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Did Neil Young just spill the beans on a 2016 Lincoln Continental? [w/video]

Neil Young may be better known as a singer-songwriter and rock n' roll icon than he is for his involvement with cars, but the Canadian-born musician is not without his automotive credentials. His latest book, after all, is titled "Special Deluxe: A Memoir of Life & Cars," and one of his most famous songs, "Long May You Run," was written about his old station wagon. But does that mean he's got an inside line on new cars coming out? In an appearance on CNBC's Mad Money with Matt Cramer this week, the Y in CSNY was plugging Pono, a portable music player and service he developed. During the segment, which you can watch in the video clip below, Young mentioned that his company was working on a new in-car audio integration with Harman, which as we know just signed a deal with Lincoln. Here's where it gets interesting: The Godfather of Grunge mentioned that Pono and Harman were preparing to put the system in the 2016 Lincoln Continental. The thing is, Lincoln hasn't made a Continental for a dozen years now. Does Neil know something we don't, or did he simply misspeak? He is, after all, working on an electric-converted '59 Continental he calls the LincVolt, so it wouldn't be hard to imagine he got mixed up. But maybe, just maybe, it was the first bit of leaked info that Ford's luxury division is planning on shifting away from its MK-based naming scheme and reviving at least one iconic nameplate. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

The Lincoln Blackwood was the original luxury pickup. It was also weird.

As the 20th century drew to a close, Lincoln's mainstay product, the venerable Town Car, was well on its way to livery-car limbo and the brand's sales were sinking. The surprise-hit Navigator, introduced for 1998, indicated a possible way forward: luxury trucks. The following year, Lincoln rolled out a concept (pictured at bottom) that was essentially a dolled-up F-150 pickup: the Blackwood. Reaction was sufficiently enthusiastic that the Blackwood appeared in showrooms, essentially unchanged, for 2002. Luxo-trucks are now all the rage, but Lincoln's attempts to make the Blackwood truly special tripped up this pioneering pickup, which was canceled after just one year. That means this 2002 Blackwood for sale right now on Cars and Bids presents a rare opportunity. Lincoln grafted a Navigator nose onto an F-150 body, and if they had stopped there, the Blackwood might have fared better. But Lincoln went further. Motivation was provided by a 5.4-liter InTech V8 with 300 horsepower driving the rear wheels. Four-wheel drive wasn't offered, because Lincoln didn't want to raise the ride height. Air springs supplemented the rear leaf springs. The interior was stuffed with all manner of Navigator-spec luxury gear, with leather, heated and cooled seats, power-adjustable pedals, and even an early navigation system — which was the only option. Seating was strictly for four thanks to the rear captain's chairs. As if adorning it with faux African wedgewood and aluminum inlays wasn't distinctive enough, the cargo bed became a cargo trunk thanks to the standard, power-operated hard tonneau cover. Inside, the floor was carpeted, the sides were brushed aluminum, and the space was illuminated by LED accent lighting. Rather than a drop-down tailgate, access was via a pair of Dutch doors. To align with the nameplate, the only color offered was Gunslinger Black with a black interior. To maintain exclusivity, Lincoln planned to cap sales at 10,000 units. That provided wholly unnecessary, as sales only reached 3,356. Lincoln pulled the plug after one year. The 2020 asking price was $52,500 (roughly $77,000 today). The truck for sale on Cars and Bids is sure to go for less, although bidding is pretty strong out of the gate. It currently sits at $8989 with six days to go in the auction.

Lincoln revival bypasses rear-wheel drive for now

Ford execs had the axe ready for Lincoln just a few years ago, but the luxury marque is on a hot streak these days. Annual sales are up 7.5 percent through October, and the recently unveiled, refreshed 2017 MKZ previews the company's improved styling. In a great piece about the brand's growth strategy, Automotive News finds the division's bosses want to focus on the core vehicles before taking a big step and building a rear-wheel drive niche model. "Luxury coupes and sports cars are not the first place we need to go," Global Lincoln Director Matt VanDyke said in the story. The division's bosses want to use the updated MKZ as an opportunity to distance Lincoln's identity from Ford, and the powertrain will carry the 3.0T badge rather than Ford's EcoBoost name as part of that approach. The model also injects excitement into the range thanks to an all-wheel drive version with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 with 400 horsepower and an optional Driver's Package with a torque-vectoring rear differential. Lincoln will launch at least three new models by 2020, too. One of those will be the production Continental that will reportedly debut at the Detroit Auto Show. The company will also allegedly revive the Aviator to fit below the Navigator. The third vehicle remains a mystery but likely isn't a compact. Automotive News' story further examines the previously languishing brand's work to climb up the luxury ranks in the US. It's well worth a read. Related Video: