Lincoln Launches Ecoboost Town Car

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

Sorry Panther fans, this is not the Town Car you are looking for.

We are, of course, talking about the MKT Town Car, the apostate unibody crossover Town Car-in-name-only that is as popular with Panther fans as Salman Rushdie is with Iranian mullahs.

The two-box Townie will be available with Ford’s 2.0L 4-cylinder Ecoboost and all-wheel drive. Civilian versions of the MKT will not be getting this motor, so the only way to get this configuration will be if you’re a livery car driver, or willing to buy a used black car.

At $49,845, the EcoBoost model will cost $1,100 less than the 3.7 V6 model. Fuel economy is rated at 20 mpg city/28 highway/23 combined, versus 17/24/29 on the V6. Power is rated at 235 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque versus 300/275 for the V6.

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • Nickeled&dimed Nickeled&dimed on Aug 02, 2012

    Fuel economy is rated at 20 mpg city/28 highway/23 combined ecopoost, versus 17/24/29 on the V6. Is the combined mileage on the V6 supposed to be 19? I can't see how averaging 17 and 24 would ever yield 29. Unless you're GM and you use funny math for everything.

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    • NulloModo NulloModo on Aug 03, 2012

      @nickeled&dimed Ajla - You're right, I completely zoned out on the 4.6 and the 6.8 in the E-Series. The current hybrids use the 2.5L I4, the upcoming 2013 models move to the 2.0. I just consider those the same as the regular I4 NA engine with the addition of some electric stuff, though really there are some differences, but they use the same block and all of that, the hybrid versions are just Atkinson cycle. To your other questions: The 3.7L is only in the Edge Sport. I don't know why it needs to exist with a different engine like that, but since the MKX rolls of the same line with the 3.7L standard, the cost to offer it is probably trivial. The 3.7L is supposed to be the premium engine offering compared to the 3.5, it helps differentiate (most models of the) Edge from the MKX, Taurus from MKS, Flex from MKT, etc. The 3.5 is still peppier in heavy vehicles than the 2.0 EB is, and it can tow more. If I were to buy an Explorer I'd rather have the 3.5 than the 2.0. The only reason I can think of that the 3.5 EB hasn't made it into the MKX yet is that maybe it's a plumbing problem to fit it in. The 3.5 EB hasn't been installed into any CD3 vehicle yet. Or, maybe it's another way to encourage people to move up to the MKT if they want the extra power. The 6.2 is, IMO, the most pointless engine in the F-150 lineup. It doesn't tow more than, feel faster than, or get better mileage than the 3.5 EB in any circumstance. I could see it living on in extreme special editions like the Raptor, but otherwise the 3.5EB is better than the 6.2 in almost every way, and a DI turbocharged 5.0 would completely smoke it.

  • APaGttH APaGttH on Aug 02, 2012

    So it's got to be clear now. Ford is really trying to kill Lincoln

  • Sajeev Mehta Sajeev Mehta on Aug 02, 2012

    At least the name didn't die, like the Continental. I'm sure that counts for...something?

    • DeadWeight DeadWeight on Aug 03, 2012

      Then they should have called this the Edsel II. Damnit! (just for effect)

  • Luvmyv8 Luvmyv8 on Aug 03, 2012

    This car makes me want to use every expletive known to man. This would be no different then Nissan throwing a GTR emblem on a Sentra and marketing as such....

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