Skip to main content

Lincoln's new Continental takes on its massive ancestor in a drag race

Engine technology has come a long way over the past few decades. Take the Continental, a model which has historically been the flagship of Ford’s Lincoln luxury brand. If you treated yourself to one in 1978, it came with a carbureted 7.5-liter engine installed in an engine bay the size of a studio apartment. Fast forward to today, and the model’s biggest available engine is a 3.5-liter V6. Which one do you think is faster?

Youtube channel The Fast Lane Car was curious, so it put a pair of Continentals side-by-side on the starting line of an impromptu drag race. Spoiler alert: it turns out there is a replacement for displacement after all.

Recommended Videos

The massive, naturally-aspirated V8 in the Carter-era Continental makes just 210 horsepower — no joke. To put that figure into perspective, it’s about what you can expect today from a garden-variety turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. Meanwhile, the modern-day Continental used in the race is equipped with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, which is part of Ford’s EcoBoost family. It delivers 400 horsepower in this application, making it the Conti’s most powerful engine option.

You’re thinking “horsepower sells cars but torque wins races,” right? The 1978 boasts 357 pound-feet of torque, while the 2017’s EcoBoost belts out 400 pound-feet. And yet, torque alone isn’t enough to help this rolling behemoth win the race and take home the bragging rights.

Old vs New: Which Lincoln Continental is Faster in a Drag Race?

The modern Continental takes the lead right away and stays there until it reaches the finish line, propelled by the fury of two turbochargers relentlessly shoving boost into the cylinders. The original model crosses the finish line approximately five seconds later in the most lackadaisical manner imaginable. It doesn’t help that the latest Continental shifts through a six-speed automatic transmission with relatively short gear ratios dialed in to improve acceleration. Backing up the V8 in the 1978 car is a three-speed automatic; acceleration and fuel economy be damned!

Of course, it’s important to point out performance specifications are relative. In 1978, a 210-horsepower V8 was one mighty impressive engine. especially when it was installed in the engine bay of a personal luxury coupe. Besides, no one has ever purchased a land yacht-era Continental thinking they’d beat a Corvette in a race. Then and now, the Continental has always been about luxury and style.

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
8 key things you need to know from Apple’s WWDC 2025 event
From a fresh look and updated names, to new features, more intelligence and live translation
iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and macOS 26 shown on devices.

The WWDC 2025 keynote ran for just over an hour and a half. For those of you who don't fancy sitting through the whole presentation, we've pulled out the key things you need to know from the latest Apple event.

1. Welcome to the 26 club

Read more
Tesla’s robotaxi service is almost here, but it’s not the car you want to see
Silver Tesla Model Y Juniper side

Tesla chief Elon Musk has said that the automaker is aiming to launch its robotaxi service on June 22, in Austin, Texas.

“Tentatively, June 22,” Musk said in a post on X on Tuesday, adding: “We are being super paranoid about safety, so the date could shift.”

Read more
I tried an e-bike for the first time and now I’m hooked
It’s not about being a 'bike person', it’s about finding small upgrades to everyday life
A woman sitting on the Aventon Pace 4

Before this year, I’d never even touched an e-bike before, and the thought of riding one was never on my radar. With life already in constant motion thanks to two toddlers, biking wasn’t something I ever considered adding to the mix.

I’d always assumed e-bikes were for hardcore commuters or serious cyclists, not someone like me. I wasn’t looking for a big lifestyle change. I just wanted a quicker way to get to the park so we’d have more time to play before dinner.

Read more