Lincoln hopes to redefine its brand and create a new type of vehicle with its Star concept vehicle, the brand’s first EV and the first vehicle we’ve seen that uses the new architecture Ford developed for its next generation of electric vehicles.
Full of fresh ideas, the Star asks who needs a grille, makes an argument for see-through trunks and boasts a design that sets the course for future Lincoln EVs.
Neither a traditional SUV or sedan, the Star concept is “the first significant step to our electrified future,” Lincoln global product director John Jraiche said. “It will be our guiding star.”
Lincoln will introduce three new EVs accounting for more than half its global sales by the end of 2025. A fourth EV will go on sale in 2026.
The Star is not one of those vehicles. Loaded with innovative technology and design, it’s a throwback to the days when concept vehicles served to introduce new ideas, testing public acceptance of some, generating early customer interest in others.
The four upcoming EVs will all be “informed” by the Star, Jraiche said.
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The new EV architecture, which will underpin a wide range of vehicles from the Ford and Lincoln brands, allowed engineers to create a spacious interior with an emphasis on comfort, connectivity and what Lincoln calls "rejuvenation."
Saying goodbye to the grille
“This is a shining example of what happens when we combine Lincoln luxury with flexible electrical architecture to create unimaginable experiences for customers,” said Jim Farley, president and CEO, Ford Motor Co. “We can truly revolutionize how people engage with the brand and scale it across an exciting lineup of products that catapult Lincoln into the digital, connected age.”
The Star’s silhouette recalls a low, sleek SUV, but its nose showcases a new concept. The grille and hood are lower than Lincoln’s big Aviator and Navigator SUVs to communicate a new idea of luxury and elegance.
“The day of the prominent internal combustion engine grille is gone,” Lincoln exterior design chief Earl Lucas said.
The interior has two rows of seats for five passengers, but as much room as in a current large SUV like the Aviator. The Star’s basic design can also accommodate a third row of seats.
In addition to its space, the interior showcases new digital concepts and a combination of light, sound and smells generated to match and enhance different moods.