Open Letter to Lincoln - How I'd Improve the Corsair

[DrivingEnthusiast]

Our '22 turns on the heated steering wheel and seats automatically. No issues.

 

[ghschack]

Lincoln executives have been watching this community for years. They've also made improvements to their vehicles based upon what they've read here. They are listening to you.

This discussion will serve as a quick and easy way for Lincoln executives to gauge interest and help make decisions moving forward.

As a Corsair driver, you should state exactly what you'd like to see enhanced, added, and/or omitted from your Lincoln Corsair.

Any posts that don't stick to the subject matter will be moved elsewhere.

New to Lincoln. This replaces a Lexus GX. Definitely a different animal but knew that going in.
With 2000 miles completed, I can make two general statements
1. I like the vehicle
2. I will not buy another until Ford dumps the present touch system mess that I find hazardous, extremely complex, badly organized, and a distraction. Driving is a perishable skill and requires the driver to be 100% aware of surroundings in order to properly react to changing situations.

 

[DrivingEnthusiast]

The big question that needs to be answered first is the platform the next Corsair would use. This could be this same Ford C2 platform with some investment (which woud just buy a few years before the inevitable electric), or a totally different platform. The C2 is used by the Ford Escape, Bronco Sport, Maverick, the excellent Euro Focus and our Corsair. That dictates certain parameters... a look underneath or inside (all similar dashes) shows us what is reused. The C2 is excellent economy platform, world-class in it's size and flexability, and the Focus ST is in my mind the best example of it for performance. But also my thinking is that this inexpensive and parts-sharing platform also dictates the engineering quality of systems ranging from air conditioners to windshield wiper motors. Neither are luxury-class so in the Corsair we are stuck with a low common denominator. So if we share a platform we inherit the common denominators - in this case all inexpensive and not luxury class.
But also lets knock off some misconceptions... the uninformed thinking is that electrics are doing very poorly and that is not at all the case. The market is not what some parties thought... adjustments are being made... but some are doing very well. The Mach-E is selling great (despite engineering problems, which have not all been addressed - don't forget Sandy Munro fainting over what he saw), and companies like BMW and Mercedes and Audi have made very thorough investments and have built products that easily rival their ICE counterparts and exceed them in several ways (the 4-motor BMW M3/4 that was discussed recently leaves ye olde ICE model far behind and BMW's engineering is just accelerating - no pun intended). Then there is Cadillac - who is on a roll. Lincoln compares very poorly against Cadillac. And for those of us who are interested in performance, Cadillac just introduced a V-series electric which is the fastest car of any type they have ever built. The 2026 Lyriq-V is world-class. It's in a different class than the Corsair, but like the other electrics from Cadillac, Lincoln has zero. Stepping back into our class, Honda's new electric (on a GM platform) is selling like mad and people love it (an Acura electric is coming soon). And Honda has an absolutely shocking bold concept in the new Honda 0 Series. You look at their video on that and it's pure WOW. It's a concept, and it previews a product coming in one year.
Lets look from a compatitive standpoint: Lincoln has nothing to compete with in these areas, and is falling even more behind as the years go by. Add Kia and Hyundai into the picture and it looks even worse (pretty bad if you only look at ICE, too).
Now think about the competitive picture of our country as a whole in the world - if we fall back into the past (oh boy, we can have carbs again and even grind our own babbit bearings!), we loose the momentum we created in the electric field with Tesla, Ford, and GM. Tesla is debateable because of their flakey leader but their engineering continues to expand very effectively. GM is a pure and smart winner. What does Ford have? Just a step back from their plans and some handsome Lincoln concepts.
What Ford does have is a small electric platform under development, with very strict cost controls. Not many details are out, manufacturing plants are readying, and it woud seem to be a platform a bit bigger than a C2 that can also be used again for a pickup truck (think electric Maverick sized, they are talking that this will be first out the door). If this platform replaces C2, then it could be used for an electric Corsair. We just don't know. One rumor that came out this week is possibly combining the Escape and Bronco Sport into a single product. Hmmm.... seems like a volume loss again just like the Edge/Nautilus issue.
Lets also look at the Nautilus - built in China and possibly going away. HUGE size (look at it parked next to an Aviator sometime). I think that Farley made a mistake here and should have built it in Canada again along with an Edge (which was selling great - and now we have an empty factory). Many of us would like something smaller than the Nautilus.
So all I can see here is an update to the existing Corsair, a few bucks spent on it. Or sharing a platform again.
Speaking of which, the Mach-E is on an orphan platform, not sharing anything (that increases costs all around). It needs a replacement (it's engineering problems have been an issue, some have slowly been fixed). But the size is right... slightly bigger than our Corsair - I think the Corsair should go on the next gen of this. Then we get great engine choices, even a performance model and magnetic shocks (where you can tune the ride any way you want). After 35k miles in our 2.3 AWD Corsair Sport, this is that we want next.

