Where automakers used to compete on horsepower and 0-60 times, it seems they’re focusing on a new set of numbers these days, starting with the size of their digital displays.
And while we won’t get the actual figures from Lincoln until next week, it may be difficult to top the size of the display the Michigan-based luxury brand is going to install on the next-generation of its midsize Nautilus SUV.
In a teaser image released ahead of the crossover’s official debut in New York City next week we see that there’s now a single screen running pillar-to-pillar.
In all likelihood, it’s not a single display but a paired series of high-resolution screens running entirely across the instrument panel. Meanwhile, a separate display, likely somewhere in the 10- to 12-inch range, sits atop the center stack.
New trend
These days, it seems, the number of screens is another selling point for luxury products. Mercedes-Benz’s HyperScreen introduced the idea of providing a display for the front passenger — and Jeep has picked up the concept in models such as the top-line Grand Wagoneer.
If anything, however, the approach Lincoln has adopted for the 2024 Nautilus is more in line with what failed EV startup Byton showed off with its M-Byte prototype at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas a few years back.
Of course, while it’s impressive to load up on digital displays, the question is what will it all be used for?
Working a bit of Photoshop magic allowed us to pull a few more details out of the shadows of one of the teaser images we received from Lincoln. It appears almost certain that the left portion of the cross-car display will serve as the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus gauge cluster. Other areas might be used for showing navigation guidance and even providing some entertainment for the front passenger — though that could not be visible to the driver while the vehicle is moving under federal law.
Ready to launch
Clearly, Lincoln needs to break through with a product that helps it redefine its role in the luxury market. It has launched a few generally well-reviewed products during the last few years, notably the current Aviator SUV.
But consumer demand hasn’t shown near the momentum the once-dominant U.S. luxury brand hoped for. In March, Lincoln did score an impressive 44.66% year-over-year sales gain — but the brand is still down 0.59% for the first quarter.
Lincoln appears to be betting that a new emphasis on technology will help give potential buyers a better sense of what its current “Quiet Flight” brand mantra actually means.
We plan to be at the debut of the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus in New York City and will offer more details following the premier.