Photo courtesy Lincoln Motor Company
It?s a tough time to be a luxury sedan. According to market tracking at Kelley Blue Book luxury sedan sales are down more than 13% this year while every luxury SUV category is up. In Lincoln?s favor, the brand?s sales are increasing, up almost 9 percent this year on the success of the MKC and MKX utility vehicles. So the question is, how much will the all-new 2017 Lincoln Continental contribute to Lincoln?s turnaround momentum"

Based on a driving experience around Los Angeles? affluent West Side, as well as through the picturesque canyons and coastal highways of Malibu, it?s clear the 2017 Lincoln Continental delivers the luxury experience its upscale exterior and interior design conveys. Lincoln actually uses the term ?quiet luxury? to describe its approach to premium vehicle design. The brand doesn?t want to be seen as opulent or grandiose, and is happy to let other luxury brands fight over those terms. Photo courtesy Lincoln Motor Company
It?s a fine line to walk, but one I?m heartened to see a domestic automaker take. For too long Ford and GM have tried to produce American versions of European luxury cars. Everything from alphanumeric badging to a fixation on downsizing and stark design suggests U.S. automakers want to emulate their counterparts from across the pond. The revival of the Continental nameplate, with it?s distinctive exterior, commanding size and roomy interior, indicates Lincoln is ready to offer ...