 

[GreatOutdoors]

The big question that needs to be answered first is the platform the next Corsair would use. This could be this same Ford C2 platform with some investment (which woud just buy a few years before the inevitable electric), or a totally different platform. The C2 is used by the Ford Escape, Bronco Sport, Maverick, the excellent Euro Focus and our Corsair. That dictates certain parameters... a look underneath or inside (all similar dashes) shows us what is reused. The C2 is excellent economy platform, world-class in it's size and flexability, and the Focus ST is in my mind the best example of it for performance. But also my thinking is that this inexpensive and parts-sharing platform also dictates the engineering quality of systems ranging from air conditioners to windshield wiper motors. Neither are luxury-class so in the Corsair we are stuck with a low common denominator. So if we share a platform we inherit the common denominators - in this case all inexpensive and not luxury class.
But also lets knock off some misconceptions... the uninformed thinking is that electrics are doing very poorly and that is not at all the case. The market is not what some parties thought... adjustments are being made... but some are doing very well. The Mach-E is selling great (despite engineering problems, which have not all been addressed - don't forget Sandy Munro fainting over what he saw), and companies like BMW and Mercedes and Audi have made very thorough investments and have built products that easily rival their ICE counterparts and exceed them in several ways (the 4-motor BMW M3/4 that was discussed recently leaves ye olde ICE model far behind and BMW's engineering is just accelerating - no pun intended). Then there is Cadillac - who is on a roll. Lincoln compares very poorly against Cadillac. And for those of us who are interested in performance, Cadillac just introduced a V-series electric which is the fastest car of any type they have ever built. The 2026 Lyriq-V is world-class. It's in a different class than the Corsair, but like the other electrics from Cadillac, Lincoln has zero. Stepping back into our class, Honda's new electric (on a GM platform) is selling like mad and people love it (an Acura electric is coming soon). And Honda has an absolutely shocking bold concept in the new Honda 0 Series. You look at their video on that and it's pure WOW. It's a concept, and it previews a product coming in one year.
Lets look from a compatitive standpoint: Lincoln has nothing to compete with in these areas, and is falling even more behind as the years go by. Add Kia and Hyundai into the picture and it looks even worse (pretty bad if you only look at ICE, too).
Now think about the competitive picture of our country as a whole in the world - if we fall back into the past (oh boy, we can have carbs again and even grind our own babbit bearings!), we loose the momentum we created in the electric field with Tesla, Ford, and GM. Tesla is debateable because of their flakey leader but their engineering continues to expand very effectively. GM is a pure and smart winner. What does Ford have? Just a step back from their plans and some handsome Lincoln concepts.
What Ford does have is a small electric platform under development, with very strict cost controls. Not many details are out, manufacturing plants are readying, and it woud seem to be a platform a bit bigger than a C2 that can also be used again for a pickup truck (think electric Maverick sized, they are talking that this will be first out the door). If this platform replaces C2, then it could be used for an electric Corsair. We just don't know. One rumor that came out this week is possibly combining the Escape and Bronco Sport into a single product. Hmmm.... seems like a volume loss again just like the Edge/Nautilus issue.
Lets also look at the Nautilus - built in China and possibly going away. HUGE size (look at it parked next to an Aviator sometime). I think that Farley made a mistake here and should have built it in Canada again along with an Edge (which was selling great - and now we have an empty factory). Many of us would like something smaller than the Nautilus.
So all I can see here is an update to the existing Corsair, a few bucks spent on it. Or sharing a platform again.
Speaking of which, the Mach-E is on an orphan platform, not sharing anything (that increases costs all around). It needs a replacement (it's engineering problems have been an issue, some have slowly been fixed). But the size is right... slightly bigger than our Corsair - I think the Corsair should go on the next gen of this. Then we get great engine choices, even a performance model and magnetic shocks (where you can tune the ride any way you want). After 35k miles in our 2.3 AWD Corsair Sport, this is that we want next.

