Detroit show: Lincoln shrinks the limo

FORD’S limo specialist, Lincoln, has downsized with a small luxury concept car aimed at urban commuters of the iPod generation.

The Lincoln C – so named because it is a “C-sized” car – was described as a “sensible indulgence” when it was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week.

Featuring a frugal 134kW 1.6-litre EcoBoost direct-injection turbo four-cylinder engine and Ford’s all-new dry, dual-clutch PowerShift transmission, the Lincoln C is said to deliver an un-Lincoln-like 6.7L/100km on the highway.

Left: Lincoln C concept and MKT.

Ford’s executive director of design for the Americas, Peter Horbury, said younger, contemporary buyers with slim iPods and pocket cameras had already grown accustomed to the notion of premium quality in a smaller package.

The Lincoln C is said to offer the roominess of a 1961 Continental at almost half the length – about the length of a Ford Focus. Part of the packaging gain comes in extra width, allowing seating for six occupants on two bench seats.

At the other end of the scale, Lincoln unveiled full-size luxury crossover, the Lincoln MKT, that, unlike the Lincoln C, is already slated for production as a 2010 model.

The three-row tourer is a step up from the two-row Lincoln MKX mid-size premium crossover and is powered by a choice of two V6 engines – a 3.5-litre Duratec or a more efficient 3.5-litre EcoBoost engine that is said to deliver V8 performance with V6 economy, thanks to direct injection and turbocharging.

Ford’s president of The Americas, Mark Fields, said customers would be able to draw from a wide range of feartures and options, including a choice of six or seven seats, to configure their personal MKT.