By Sajeev Mehta on November 3, 2006

07mkz_4730.jpgLast year’s Zephyr was the automotive embodiment of all that’s wrong with Ford and Lincoln. The barely badge engineered Ford Fusion hammered yet another cheaply gilded nail into the once mighty Lincoln brand’s coffin. So now Ford has given the Zephyr a new name, engine and front end; an MP3 audio jack and [available] all wheel-drive. Is it enough to lift the Lincoln into some semblance of dignity, or does Lincoln still need to reach higher?

Prince may have changed his image since you began the last paragraph, but not much has happened to the artist formerly known as Zephyr. Despite the MKZ’ redesigned waterfall grill, the demitasse Lincoln is still rental-car vanilla searching for some Turtle Soup for the Soul. Sadly, the MKZ’ new front/rear lower valences and iced-out fog lights do little to dress up a relatively hum-drum package. From the plastic C-pillar trimmings– designed to visually lengthen the window outline (or daylight opening in designerese) to more Lincoln-friendly standards without actually doing so)– to its frumpy posterior, the MKZ is still such a Ford Fusion it Hertz.

07lincolnmkz_14.jpgThe MKZ’ interior comes in three basic flavors: slathered in a bland tan so lifeless it cries out for Jackson Pollock’s alcohol-fuelled spastic outbursts, specced-up in Germanic-style charcoal or doused in French gray. All three designs possess a dour demeanor that's deeply disturbed by all the shiny happy plastic satin nickel silver buttons, switchgear and accents. MKZ owners can also spice up their wall o’ dash with maple or ebony inserts, carefully “figured” not to look like fake wood. South Florida condo taste or no, the MKZ’ cabin provides a welcome change from the cookie-cutter cockpits of its foreign and wannabe-foreign competition.

The MKZ’ 10-way (yes way) front seats are as supportive as a drill sergeant, but at least they’re plenty comfortable. Peep the minimalist gauges, soak up the THX stereo’s solid audio attributes, feel the reassuring wood-trimmed wheel and let the heated and cooled seats set your soul on a relaxing journey deep into the heart of American luxury. After all, that’s what makes the uber-Fusion price worthwhile, yes?

07_mkz_2957.jpgNot entirely. The Lincoln MKZ is almost somewhat sort of entertaining to drive. It’s true: the name’s been changed to protect the innocent. The 3500-pound sedan gets a brand spanking new 263-horse 3.5-liter Duratec V6, mated to six forward gears, corralled by [optional] all-wheel drive. The powertrain turns the once sleepy Lincoln sedan into an automotive sleeper. With a first gear shorter than Tom Cruise proposing to Katie Holmes, the bigger motor’s ample torque reserve (249ft.-lbs.) pushes you back in your seat with genuine authority, while the high rpm punch keeps your eyes darting towards the speedometer.

The MKZ’ 6.7 second zero to 60 sprint time means that Lincoln’s finally given Commander Cody fans a hot rod worth singing about. Younger pistonheads (Commander Who and the What?) may despair. Quick as it is, the MKZ serves-up great heaps of body roll, “you’re not the boss of me” downshifts and a boingee suspension. Even so, it’s fun to throw the MKZ a tight curveball, punch it at the apex and rocket out of the corner. 

Clearly, this Lincoln is no sports sedan. But it’s the kind of car secondhand owners or short-term leasers can mercilessly thrash to an inch of its life with one hand draped across their passenger’s chair. In the care of less assertive folk, the MKZ also delivers decent enough ride quality: a happy medium somewhere between road feel and no feel. That and acceptable noise suppression make the MKZ a no-brainer for the grandmother of a Subaru WRX pilot.

07_mkz_3107.jpgIf you want this admirable powertrain in a cheaper, lighter, tighter, less ostentatious package, tough luck. The otherwise identical Fusion still rolls with the coarse, lackluster 221hp V6 as its top engine choice. Horsepower and refinement exclusivity may be a good thing for Lincoln, but it’s a bad thing for Ford. Instead of blowing away the competition with a big motor and AWD, the Fusion sees nothing but the taillights of V6 Camry, Accord and Altima drivers. In today’s market, not giving the goods to a Ford product in a competitive segment isn’t just a bad idea, it’s a silent killer.

