I believe this is a fair and accurate review of what IMHO amounts to a mediocre offering from Lincoln.
My thoughts:
Exterior/Styling: From the A-pillar back, I like it. Especially the rear end and rear 3/4 view. From the A-pillar forward, I hate it. I can't get over that bulbous baleen front end, and that grille is…

Actually, for longitudinal applications (A4, A6 etc.) Audi uses the Torsen system, which is a fully mechanical permanent four wheel drive with either a 50:50 font-rear default torque split, or in more recent applications 40:60 front-rear default. Only in transverse applications such as the A3 & TT does Audi use the…

It's radar-based active cruise control; the shield protects the long range radar sensor which is behind the grille. There's a decent overview here.

There is a resemblance, I'll give you that.
I'll throw another one of my favorites in here for the hell of it.

That rendering is lacking a lot of detail. We all know by now what the basic shape will be (a lot like the current one, and that's a good thing), but it's the details that will make or break it. IMHO the headlights look too narrow, leaving too much plain space in the front of the car. Not really liking that rear…

They want how much? $70K... For a freaking Kia?!
Don't get me wrong, I'm absolutely thrilled to have another large RWD sedan coming to our shores. Perhaps it will be a great car. But $70K great? I doubt it. Now, the kind of people who buy economy cars, Kia's traditional demographic, probably don't care much about…

I agree, the rest of the car looks really good, especially from that rear 3/4 view. It's that bulbous baleen front end that's the dealbreaker for me.

I must respectfully disagree. It's a bloated, ugly, overpriced Taurus. And this is the refreshed model -

Ugh... that center console is my biggest issue with the car, besides the bulbous baleen front end. Look at it - covered in Ford-standard cheap grey plastic that will scratch easily and not wear well. This is unacceptable at the price point and has no place in a luxury car. And I hate the capacitive touch non-buttons…

I hope it's something like this

Earthroamer! I want one of these SO bad

I've been saying this for years. I've written letters. Among the many excuses are it would be too expensive/difficult to convert it to LHD for the US, and it's nearing the end of its lifecycle anyway. It's a shame, because if they brought it over and did it well, I'd be first in line for one, and I think a lot of…

That's the thing... they don't. The Mustang is it for RWD in the Ford lineup, and given the rumors about the new Mustang's smaller size, I wonder how much that platform can be stretched to accommodate a larger luxury car. Everyone knows the XTS is no flagship, just a placeholder until Cadillac's RWD flagship…

Excellent point.
See this, Lincoln? Do you know what this was?

RWD and the models actually have real names!? Huzzah, indeed.
If Alfa is going to make a US comeback, I'd rather wait for them to do it right. This is very good news. Maybe American manufacturers will follow suit. (One can only hope).

Ugh... the distronic shield. This may be my biggest issue with the car. It looks terrible, doesn't blend well, and I immediately notice it on any car so equipped. I'd expect Mercedes could engineer a better solution than that; hide it in the front bumper like Audi does, or maybe incorporate it into the windshield…

Ignoring, for a moment, the fact that the Beast is actually based on the Topkick/Kodiak platform and not a production sedan...
It's a damn shame Lincoln doesn't produce the kind of stately, elegant car fit for presidential duty. I'd put my money on future beasts being Cadillacs as well, at least until Lincoln gets…