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Lincoln to get high-end Harman Revel audio in 2015

"They've never been in autos before, and this is going to be an absolute point of differentiation for us." – Matt VanDyke Lincoln executive Matt VanDyke admits he was "moderately interested" when he heard his brand was considering a partnership with a high-end speaker company. Then he listened to the silky sound they made. "I sat there and I was blown away," he said. That may be overselling the speakers, but they do sound good – we know, we've checked 'em out. Lincoln is betting subtle enhancements – like Harman's Revel audio systems – will help the historic automotive brand appeal to a new generation of buyers. The companies announced a 10-year deal on Wednesday to place Revel speakers in Lincoln cars and trucks beginning in 2015 models. Terms were not disclosed. Though Revel is a new name, Harman has long offered a wide array of car under other brands, including Harman Kardon, Infinity and Lexicon. The partnership launches with the next-generation MKX crossover (concept version shown above), which arrives in showrooms in 2015, and the speakers will be available on other Lincoln models, too. Revel is Harman's top-of-the-line brand that's marketed to audiophiles, and its home systems can easily cost several thousand dollars or more. In Lincolns, passengers will be able to tune their Revel system to three settings: normal stereo sound; "audience," which creates concert-like acoustics; and "on-stage," which is designed to make passengers feel like they're standing among the band. Revel and Lincoln designers also collaborated on the style of the speaker grilles to integrate them into the vehicles, and the uplevel Revel system, called Ultima, will use aluminum covers. "They've never been in autos before, and this is going to be an absolute point of differentiation for us," said VanDyke, Lincoln's global director. Though Revel is a new name to the auto sector, Harman has long offered a wide array of in-car audio and infotainment systems under other brands, including Harman Kardon, Infinity and Lexicon. The Revel partnership is part of Lincoln's efforts to elevate its image and make the brand more relevant to new and younger customers. Lincoln's Black Label line, a customization and service program, will launch at 32 dealerships in six states this year, before expanding nationwide in late 2015. Additionally, Lincoln signed Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey to star in its advertisements.

2019 Lincoln Nautilus First Drive Review | A refresh that's more than skin deep

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Its name is new, but the 2019 Lincoln Nautilus is really a rebranded, restyled and updated version of the second-generation Lincoln MKX, which has been on sale since 2016. Renaming your bestselling vehicle is risky, but Lincoln has been struggling, and it feels the names of its vehicles are partly to blame. Recall that since 2007, Ford's luxury brand has used letters to name some models, including MKZ and MKX, and traditional names on others like Navigator and Continental. Well, now it's ditching the letters and renaming those vehicles. The MKX is now the Nautilus. The smaller MKC is rumored to become the Corsair, which was a name used by Edsel back in the 1950s. The seven-passenger Aviator will go on sale in 2019, and the MKZ's new name is anybody's guess. Zephyr again, maybe? NordicTrack is already taken. Lincoln has also been rolling out a new grille design, which debuted on the Continental in 2017 and replaces the unloved winged look that was supposed to remind luxury buyers of the elegance of the 1939 Lincoln Continental — but didn't. Fitting the new grille to the 2019 Nautilus completes that rollout, and the five-passenger SUV is certainly more handsome than before. Its mesh is a repetition of the Lincoln Star logo, and it works. The SUV's front fascia, headlamps and hood are new as well, and the hood has grown a sizable and attractive center peak. Underneath that hood is a new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with direct injection. It's the same engine used in the smaller MKC and the Ford Edge, which shares the Nautilus' chassis, but Lincoln doesn't use the name EcoBoost for this and its other powerplants. The 2.0-liter replaces the naturally aspirated 3.7-liter V6 as the standard engine, and it's rated 250 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 280 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm on 93 octane fuel. Those numbers are down from the V6, which was rated 303 hp at 6,500 rpm and 278 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. But Lincoln has also replaced the antiquated six-speed automatic transmission with an eight-speed, so overall performance is comparable, and city fuel economy is up significantly. With the V6 and front-wheel drive, the MKX was rated 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. The new combination has a 21 mpg city rating. The considerably more powerful twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6 remains optional, rated 335 hp at 5500 rpm and 380 lb-ft of torque at 3250 rpm.

Ellen DeGeneres sends up Matthew McConaughey's Lincoln ad

Lincoln had to have known that when it released its new ad campaign for the new MKC with Matthew McConaughey, it would open itself up to a bit of good old fashioned ridicule. The television commercial was, after all, good for a laugh or two. And true to their mission, talk show hosts haven't missed the opportunity to have a little fun at Lincoln's and McConaughey's expense.
Conan O'Brien was first to send up the television spot, but now Ellen DeGeneres has taken a stab at it too, superimposing herself in the back seat of the compact luxury crossover, downing some pot brownies and generally playing Costello to McConaughey's Abbott. It's worth a watch, if only to see Ellen getting down in her usual, offbeat style.