2017 Continental test drive

[fuzzymoomoo]

Shared plant with Fusion would explain the 2.0LEB instead of the 2.3LEB. But that logic wouldn't explain the 3.0LEB since the Fusion sport has the 2.7LEB. Headscratcher for sure.

production constraints for the 2.3 maybe?

[akirby]

Could be production constraints driving most of these decisions.

[jcartwright99]

But the only Ford to get the torque vectoring AWD is Focus RS, right? Fusion Sport is not a SVT model so that makes sense to me.

 

I get not having torque vectoring. From all accounts of the the Fusion Sport, it seems sporty but still like a fusion (just a shot of Tabasco). Regular all wheel drive system will work fine for this. Plus, you get the better system in the Lincoln for better differentiation. While the RS, is more more a hardcore car (a big bite of a Ghost Pepper) and needs it for it's performance edge.

 

Also, I get the current 2.0 as the base for the MKZ. It's Lincoln's entry level car and should be fine for most folks of it's target client base. 2.3 would be ideal as the base but not going to complain when you can get 400hp.

[brucelinc]

I just finished test driving a fully loaded Continental with the 3.0. Again, all of my previous comments still apply. This one had the 40 series Goodyear F1 tires on 20 inch wheels and I was very glad to find that the ride was still quite supple. I will be getting the 19 inch with Michelins but the 20s work very well with the CCD suspension. The torque vectoring is completely transparent in operation but I did push it pretty hard through a few corners in Sport mode and I suspect 99.9% of potential buyers will be more than impressed with the handling capability. It will be interesting to find out what the enthusiast press has to say once they get the obligatory "Fusion roots" "FWD based" crap out of the way.

 

I am guessing that when fully broken in, the 3.0 will offer performance very similar to the Ecoboost MKS or SHO. It is a much quieter engine both at idle and under WOT. They have definitely improved the refinement aspects of this engine so it seems quite appropriate for a car with luxury leanings. While the engine performance is good, it is clear that they have built in a LOT of torque management to make the shifts buttery smooth and to not place too much stress on the transmission and other driveline components. Under WOT, power is seriously cut at the shift points. Stock Ecoboost MKSs and SHOs behave similarly but this seemed even more pronounced to me, although I haven't driven a stock ecoboost for a long time. With more miles on the car, the engine will likely perform better than what I experienced today. The aftermarket tuners can easily reduce the level of torque management and I would take advantage of that. Once tuned, the 6F55 shifts extremely quickly and firmly. Stock...not so much.

 

I have now driven 3 different series of Continentals with all 3 engine choices. In my opinion, the high points are seating comfort, electric door release with power cinch, NVH control, fit/finish, and nice balance between ride and handling. Low points for me would be the inability to mix/match interior colors and wood choices, stock transmission shift logic, a couple of interior areas that are not quite up to par for the price and the design of the sunroof. I would always take another 50-75 HP, too, but that can be had through aftermarket tuning.

[akirby]

Did you use Sport mode?

[brucelinc]

Did you use Sport mode?

 

Absolutely. I think the fact that the cars I have driven have had under 50 miles on them affects the performance - both engine and transmission. I suspect that when fully broken in and the the transmission has gone through the adaptation process, they will perform better.

 

I was able to chirp the tires from a dead stop without brake torquing so there is some power there with the 3.0. My MKS wouldn't do that when it was stock.

[rmc523]

The MKZ engine choices are really strange. No 3.7L, no 2.7LEB. And it's still using the 2.0LEB instead of the 2.3LEB.

 

Yeah, I figured with the refresh, they'd bump the 2.3 to standard. But oh well. The MKC has the 2.3 as an optional engine, but that's lower volume than having it be the Z's standard engine.

 

And to add, it's real BS that nothing has been posted about the 3.0LV6...not test drives, nothing really posted out there. You would think they would have done a huge fan fare promoting this engine, wtf are they waiting for?

 

Maybe an opposite overreaction to the 2013 MKZ super bowl launch scenario where they spent a lot of money and had a big advertising blitz, and then had delays and inventory issues, wasting that interest in them from the ads? So in other words, waiting to get a decent amount of inventory out there before they start pushing them/allowing full reviews to get out there? Just speculation on my part though.

[BORG]

I am curious about the NVH of the 3.0L because the 2.7 doesn't sound pleasant in my MKX, mostly around town at lower speeds. It was definitely my biggest disappointment when I first got the car but I've grown use to it now. The 3.5/3.7 on my previous MKX were definitely more hushed and smooth sounding. I think that's the most important quality for me, not just power but silence and smoothness which the 2.7 only has at higher speeds.

[brucelinc]

Wow, Borg, I am surprised to hear that you find the 2.7 less hushed than the 3.7. In the Conti, very little engine noise reaches the cabin with either engine. However, at WOT the 3.7 has a growl whereas the 2.7 and 3.0 have more of a hum. Not all ears "hear" the same but I found the turbo engines to be smoother and quieter. The gen 1 ecoboost 3.5 is relatively smooth but it sounds like a diesel compared to the 3.0.

