The future 2017 Lincoln Continental will be built at a different plant from the Lincoln MKS. Ford made the decision in order to increase production capacity for the ever-popular Explorer SUV.
“The Chicago Assembly Plant is vital to our global manufacturing footprint and will continue to manufacture the Ford Taurus, Ford Explorer and Police Interceptor vehicles even after we phase out production of the MKS in 2016,” Ford said in a statement. “We will continue to match production to demand.”
When asked about production plans for the Continental by Automotive News, a Ford spokesman declined to comment, saying the plant location would be revealed closer to the vehicle’s launch next year.
One possibility is Flat Rock, Michigan, currently home of the Ford Fusion. After all, the Lincoln Continental rides on an extended version of the Fusion's platform.