Say goodbye to the MKC and hello to the 2020 Lincoln Corsair, which the luxury automaker presented on Wednesday at the 2019 New York International Auto Show.
The name, which Lincoln parent company Ford has used on a handful of models sold outside the United States, is in keeping with the nautical theme Lincoln is using for its current crop of names, as Corsair is an old French term for a pirate (as well as an American fighter plane from World War II).
The design is clearly cribbed from the larger Aviator and Navigator SUVs, though it takes on a more streamlined, more athletic quality on the compact Corsair. This is emphasized by the extra rake of the roof which drops down into slit-like taillights. At the front is the now familiar grille that Lincoln is using across its lineup.
2020 Lincoln Corsair
Underneath the sheet metal is a platform shared with the redesigned 2020 Ford Escape. Known as the C2, the platform is a modular design that ups rigidity and torsion compared to the platform it replaces. The platform also supports alternative powertrains, which should benefit the Corsair eventually. However, at launch there will be just two gas-only options.
A standard 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 will deliver an estimated 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque and be joined by an available 2.3-liter turbo-4 with an estimated 280 hp and 310 lb-ft. The sole transmission is an 8-speed automatic and buyers will be able to choose between standard front and available all-wheel drive.
As mentioned, we should see a hybrid option eventually. Ford's latest Escape has both hybrid and plug-in hybrid options utilizing a 2.5-liter inline-4 teamed with an electric motor and a continuously variable transmission, and one or possibility both of these should feature in the Corsair at some point.
2020 Lincoln Corsair
Lincoln will also offer the Corsair with some handy tech features. Among these, either standard or available, is active noise control, a 14-speaker Revel audio system, a wireless charging pad, WiFi connectivity, and a head-up display. On top of this will be a suite of electronic driver aids, which will include as standard useful aids such as collision warning with automatic emergency braking, a rearview camera, and blind spot and pedestrian warning.
The Corsair will be built at Ford's Louisville Assembly Plant in Louisville, Kentucky, and should be in showrooms this fall. Pricing information will be announced closer to the market launch.
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