What a great and thoughtful post. I too would love to see the Corsair continue on. If they could improve / fine-tune engine, remedy fit/finish issues, etc., I could see the styling updated with Nautilus door handles and front headlight lightbar and illuminated Lincoln logo. Etc. That would be awesome. Less than thrilled with the idea of Chinese-built Lincolns from a brand standpoint, but if that results in improvements somehow, I would be willing to look past it (or at least try!)

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[greerl]

It seems to me the technology already exists on the car to make it safer. I again today had a near miss blind spot incident that surely could be addressed in software. I.e.,
Put blind spot status prominently in the HUD.

If attempt to turn into blind spot occupied area;
Loud audible alarm;
Strong steering resistance.

 

[n6nfg]

In many other manufacturers cars, when you enable the turn signal lever, a video of the blind spot you are going to turn into appears on the screen behind the steering wheel for you to look at. I can't fathom why Ford doesn't do this for their cars, so useful!

 

[topnycdog]

It seems to me the technology already exists on the car to make it safer. I again today had a near miss blind spot incident that surely could be addressed in software. I.e.,
Put blind spot status prominently in the HUD.

If attempt to turn into blind spot occupied area;
Loud audible alarm;
Strong steering resistance.

It does turn the green arrow into a yellow marker in the HUD, when you tried to go into another lane. That is occupied with a vehicle in it.

 

[jpelli]

Install quality carpet , what's in the Corsair is cheap garbage.

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[DrivingEnthusiast]

Be careful what you wish for on the safety front.. our prior car was a current-gen CX-5. It's safety braking was extreme... anything two blocks ahead turning right into a driveway caused emergency braking and alerts that would slam you forward in your belts. Handling was all about huge roll, tires were terrible... braking was lousy and nose-down, and the infotainment system - which required madly spinning a dial - was junk. Cruise control was a mess. And the front end had lousy aero lift at about 85 (which is the speed limit here, and traffic cruises at over 90 which is blatantly unsafe in the CX-5 and routine in the unruffled Corsair) when you realize your front tires are very well connected any more. Then there were the flat seats.
We hated it, ditched it, got the Corsair we should have bought. Every single one of these points was fixed and improved... and we can drive the car with some verve compared to the miserable Mazda.
Our Corsair is the true zoom-zoom car and is far more comfortable, more efficient, handles and brakes very well, and the infotainment is far better.
The standard 20" tires were very good, although we have since replaced them with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 all season. Now it's even better and maybe even a bit quieter.
Our overall experiences are detailed in a huge post far earlier in this chain... and several short posts since.

 

[MikeNH]

This seems like a very simple enhancement feature.

Using the voice command, enable Calm Screen

It can be considered a safety hazard that distracts the driver with all the current displayed information. It seems to me that an over the air software update could address this.

