Lincoln Zephyr Reflection revealed: Zephyr name revived for Shanghai motor show concept

Lincoln China has revived the Zephyr nameplate by unveiling the new Zephyr Reflection concept car at the 2021 Shanghai motor show, intended solely for the Chinese market.

It is said to precede an eventual production four-door sedan slated to debut later in 2021, and is designed to preview Lincoln’s future styling strategy and technology showcase.

Size, engine and platform details weren’t shared with media upon the car’s unveil, so it’s difficult to know just how to place its size and segment.

Instead, Lincoln has placed an emphasis on futuristic technology by including a dashboard full of infotainment screens, a new welcome feature that activates a series of lights and function-specific buttons where key icons are displayed on the console as needed.

Lincoln describes the “coast-to-coast” widescreen as being made up of three individual units, and will feature a new human-machine interface dubbed “Constellation”. It reconfigures the screens into three themes – Normal, Sport and Zen – which are based on variations of the night sky, according to Lincoln.

Ironically, Lincoln says the bank of screens will include “intuitive technologies and effortless experiences designed to reduce the digital stress consumers face every day.”

The Zephyr Reflection concept’s design takes attributes from its high-riding family members such as the Aviator and Corsair SUVs, but also looks similar to up-and-coming electric vehicles including the Sony Vision-S and Lucid Air sedan.

Like the latter two cars, it’s expected that the production version will be powered by an electric powertrain – as is becoming increasingly commonplace throughout the Chinese market.

The Zephyr Reflection’s body incorporates flush door handles and large intakes alongside the grille. A full-width light bar connects the headlights together, while an illuminated Lincoln star emblem also features.

Interest in passenger sedans in the United States is tapering off, forcing the US-based Lincoln arm to pivot to an all-SUV range. However, Lincoln China cites continued strong consumer interest in luxury four-door sedans leading to the Zephyr Reflection concept – a car unique to China.

The Lincoln Zephyr name was originally used for a line of luxury cars produced from 1936. The Zephyr name was lent to a series of mid-size luxury cars in four-door sedan, four-door convertible sedan, two-door sedan, two-door coupe and two-door convertible coupe body styles. Each was powered by an 82kW 4.4-litre V12 engine.

Production ended in 1942 due to America’s involvement in World War Two.

Further details await a full launch of a production-specification car later this year.

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