Lincoln Continental 80th Anniversary Coach Door Edition Gets Suicide Doors

Lincoln is celebrating the Continental's 80th anniversary with a nice dose of nostalgia, adding coach doors—otherwise known as "suicide doors"—to a limited run of 80 examples. The aptly named Lincoln Continental 80th Anniversary Coach Door Edition integrates a design cue first introduced on the model in 1961 and pays homage to that vintage classic

When it first arrived in 1939, the Lincoln Continental was a custom-made, handcrafted luxury car commissioned by Edsel Ford and built by Eugene T. Gregorie. But the model's status as an automotive icon arguably wasn't achieved until 1961, when the fourth-generation Continental launched with rear-hinged rear doors and a chrome-accented upper shoulder line that would become a Lincoln trademark. A modified fourth-gen Continental also had the distinct honor of serving as a presidential limousine from the early 1960s until 1977. That vehicle made history for a more sorrowful reason in 1963, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in the back seat.

Buyers interested in the Continental 80th Anniversary Coach Door Edition will need to order the car via a dealership certified to sell Black Label-grade Lincoln models. Like all Black Label models, the special edition Continental gets you perks like annual vehicle detailing, complimentary car washes, access to exclusive restaurants, and pickup and delivery of the vehicle for maintenance at a designated location throughout the duration of the warranty. Pricing has not yet been announced, but considering the low production run, expect to pay north of the standard Black Label's $71,040 starting price.

2019 Honda Odyssey Now on Sale in the US

Priced from $31,065 including destination, the 2019 Honda Odyssey is mostly a carryover model. The minivan now comes standard with Honda Sensing on EX and above trim levels, a suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies, which includes collision mitigation brake system, lane keeping assist, road departure mitigation, and adaptive cruise control.

All models are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, with a nine-speed automatic transmission on the LX, EX, and EX-L trims. The Odyssey Touring and Elite models come with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy however, is rated the same across the entire lineup, returning 19 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway for a 22-mpg combined rating.

The Honda Odyssey EX is priced from $35,035, while the EX-L starts at $38,585. The EX-L Navi/RES model has a starting price of $40,585. Stepping up to the Touring model with the 10-speed automatic starts at $45,635 and at the top of the range is the Elite with a price tag of $47,945. For the 2019 model year, Honda has added a second 2.5-amp USB port inside the center console on EX-L and above trims.

First Buick Avenir model is a China-only minivan

Buick’s lineup in China includes a minivan called the GL8, and it’s this model that has become the first recipient of Buick’s Avenir treatment.

Avenir, French for “future,” is the name of a luxurious sedan concept Buick rolled out in 2015. The concept didn’t make it to production but its name and more upmarket treatments feature in a new sub-brand Buick is using to denote extra luxurious versions its existing models, starting with the GL8 Avenir.

For the exterior, the vehicle benefits from an exclusive color called Earl Purple. There’s also the distinct grille with a honeycomb-like pattern and extra chrome. Designers have also added a unique set of 18-inch aluminum wheels.

For the interior, the Avenir treatments include a unique dash lining with a textured surface and an “Avenir” script. This is joined by quilted leather on the seats, plush carpeting, a suede headliner and an ambient lighting package.

Buick says the the GL8 Avenir will go on sale in China in November following a debut at the 2016 Guangzhou auto show. While there are no plans to bring it to the United States, it likely hints at some of the treatments we can expect on Avenir models sold here.

Unfortunately, it isn't clear when Buick will actually launch an Avenir model in the U.S.

Volvo S90 Excellence's Lounge Console

The Lounge Console doubles as a mobile work station and entertainment center with a large touchscreen display built in it. The sumptuous arrangement offers a heated and cooled cup holder, a refrigerator, and Swedish-made Orrefors crystal glasses. The front passenger seat is eliminated to make room for all of this. Overhead, the roof offers a full panoramic view.

The S90 Excellence was shown ahead of the Guangzhou Motor Show, which will be held in late November. It will be built in Daqing near Harbin. The sole engine option will be the T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid version. Volvo showed previous Lounge Console concepts at the Beijing and Shanghai motor shows.

Volvo says the Excellence will be exported globally from the Northeastern China factory, following the S60 Inscription model which is also built there and sold in the United States. US implications are unclear for the S90 Excellence. A Volvo spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"China will play an increasingly important part in our global manufacturing ambitions. Our factories here will deliver world-class products for export across the globe in coming years, contributing to our objective of selling up to 800,000 cars a year by 2020," Volvo CEO Håkan Samuelsson said in a statement.

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