Lincoln Star Debut. Photo: Kymri Wilt
Happy 100th Birthday, Lincoln!
To celebrate it’s centennial birthday, Lincoln introduced the Lincoln Star Concept Car, a guiding inspiration for an electrified portfolio rollout to carry the brand forward into the future. The unveiling party took place at NeueHouse, which by no coincidence is the former CBS Recording Studio where “The Lucille Ball Show” was taped. A most fitting venue, given that Lucy & Desi drove a Lincoln.
Click through my Instagram post to see the surprise celeb who joined Lincoln president Joy Falotico on stage!
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Related: How Lincoln Created a Sanctuary of Luxury and Elegance in its New SUVs
Lincoln Concept vehicle. Photo: Lincoln
It’s All About New, Luxurious Experiences
Imagine boarding a private jet with First Class seating and leg space, full recline, an individual screen, tray table, and mood lighting. At the same time, imagine being on the deck of a private yacht, with ocean breezes, the sound of the waves, and a refreshing drink chilling in a cooler. If these scenarios appeal to you, then you’ll be pleased to know that these luxury experiences and more are in the works to becoming the norm for both driver and passengers in the fully electrified Lincoln of the future.
Much of this opportunity exists because of the shift to an electric powertrain. Jim Farley, Presided and CEO of Lincoln said, “This is a shining example of what happens when we combine Lincoln luxury with flexible electrical architecture to create unimaginable experiences for our customers.” This point was reiterated by Anthony Lo, who is the chief design officer of Ford Motor Company. Lo said, “Electrification is removing many traditional vehicle design constraints, allowing us to reimagine what a vehicle can be.”
Related: 2021 Lincoln Nautilus: This Luxury SUV Brings Serenity With You Wherever You Go
Lincoln Concept vehicle. Rear cargo door transforms into lounge seat. Photo: Lincoln
The First 100 Years: A Tradition of Haute Couture Design and A-Listers, Too
It was a full century ago that Henry Ford purchased the first Lincoln, thus kicking off the beginning of an automotive production endeavor that would see Presidents and celebrities throughout history become proud owners and drivers of a Lincoln automobile. Who drives or has driven a Lincoln? Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Frank Lloyd Wright, Queen Elizabeth, Orson Welles, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Beach Boys, Alanis Morrisette, Serena Williams, Matthew McConaughey, and a long list of U.S. Presidents beginning in 1939. We won’t even get started on the many films, songs, and art featuring a Lincoln.
With such a rich history of iconic automobiles, who will be driving a Lincoln in the next 100 years? And what will that experience be like?
Related: Meet Lincoln’s New Electrified Boutique Dealership Future
Lincoln Concept vehicle. Rear cargo door transforms into lounge seat. Photo: Lincoln
The Lincoln Star Guides the Design
The Lincoln Star is a monogram jewel in the center of the grille, and serves as the guiding light for the concept car design. The light communication elements flow out from the star, beneath the surface of a semi-transparent hood, in an elegant fluid outline inspired by yachting aerodynamics. The lowered hood benefits electric range. With room that would previously house an engine, the front hood becomes a trunk for cargo space, and pulls out for ease of access. Coach doors open to a spacious interior (worthy of it’s own paragraph). And in the beautifully tapered down back end, the rear cargo door transforms into a pull-down lounge seat.
Related: What Drives Her: Joy Falotico, President of Lincoln Motor Company and Chief Marketing Officer, Ford
Lincoln Concept vehicle. Customized rejeuvenation Mood: Ocean Breezes. Photo: Lincoln
The Lincoln Star’s Interior is a Customizable Sanctuary
While the exterior design is a head-turner, it’s the interior space where the design team really took things to another level. Depending on your journey, you may pick any of three rejuvenation moods which harmonize lighting and immersive sensory of sight and sound. Lincoln says these moods are based on a human’s circadian rhythms of morning, daytime, and evening:
- Coastal Morning – A peaceful sanctuary for a relaxed and stress-free journey. Wrapping yourself in a bubble of nature, this is a good mood to set for city driving if you’re going to be in heavy traffic or for commuting to and from work. “Keep Calm and Lincoln On,” with the sounds of the waves, the scent of ocean breezes, and the soft glow of a morning sunrise.
- Mindful Vitality – This is an energizing mood to keep you engaged and immersed in the drive, perfect for long road trips or perhaps navigating around unfamiliar areas. Of the three, this is my personal favorite, especially the scent which hits the mark on this mood! “Get in, sit down, crank up the volume and let’s roll!”
- Evening Chill – The ambient lighting is everything in this mood, a darkened toned down interior with starlit sky visuals, it sets the ambiance as you head out for an evening on the town. While the other two scents resonated beautifully, this one, which they intended to be more masculine (why, pray tell?), I found to be off-putting, akin to a desperate single guy in the club who doused himself in cologne. I mean, does that really do it for anyone? But the good news is, you are able to customize the scents or turn them off altogether.
Related: Car Fragrance: Aromatherapy in the Car without the Luxury Price Tag
Lincoln Concept vehicle. Not available for purchase. Photo: Lincoln
Sounds great, but when can I get one?
While Lincoln worked quickly to design the Lincoln Car Concept from sketch to a physical showpiece in under 6 months, we still have a wait before we start seeing any it the market. Watch for a rollout of three new fully electric Lincoln vehicles in 2025, with a fourth to follow in 2026. Lincoln President Joy Falotico projects that half of Lincoln’s global volume will be fully electric by 2025! We are excited to follow along and see what dazzling features of the Lincoln Star concept make it into those cars we’ll be able to drive.
Disclosure: I was Lincoln’s guest for this celebration and announcement; accommodations were provided but all opinions are my own.
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