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2017 Lincoln Continental to Replace 2016 Lincoln MKS in Late Spring 2016

We have been waiting for quite a while now is nearly upon us. The Lincoln MKS full-size luxury sedan will be phased out in 2016, with the 2017 Lincoln Continental to replace it in “late spring 2016.”
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Late spring 2016 is a date hinted by suppliers to the peeps from Edmunds.com. The automotive publication also had a chat with Lincoln spokesman Sam Locricchio, learning that the “Chicago Assembly Plant will phase out production of the MKS in 2016.” On the other hand, the assembly plant “remains vital to our global manufacturing footprint and will continue to manufacture the Ford Taurus, Ford Explorer, and Police Interceptor vehicles,” concluded Locricchio.

The MKS will see nearly 8 years of production by the time it will be consigned to history books in early 2016. So, the Continental. Word on the street is the MKS’ D3 platform is going to be swapped with the Fusion’s CD4 platform, an extended wheelbase version of that to be more precise. It will be employed by the Lincoln Continental’s Ford-badged brother as well, namely the next-gen Ford Taurus.

In the seventh-gen Taurus’ case, expect front-wheel drive to come as standard and all-wheel drive to be offered with more powerful engine options. But as far as the all-new 2017 Lincoln Continental is concerned, chances are the flagship model in the automaker’s lineup will be offered in all-wheel drive guise only. Furthermore, the Continental Concept utilizes a “Lincoln exclusive” 3-liter V6 EcoBoost.

Now here’s quite a shocker. Instead of being produced at the Blue Oval’s Chicago assembly plant, suppliers inform that the 2017 Lincoln Continental will be made at the Flat Rock Assembly plant. There is a possibility for Lincoln to offer less cylinder and less powerful engines as well.

Our assumption is based on the fact that its main rival - the gorgeous 2016 Cadillac CT6, can be had with a 2.0 turbo 4-banger, a 3.6-liter naturally aspirated V6 and a 400 HP and 400 lb-ft (542 Nm) 3.0 twin-turbo V6. Furthermore, the Caddy is also available as a PHEV. That leaves room for a Lincoln Continental PHEV with the modified oily bits from the 2016 Ford Fusion Energi. And more get-up-and-go, of course.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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