Could a Lincoln Bronco Become the Next Continental?
Ford may have an interesting opportunity hiding within the Bronco platform. Recent reports suggest Lincoln could eventually receive a rugged, body-on-frame SUV related to the Ford Bronco, potentially arriving around 2029. Nothing resembling a production vehicle has been officially revealed, but the possibility raises a much more interesting question: What should a Lincoln version of the Bronco actually be?
At All Terrain Nation, we decided to explore that question by creating our own concept.
The obvious mistake would be taking a Ford Bronco, installing a different grille, adding leather seats and doubling the price. If Lincoln enters this segment, it needs a vehicle with its own personality capable of competing against premium off-road SUVs such as the Land Rover Defender, Lexus GX and Mercedes-Benz G-Class.
Bronco Capability With Lincoln Design
Our concept keeps some of the Bronco’s basic proportions but moves significantly upscale.
Instead of the Bronco’s removable roof and doors, our Lincoln uses a permanent body structure with a solid roof and conventional doors. The squared-off profile remains, but the exterior incorporates current Lincoln design cues, particularly the lighting signature and Lincoln star.
We added a black roof over a Rapid Red-inspired body and retained a rear-mounted spare tire. Instead of leaving the tire exposed, however, it receives a premium hard cover carrying Lincoln branding.
The result isn’t supposed to be a Lincoln-badged Bronco. It’s our interpretation of an American luxury adventure SUV.
What Would Lincoln Call It?
Lincoln has an extensive collection of historic names that could potentially return.
Blackwood immediately came to mind. Lincoln used the name on its short-lived luxury pickup, giving it an existing connection to trucks.
But another name became increasingly interesting during our discussion: Continental.
The Continental is best remembered by many enthusiasts as Lincoln’s iconic luxury sedan, particularly the beautiful four-door models of the 1960s. Using Continental for an SUV would certainly represent a dramatic change.
Yet the name has another interpretation.
A vehicle designed to travel across a continent could quite literally be a Continental.
That could allow Lincoln to transform one of its most prestigious names into its flagship adventure vehicle rather than simply resurrecting it for another sedan.
Three Ford Engines That Could Work
Ford already has several engines that could make a Bronco-based Lincoln interesting.
Our hypothetical entry powertrain would be the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6, using the 400-horsepower, 415-lb-ft configuration found in the Explorer ST.
Above that could sit Ford’s 3.5-liter High-Output EcoBoost V6, producing 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft in the F-150 Raptor.
But our flagship would be considerably more controversial.
Give it a 5.0-liter Coyote V8.
Using the Mustang GT’s standard output as our benchmark would mean approximately 480 horsepower and 415 lb-ft. Packaging, emissions requirements and engineering realities could obviously make such an application difficult, but we’re designing the Lincoln we’d want, not claiming Ford has approved these powertrains.
Lincoln Has an Opportunity
The premium rugged-SUV market has changed dramatically. Buyers have demonstrated that an SUV can be exceptionally luxurious without looking delicate.
That’s where a Bronco-derived Lincoln could become interesting.
Ford already possesses serious body-on-frame and off-road engineering expertise. Lincoln brings luxury materials, technology and a very different design language. Combining the two could produce something genuinely distinctive.
And if Lincoln really does decide to build it, we have one request:
Don’t just build a luxury Bronco. Build a Lincoln.
The vehicle pictured and discussed as the ATN concept is an independent All Terrain Nation design exercise and is not an official Ford Motor Company or Lincoln vehicle.
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