[jcartwright99]

brucelinc, Thanks for your review. I am going to have to get some seat time in the Conti with the 3.7 and 2.7 to really test them out. I am interested in both the Conti and MKZ. If money weren't in play I would go for a loaded Conti but I do have a ceiling of about 50-55 MSRP (I have Z plan). The problem I have is that I can get a very nicely equipped MKZ with 3.0T and drivers package for under 55. However, for a Conti I would only be getting a 2.7T with only AWD and 200A for roughly the same price. Another thing I am thinking about is the 9 speed transmission. Will it make an appearance for 2018 in these cars? Decisions, Decisions!

[brucelinc]

Now we know that dealers might not always have the latest info and a few might..uh...not always be truthful. However, I have fairly long term relationship with the brand manager at my dealership. He swears that the 9 speed will be introduced slowly and be in 4 cylinder Fusions first, along with 4 cylinder crossovers. He was at a Lincoln event in SF and was told that the 9 speed was at least 2 years away in the higher powered applications. I make no guarantees of this but maybe some of our insiders can confirm or deny.

[fuzzymoomoo]

Now we know that dealers might not always have the latest info and a few might..uh...not always be truthful. However, I have fairly long term relationship with the brand manager at my dealership. He swears that the 9 speed will be introduced slowly and be in 4 cylinder Fusions first, along with 4 cylinder crossovers. He was at a Lincoln event in SF and was told that the 9 speed was at least 2 years away in the higher powered applications. I make no guarantees of this but maybe some of our insiders can confirm or deny.

I honestly haven't heard a word about it, only with the 10 speed. I'll ask around and see what I can glean.

[BORG]

Wow, Borg, I am surprised to hear that you find the 2.7 less hushed than the 3.7. In the Conti, very little engine noise reaches the cabin with either engine. However, at WOT the 3.7 has a growl whereas the 2.7 and 3.0 have more of a hum. Not all ears "hear" the same but I found the turbo engines to be smoother and quieter. The gen 1 ecoboost 3.5 is relatively smooth but it sounds like a diesel compared to the 3.0.

 

 

Just to clarify, the experience is different at lower speeds than at full tilt and at speed. The 2.7 around town is definitely not as pleasant and noisy, but it's a more refined and quiet engine for everything else. It's definitely the least refined EcoBoost engine at lower speeds I've driven, even the 2.0L in Edge is far more quiet and smooth. I drove an F-150 with the 2.7 and it has the exact same characteristics.

Edited October 7, 2016 by BORG

[brucelinc]

brucelinc, Thanks for your review. I am going to have to get some seat time in the Conti with the 3.7 and 2.7 to really test them out. I am interested in both the Conti and MKZ. If money weren't in play I would go for a loaded Conti but I do have a ceiling of about 50-55 MSRP (I have Z plan). The problem I have is that I can get a very nicely equipped MKZ with 3.0T and drivers package for under 55. However, for a Conti I would only be getting a 2.7T with only AWD and 200A for roughly the same price. Another thing I am thinking about is the 9 speed transmission. Will it make an appearance for 2018 in these cars? Decisions, Decisions!

 

I totally understand. I went back and forth on a loaded Z vs. a lesser equipped Continental. In the end, I will just have to dig a little deeper into the wallet than I originally intended since I prefer the Conti and I love the 30 way seats, Climate package and tech package. Sticker is around 67 and invoice is around 63 equipped the way I want it. At least they have 0% financing for 36 months and I suspect there might be some other incentives as we get toward the end of the year.

 

I guess it depends on your priorities and I look forward to your thoughts after you drive both. My observation is that the Z is definitely the sportier of the two - especially if you get the drivers package. The Continental is more the definition of "quiet luxury" but it drives smaller than it is and is more nimble that you might expect.

[silvrsvt]

I saw one on the road yesterday...I thought it was a newer MKZ at first (headlights and grill)...I wasn't quite paying attention since I was on the phone and didn't realize it was a Conti till I looked again in my mirror and saw the rear of the car. Still not wowed by the car..but then again it was white...

[brucelinc]

I spent a couple hours at my dealer today sitting in on a Continental training session conducted by a Lincoln rep for the sales people. It was partly classroom style training and then demonstration of all of the car's features . Each of the salespeople could invite serious customers but I was the only customer there. I was able to grill the rep pretty good and he was quite knowledgeable. While he wouldn't share obviously proprietary info about future models, he was reasonably forthcoming.

 

Here are some tidbits (much of which we already knew).

 

Lincoln is definitely moving back to names instead of letters for all models. Aviator will replace the MKT and the next MKZ will get a name when replaced for the 2019 model year. It is highly unlikely that it will be called Zephyr but the final name has not been determined. A Lincoln coupe is a definite but he wouldn't or couldn't confirm platform or any details.

 

Job 2 of the Conti will have HUD available. I was pretty sure of that since the owners manual discusses it. The other change for Job 2 will be that the Lincoln star on the grill will be illuminated. I pressed him hard on the 9 speed transmission and all he would say was "not for awhile and not before 2018." I got the impression he was talking calendar year and not model year but he wouldn't share too much about that. He did say non AWD 4 cylinder vehicles would get it before higher powered AWD models.