I know: I’m complaining about a Lincoln model not sharing its good fortune with its Ford counterpart while complaining that the MKZ isn’t different enough from its Ford counterpart to justify its place in the Lincoln portfolio. How crazy is that? But brand differentiation is the retro-religion these days. Instead of creating a new, brand-specific automotive orthodoxy, Ford is busy robbing Peter to pay Paul– and they're both broke. The truth is Lincoln needs one no-compromise automobile that says this is who we are and what we do. No matter how you dress it up, the MKZ ain’t it, and never will be.

96 Comments on “Lincoln MKZ Review...”


  • taxman100
    taxman100

    Spec-wise, the car looks promising. I don’t what other vehicle can be had with AWD and 263 hp at that price.

    I also like the interior – different.

    That being said, if the thing makes enough money that Ford keeps the Lincoln name, and thereby pumps out an updated Town Car in a couple of years, than this “whatever-it’s-name-is” model has done it’s duty, as far as I’m concerned.

    Nice appetizer – now the main course – a Town Car I could be proud to lay down my $45,000 to buy.

  • Zarba
    Zarba

    I don’t think the Lincoln is bad looking, but like the LS before it, The MKZ just has no soul.

    FWD engineering, even when it’s masked with all-wheel drive, cannot substitute for a good RWD platform. Ask Jaguar.

    Lincoln has thrown away its heritage. Their naming conventions (MKX, MKZ, MKWhatever) makes no sense, and the sooner we can forget the failure that is the new ‘Gator, the better. Their vehicles lack a coherent design and driving personality.

    “The truth is Lincoln needs one no-compromise automobile that says this is who we are and what we do. No matter how you dress it up, the MKZ ain’t it, and never will be.”

    Says it all.

  • Terry
    Terry

    OK, here’s the plan: Dump Mercury, have Mazda and Volvo design and engineer all their passenger cars(wait–they already ARE), keep Ford trucks…and make Aston Martin the “New Lincoln”.
    DONE! See how easy that was?

  • JJ
    JJ

    and make Aston Martin the “New Lincoln”.

    …is it even legal to say that?

    Anyway, I wonder what they would have called it here if they’d bring it over since MKZ stands for a virus that kills cattle (pigs, cows, sheep).

    Or maybe it’s just named suitably.

  • Terry
    Terry

    I just thought that if the best you can do is to badge-engineer your cars, you might as well use everything in your arsenal, dont hide the fact, and take that next bold step we keep hearing about.

  • ash78
    ash78

    This platform just doesn’t say “Lincoln” to me. I think they should have left it at Ford and Mercury and moved on. Now you’ve got hundreds of American joint dealerships (I can’t remember the last time I saw Lincoln and Mercury at separate locales) confusing the crap out of customers who can’t use the Karesh force to quantify the differences. I feel that confusing your customers is the worst thing you can do, and this product will likely cannibalize the hell out of the Mercury body double. Then again, maybe the up-sell is part of the game plan and Mercury is just the bait, Lincoln the switch…

    Lincoln evokes “large” and “luxurious” in my mind. I guess this just doesn’t fit that ideal–perhaps why we don’t see the Civic-derived Acura in the US, or the Caddy BLS. But even more than that, I think Ford should have simply imported the excellent Mondeo again (this time much larger and nicer than the dead-in-the-water Contour/Mystique version) and called it the Fusion. Euro styling right out of the box and a proven, solid-selling platform.

  • Michael Karesh

    I disagree on the charge of badge engineering. The only shared metal is the doors and roof. The interiors are quite different, and driven back-to-back they feel nothing alike. So they’ve done about as much as Toyota did with with Lexus ES, which was the obvious target.