 

[jpelli]

It was stated that Lincoln watch's this forum, I find that hard to believe . If they did the recall fix for for the Corsair Grand Touring would be completed, instead we are waiting since Jan and are still unable to use the car for witch it was purchased, ( charge the high voltage battery) sure I can still drive the car as an hybrid which is a poor one at that, getting 32 miles per gallon, while other hybrids are getting over 40.

 

[GapBoyPCS]

My heated seats and steering wheel are set to AUTO and come on when it gets colder. The manual says the vehicle will try to either heat or cool the car to 72F or 22C. I just find that when the temperature hits around the 40F or 4C area, that's is when I notice the heated seats and steering wheel come on.

Right now, one annoying rattle seems temperature related. If it's below freezing, the driver's back edge of the overhead console seems as if it needs additional glue or padding to stick to the headliner. It goes away once it's warmer or if I press the console against the headliner. I know automakers always test in extreme conditions, but due to changing weather patterns, I wonder if the extreme conditions need to be upped a few notches.

But like others said, bring back the buttons. Oh, and after sitting in a Nautilus, it'd be nice to have the massaging part of the seat back go higher.

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[Sharbotcom]

...Oh, and after sitting in a Nautilus, it'd be nice to have the massaging part of the seat back go higher.

Absolutely! We currently have a '22 Corsair GT and used to have a '22 2.3 and a '23 GT all of which have/had the massaging seats and we find the massage area stops too low on the upper back. Our '24 Nautilus goes up the back much higher making it a much more effective experience.

 

[Xarax]

It seems to me the technology already exists on the car to make it safer. I again today had a near miss blind spot incident that surely could be addressed in software. I.e.,
Put blind spot status prominently in the HUD.

If attempt to turn into blind spot occupied area;
Loud audible alarm;
Strong steering resistance.

Yes, putting the blind spot notification in the HUD is a must - it is has been that way on Mazdas for a decade. Also, I just rode in a Palisades and they have cars which are coming up from behind in their infotainment center ala Tesla. Add that too.

 

[Xarax]

It was stated that Lincoln watch's this forum, I find that hard to believe . If they did the recall fix for for the Corsair Grand Touring would be completed, instead we are waiting since Jan and are still unable to use the car for witch it was purchased, ( charge the high voltage battery) sure I can still drive the car as an hybrid which is a poor one at that, getting 32 miles per gallon, while other hybrids are getting over 40.

I just took my Corsair GT into the dealer and they downloaded and updated the system and says that fixed the recall. Told me it was fine to plug it in now. So, maybe there is a fix for the recall which is not being advertised yet. I thought it odd that it was a software update which fixed it when the original recall indicated that a hardware fix would be needed too. By the way, after the fix, my all-electric mileage range jumped from 23 to 28.

 

[Sharbotcom]

I just took my Corsair GT into the dealer and they downloaded and updated the system and says that fixed the recall. Told me it was fine to plug it in now. So, maybe there is a fix for the recall which is not being advertised yet. I thought it odd that it was a software update which fixed it when the original recall indicated that a hardware fix would be needed too. By the way, after the fix, my all-electric mileage range jumped from 23 to 28.

Is there any way you can post a copy of the service report? Thanks.

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[jpelli]

Is there any way you can post a copy of the service report? Thanks.

Really? Did you get a letter from Lincoln?

 

[Xarax]

Is there any way you can post a copy of the service report? Thanks.

Unfortunately, I cannot until May as I am at a second home without the car and service report.

 

[Sharbotcom]

Really? Did you get a letter from Lincoln?

Yes I did get the recall. I was asking about the service report he would have gotten from the dealer detailing the work they performed. If they actually fixed the issue, it would be good to have details to present to our service advisors.

 

[ljnelson109]

I just checked the app and it still shows remedy not available. I will be calling my service rep tomorrow. I am really frustrated by owning a PHEV with the Plug-In part working.