Lincoln is celebrating its centenary this year, but it doesn’t mark the company’s founding date. Lincoln was founded in 1917, but was acquired by Ford in 1922 and that is the anniversary that the automaker chose to honor. As part of the ceremony, Lincoln not only looked back, but also provided a glimpse into its future with the Star concept, an electric SUV that it says will form the basis of its electrified lineup. Future.
Lincoln’s electric car plans have gone through many twists and turns. At one point, Lincoln had plans to develop an SUV based on the Rivian platform, then there were plans for another SUV based on the existing Ford Mustang Mach-E platform. However, what underlies the Star concept is something entirely different from either of those concepts. Lincoln calls it a “flexible battery architecture” because it can accommodate both rear- and all-wheel drive setups. It is one of two EV-specific architectures Ford is developing (the other is for light trucks), and both are announced last year.
So far, Lincoln has offered up on what types of battery or engine technology will power the concept, so it’s not clear to us what kind of powertrain upgrades the Lincolns ( or Ford) will eventually have.
Lincoln Star concept
Lincoln Star concept
Lincoln also didn’t provide exact specifications for the Star concept, calling it a “flexible silhouette” rather than one with lines to production size. However, we saw the concept in person in Los Angeles earlier this week and can confirm that it sits on the larger side of the SUV scale, something along the lines of the Aviator. Designers say it could easily fit three rows of seats if they hadn’t decided on a more executive-style two-row route.
The Star concept’s styling differs from that of the current Lincoln, giving its SUVs a more upright stance with strong signature lines running down the sides. This is a much smoother design from every angle, starting with a face insert that gives the concept a wide and flat front. Lincoln’s designers say that its look is a stretched version of the current Lincoln grille, but they could be more creative with the design as cooling needs don’t need to be considered. The logo is simply a cutout behind the face’s surface that is backlit, with small geometrical cuts fanning out from the center allowing light patterns to flicker around it. Above is a wide strip of daytime running lights that run along the hood and also hide projector headlights that can be activated when needed.
Lincoln Star concept
Lincoln Star concept
Lincoln Star concept
Instead of a flat roof like the current Lincoln line, this one is heavily cut down and leaves a high point in front of the conservatory where a small LIDAR unit is located. The 3D metal mesh construction for both the A and D pillars makes them see-through from the inside, and the same styling appears in the single taillight strip that spans the width of the vehicle.
Both the front and rear cargo areas of the concept have unique openings. At the front, the lower part of the fender slides forward, while the hood lifts straight up vertically to grant access to that storage space. At the rear, the lower half of the rear faces outward to create seating for both to enjoy the outdoors, while the top lifts up like a conventional raised door.
This new platform also allows for more design flexibility and platform-like features found on the hood. It is made of electrified glass that can turn from transparent to dark. While driving, it becomes obvious to allow light to enter the front footwell as there is no traditional firewall. When stopped, the glass will darken to hide items that might be stored there.
Lincoln Star concept
While the vehicle on display doesn’t have an ergonomic interior, the images Lincoln shared show a wide “coast-to-coast” touchscreen located atop the dashboard. This feature is very similar to the setting shown first in Ford Evos debuted in Shanghai last year with its own ultra-wide display, albeit combining a 12.3-inch cluster display and a 27-inch widescreen, while Lincoln’s setup appears to be a seamless one. only. There’s a pair of screens for rear-seat passengers and a briefcase that can be used to stash a laptop. The laptop combines with a screen to display updates from the computer, turning the back seat into a mobile workstation.
The interior will also feature more sustainable materials and leather/chrome alternatives, along with three rejuvenating features that use screens, ambient lighting, and interior scents to create spaces: Sessions Coastal Light, Useful Vitality and Evening.
It is difficult to say exactly what percentage of the Star concept will go into production with Lincoln’s exact plans still working on very vague timelines. The company said it expected half of its sales to be electric vehicles by the middle of the decade, but did not provide further details on when those electric vehicles might arrive other than it will introduce three all-electric models by 2025, with a fourth in 2026 Lincoln also declined to say when the first of those cars might arrive or whether it will be on the platform new or not, so it’s still hard to predict when the first of them might arrive.
