Live from Detroit!: Lincoln C's the future is small

Pleasant surprises were few and far between here in Cobo this year.

But after years of rehashing Frat Pack era Continentals, Lincoln seems to be looking for customers who don’t qualify for CPP benefits with its C concept.

A small four-door that's based on the C platform (get it?) of the next-generation Ford Focus, it looks like Ford’s luxury brand is ready to jump into the premium compact market.

No longer than the current Ford Focus, it's as wide as a Lincoln MKZ sedan, which allowed the designers to fit three-across seating in both rows. Upfront is Lincoln's new waterfall grille. Out back, the C looks inspired by some Recent Renault designs, namely the Megane hatch.

With Volvo being kicked out of the Ford family, Lincoln needs to become Ford’s premium player. And a production version of the C would be a good start.