Image of 2017 Lincoln Continental Leaked Before Detroit Debut

Ford had something of an instant hit last year with the sharp Lincoln Continental concept. Finally ditching the European-style triple-letter naming convention with a moniker that has some conviction, the Continental Concept also promised to bring an actual production model to the road. That car is due to debut next week in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show, but a low-res photo of the front end has leaked.

A poster to Ford Inside News forums put up this single grainy image that looks a lot like the Lincoln Continental Concept from last year. There have definitely been changes to the front fascia, but that doesn’t necessarily mean much.

The most prominent feature missing from the concept is the battery of LEDs in the headlights. Instead, the production model appears to have standard-issue projection headlights, though this could also be an image of a base-model Continental. The bumper cover also appears to have softened between concept and production models, with a slightly-higher ride height that’s probably a lot more practical too.

As we hear it though, Ford is dumping a suite of high-tech gadgets into the new Continental, to say nothing of the 400 horsepower 3.0 liter EcoBoost V6 that will power the large sedan. Paired with a high-tech all-wheel drive system, it’s become apparent that the Lincoln makeover will finally include some respectable power numbers. This may be Lincoln’s last chance to make it as an automaker in the 21st century though, as Ford already pulled it from the chopping block once in the past decade. One more misstep or flop, and Lincoln might not survive.

But if the Continental turns out to be a huge hit at a time when sedan sales are actually declining, then this could be only the beginning of a beautiful comeback. We’ll find out which it is next week at the 2017 Continental’s official debut.