- Lincoln unveiled a concept SUV that signals the design direction for its future electric cars.
- The brand plans to release four battery-powered models by 2026.
- The Lincoln Star is meant to be "the ultimate sanctuary" for passengers.
Like lots of car companies, Lincoln is eyeing an electric future. Ford's luxury brand said on Wednesday that it plans to launch four battery-powered models by 2026.
And as a preview of what's to come, Lincoln unveiled a concept SUV called the Star. The super-futuristic vehicle won't make it to production, but it's packed with interesting features and sure is nice to stare at. Lincoln says it designed the Star to be "the ultimate sanctuary" for customers.
The Star has a sleek, swept-back silhouette and an illuminated Lincoln badge up front that's surrounded by a constellation of little badge shapes. Suicide doors that create a wide-open entry to the SUV's cabin. Overall, the Star looks more like something out of a cutting-edge startup than a century-old car company.
Imagined for a future of autonomous vehicles, the Star is intended to be more of a lounge on wheels than a vehicle you actually have to think about driving. As such, passenger comfort is the SUV's top concern. The front seats swivel around to face backward, and the steering wheel stows away when it isn't needed.
Everybody gets a wide, reclined seat with a leg rest. A refrigerated glass case between the rear seats keeps your sparkling wine cold. And drawers built into the leg rests are meant to hold passengers' slippers. Because why not kick off your shoes if a computer is doing the driving?
Three "rejuvenation moods" use smells, sounds, and lightning to create a relaxing environment catered to the time of day. "Coastal Morning uses gentle, oceanic sounds, a fragrance of sea mist and the soft, warm glow of the sun with dynamic lighting throughout to replicate a stroll on the beach at sunrise," Lincoln says. "Evening Chill mirrors dusk using a calming night soundtrack coordinated with night sky video and an evergreen fragrance."
The Star does some fun things with storage, too. The SUV's front trunk — possible without a bulky engine taking up space — acts like a giant drawer that pulls out. A bench seat folds out from the regular trunk, for when you want to bring your self-driving Lincoln tailgating.
Once the country's best-selling luxury brand, Lincoln's sales have dwindled in recent decades as consumers preferred German and Japanese competitors. As electric vehicles grow in popularity, a solid stable of battery-powered options could help Lincoln recapture some of its former glory. It plans for at least 50% of its sales to be electric by 2025.