These days, you don’t see too many concept car reveals at auto shows. Concepts are expensive for automakers to research and develop, and many can’t afford the fallout if a concept is a huge flop or doesn’t make it to production.
Going with the trend, there were not very many concept car reveals at the New York International Auto Show this year, but the two that did debut gave us some hope. Here are some highlights:
LINCOLN CONTINENTAL CONCEPT by John LeBlanc
What is it? The return of the iconic Continental badge and the Lincoln brand to the full-sized luxury sedan market it abandoned with the demise of the Town Car in 2011. Said to be based on an enlarged midsize Fusion platform, the Lincoln is powered by a turbocharged, 3.0-litre six-cylinder with all-wheel-drive. More important for the car’s intended customers — chauffeured Chinese plutocrats — the Continental’s primary purpose is to pamper passengers, highlighted by plush, 1970s-style seats that feature 30-way adjustments with individual thigh support.
Full coverage of the 2015 New York International Auto Show
When is it coming? The big Lincoln sedan is actually closer to production than anyone without a Ford employee badge thought. Expect the Continental to go on sale to wealthy Chinese business folks and North American livery firms sometime next year.
Why does it matter? You can’t be a luxury brand without a flagship sedan, or so say the experts. The Continental luxobarge fulfills that role for Lincoln, and gives the Ford luxury brand another relevant product for its Asian markets. Specifically, the Continental, MKX, and MKC are all key to Lincoln’s goal to grow to 300,000 annual sales by the end of this decade, with the majority of that growth coming in the world’s largest luxury sedan market, China, where Lincoln was relaunched last year.
Should you buy it? I’m sure Lincoln will sell a few Continentals to Canadians who can’t stomach the thought of buying a German car. But where Lincoln is counting on big sales is — yes, you guessed it! — in China.
SUBARU BRZ STI CONCEPT by Graeme Fletcher
What is it? The Subaru Tecnica International (STI to the rest of the world) Performance Concept hints at what Subaru will offer down the road. At the press conference, Subaru stated it plans to develop its three core business areas — aftermarket parts, STI-tuned cars and motorsports. Subaru’s STI arm was founded in 1988.
Why does it matter? The shift towards more STI offerings has already started with STI-engineered parts replacing Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT) equipment in the U.S. market. In the future, more STI-tweaked models will become available in North America. Subaru says “the cars could feature more extensive modifications from the factory than previously offered, such as suspension, performance, braking, chassis and aerodynamic upgrades.” The Concept was sure sporting an over-the-top spoiler.
When is it coming? The Concept is unlikely to see North American roads any time soon, however, the promise to unleash more STI developed cars and parts for the entire portfolio does hold a great deal of promise.
Should you buy it? The BRZ, upon which the STI Concept is based, is already one of the truly fun rides on the road. As it stands, the nit (if you can call it that) is marginal power. Using STI-developed add-ons like cold-air intakes and exhaust modifications would bolster things very nicely. Just ditch the spoiler!
