REVITALIZING JOURNEY: ELEGANT ALL-NEW LINCOLN CORSAIR GLIDES INTO SOARING SEGMENT OF SMALL LUXURY SUVS
- The all-new expressive, sophisticated Corsair rounds out The Lincoln Motor Company’s full portfolio of luxury SUVs
- All-new Corsair’s interior offers a sanctuary with a visually soothing design, hand-selected materials and refinements in sound characteristics; effortless power comes standard
- Technologies such as a Head-Up Display, standard Lincoln Co-Pilot360™ and Phone As A Key are designed to create an effortless experience for drivers of the all-new Lincoln Corsair
The 2020 Corsair – inspired by the Latin word “cursus” meaning journey – enters the thriving small luxury SUV segment with its debut today at the 2019 New York International Auto Show. Corsair is designed to give luxury customers technology to make their drive effortless, such as Phone As A Key, Head-Up Display and standard Lincoln Co-Pilot360™ driver-assist features.
“Entering the fastest-growing luxury segment, the all-new Corsair is artistically crafted, expertly designed and infused with our unwavering attention and commitment to detail; it’s unapologetically Lincoln,” says Joy Falotico, president, The Lincoln Motor Company.
“Corsair’s addition to the portfolio means Lincoln now has a full family of SUVs to exceed the needs of our luxury clients.”
‘Sculpture in motion’
Corsair embraces elements of both the full-size Lincoln Navigator and three-row Lincoln Aviator while building on these cues with even more flair.
Painstakingly sculpted in clay, Corsair features exquisite contouring throughout the body section of the door, offering a deep landscape of curvature and relief with a fast-falling roofline.
“Human hands worked to develop those sculpted S-curves and sides, all of which play off light and movement. It is virtually sculpture in motion, a vehicle definitely meant to seduce,” says David Woodhouse, director of design, Lincoln.
Sanctuary for the senses
Lincoln designers and engineers obsessed over the interior of Corsair to create a sanctuary for the senses.
Quietness is paramount for Corsair. To ensure a hushed ride, a dual-wall dashboard in the engine compartment provides an additional barrier between passengers and the engine. With this innovation, usually only found in larger vehicles, an air gap acts to keep vibrations out of the cabin. Active Noise Control enhances overall sound quality throughout.
Six unique symphonic chimes – replacing standard electronic alerts – inform drivers of everything from an open fuel door to an unbuckled seat belt. The chimes, recorded by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, add another layer to the calming soundscape of the cabin.
The horizontal interior design lends a visual calmness to the space, which is crafted with supple, hand-selected materials. Breaking up the elements, particularly the cantilevered console, emphasizes volume and enhances practicality with additional front-row storage.
A specially tuned 14-speaker Revel™ premium audio system is available for the all-new Corsair. Placement, tuning, calibration and the number of Revel speakers are all unique to each Lincoln vehicle, designed to ensure audio quality and accuracy for each cabin size and acoustics.
Available wireless charging for compatible mobile devices is located in the front-row armrest, while a convenient media bin is available for passengers in front as well. Multiple power outlets are located throughout, while standard Wi-Fi keeps all occupants connected.
Additional technologies are seamlessly integrated through SYNC® 3 with AppLink™; users simply plug their mobile phone into their SYNC 3-equipped Corsair to access apps directly from an available 8-inch touch screen.
In terms of well-being and convenience, Lincoln’s available Perfect Position seats offer 24-way adjustability, massage capability and additional lumbar support for driver and front passenger. Second-row passengers will appreciate more legroom and flexibility thanks to the sliding seats that offer up to six inches of travel and a 60/40 fold-flat or split-bench option. In fact, Corsair offers more legroom in the second row than many larger luxury SUVs including the Mercedes-Benz GLS and Tesla Model X.
Three new Lincoln interiors debut on the all-new Corsair – Beyond Blue, with its vivid blue and white palette, Cashew, a rich tan and black blend, and Medium Slate, a soft gray with touches of Ebony.
Refined power
Staying true to its Quiet Flight DNA, Corsair is engineered to deliver the effortless drive experience and sensation of gliding over the road. Two turbocharged four-cylinder engine options are available – a standard 2.0-liter with a targeted 250 horsepower and 275 lb.-ft. of torque and an available 2.3-liter with a targeted 280 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque. Each is mated to a new 8-speed automatic transmission for agile performance.
Corsair features a Lincoln-first rear integral bush suspension, which delivers a smooth ride by directly absorbing impacts that would otherwise be felt in the cabin.
Lincoln’s intelligent all-wheel-drive system, available with both engines, allows for enhanced all-weather capabilities and bold performance. It optimizes efficiency by seamlessly switching between front- and all-wheel drive depending on road conditions, resulting in all-season confidence behind the wheel and an enhanced ride for passengers. The system’s all-wheel-drive disconnect capability switches automatically from front-wheel drive to all-wheel drive in response to road, speed, temperature and other conditions.
“Every piece of technology has been purposefully integrated to work with you on your journey,” says John Jraiche, Corsair chief engineer. “It’s orchestrated to make your trip effortless by providing a nimble, confident drive.”
The drive can be further customized with five of Lincoln’s signature drive modes – Normal, Excite, Slippery, Deep Conditions and Conserve – so clients can choose the setting that’s most appropriate for conditions.
Customizable technologies
Corsair delivers a wealth of intuitive, customizable technologies that allow clients to personalize their driving experiences to exactly their liking.
With Phone As A Key technology, activated through the Lincoln Way™ app, owners can lock and unlock, open the liftgate and most importantly, start and drive Corsair with their compatible smartphone – no smart key fob necessary. The technology offers other amenities similar to a smart key fob as well. Not only does it allow drivers to remotely start and gain entry to their Corsair, it triggers a personal profile that can be created and paired through intelligent access technology. The profile allows the vehicle to automatically adjust up to 80 features to an owner’s preference – including seat, mirror and pedal positions.
Should their phone battery go dead, clients can use the vehicle’s standard exterior keypad to enter a backup code to gain access to Corsair, then use the center touch screen to initiate starting and driving the vehicle. If a client’s phone is lost or stolen, Phone As A Key can be easily deleted, providing peace of mind.
Also available is Lincoln’s Head-Up Display, which shows selected information on the windshield instead of the instrument cluster, helping drivers keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.
Corsair, like all Lincoln vehicles, comes standard with a suite of driver-assist features known as Lincoln Co-Pilot360*. It provides Pre-Collision Assist with automatic emergency braking and Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Information System, a Lane-Keeping System, rear backup camera and auto high-beam lighting.
An available upgrade, Lincoln Co-Pilot360™ Plus, adds:
- Adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist to help guide the vehicle using stop-and-go, lane centering technology and speed sign recognition, which scans speed limit signs along the roadway, adjusting speed based on the information obtained
- Evasive steer assist offers assistance to the driver to help avoid a collision with a slower or stopped vehicle ahead; it provides additional steering support when a collision cannot be avoided by braking alone
- Reverse brake assist can help stop the vehicle when backing up if Corsair’s integrated rear sensors detect an obstacle at the rear
- Active Park Assist Plus removes the stress from parking by taking over steering, shifting, braking and acceleration functions with the touch of a button to navigate parallel and perpendicular parking spaces with ease
Personally I think this looks great and it should do well for Lincoln. It looks like a mini Aviator and thats not a bad thing, I'd say in the mid sized CUV class Aviator is probably what I would buy and in the small CUV class this is what I'd buy. They are also doing a good job of differentiating these newer Lincolns from the Fords they're based on. Aviator shares a platform with the new Explorer and this shares a platform with the new Escape.
