Lincoln, the luxury automotive brand of Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn, on Thursday revealed its vision for mobility with the debut of the Lincoln Model L100 Concept.
Debuting at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where Lincoln is the featured marque as part of the brand’s 100th anniversary, the Model L100 Concept extends Lincoln’s Quiet Flight design to create connected experiences that reimagine the ultimate vehicle sanctuary of tomorrow.
“Lincoln has been one of the most enduring and stylish automotive brands in the world, and in many ways it is perfectly positioned for a second century defined by great design, zero-emissions, and technology-led experiences,” says Bill Ford, executive chair of Ford. “Lincoln has always been special to me and my family, especially my father and my grandfather. If there is one secret to Lincoln’s longevity, it is the brand’s ability to balance its core values with a desire to innovate and create the future.”
The Model L100 Concept celebrates the brand’s design heritage and harkens back to the 1922 Model L, which was built after Ford Motor Company’s purchase of Lincoln from Henry Leyland. The 1922 Model L was regarded for its engineering, and served as the foundation for the design transformation and the beginning of Lincoln luxury.
Created as an autonomous vehicle with an intelligent driving experience, connectivity, and software-driven innovations, the Model L100 Concept advances Lincoln’s vision and paves the way for the brand to rethink mobility in the future.
“We are at a special moment in our history. Over the last 100 years, Lincoln has pioneered multiple innovations and pushed the boundaries of design that have come to define our brand as we know and love it today,” says Joy Falotico, president of Lincoln. “With the Model L100 Concept, we reimagine what the Lincoln sanctuary might look like for our clients of tomorrow. …”
The Model L100 Concept uses a next-generation battery cell and pack technologies, which the automaker states will offer greater “energy density and enable efficient, structural integration by treating the entire vehicle as a system.”
The advanced approach also will maximize the interior cabin space, giving designers new flexibility to create the signature Lincoln experience of the future.
“Concept vehicles allow us to reimagine and illustrate how new experiences can come to life with the help of advanced technologies and allow our designers more creative freedom than ever before,” says Anthony Lo, chief design officer at Ford. “With the Model L100, we were able to push the boundaries in ways that evolve our Quiet Flight brand DNA and change the way we think about Lincoln designs of tomorrow.”
An interactive, center console chessboard features a jewel-inspired chess piece controller that captures light and depth by redefining the vehicle controls inside the cabin. The controller replaces the traditional steering wheel in this autonomous concept vehicle, making the vehicle experience intuitive and effortless.
Driver-centric and social seating configurations allow for passenger engagement that can be tailored for the occasion. Shaping the space in ways that allow connection, the front row seats can be flipped forward to create a social setting, in which front passengers can sit across from rear passengers.
The aero-shaped design is low to the ground, seamless and flush in its details with a K-tail execution efficient in guiding the air over the vehicle.
In turn, a glass roof and reverse-hinged doors lift to give passengers a sense of ceremony and welcome, while smart wheel covers help to advance the embrace even further, complemented by lighting and sensors to communicate motion, battery life, and human presence.
The lighting system is used both inside and outside the vehicle. As the Model L100 senses an owner upon approach, it enables the lights to follow him or her around the vehicle by leveraging an advanced, artificial intelligence system and GPS sensors to curate the experience.
With accents of amethyst in recycled suede fabric, designers created the Model L100 cabin with animal-free materials and luxury alternatives. On the exterior designers used metallic paint and frosted acrylic in lieu of chrome with a satin digital ceramic tri-coat — highlighting a warm, soft white that transitions into cool, open-air blue.
The entire interior has been designed to create an immersive environment. The digital floor, canopy, and ambient lighting all harmonize to create a personalized experience Along with interior lighting that harmonizes with sound, scent, and touch, the digital floor transports passengers to the sanctuary of tomorrow.
“This concept allowed us to design a new experience that is unburdened by past limitations and represents an evolution of our Quiet Flight tenets,” says Kemal Curic, global design director of Lincoln. “The ultimate expression of our Model L100 design is one that moves effortlessly — a vehicle that appears to be sculpted by the wind, as if friction does not exist.”
To view a short video of the Lincoln Model L100 Concept Vehicle, visit here.