    The charcoal interior is much easier for us younger folk to live with than the South Florida tan. On the engine, I found a strong top end, but not much in the midrange. Otherwise, the driving experience is much as you described, a bit soft but quite entertaining nonetheless. The AWD system does a great job of putting the power down no matter which way the wheels are turned.

    For other info and to compare prices on the car:

    http://www.truedelta.com/models/MKZ.php

  • jerseydevil
    jerseydevil

    I want a ‘98 Mark VIII LSC.

    Black, low milage, loaded.

    THATS a Lincoln.

  • Hutton
    Hutton

    taxman100:I don’t know what other vehicle can be had with AWD and 263 hp at that price.

    There’s a few:
    1. STi (300hp, AWD, $33k)
    2. Evo (286hp, AWD, $29k)
    3. Passat (280hp, AWD, $29k)
    4. 300 (250hp, AWD, $30k)
    5. Charger (250hp, AWD, $26k)
    6. G35x (280hp, AWD, $33k)

    There may be more, even.

  • ash78
    ash78

    AWD: I think the newer Scoobies are in that price range with 250hp (2.5L turbo?). The VW R32 is 240hp and can be had for mid-20s…assuming you were on the waiting list, and on the dealership’s good side.

  • Hutton
    Hutton

    ash78: The VW R32 is 240hp and can be had for mid-20s…assuming you were on the waiting list, and on the dealership’s good side.

    Next year’s R32 will be 250hp, AWD, and have an estimated price of $32,850. And even though it’s not a luxury car, the interior will likely put this (or any) Lincoln to shame.

    I think the newer Scoobies are in that price range with 250hp (2.5L turbo?)

    243hp for the non-STi scoobies.

  • gunnarheinrich
    gunnarheinrich

    I actually enjoyed my drive in the old Zephyr. The sedan was the best driving Lincoln I’ve ever experienced.

  • guyincognito
    guyincognito

    I can’t understand why Ford thinks combining 4 shades of light tan, fake looking real wood, faux silver, faux chrome, grey, and black equals a luxury interior. Reference F150 Lariat for the worst example of this. Also those round ac bezels look so out of place on that dash to me. In any case, regardless of how many body panels are changed and how different the interior is, this vehicle screams tarted up Fusion to me. Lincoln should have invested in refining the LS and throwing a sweet body on it instead.

  • Hutton
    Hutton

    ^yeah, rectangular HVAC vents would have been more appropriate, and could have referenced the shape of the grille. Little details like these which aren’t a big deal on a Fusion are important for a ‘luxury’ brand.

  • Steve-O
    Steve-O

    I surprised to say that I actually quite like the looks of this. And like Taxman said, the interior is different but not in a bad way. Slightly facinated by it, I decided to take a closer look at the most recent auto show here in NY. Approaching the Lincoln display, I noticed that the MKZ was surrounded by a generous amount of admiring onlookers and tire-kickers (the only Lincoln to enjoy that kind of attention)… Perhaps they are on to something here?

    Jerseydevil: You just struck a chord…I’m a huge fan of Mark VII & Mark VIII LSC’s, too.

    Further to Sajeev’s point, if Ford is truly serious about reviving Lincoln the right way, they should bring us a new, no-compromise Mark (not MK) IX super-lux RWD coupe (and to make it a stronger business case, make a 4-door version as the new Town Car).

  • jazbo123
    jazbo123

    I want a ‘98 Mark VIII LSC.

    Black, low milage, loaded.

    THATS a Lincoln.

    Damn straight. They should have improved that car rather than killing it. Les idiots.

  • streamliner
    streamliner

    No guts, no glory, that’s my take on Detroit in general, including “The General” and Ford. They are so cautious on cars and clueless on brand equity that it is no surprise that mediocrity is the result for such as Lincoln. It is simply sad to observe the gross incompetency in so many who are paid so much.

  • Ed

    I’m 51. When I was 16 I thought Lincoln was as good as it gets. Better than Caddy. When I was 30 I bought the first of 3 Continentals. Continental meant luxury, comfort with a touch of boldness. This car has no class and no soul. And what the hell was Ford thinking with 3 letter codes? I will never make any attempt to distinquish the line up, now.

