Is There a MKT for the Lincoln MKT?

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

Obviously, it's Em Kay Tee, which sounds more like a rapper than a Lincoln. Or, for that matter, a car name. Speaking to TTAC reporter Sajeev Mehta, Ford designer Peter Horbury dismissed any doubts about Lincoln's alphanumeric nomenclature: "They are all different cars." Different from what? Their Ford counterparts? Different how? More bling? Anyway, the Lincoln MKT concept is yet another vehicle built on Ford's increasingly ubiquitous D3 platform. According to el grande queso Mark Fields, the Eco-Boost V6 underhood gives the MKT 20 percent better fuel economy (relative to what he didn't say). It's a four passenger concept car with quad buckets! Or… a seven seat passenger vehicle! But one thing's for sure: the rear styling goes back to 1930s classicism. Or 1980s confusion a la Cadillac Seville and Lincoln Continental. As for the front, Horbury says the Paul Weller-esque grill "adorning" the MKX and Navigator is dead. And the MKT's sides are made of recycled plastic. How green is that?

[Reported by Sajeev Mehta]

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • Ricky Spanish Ricky Spanish on Jan 15, 2008

    I honestly could not tell you which lincoln is which if you just told me the three letter badge they assigned it.

  • Sajeev Mehta Sajeev Mehta on Jan 15, 2008

    umterp85: yeah, I know you get it. And part of why I asked about the MKX vs. MKT grille to Mr. Horbury was from our discussions. Its nice to see that many of us agree that the MKX's JFK schnoz is the way to go. Horbury also mentioned the grille change made the Lincoln star sit on paint, and not get overrun in the chrome. Maybe I should have suggested that getting "lost in chrome" is one of the reasons why you'd buy a Lincoln over any imported vehicle.

  • Sajeev Mehta Sajeev Mehta on Jan 15, 2008

    spider: how about this? The Mark LT name was just plain dumb. Now we have Dumb and Dumber. :) -------------------------------------- umterp85:From your exposure at the show—can you add context to guyincognito’s comment on the eco-boost? Well, I think he's right. This fits the "you can't have your cake and eat it too" category. Unless we are turbo-ing a four banger in a small car with an aerodynamic body, you can't say "Eco-Boost" and mean it. This is a boondoggle that goes disturbingly well with the green-washing of the NAIAS press conferences. Just another "me too" naming convention from Lincoln. And its worse than the InTech system of the mid 1990s. The 32v V8 and 4R70W powertrain in the 1993 Lincoln Mark VIII was stellar for its time, it didn't need a name. Then Cadillac came out with the "Northstar System" and InTech was born. HEMI and Northstar aside, Marketing-savvy names for powertrains are usually duds. Just slap a 5.0 badge on everything and call it a day. (joking)

  • Umterp85 Umterp85 on Jan 15, 2008

    Sajeev: I know what you mean---I had a Mustang 5.0LX notchback---that said power to me without some fancy name. Also--thanks for asking the question of Ford people on the direction of the Lincoln grill---I was very interested as you know and totally disagree with their whale-fin direction. The MKX is selling well---hmmm---ya think it may be due to the front and back treatments that say "Lincoln" ? The nicer interior and other upgrades were nice vs. the Edge----but the 60's Conti fron end is what sealed the dealfor me. As you say---it is a shame they are running away from things that shouted to the Lincoln glory days---Chrome is one of them !

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