1983 Lincoln Continental Mark Vi Excellent Condition on 2040-cars

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2021 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring brings plug-in hybrid tech to the small crossover

LOS ANGELES — When the new Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair were launched, the Corsair was strangely lacking a hybrid variant like the cheaper Ford. The reason for this is that Lincoln was preparing a slightly more advanced hybrid for the small luxury crossover. The 2021 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring elevates itself over the Ford by bringing plug-in capability and a different kind of all-wheel drive. At the front of the Corsair, the powertrain is the same as the Ford Escape. It's a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-4 and an electric motor powering the front wheels. But at the back, Lincoln has added another electric motor with a single-speed transmission to power the rear wheels, just like Toyota has been doing in the all-wheel-drive versions of the Toyota Prius, RAV4 Hybrid and Lexus UX250h. In addition to giving the Corsair four driven wheels, it brings total horsepower up to 266 ponies, an increase of 66 over the Ford. Having this rear motor opens up lots of freedom for how much power is given to the rear wheels, and a Lincoln representative said that the rear can go into a coasting or free-wheeling state when cruising for efficiency. Supplying electricity to the Corsair Grand Touring is a floor-mounted 14.4-kWh battery pack. Lincoln estimates it will provide enough power for the Corsair to drive about 26 miles on a charge. Neither the battery nor the rear motor take up any interior space, so rear passenger and cargo capacity remain the same as the regular Corsair. Charging can be done at Level 1 or Level 2 chargers, with the former taking 10 to 11 hours and the latter taking 3 to 4 hours. DC fast charging is not available, something that's featured on the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Hybrid mechanical bits aside, the Corsair Grand Touring is just like any other Corsair. The only indicators that it's a hybrid are the unique grille, 20-inch wheels, blue badging and additional door for the charging plug. The Grand Touring comes standard with Lincoln's cell-phone key system, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist and automatic high-beams. Automatic parking, a head-up display and adaptive cruise control are all options. Pricing hasn't been announced yet, but will likely revealed closer to the on-sale date in the summer of 2020. Looking at the price structure for the Aviator, which also has a Grand Touring plug-in hybrid variant, the Corsair Grand Touring could be priced above the current range-topping Reserve trim.

Lincoln Nautilus, Ford Edge latest prediction: Production ends in July 2024

In June, Auto Forecast Solutions put out a report compiled by its vice president of global forecasting, Sam Fiorani. One item in the report covered how Fiorani had heard from "multiple sources" that Ford shut down the program to replace the Edge crossover in 2023. Assuming this came to pass, with the Lincoln Nautilus based on the Edge, the inference is that the Nautilus would retire at or around the same time. Ford's response to media queries about the report was either "No comment" or PR-speak deflection. Lincoln's statement on the matter to Motor1, a crafty non-answer, was, "The Nautilus plays and will continue to play an important role in Lincoln’s growing SUV portfolio which includes the Corsair, Aviator and Navigator. Lincoln is investing in growth segments like SUVs and we have no plans to exit the segment." It's possible Lincoln has no plans to leave the segment, but the Nautilus might, according to a fresh, unsourced report in Ford Authority. The site claims the Nautilus will end production at the Oakville Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada, in July 2024.  Again, we can't know how much, if any of this, is true. But we're zeroing in on a timeline for the potential end of the Edge and Nautilus in the U.S. Those are the only two products Oakville currently builds, and when the Canadian union Unifor asked Ford about the reports in June, Ford couldn't offer union reps anything concrete or reassuring. The Detroit News quoted Unifor chief Jerry Dias as saying of the automaker, "There is no question, they are going through a major evaluation of their portfolio, based on a whole host of things."   We could be seeing one of the earlier theories for Edge's potential demise coming true. Some analysts suspect Ford could be pruning its crossover lineup because it has too many similarly-sized offerings at the moment, the Edge hasn't met its sales targets in Europe, and more compact crossovers are on the way that could bring better street cred if they're associated with the Bronco or Bronco Sport. Unifor and Ford are now in negotiations over a new contract, so it's possible we'll get more clarity in the next month or so about Ford's plans and what will come of Oakville and its roughly 4,000 workers. If Ford walks away from the assembly plant, it will only have two engine plants left in Canada, and no vehicle assembly north of the border for the first time in about a century.

Never mind the naysayers; Lincoln is worth saving

In the case of Henry Leland, naming his new car brand after the first President he cast a vote for in 1864 seemed a jolly good idea, on paper.
You should always be careful about the name you choose to give your new baby. The power of association can work in many ways, not always positive.