Lincoln (F) unveiled a brand new Nautilus crossover Tuesday night with a little twist. The new Nautilus will be imported — from China.
A brand new design, including a totally revamped interior with some serious tech, and a bigger footprint are part of a slew of updates coming to the car in early 2024. The Nautilus is positioned a step above the entry-level Corsair in the Lincoln portfolio and shares some design elements with that car (which was redesigned for the 2023 model year) and with its bigger brother, the Aviator. The new Nautilus pricing slots in below the Aviator, starting at $51,810.
The Nautilus features what appears to be a shorter, more raked roofline, with a more aggressive front-end. With its side strake and Nautilus badging, the crossover has a strong resemblance to the Range Rover Sport.
Inside the all new cabin is a Lincoln-first wraparound digital display that sits behind the oval-shaped steering wheel. The display extends completely along the front dash, all the way to the front passenger seat. Another touchscreen display sits below the wraparound dash screen for access to the car’s functions like infotainment and climate control.
The cabin aesthetic, with its fully-immersive digital environment, is likely signaling the future for Lincoln as it becomes fully electric by 2030. For the time being, however, the Nautilus will be powered by a traditional gas-powered engine but also a hybrid powertrain as well — capable of 300 horsepower.
“Certainly in the medium premium utility where Nautilus competes, being able to offer gas and a hybrid alternative for our customers right now is a nice option for them,” Lincoln President Diane Craig said in an interview with Yahoo Finance. “Today, 75% of consumers are still choosing between gas and hybrid engines, and we're really pleased to have that alternative for our customers.”
The hybrid powertrain is a welcome touch in a field dominated by models like the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Lexus RX, and Cadillac XT5.
When the new Nautilus hits the showrooms early next year, it won’t be rolling off the assembly lines in North America but rather in China. Lincoln, which is a popular brand in China, will build the Nautilus at its plant in Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province.
“As we begin to retool Oakville Assembly Complex (Canada) in the second quarter of 2024 — where the current Nautilus is produced — to prepare for production of the next-generation EVs, we will need to move Nautilus production,” Craig said. “With all our plants utilized in North America with product, this move makes good business sense, allowing us to leverage manufacturing efficiencies as we already build the Nautilus in China today.”
While it makes business sense to build the Nautilus in China, the move to import the Nautilus is not without its critics. The United Auto Workers, for one, isn’t impressed and has called U.S. automakers making cars in China a “slap in the face.” Ford’s rival GM makes its Buick Envision SUV in China as well.
Will the China effect hurt sales? That remains to be seen. Right now, the new Nautilus looks like it will be a solid contender in the highly-competitive mid-size premium SUV segment when it goes on sale next year.
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Pras Subramanian is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on Twitter and on Instagram.
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