There is much to see and do inside a Continental. The luxurious interior covered in leather, wood and premium carpeting features a plethora of electronic doo-dads and high-tech instrumentation.Even everyday instruments offer surprises. Switch on the ignition and a blank area where the instruments should be lights up with instruments. But with a difference! The numbers are lighted from behind, while red pointers for the tachometer, speedometer, and fuel and temperature gauges seem to float above the instrument faces. It sounds gimmicky on paper, but we applaud the technology because it makes the gauges very easy to read. Mounted on the dash just to the right is a set of electronic controls. This is the fun center. Variables for ride quality and power-steering assist can be dialed in to the owner's preferences. It also calculates trip information, such as miles to empty, average mpg and instant mpg. Push the check button and the status of various systems is displayed. Owners can program a myriad of functions such as whether to have the doors lock when the car moves forward, or to have the horn chirp when the remote locks the doors, or to have the rear-view mirrors dip when the transmission goes into reverse. And all of that can be stored in a pair of memory buttons so that different drivers can have the car tailored to their preferences, eliminating potential trouble spots between spouses. Simply push the driver ID button, select 1 or 2 and all your preferences will be selected. Our test car came with comfortable bucket seats covered in handsome leather. Both seats offer power adjustments and the driver's seat has a two-position memory. We liked the seating position and visibility was good in all directions. With lots of rear seat leg room, three adults can sit in back with reasonable comfort. The interior can hold six when a front bench is selected. Either way, the leather is standard. The Continental comes standard with dual front airbags and side airbags. An optional Remote Satellite Cellular Unit, called RESCU, is automatically activated if the airbags are deployed. The cellular unit uses satellite tracking along with a voice-operated system to reduce the amount of time it takes for assistance to arrive. The options package also includes the run-flat tires, an upgraded sound system and a garage door opener.
|