Electric Lincoln: 2020 Corsair PHEV Appears in Arizona

Lincoln continues to ramp up its SUV and crossover offerings, mirroring the mother ship that recently announced it’s ditching anything with four doors and a trunk.

Spy photogs have captured what certainly appears to be the Lincoln Corsair PHEV while testing in northern Arizona. The giveaway that this Lincoln can be plugged into the mains? A suspicious looking flap, located in the traditional FoMoCo location for recharging: just ahead of the driver’s door.

According to folks in the know, the launch of this MKC replacement has been pushed forward thanks to the extinction-level event for sedans at The Glass House. Naturally, this has led to a push for crossovers and SUVs. Originally, the MKC replacement was scheduled for 2021, but sources say it’s now on track for 2020 with money freed up from other programs.

Someone call a hearse for the Continental and MKZ, then.

In terms of styling, the MKC replacement seems to borrow some cues from the Aviator Concept. The mirrors appear to be lifted directly from the show floor, along with similar front fenders. Around back, the Corsair appears to get Aviator inspired taillights and rear bumper.

The current clamshell, Audi-esque tailgate remains, a unit that reaches skyward while taking the Lincoln’s taillights along with it. The resultant void looks like one of those terrifying Dr. Who monsters with no facial features. At least it is only present while loading groceries. Protruding exhaust trumpets are there for comic relief and will surely be better integrated on production models.

Currently, there’s no official word on powertrain, but there’s little reason expect anything different than the powertrain found in its soon-to-be electrified cousin, the Escape. In that market space, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV can travel 22 miles on battery power while the Kia Niro PHEV can stretch its electric reserves to 26 miles of silent motoring. Expect Ford to best both of these numbers for marketing and bragging rights.

Stuck low on the back bumper are two CAUTION placards in an angry yellow, displaying the words “fuel drain.” This further points to a PHEV drivetrain, as Lincoln engineers are likely keen to see just how far their crossover can travel on battery power alone.

While it makes perfect sense to give the people what they want (crossovers and SUVs), your author experiences wide swaths of disappointment and sadness at the possibility of Lincoln sedans vacating our nation. Suffering from Stockholm Syndrome with the Lincoln brand is nothing new for me, however. I do sincerely hope reports of the Continental’s demise are greatly exaggerated. If not, expect to hear a mournful wail from Eastern Canada on the day the last Lincoln sedan rolls off an assembly line.

MKC sales have climbed steadily. In 2017, the brand moved 27,048 of the crossovers. That’s about 5,000 more units sold than the Volvo XC60 during the same timeframe, but less than half the number of the Audi Q5 crossovers that departed showrooms last year.

[Images: Brian Williams/Spiedbilde]