Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring - PHEV Power to Maintain Lincoln's Momentum

Lincoln’s been a bit of a resurgent brand of late, and the newest crossover for future Matthew McConaughey commercials is the Corsair Grand Touring.

This plug-in hybrid crossover has electric all-wheel drive (read: electric drive motors provide most of the power to the wheels) and will give Lincoln a second PHEV offering, following the introduction of the Aviator Grand Touring.

A 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder mates with an electric motor to provide what Lincoln is targeting as 266 system horsepower. The brand’s aim? “More than” 25 miles of all-electric range.

A “PowerSplit” electric continuously-variable automatic gets the engine’s power to the front wheels when the 14.4 kWh battery is depleted; the electric motor mated to the engine provides the hybrid function, while a second motor integrated into the rear axle provides all-wheel grip or extra power as needed. It’s mechanically independent from, but works in concert with, the hybrid powertrain.

There’s a whole bunch of drive modes on tap: Normal, Conserve, Excite, Slippery, Deep Conditions, Preserve EV, and Pure EV. Preserve saves battery for a later time, and the battery can be charged up to 75 percent. Pure works to keep the car in all-electric mode as much as possible.

Inside, Lincoln uses noise-canceling technology to keep the cabin as quiet as possible. The second-row seats have 6 inches of travel and can be had as either a split bench or 60/40 split-fold. Lincoln claims that even with four passengers, the Corsair Grand Touring will hold four golf bags or four full-size pieces of luggage. Massaging seats will be available, along with 20-inch wheels.

Owners will also be able to use their smartphone as a key, not just to gain entry or open the liftgate, but also to start the engine. Standard kit is Lincoln Co-Pilot360 driver-assist tech — a bundle that includes pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot detection with cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping system, rearview camera, and auto high-beam headlights. One can upgrade to Plus, which adds adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, evasive steering assist, reverse brake assist, and active park assist plus.

Should buyers find that list lacking, a head-up display will also be available. The Corsair Grand Touring, bound for assembly in Louisville, Kentucky, goes on sale next summer.

At first glance, the Corsair strikes me as a handsome yet anonymous luxury crossover that doesn’t move the needle much. And that’s fine. It’s likely to have competent on-road dynamics and just enough luxury to make Lincoln buyers happy, plus just enough green cred to make owners sound environmentally responsible at dinner parties. Certainly, it looks stylish enough that the well-heeled won’t be ashamed to be seen in it.

Lincoln’s resurgence started with the current-gen Navigator, but built up steam with the Aviator and the stock Corsair. The Grand Touring doesn’t need to be as impactful, it just needs to maintain the momentum. On paper, it appears like it will do just that.

[Images © 2019 Tim Healey/TTAC]