1941 Lincoln Continental Convertible on 2040-cars

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Lincoln Aviator warning and alert sounds are played by an orchestra

Lincoln used members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra to create alert chimes for its new Aviator SUV. Luxury manufacturers are always looking for more ways to increase the level of ambiance, and Lincoln went so far as to contract some of the best musicians in the world to create a more comfortable atmosphere. In total, the musicians created six different alert chimes for 25 different alerts the Aviator could provide. The alert chimes fall into three different categories Lincoln uses for warnings: non-critical, soft-warning chimes and hard-warning chimes. They are all made using a blend of percussion instruments, violin and viola. Lincoln plans to expand the instrumental sounds across its entire lineup eventually. These chimes will represent warnings for things like an open fuel door, unbuckled seat belt, the lowering of the power liftgate and plenty more. It's not a bad day when leaving your headlights on or door open lead to a pleasant musical sound coming from your speakers. All the sounds seem appropriate for their particular functions, and do sound more pleasing than the normal alerts. Lincoln says the musicians initially came up with 125 different sound options before they narrowed it down to just six. While it might feel a bit gimmicky at face value, a calming sound playing versus an annoying beep might reduce in-car aggravation. The Aviator with these warning sounds will be revealed at the LA Auto Show at the end of the month as well. It was originally shown as a close-to-production-looking concept car at the NY Auto Show earlier this year. All the official production details will be coming in LA. We'll be there in-person to tell you if these new musical chimes are a win. Lincoln Aviator warning chimes View 5 Photos Related video:

2022 Lincoln Nautilus Review | What's new, price, mpg, photos

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus is the middle child of Lincoln’s excellent crossover and SUV lineup. It fills the space between the three-row Aviator and compact Corsair, competing with other two-row midsize SUVs. Up until a year ago, it was also the odd one out in that it lacked Lincoln's mid-century-modern-inspired interior design that's wowed since it originally showed up in the Navigator. That changed last year as the Nautilus finally got its makeover and it instantly made the Nautilus a more viable option in a stacked class of excellent choices from BMW, Mercedes, Lexus and Volvo, just to name a few. And if youÂ’re only considering American options, it walks all over CadillacÂ’s XT5 in both luxury and drive experience. DonÂ’t expect it to handle or drive like the German luxury options, though. Lincoln knows its target market is much more concerned with things like ride quality than they are skid pad ratings. WeÂ’ll give them credit for not trying to make this crossover something it shouldnÂ’t and can't be, too. While the twin-turbo V6 will still hustle you down a road, the isolated interior and eye-catching technology makes the argument for why you should come home with a Nautilus. Should you? It's hard to say it's a better SUV than a BMW X5 or Mercedes GLE, but then it's also priced lower than those and other European contemporaries, which at least makes up for its various deficiencies. Interior & Technology  |  Passenger & Cargo Space  |  Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive  |  Pricing & Features  |  Crash Ratings & Safety Features   WhatÂ’s new for 2022? Very few things are changing for the 2022 Nautilus, since the model was treated to a fairly notable refresh for 2021. That said, Lincoln is adding two new colors: Bronze Smoke Metallic and Gilded Green Metallic. ItÂ’s also gaining another Black Label interior option with Flight (dark tan and black combo) joining the Alpine White that was the sole Black Label interior for 2021. Beyond the colors, Lincoln made some minor packaging changes. It's also important to note that this could be the final year for the Nautilus, as Lincoln is reportedly turning its attention to other crossover concepts.  2021 Lincoln Nautilus Reserve View 24 Photos WhatÂ’s the Nautilus interior and in-car technology like?

Bring back the Bronco! Trademarks we hope are actually (someday) future car names

Trademark filings are the tea leaves of the auto industry. Read them carefully – and interpret them correctly – and you might be previewing an automaker's future product plans. Yes, they're routinely filed to maintain the rights to an iconic name. And sometimes they're only for toys and clothing. But not always. Sometimes, the truth is right in front of us. The trademark is required because a company actually wants to use the name on a new car. With that in mind, here's a list of intriguing trademark filings we want to see go from paperwork to production reality. Trademark: Bronco Company: Ford Previous Use: The Bronco was a long-running SUV that lived from 1966-1996. It's one of America's original SUVs and was responsible for the increased popularity of the segment. Still, it's best known as O.J. Simpson's would-be getaway car. We think: The Bronco was an icon. Everyone seems to want a Wrangler-fighter – Ford used to have a good one. Enough time has passed that the O.J. police chase isn't the immediate image conjured by the Bronco anymore. Even if we're doing a wish list in no particular order, the Bronco still finds its way to the top. For now (unfortunately), it's just federal paperwork. Rumors on this one can get especially heated. The official word from a Ford spokesman is: "Companies renew trademark filings to maintain ownership and control of the mark, even if it is not currently used. Ford values the iconic Bronco name and history." Trademarks: Aviator, AV8R Company: Ford Previous Use: The Aviator was one of the shortest-run Lincolns ever, lasting for the 2003-2005 model years. It never found the sales success of the Ford Explorer, with which it shared a platform. We Think: The Aviator name no longer fits with Lincoln's naming nomenclature. Too bad, it's better than any other name Lincoln currently uses, save for its former big brother, the Navigator. Perhaps we're barking up the wrong tree, though. Ford has made several customized, aviation themed-Mustangs in the past, including one called the Mustang AV8R in 2008, which had cues from the US Air Force's F-22 Raptor fighter jet. It sold for $500,000 at auction, and the glass roof – which is reminiscent of a fighter jet cockpit – helped Ford popularize the feature. Trademark: EcoBeast Company: Ford Previous Use: None by major carmakers.