Today's big news coming fresh out of the New York International Auto Show is that Lincoln has resurrected one of the most iconic models ever with the introduction of the 2017 Lincoln Continental. And yes, it will come with suicide doors. The price? A cool $75,000 to start, with six-figure price-tags allocated to the ones with all the option boxes checked. Those aren't official prices, but rather estimates. They might surprise the casual observer, and maybe even a couple of experts, but the price will have to be up there if Lincoln really does want to make an honest attempt at going toe-to-toe with the leaders in the segment. Doing so does not come cheap, as evidenced below.
Lincoln Sales Lag
| Total 2014 | January 2015 Sales | February 2015 Sales | |
| 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 25,276 | 1,566 | 1,413 |
| 2015 Cadillac XTS | 24,335 | 1,882 | 1,960 |
| 2015 BMW 7-Series | 9,744 | 637 | 572 |
| 2015 Lexus LS | 8,559 | 666 | 506 |
| 2015 Lincoln MKS | 8,160 | 645 | 559 |
| 2015 Audi A8 | 5,904 | 306 | 300 |
| 2015 Jaguar XJ | 4,329 | 275 | 243 |
That got us thinking about the current crop of luxury cruisers that Continental will stack up against. There's a lot of competition out there. A lot. Which will give Lincoln and parent company Ford a heck of a time competing. Sales of the model which the Continental will replace, the MKS, have been abysmal and are clearly out-paced by Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, BMW and Lexus. Now, we are fully aware that this might not be the apples-to-apples comparison of the year. But the MKS is a full-size sedan, and Lincoln is indeed Ford's luxury arm.
The surprising part here is that the 2015 Lincoln MKS was the lowest-priced model in the chart above and when fully-loaded, comes in at only $50k--roughly half the price of a 2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 with AWD ($98,325). No, it doesn't automatically cause everyone's head to swivel at the car wash, but it does offer a lot of value. But yeah, it's no Continental. So should you wait for one? Probably not. Yeah, it's a stunner. Just look at that shape...that name...that grille...those doors. But get ready to pay top dollar for the model. Empty nesters will hearken to the days of cursing the Boulevard in the 60's and 70's and let nostalgia draw them into taking one home. But if you're in the market for a full-size luxury sedan, there are better deals available, and the best part is that you don't have to wait.
Can't wait for the Continental? Get priced for a new Lincoln MKS near you. »
Luxury Deals & Incentives
| Base MSRP | Rebate | Lease | |
| 2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 | $95,325 | N/A | $1,249/mo |
| 2015 Audi A8 | $78,325 | $3,000 | $979/mo |
| 2015 Jaguar XJ | $75,125 | N/A | $769/mo |
| 2015 BMW 740 | $74,950 | $4,000 | $769/mo |
| 2015 Lexus LS 460 | $73,445 | $1,000 | $899/mo |
| 2015 Hyundai Equus | $62,450 | $3,500 | $659/mo |
| 2015 Cadillac XTS | $45,525 | N/A | $479/mo |
| 2015 Lincoln MKS | $39,745 | $1,000 | $399/mo |
Compare other luxury cars of your choice »
See more new car deals here »
As for the fate of the MKS, it's going to be discontinued forever. The $1,000 rebate might double, even triple as the year matures and as more people begin to dismiss the model as they await the next big thing in the Continental. Will you?
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