lounge. There are also no sales people: Those on hand are salaried product specialists who get paid the same whether you buy a car or not. Oh, and baristas, there to whip up some caffeine free of charge whether you buy a car or not. That seems like a recipe for being popular with teenagers, but I digress. Lincoln is planning for other such boutique stores, but the decision to create this one was all on an individual dealer, Sanderson Lincoln, with the full support of Lincoln. And according to Lincoln President Joy Falotico, such boutique stores and their car-buying model could complement radical changes already happening elsewhere in the car-buying realm. In short, the ongoing supply shortage is set to change everything. Customers are not only getting used to waiting for cars, but also ordering them and therefore getting exactly what they want. ThatÂ’s where boutique stores come in. At the same time, Lincoln and its dealers see the value in not keeping huge inventories of cars that will end up discounted or incentivized. Yes, that means being able to keep prices higher, which is a giant part of this, but it also means theyÂ’ll be delivering cars customers actually want. “We donÂ’t intend to go back to the old model of (overabundant) dealer inventory,” Falotico definitively said. She elaborated that moving to a model where customers increasingly order their cars could increase the build possibilities and opportunities for customization.

Weekly Recap: Revisting the BBC report that ended Jeremy Clarkson's Top Gear run

Jeremy Clarkson's long run as a Top Gear host has come to an end, and the reason is clear: His physical assault on one of the show's producers crossed a line, and the government-owned BBC couldn't tolerate it. The incident between Clarkson and Top Gear producer Oisin Tymon was initially described as a "fracas," and Clarkson was suspended. But his popularity and widespread support – even British Prime Minister David Cameron weighed in – suggested that the controversial Clarkson might be given yet another chance. The BBC put this to rest Wednesday when it sacked Clarkson and revealed the findings of its investigation. The report spelled out how Clarkson struck Tymon on the patio of a North Yorkshire (UK) hotel, leaving him with a bloodied, swollen lip. It was severe enough that the producer sought medical treatment. During and after the attack, Clarkson shouted expletives at Tymon and threatened to fire him. The noise carried into the hotel's dining room and even to a bedroom. Local police investigated the incident, but Tymon isn't pressing charges. The huge audience numbers, Clarkson's popularity and the high-octane excitement of Top Gear all melted away in the eyes of BBC director-general Tony Hall, who saw an attacker and a victim. "For me a line has been crossed," he said in a statement. "There cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another dictated by either rank, or public relations and commercial considerations." In that moment, Clarkson was the bad guy, though he was actually the one who reported it to the network and made repeated attempts to apologize to Tymon. He's also urged the media to leave the producer alone. Hall voiced regret in the statement that announced Clarkson's contract would not be renewed, but the BBC decided to move on. Rumors are swirling about possible replacements for Clarkson. The network says it wants to continue Top Gear in 2016 and is looking to air the rest of this season's episodes. Despite the controversy, the show has a global audience of 350 million viewers and is one of the BBC's most valuable properties. It's unclear what Clarkson's co-hosts, James May and Richard Hammond, will do, as their contracts were also reportedly up to be renewed. Other News & Notes 2016 Chevrolet Malibu hybrid charges up with Volt technology Chevrolet is taking some of the learnings and technologies from the 2016 Volt and dropping them into the reborn Malibu hybrid.

2022 Lincoln Aviator Review | American luxury in the best way

In Lincoln's heyday, its cars were big, powerful and extravagant. They embodied the idea of American luxury in the best possible way. The 2022 Lincoln Aviator shows the brand has recaptured the essence of those good old days, while still pushing forward into the future with the latest tech offerings and an available plug-in hybrid powertrain that provides competitive all-electric range and a staggering amount of power. It's also a style leader, particularly inside, which was true of Lincoln's midcentury classics, but obviously missing for the better part of 30 years. Practically speaking, the Aviator is a fully competitive entry in the three-row luxury segment, capable to making a strong case for itself among (relative) lower-cost entries like the Acura MDX and Volvo XC90 as well as larger, upper-crust offerings like the Mercedes GLS and BMW X7. Its generous interior size and feature content has a lot to do with it, but so does the fact that Lincoln didn't mess around under the hood. Its base engine is more powerful than most of its competitors' engine upgrades, while that plug-in hybrid's 630 pound-feet of torque makes you wonder whether someone made a typo. They didn't. Basically, there's a lot to love about the Aviator, and crucially, a lot that makes sense. Interior & Technology  |  Passenger & Cargo Space  |  Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive  |  Pricing & Features  |  Crash Ratings & Safety Features What's new for 2022? Changes are light for the 2022 Aviator. The Reserve trim picks up additional standard features: wireless charging, a head-up display and phone-as-key. There's also a new Monochromatic package that adds black wheels and replaces bright work with body-colored trim. It's very 2022. 2020 Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring Black Label View 34 Photos What's the Aviator interior and in-car technology like? No other company's interiors look anything like the midcentury-inspired palace of cool you get in the Aviator. All versions are available with distinctive color schemes (including the base model shown below right in Sandstone), but the Black Label trim level stands out the most with its three available "themes" of "Chalet," "Flight" and "Destination" (below left) that get special colors and trim types. The quality of some plastics and the fit-and-finish aren't up to Mercedes or BMW levels, but everything looks so special that it covers whatever deficit exists.