  • GS650G
    GS650G

    In the seventies Ford had the Granada/Monarch platform that was transformed into the Versailles. At least the Versailles had rear disk brakes to distinquish it from the Granada. And a rear hump for the spare tire look. Ford is returning to that childhood again. I guess they did not learn their lesson the first time.

    Maybe it’s time for Ford to consolidate the line to Ford trucks and Mustangs, A single Lincoln brnaded luxo-barge, and a midsize offering called a Mercury. Bring econoboxes in from Europe and call it done.

  • KixStart
    KixStart

    There’s no reason to buy this Lincoln.

    However, there are two coole new reasons to buy a Lexus and, on reflection, it’s a national embarassment that this is so.

    The latest Lexus PARKS ITSELF. How cool is that? The latest Lexus HAS A RADAR-EQUIPPED ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL. How cool is that? This is the stuff from “Popular Science” of the mid-60’s, it’s finally here and I have to buy a Japanese car to get it!

    This wouldn’t be quite so tragic, except that the US automakers really should have whipped Lexus in getting this stuff to market. BECAUSE WE’VE DEVELOPED STUFF THIS SOPHISTICATED AND MORE!

    The reason I consider this a national embarassment is this…

    Since the early-to-mid-90’s, we’ve had Tomahawk missiles that guided themselves to target with TERCOM (Terrain Contour Mapping). This is all US technology developed for the military that is conceptually very similar to the idea of using radar to avoid following too close and/or avoid collisions.

    Since the early-to-mid-90’s, we’ve built 747s that fly themselves. Sure, this technology is conceptually similar to a car parking itself?

    Why isn’t a Lincoln or Cadillac the coolest car with the coolest features on Earth? Why is it a Lexus? We have the technology, why don’t we use it? Why aren’t we using our best technology to win on the economic as well as the military battlefield?

  • Jonny Lieberman
    Jonny Lieberman

    You are all missing the point of this review.

    “With a first gear shorter than Tom Cruise proposing to Katie Holmes”

    Sajeev is hysterical!!!

  • BrendanMac
    BrendanMac

    Lincoln needs a big horrible luxo-barge like the 300C. It don’t need to be a good car, just one with personality.

    That interior looks like Greebo’s spacesuit.

  • wsn
    wsn

    Spec-wise, the car looks promising. I don’t what other vehicle can be had with AWD and 263 hp at that price.

    As mentioned by other posters, VW Passat and Subaru Legacy are both superior car models with awd at this price range.

    Remember how the first gen Lexus LS undercut the MB S-class by 20% to get started? That’s what the Lincoln should do. The MKZ should be priced at $24,000 to make a impact. Only when it is well received by the car-buying public, can it raise the price gradually.

  • Sajeev Mehta

    I actually enjoyed my drive in the old Zephyr. The sedan was the best driving Lincoln I’ve ever experienced.

    Gunnar, have you driven a Lincoln LS? Even the V6 without a sport package will run circles around the MKZ. Of course, the best driving Lincoln that actually looked like a Lincoln was the Mark VII LSC of the 1980s.

    So they’ve done about as much as Toyota did with with Lexus ES, which was the obvious target.

    Michael: I disagree. The ES has a completely unique skin, which means even the glass changed (probably). The Zephyr smacks of badge engineering, and it carries over to the interior since the roofline and doors are the same.

    At least the Versailles had rear disk brakes to distinquish it from the Granada. And a rear hump for the spare tire look.

    GS650G: Don’t forget the extensive NVH isolation Lincoln gave the Granada before they put their logo on it. The MKZ isn’t much quieter (if any) than a Fusion on textured pavement.


    Dump Mercury, have Mazda and Volvo design and engineer all their passenger cars(wait–they already ARE), keep Ford trucks…and make Aston Martin the “New Lincoln”.

    Terry: Aston Martin going that downmarket? :-) I’m still surprised that people say to dump Mercury, because you don’t save much money because its integrated with Lincoln. Same management, same dealer network, same everything.

