Plug-in Lincoln Corsair Could Be Thin on the Ground

Lincoln’s compact MKC transformed into the Lincoln Corsair for 2020, bringing style borrowed from its big brother Aviator to buyers of lesser means… or wants.

Tagging along a year late, a plug-in hybrid variant will join the Corsair trim ladder for 2021, but a new report suggests it won’t be in plentiful supply.

According to a dealer order guide seen by CarsDirect, the 2021 Corsair Grand Touring will pack a price premium in addition to its plug-in powertrain. Ditching the stock Corsair’s 2.0- or 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinders, the Grand Touring reportedly starts at $51,225 after destination.

That’s $7,600 more than the cheapest uplevel Reserve (FWD, 2.0L). For the price, buyers get a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder mated to an electric motor, with enough battery capacity to propel the little ute around 25 miles on electricity alone. Combined output is 266 horsepower.

The order guide reveals that not only is the Grand Touring a late arrival for MY2021 (it doesn’t say exactly when the variant will reach buyers), but it stands to become a rare sight. Sure, mixing PHEV technology and compact models, even premium ones, is a tough sell given the necessary price inflation (green incentives notwithstanding), but the order guide predicts the Grand Touring will amount to just 5 percent of Corsair sales.

Half of all Corsair sales will remain the entry model, which starts just north of $35,000, with the Reserve taking up another 45 percent of the pie, Lincoln predicts. That leaves the PHEV Grand Touring playing the crumb role. The reality might be different, as no automaker can correctly predict demand 100 percent of the time. Only time will tell, in this case.

[Image: Lincoln Motor Company, Tim Healey/TTAC]