Lincoln’s new small luxury SUV has launched and it’s called the Corsair. With Lincoln having both aviation and nautical themed names for its SUV line, some might wonder where the Corsair name comes from. If you think aviation, there was an iconic WWII fighter plane that was fielded mostly by the U.S. Navy called the Corsair that would fit with both the aviation and nautical themes Lincoln prefers.
The Corsair name also has a pure nautical heritage. A Corsair is a type of 18th-century sailing ship preferred by pirates and privateers. As for where Lincoln got the inspiration for the name of the new Lincoln Corsair, it says that the name was inspired by the Latin word “cursus” meaning journey. Wherever the small luxury SUV got its name, it is a very attractive replacement for the aging MKC.
The designers have lots of pretty words to describe the design of the new Lincoln Corsair, but if you are familiar with the larger and more costly Aviator you have a very good idea what the Corsair looks like. As with all Lincoln SUVs, the Corsair aims to be very quiet featuring a dual-wall dashboard to keep noise out. There is no gear shifter to clutter the interior; instead, control of the 8-speed transmission is via toggle switches on the dash right under the center climate control system vents. Despite being a smaller SUV, the rear seat legroom is impressive, even for adults.
Power for the new Lincoln Corsair is from one of two available engines; the base engine is a 2.0-liter unit that makes 250 horsepower and 275 pound-foot of torque. For those wanting more power, a larger 2.3-liter four-cylinder makes 280 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. Both of the turbocharged engines are offered in all-wheel-drive versions with front-wheel-drive standard.
The new Lincoln Corsair will land at dealerships this fall. Lincoln is mum on official pricing for the SUV, but expect it to be very close, if not identical, to the $34,000 range where the current MKC starts.
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Comments
I’m all in favor in everyone dropping the alphabet soup naming conventions. A name gives lfaster recognition and more lasting impression, however, I think Corsair sounds too much like GM Chevrolet names, Corsa, Corvair, Corvette and on a stretch Belair. The first time I read a headline Corsair I thought Chevy was introducing a new vehicle. This may show my age in the baby boomer generation. Perhaps Lincoln did some research to the younger generation and other than the Corvette there was no name recognition of the old names. The Corsair looks like a nice vehicle and I hope it does well for Ford, I just think the name could be more Lincoln.
I thought the same thing George!
I’ve always felt that Lincoln should have stuck to names instead of the confusing letter system and applaud the return to proper names. As for Corsair, Ford of Britain once marketed (in the sixties) a sedan called Corsair and even Ford Australia used the name on a car it shared with Nissan. Interesting that the Corsair’s development code-name was ‘Project Buccaneer’.
I hope it doesn’t turn out like the last US Ford product named Corsair, the Edsel Corsair of 1958!
Wouldn’t it have been wild if the engineers could have given it gull-wing front doors as a kind of tribute to the airplane.
I still have 59 Edsel Corsair…daddy had…lol….Ford has had to some luck with Edsel names….they made a Ranger Edsel…hope this one works out a success
I drove a 59 Edsel Corsair in High School. It was fast! LOL
The name CORSAIR for your new Lincoln ,I think you have spent to much time quandry ing the name why or did you jump on the the English ford site and see the name Corsair which by the way means Pirate,as we used the name hear in England for our in line fours and V4 CORSAIRS back in the 70s so i find it difficult to believe what you are telling the public i would say that you are miss leading them. I would be telling them that you borrowed the name from Ford of Britain as they used the name on thier Corsair models.