Bentley and Ford trade charges over design of Lincoln

New York

FORD Motor Co is firing back in an escalating war of words over the parentage of the design of its new Lincoln Continental. The chief designer of tony Bentley Motors has accused Lincoln's designer of copying his style.

"Do you want us to send the product tooling," Bentley chief designer Luc Donckerwolke wrote on the Facebook page of Lincoln styling chief David Woodhouse, suggesting Lincoln could use the factory tools to stamp out a replica of Bentley's design.