Lincoln Continental hits showrooms in ’16

DEARBORN, Mich. – Elvis Presley had one; so did Clark Gable. It was even the sedan of presidents. Then the name vanished amid an invasion of newer luxury cars from Europe and Asia.

Now, the Lincoln Continental is back.

Thirteen years after the last Continental rolled off the assembly line, Ford Motor Co. is resurrecting its storied nameplate. The new Continental debuts in concept form at this week’s New York auto show. The production version of the full-size sedan goes on sale next year.

After more than a decade of toying with alphabetical names like LS and MKS to be more like its foreign rivals, Ford’s 98-year-old Lincoln brand is embracing its heritage. It’s a measure of the growing confidence at Lincoln, which is finally turning around a decadeslong sales decline. And it’s a nod to the importance of China, where customers know the Continental name and appreciate brands with a rich history.

Ford CEO Mark Fields said the Continental always represented the best of Lincoln. Resurrecting it sets higher expectations, both within the company and outside of it.

“When we get a chance to work on an iconic nameplate like that, it’s a mixture of pride and a mixture of fear, because when you put that name out there, it’s got to deliver,” Fields said.

The Continental was born in 1938, when Henry Ford’s son Edsel commissioned a convertible he could use on his spring vacation. Thrilled by the reception he got as he drove the elegant sedan around Palm Beach, Edsel made the Continental part of Lincoln’s lineup.

The Continental soon became the pinnacle of American luxury. Warner Brothers gave Elizabeth Taylor a 1956 Continental with a custom paint color to match her eyes. A darker historical note: John F. Kennedy was riding in the back of a 1961 Continental convertible when he was assassinated in Dallas.

Continental sales peaked in 1990 at 62,732. But after that, Lincoln’s sales began slipping.

Ford had acquired other luxury brands such as Jaguar and Volvo. Lincoln’s designs got dull and failed to stand out from lower-priced Fords. The Continental also was squeezed by competition from the midsize Lincoln LS, which debuted in 2000, and the bigger Town Car.

Ford also underestimated the threat posed by German rivals, who were expanding their lineups, and newer Japanese luxury brands. By 2000, Lexus was the top-selling luxury brand in the U.S.; last year, BMW was.

To make its way back, Lincoln isn’t trying to be sporty like BMW or showy like Cadillac. Instead, Fields said, it wants to give drivers an experience that is elegant and serene.

“We want folks to get into our vehicles and – for lack of a better term – chill,” Fields said.

The strategy appears to be working. Lincoln’s U.S. sales rose 16 percent last year, making it one of the fastest-growing luxury brands in the market. The midsize MKZ was the brand’s top seller.

The Continental is expected to replace the 7-year-old MKS, which currently sits atop Lincoln’s car lineup.