“MY DADDY SAID ‘SON, YOU’RE GONNA DRIVE ME TO DRINKIN’ IF YOU DON’T STOP DRIVIN’ THAT HOT ROD LINCOLN.’”

4/7/17

I sent the following letter to Car & Driver in response to its review of the reincarnated Lincoln Continental.   Car & Driver published the letter in its current (i.e., the May, 2017) issue.   I have reproduced the letter for those of you who don’t read that best of the car magazines:

2/6/17

You conclude your February review of the new Lincoln Continental by stating

“We’re convinced that a slight change in focus and another stab at tuning could produce the first Continental that’s truly at home in a car enthusiast’s driveway.”

Why would Lincoln want to make such a change in focus after seeing the miserable job Cadillac has done competing for sales on the enthusiast playing field with the German marques?   Cadillac’s efforts at wanna-be BMWism has resulted in its generating about half the sales of the luxury market leaders.   In the Continental, Lincoln wisely has eschewed this failed formula in favor of creating an upscale sedan in the classic American tradition:   large, powerful, quiet, and luxurious.   Perhaps this approach will prove more effective than the Cadillac formula, which seems to be building more cramped and less capable imitations of German luxury sedans while turning its back on its traditional customer base…and those who aspire to join that base.