2017 Lincoln Continental Gallery

It's time to reset your opinion of Lincoln's Continental as a wallowing land-yacht. Now in its tenth generation, and after more than a decade of absence from dealership forecourts, the Continental has returned with a bold new design, sumptuous interior, and the promise of a driving experience nothing like the old cars.

Based on the striking Continental Concept of 2015, the production car dilutes the drama only slightly. Figure on imperious lines, lashings of chrome, and a Bentley-esque stance that belies the sub-$50k starting price. Three engines will be offered in the US, with a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, topping out at a Lincoln-exclusive 3.0-liter twin turbo good for 400 HP and 400 lb-ft of torque.

It hustles, too, with the AWD on the 3.0L packing a torque vectoring rear differential with technology borrowed from the happy-handling Focus RS. Inside, there's a noticeable step up in quality compared to other cars bearing the same brand, including niceties like 30-way adjustable seats and a 19-speaker Revel audio system.