Lincoln is celebrating its centennial this year, but it doesn’t mark the company’s founding. Lincoln was established in 1917, but acquired by Ford in 1922 and that is the anniversary the automaker is choosing to honor. As a part of the ceremonies, Lincoln isn’t just looking back but providing a peek into its future with the Star concept, an electric SUV that it says will be the basis for its electrified lineup going forward.
The Star concept’s styling is a departure from the current Lincoln look, which gives its SUVs a more upright stance with strong character lines running down the sides. This is a much smoother design from all angles, starting with a face insert that gives the concept a wide, flat front. Lincoln designers said that the look of it is a stretched version of the current Lincoln grille, but they could be more creative with the design since cooling needs don’t have to be considered.
This new platform also allows for greater design flexibility and features like the one found on the hood. It is made from electro-chromatic glass that can flip from transparent to dark. While driving, it turns clear to allow light to shine into the front foot wells since there isn’t a traditional firewall. When stopped, the glass darkens to hide items that might be stored up there.