    Why isn’t a Lincoln or Cadillac the coolest car with the coolest features on Earth? Why is it a Lexus? We have the technology, why don’t we use it?

    KixStart: Cadillac is making strides, albeit very slowly. Lincoln, on the other hand, cannot make the best car without pissing off Jaguar. Well, provided Jaguar stays in the Ford fleet for much longer.


    Jerseydevil: You just struck a chord…I’m a huge fan of Mark VII & Mark VIII LSC’s, too.

    I’m pretty surprised to hear the Mark VIII come up three times in these comments.

    Wait, no I’m not. There’s a 1995 LSC in my garage. And they sound sooo sweet with headers and an X-pipe.

  • Sajeev Mehta

    Lincoln needs a big horrible luxo-barge like the 300C. It don’t need to be a good car, just one with personality.

    Brendan…maybe the reskinned Lincoln Town Car (2009?) will make that a reality. If it comes, Lincoln’s gonna have to carry the profits to the bank in dump trucks.

  • wsn
    wsn

    Why isn’t a Lincoln or Cadillac the coolest car with the coolest features on Earth? Why is it a Lexus? We have the technology, why don’t we use it? Why aren’t we using our best technology to win on the economic as well as the military battlefield?

    What is that “we”? I know for a fact that GM and Ford do NOT have this technology. For so many years, they had big words only.

    Remember GM insisting on fuel cell cars when Toyota introduced hybrids? Fine. Where are the GM fuel cell cars? When? Which dealships carry them? FYI, Honda will introduce the first mass produced fuel cell car model in 2010.

    Military research is different in that the funding is from tax money and thus are used irresponsibly. Commercial research is different. Suppose both GM and Toyota proposed that fancy feature X. If you are a stock investor, are you betting your hard-earned after tax money on GM or Toyota stock? Most investor checked their track record and selected Toyota. As of now, Toyota’s market cap is 11 times larger than GM, even though they sell about the same number of cars this year.

    Conclusion:
    No, GM/Ford failed not because of the lack of fancy feature X. They failed because they did not use the investor’s money well. Even when they had the research fund, they just paid themselves in various ways. Now they don’t have that option any more.

  • Jonny Lieberman
    Jonny Lieberman

    I just think of the Benz CLS…. and cry for Lincoln.

  • BrendanMac
    BrendanMac

    Brendan…maybe the reskinned Lincoln Town Car (2009?) will make that a reality. If it comes, Lincoln’s gonna have to carry the profits to the bank in dump trucks.

    Sajeev: with all the badge-engineering, maybe they’ll use a convoy of Lincoln F350 Superduties.

    Enjoyed your review.

  • Sajeev Mehta

    Brendan: Thank you. :-) Ya know if they made that F350, it would sell like hotcakes here in Texas. I know at least ten people who’d jump at the chance for a big diesel tow-vehicle with the interior of a Navigator. I’d go for it faster than I do the Mark LT.

  • Zanary

    Decent review, but with so much bodywork different, the different interior, the better motor…well, the author’s bit at the end sort of explained it.

    As for those crying for the last Mark…if people had BOUGHT THEM, there’d still be a Lincoln coupe today.

    I own a T-Bird SC on the same chassis, and the buyers didn’t know what they missed.

  • willbodine
    willbodine

    The first time I heard the voiceover on the new Lincoln tv commercial finish off by saying “Reach Higher!” I thought he was saying “Retire!”

  • UnclePete
    UnclePete

    Sajeev, I agree with Lieberman that the “Tom Cruise” like is comedy gold!

    Another vote for the Mark VII and Mark VIII. One side note about them and technology; Osram was one of my customers years ago and built the xenon HID fronts and neon rear lamps for the 95 Mark VIII. Before they were announced, they had these things running in the plant, but couldn’t tell me much about them (even though they had them in a mule Mark VIII for testing, so that gave it away.) The engineers there would tell me how the state police would pull them over all the time and start asking questions about the lamps, and when they could get such great lights in their cruisers. The 95 Mark VIII was the first vehicle sold in the US with HID lamps.

