2017 Lincoln Continental pricing undercuts Cadillac CT6

Base model starts at $45,485, 400-hp Black Label priced at $69,105.

At the top of the pile, Lincoln offers its Black Label models, and well, we’ll just let you bask in their words for a moment: “Lincoln Black Label is a curated collection of luxury designer themes combined with a personalized client experience and membership privileges.” It’s as if American Express opened an artisanal airport brewpub! The salient cash-money outlays are as follows: a 2.7 FWD car will run $63,840, adding AWD predictably ticks the clock up to $65,840, while the full-boat 3.0 AWD models start at $69,105. For the $9000 price premium over Reserve models, the wheels gain an inch in diameter, the headlamps go LED, a 19-speaker Revel Ultima sound system is standard, and you get a floormat upgrade involving faux-suede trim and Black Label badging. Opt for the Luxury package on the Reserve models, and you’ll snare the fancy hi-fi and headlights for only a $5000 surcharge. So what else does Black Label give you over Reserve?

Floormats and dubs aside, the Black Label offers “ultra-soft Venetian leathers” as part of three interior treatments. The wintry-mix Chalet interior is supposed to remind one of “the inherent comfort of the après ski lodge,” while Rhapsody hopes to evoke the feeling of music. With its aluminized silver mesh and deep navy materials, we find it more reminiscent of the halcyon days of mid-20th-century air travel. Presumably, the earth-toned Thoroughbred will be stabled at domiciles decorated exclusively with items from the Ralph Lauren Home collection. Beyond the fancy interior treatments, membership in the Black Label society will not garner you a one-on-one audience with guitarist Zakk Wylde, but it will grant you a dinner for two at one of Lincoln’s Culinary Collection restaurants. Ford’s luxury division also will deliver your new ride directly to you, as long as you’re within 30 miles of a Black Label dealership. Shoppers 35 miles away might consider moving for that privilege. They’ll also fix you up with complimentary anytime car washes and a once-a-year detailing. Too busy to visit the Lincoln store? The “Shopping Concierge” will bring a “mobile showroom” to you.