The Lincoln L100 Concept welcomes the autonomous EVs of the future.
Some concept cars made by automakers are flimsy and not even close to being production vehicles, while others take big risks in anticipation of the future. The Lincoln Model L100 Concept, unveiled Thursday at Monterey Car Week, is definitely one of the latter.
According to Lincoln, the L100 Concept represents the future of the brand, with aerodynamically inspired styling, advanced technology, and a socially welcoming interior that resembles an autonomous vehicle. The concept also celebrates the brand's 100th anniversary and is part of Lincoln's Pebble Beach exhibit during Monterey Car Week.
The L100 concept imagines an autonomous electric vehicle with next-generation battery cell and pack technology that, according to Lincoln, "delivers game-changing energy density and enables efficient, structural integration by treating the entire vehicle as a system." Lincoln does not provide specs on battery size, horsepower, or range.
Long, low, and wide, the car's design is stunning, sleek, and futuristic. It's a car that looks like it was sculpted by the wind," said Kemal Kulik, Lincoln's global design director, "as if friction didn't exist.
The almost nonexistent front overhangs lead to a long wheelbase, smooth rounded sides, and long rear overhangs in a design Lincoln calls the K-tail, a combination of fastback and ducktail. The roof is a continuous bubble top, and aerodynamic covers conceal the wheels.
The wheel covers employ lights and sensors to indicate movement, battery level, and human presence. Light strips also surround the vehicle, with full-width lights curving in a U-shape around the nose. The Lincoln logo and name also illuminate. When a passenger approaches, the car activates a "symphony" of lights and is followed around the car by an artificial intelligence system and GPS sensors.
The designers chose a satin "digital" ceramic tricoat paint that ranges from soft white to cool blue, and metallic paint and matte acrylic replaced the chrome trim.
The entire car opens up like a blooming flower. The glass roof opens upward at the front, and the very long rear hinged doors open wide for easy entry and exit.
If the look is familiar, the sides and nose are similar to those of the Lincoln Star Concept, which the brand unveiled in April as a peek into its future electric SUV.
Inside, the L100 aims to create a welcoming and social environment for passengers in autonomous vehicles. The cabin is built around an interactive center "chessboard" console with a jewel-inspired controller that replaces the steering wheel; it seats six passengers in three rows of seats, with the second and third rows facing each other; and it has a "chessboard" console with a "chessboard" in the middle of the cabin, with a "chessboard" in the middle of the cabin.
Lincoln uses recycled suede in the cabin and no other animal materials. The cabin has amethyst accents and a digital floor that works with ambient lighting to welcome and relax the occupants.
According to Lincoln, the L100 concept is a tribute to the 1922 Lincoln Model L, the brand's first luxury car, which was built after Ford Motor Company acquired Lincoln in 1922. A crystal figure of a greyhound, sculpted to match the hood ornament of the original car, is visible through the transparent hood.
Don't expect Lincoln to build the L100 as a production car, and the idea of an autonomous Lincoln is decades away. However, given the appearance of this concept and the Star Concept, it is highly likely that some of the design elements of these cars will be used in future Lincoln production vehicles.