    That’s what Lincoln and Cadillac have meant to me: the latest style and techonology available wrapped up in a big V8 and RWD. As improved a car as the MKZ may be, it is still not living up to its predecessors as to what a Lincoln is. The sad part is that it is probably the best effort that today’s FoMoCo can muster.

  • New2LA
    New2LA

    Cimmaron
    Catera

    Versailles
    Zephyr/MKZ

    AHAHAHAHAHA

    Have a nice day

  • BrendanMac
    BrendanMac

    That’s what Lincoln and Cadillac have meant to me: the latest style and techonology available wrapped up in a big V8 and RWD

    Funny, Caddy and Links have always meant high pants and bifocals to me, up until the Escalade tied the Caddies to excessive consumption. Now, Cadillacs aren’t quite the extra-large Medi-scooters they once were, but Lincoln hasn’t quite shaken off their Town-Car-ness for me. I just don’t know what the badge is supposed to mean.

    Of course, that’s a bit of IMHO.

  • johnnyreno700
    johnnyreno700

    Why do they refuse to give this thing an 8? Would the Mustang mill fit in there?

    Am I the only one that LIKES the retro-square dash in the Navigator? It would certainly help this thing stand out from a crowd of look-alikes, most costing thousands less.

  • Sajeev Mehta

    There’s no way in hell a Mustang V8 would fit in there, and even if it would (without blowing up the transaxle) Ford doesn’t have the money and/or balls to make it happen. Not on that Mazda chassis.

    UnclePete: don’t forget the Mark VII was the first car in America with plastic headlights that sat flush with the body. Hell, even the Versailles had a “first” to its credit: it had the first Halogen headlights. I guess the Versailles is less badge engineered than I last recalled.

  • Steve-O
    Steve-O

    Sajeev,
    I seem to recall the Versailles having a Leather wrapped dashboard, too…
    Can anyone else second that?

  • UnclePete
    UnclePete

    BrendanMac:

    Funny, Caddy and Links have always meant high pants and bifocals to me, up until the Escalade tied the Caddies to excessive consumption. Now, Cadillacs aren’t quite the extra-large Medi-scooters they once were, but Lincoln hasn’t quite shaken off their Town-Car-ness for me. I just don’t know what the badge is supposed to mean.

    Of course, that’s a bit of IMHO.

    I’m 50 years old, so I remember parents of my friends driving Lincolns and Caddys. That was the “I’ve made it car”, one of those little things to show you’ve had a successful life.

    I remember the snow-bird Caddys as more of a late-70s thing, probably as my parent’s generation got old they still saw it as the pinnacle car.

  • murphysamber
    murphysamber

    I just saw one of these things come in for appraisal the other day. A Zephyr version at that. It was sad, really. The car’s owners had stopped wanting it after 3500 miles. If this was a pet monkey, it would be the saddest pet monkey at the shelter for unwanted pets. And the only people who would want this sad monkey are those that would treat it like crap. I wonder how many of these things are shoveled into the hands of Ford employees for a song?

  • rprellwitz
    rprellwitz

    I don’t get this car. It really seems to have no purpose in the Ford / Lincoln / Mercury lineup. It would have made more sense to refresh the LS (the last interesting product to come from Lincoln) with new exterior, refined interior and a bevy choices in drivetrain and suspension etc – Think 535i, 545i, M5. Perhaps even offer to let customers (by this I mean actual retail buyers – not dealers) order the cars the way the want them ala BMW Indvidual program where you can have the car any way you like it, for a price.

  • Sajeev Mehta

    I seem to recall the Versailles having a Leather wrapped dashboard, too…

    It sure was, but it was just a Granada dashboard. Still, that strange car was more decadent than people give it credit for.

    http://www.lincolnversailles.com/

    It would have made more sense to refresh the LS with new exterior, refined interior and a bevy choices in drivetrain and suspension etc

    Well yeah, but you can’t expect Ford to nurture a quality product when they make one. That’s not part of their business plan.

