Shanghai (ZXZC)- Ford-owned premium car brand Lincoln plans to locally produce an all-new luxury 5-seater SUV model code-named U540 in China with 4 variants based on configurations, according to a document filed by the Zhejiang Provincial Development and Reform Commission.

To produce the new model, the car maker will rebuild the existing assembly line which is going to create an annual capacity of 36,000 units for the U540 model, while the overall capacity remains unchanged.

According to the governmental announcement, the new model is the China-made version of the 2019 U540 model designed for North American market. Offering three types of powertrain, the locally-produced U540 will be powered by a 2.0L GTDI (gasoline turbocharged direct injection) engine or a 2.7L GTDI engine, hooked up to an 8-speed transmission. The 2.0L engine will be mated with a front-wheel drive or a four-wheel drive system, while the 2.7L engine is only available for the four-wheel drive system.

By comparing vehicle parameters, it could be speculated that the U540 mentioned here may be the all-new Lincoln Nautilus whose presale started at the Auto Guangzhou 2018 with the price starting from RMB420,000.

The all-new Nautilus's front end is capped with Lincoln's new signature grille, which appears on the Continental sedan and the Navigator. It adopts dual-six-spoke rims and an exhaust layout with a single exhaust pipe on each side, which augments the sporty sense.

Inside, the all-new Nautilus retains the design from the outgoing Lincoln MKX, while still has visible upgrades in some details. It features an all-new three-spoke multifunctional steering wheel paired with a paddle shift. Besides, the vehicle is also equipped with a 12.3-inch full liquid crystal instrumental panel, a massive panoramic sunroof as well as a wireless mobile phone charger, etc.

The new vehicle comes with a 2.0T or a 2.7T engine, mated to an all-new 8-speed automatic transmission, which happens to coincide with the U540.