 

In the sales training, it was clear that they consider A6, 5 series and E class fair game as competition. The XTS and CT6 were also mentioned. This rep was recently at an event at the Las Vegas motor speedway where they had competitors available for comparison with the Continental. According to the rep, the Conti was the fastest through a set of pylons. They also measured noise levels and the Conti was the quietest. He also said that he lapped the track at 136 MPH in the Conti. One can obviously take some of what was said with a grain or two of salt but I appreciated his confidence in the car.

 

The primary marketing slogan will be "quiet luxury" and not all out performance although on two different occasions he claimed that the 3.0 could make 500 HP if the marketplace demanded it. He also made a big deal of the dynamic torque vectoring.

 

Since I have been doing research on the Conti and have driven different models, I didn't learn a great deal more about the car but I did enjoy the time that I spent in this training session.

Edited October 11, 2016 by brucelinc

[BORG]

Lincoln/Ford calls the LED crash warning light on the dashboard a "HUD", are you sure that's not what the manual is referring to? A lighted Lincoln Logo is likely restricted by NHTSA, I would be surprised to see such a thing in production, automakers have wanted to do this for years.

 

I'm not sure why GM and Ford are so far apart on the 9-spd schedule, most of the Chevy range will have it by the end of 2017. The 10-spd rolled out to Ford and Chevy simultaneously.

Edited October 11, 2016 by BORG

[brucelinc]

The manual covers the HUD in great detail and is NOT just the crash warning light. Here is just a brief description of it.

 

Head Up Display (HUD)

This is a visual system that shows information

in your field of view as you drive. The

information comes from various vehicle

systems and includes vehicle speed, speed

limit, navigation, and advanced driver

assistance systems (ADAS), such as adaptive

cruise control (ACC) and the lane keeping

system. This system projects the information

off the windshield, and focuses the image

near the end of the hood 7 ft (2 m) in front of

the driver. Viewing this information does not

require you to significantly move your head,

allowing you to keep your eyes on the road

while having quick and easy access to

information.

[fuzzymoomoo]

Lincoln/Ford calls the LED crash warning light on the dashboard a "HUD", are you sure that's not what the manual is referring to? A lighted Lincoln Logo is likely restricted by NHTSA, I would be surprised to see such a thing in production, automakers have wanted to do this for years.

What would stop them from being able to light the logo when its in park, then have it disabled while in motion?

 

 

 

I'm not sure why GM and Ford are so far apart on the 9-spd schedule, most of the Chevy range will have it by the end of 2017. The 10-spd rolled out to Ford and Chevy simultaneously.

Other than the Camaro ZL1, GM doesn't have the 10 speed in anything else yet. Ford will have their version of the 10 speed across more of their lineup by MY2018 than GM will. As to the 9 speed, I'm not entirely sure what the delay is on Ford's end. Perhaps it just simply isn't ready yet. As much trouble as Ford has had with FWD transmissions over the last decade, it makes sense to wait a bit and make sure they get it right the first time.

[brucelinc]

I could be wrong but I think the Lincoln star was suppose to light up when you approach the car with the key fob - similar to the Lincoln "welcome mat" that is displayed from the mirrors. I didn't get the sense that it would be illuminated when driving.

 

As far as I know, only one trim level of the Malibu is the only GM car to get the 9 speed for the 2017 model year. Correct me if I am wrong but I think the XTS, Impala and other more powerful FWD models still use the 6 speed.

Edited October 11, 2016 by brucelinc

[brucelinc]

http://www.motortrend.com/news/peeking-inside-the-gmford-transverse-nine-speed-automatic/

 

From Motor Trend:

 

The 9T50 is expected to make its first appearance next summer paired with the Chevy Equinox’s 2.0-liter turbo-four and eventually perpetuate throughout the transverse-engine lineup.

[fuzzymoomoo]

I could be wrong but I think the Lincoln star was suppose to light up when you approach the car with the key fob - similar to the Lincoln "welcome mat" that is displayed from the mirrors. I didn't get the sense that it would be illuminated when driving.

That's kinda what I was thinking. That's one of those what I call "nice touch" features.

 

As far as I know, only one trim level of the Malibu is the only GM car to get the 9 speed for the 2017 model year. Correct me if I am wrong but I think the XTS, Impala and other more powerful FWD models still use the 6 speed.

As of today, yes that's true, but I'm fairly certain that they are putting it in more of the lineup come MY2018.

[brucelinc]

GM is referring to the 9 speed as the 9t50. If the 50 means the same thing as it does in 6f50, it will need to be beefed up prior to use in the Continental or any other high torque AWD application.

[tbone]

I have seen Mercedes with lit emblems in the grill. Are those OEM or aftermarket?

[Anthony]

I have seen Mercedes with lit emblems in the grill. Are those OEM or aftermarket?

OEM accessory, but is not lit while driving.

 

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/27/mercedes-benz-lights-up-the-three-pointed-star/?_r=0