  • Infamous Dr. X
    Infamous Dr. X

    Uncle Pete/Brandon Mac:

    I always thought that Caddy was *cool* and Lincoln was *bad ass*. Of course, I’m of…um…Italian extraction, shall we say [insert wildly gesticulating hands here], so I’m probably biased.

    I spent my whole life wanting a black Link or (preferably) Caddy. And then, just when I could justify getting a (ahem) Staff Car, they changed the styles or took them away entirely. Sucka fools. At least Cadillac is still bearable. Lincoln is just…ick.

  • chanman
    chanman

    Well yeah, but you can’t expect Ford to nurture a quality product when they make one. That’s not part of their business plan.

    Maybe what we need are foster corporations to take custody of these models away, maybe even at birth. It’ll be like abusive parents with good genes. “Thanks for the input, we’ll take care of it from here.”

  • Terry Parkhurst

    Lincoln had a great car already being produced – the LS – which was touted at this very site as the “best buy” going at Lincoln stores; since with its discontinuance, likely it would be sold at what you might call a “firesale” price.
    To my mind, it’s sad that the name “Zephyr” was dropped. It was a sign that (1) Lincoln knew it would mean something only to a demographic they don’t care about anymore and (2) the product is so weak, so derivative and cross-platformed, that the great name of “Zephyr” would be insulted, if put on that car.
    This car seems acceptable and that’s not bad. However, Lincoln historically stood for a marque that was equal to, or in some years, better than Cadillac. Lincoln should quit making the grotesque and baroque Navigator, as soon as they can; and start concentrating on the cars – again. The LS is lost; but there’s a starting mark (pun intended) here.

  • ash78
    ash78

    I also like the Zephyr name, though VW sort of has (had) the market cornered on naming cars after types of winds–Scirocco, Passat, Golf, Vento. Besides, it rhymes with “heifer”.

    Going alphanumeric, IMO, needs to construe factual info about the car, preferably platform and displacement. BMW has sort of gotten this right, but has strayed. I’d rather see MK35 or something like that.

  • Ar-Pharazon
    Ar-Pharazon

    Fear of litigation. You worry about beancounters running a company, just think about a bunch of lawyers. Ford was developing prototype adaptive cruise control systems about 17 years ago, but they were shelved because of fear of litigation. Geez . . . throttle-by-wire and steer-by-wire systems as well. All killed because the lawyers were afraid of lawsuits.

    I wonder, however, if the folks lauding a system to parallel park hands-free are the same group that pine for roll-up windows on other days. I’m sorry, but to me that’s about the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard of . . . talk about technology for nothing but it’s own sake . . .

  • Ar-Pharazon
    Ar-Pharazon

    MKX = Crossover (X-over)
    MKS = Sedan
    MKZ = Zippy entry level ?

    I say add an MKe = ecologically friendly B-car, i.e., European Fiesta derivative.

  • taxman100
    taxman100

    My brother has an 03 LS V-8; great car, but all of those who are promoting the vehicle forgets the car just flat out didn’t sell – he bought his used for an outstanding price because demand used is just not there either. Also, it cost too much to make, and the lost money on every one they sold.

    The naming of Lincolns is completely idiotic – like that is the reason they are not selling.

  • jrogers
    jrogers

    With Ford having very few resources available to build the Lincoln brand this is probably about the best they can do. What we have here is an attempt to compete for the customers currently considering a Lexus ES–decent power, nice interior, isolated ride with handling traded off, all derived from an existing platfrom with for this industry small investment. It is good that AWD is finally available in a Lincoln car. Lincoln will probably sell quite a few of these to uninvolved drivers–including older drivers coming from the Town Car.

  • Jonny Lieberman
    Jonny Lieberman

    The 3.5L V6 that produces 2 less horsepower than a Nissan Altima? Or the Infiniti G which the MKZ is actually supposed to be comepting with that gives you 306hp (plus a few HP overboost at speeds) for around the same money?

    Come on foxrun.


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