13 Eco Boost 3rd Turbo Wagon 5 Door 4wd Awd Nav 20's Sync Mytouch Gps Charged T on 2040-cars

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2017 Lincoln Continental pricing undercuts Cadillac CT6

For 40,000 people interested in purchasing a new Lincoln Continental, today is the day they've been waiting for. We have the full and complete list of prices and optional extras for the luxury brand's big, new sedan. The Continental will be offered in four trims – Premiere, Select, Reserve, and Black Label. The Premiere starts at $45,485 (including $925 in destination pricing), while the Select kicks off at $48,440. Speaking of the Select, the base 3.7-liter V6 can be swapped for a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, if you've got $2,250 to burn, driving the price up to $50,690. Going to the Reserve gets you more kit and the 2.7-liter comes standard, but the price increases to $54,840. Finally, the base Black Label starts at $63,840. In the case of both the high-end trims, Lincoln will let you upgrade to the eagerly anticipated 400-horsepower, 3.0-liter V6 for $3,265. All-wheel drive is a $2,000 option regardless of trim or engine. Standalone options include Lincoln's "Perfect Position" seats, a $1,500 feature that adds 30-way adjustability. It's easy to drive those prices up, of course. Lincoln is offering five options packages, spread across the Select, Reserve, and Black Label trims. The Select Plus (blind-spot monitoring and Sync 3) adds $1,255 to the price of the Select. The $695 Climate Pack (automatic high beams, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and rain sensing wipers) and $3,105 Technology Pack (360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, Enhanced Active Park Assist, lane keeping assist, and forward collision warning) can be added to the Select, Reserve, and Black Label. The $4,300 Rear-Seat Pack (heated, cooled, and multi-contour rear seats, inflatable rear belts, and a panoramic sunroof) will pamper backseat passengers on the high-end Reserve and Black Label, while the $5,000 Luxury Package will add LED headlamps and a 19-speaker Revel stereo to the Reserve trim. Standalone options include Lincoln's "Perfect Position" seats, a $1,500 feature that adds 30-way adjustability. That's just silly. More common features include a $1,130 Revel stereo, a $1,750 panoramic sunroof, $750 20-inch wheels, and a $335 CD player. So yeah, don't expect many of those base prices to make it to the showroom without some swelling. By our math, the Conti tops out at a cool $82,400. Lincoln says it's big target for the Conti is Audi A6, and its pricing matches up neatly with that car. The front-drive 2.0-liter turbocharged A6 Premium starts at $47,125.

BMW M4 versus Audi RS5 | Autoblog Podcast #546

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Reese Counts. We debate the merits of the BMW M4 and the new Audi RS5 and our hopes for the refreshed Mercedes-AMG C63. We also discuss the state of Cadillac, the future of the Ford Fusion and the rumored Mercedes-AMG competitor to the Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman. Autoblog Podcast #546 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown 2018 BMW M4 versus 2018 Audi RS5 Cadillac and Mercedes-AMG sport coupes The state of the luxury car industry The future of the Ford Fusion Replacement for the Mercedes-Benz SLC Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: Design/Style Podcasts Audi BMW Cadillac Ford Lexus Lincoln Mercedes-Benz Convertible Coupe Crossover SUV Luxury Performance bmw m4 mercedes-amg c63

How long will the 'golden age' of performance last?

High-powered sports and luxury cars were everywhere at the New York Auto Show, prompting the obvious question for enthusiasts: How long will this golden age of performance last? Industry leaders have some time before regulations elevate the Corporate Average Fuel Economy level in 2025. Even then, they expect cars rippling with power to survive in some form. "Is it the end of an era," I don't think so," said Ola Kallenius, Daimler AG board member for Mercedes-Benz cars marketing and sales. "That performance element of individual mobility I don't think will ever go away." Kallenius, who oversaw the company's AMG division from 2010-2013, expects it to continue to grow. Last year, AMG sold a record 68,875 units around the world, an increase of 44.6 percent over 2014, with strong growth in the US, China, and Germany. Still, there's always the potential for gas to spike, and pending fuel economy regulations are looming. That could lead AMG to add electrification to its products, Kallenius said, pointing to the electric SLS as a test case. Chevy is also thinking ahead, said Al Oppenheiser, chief engineer of the Camaro. He wouldn't bite when asked about electrification for the Camaro (he did say "never say never"), but admitted in 2025 "it's going to be pretty tough to sell V8s." For now, things are rosy for muscle cars, and Chevy confidently showcased the 640-hp Camaro ZL1 in coupe and convertible form in New York. "I think that this is truly the golden age of performance," Oppenheiser said. It's hard to disagree. News & Analysis News: The 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF was a show-stopper in New York. Analysis: There was a palpable energy when this RF — for Retractable Fastback — was revealed the night before the show at a trendy off-site venue near the Hudson River. Even as a parade of SUVs and flashy luxury cars rolled out the rest of the week, the Miata remained a hot topic. The Retractable Fastback is really a clever targa top, with part of the roof stowing behind the seats, adding about 100 pounds compared to the standard convertible. It makes the car more practical and arguably more attractive. The RF continues Mazda's tradition of selling the Miata with a hardtop variant. The first and second generations offered a detachable one, and a power retractable hardtop (a $1,700 option) was available on third-gen models. Judging by its reception in New York, the RF could prove to be even more popular than its predecessors.