June9
Lincoln, Ford’s somnambulistic luxury division, is in transition after a long period of dormancy. And it couldn’t come a moment too soon. The recent introduction of the flagship MKS shows that the division has finished making the bed and is now intent on getting on with the day.
What is it?
The Lincoln MKS is the company’s new flagship that is carrying forward the design DNA first shown on the Lincoln MKR concept car seen at the 2007 North American International Auto Show. While not as swoopy as that car, it’s the first one to incorporate the new style winged grille that is derived from the 1941 Continental.
What’s It Up Against?
Well, the Cadillac STS, for one and for good measure, add the Caddy DTS as well. Don’t forget the upcoming Acura RL and Hyundai Genesis, which aren’t as big but might still attract the same shoppers. Beyond that, it is rather difficult to say. Dimensionally, the MKS measures up size-wise to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, but from a fiscal standpoint they are worlds apart.
Any Big Breakthroughs?
We are anxious to get into the MKS with Ford’s new EcoBoost V6 turbocharged engine. But until the more powerful and efficient motors are released by the company, we will have to be content with such new technology as the Securi-code Next-Gen keypad which works in combination with the new Lincoln smart key. Activated from standby mode by a wave of the hand, the MKS can be locked or unlocked without a physical touch occurring.
Adaptive cruise control, which slams on the binders if you approach a slower moving vehicle, also makes the scene, as well as a dual-panel sunroof and the Easy Fuel capless fuel filling system.
Finally a new THX II sound system from the people that brought you the special effects of the Star Wars movies provides 5.1 Surround sound aural excitement.
How Does It Look?
Big and Beefy. Based on the platform that underpins the Ford Taurus, the MKS is the start of a new direction for the Lincoln division that will be visible in many future offerings from the brand. Starting at the front-end, the new “winged” look of Lincoln is on the point. The Lincoln logo now occupies a position on a body-colored piece located between the wings, which are comprised of the waterfall grille and headlight assemblies.
Slab-sided, the car is tall, but not as awkwardly so as the new Ford Taurus. While the Taurus could boast that its owner could technically wear a fedora inside, (not that it’s such a popular fashion item anymore), the MKS, thankfully cannot say the same. A nicely sloped roof highlighted by chrome trim around the side windows imparts a more upscale appearance. Chrome inserts along the door handles show attention to detail as does the chrome strip across the rear. But on the other hand, we think there is a little too much jewelry in place, which would offer a cleaner appearance, were they deleted.
One really has to get up close and personal with a MKS to get a feel for its dimensions. The beltline is very high and the overall length is greater than photos might suggest. It’s a competent design, but we can’t help but think the styling would look better stretched over a RWD platform with shorter overhangs and a longer wheelbase.
And Inside?
Attention to detail is apparent in the handsomely stitched leatherette dashboard which looks much more expensive than its fauxness would imply. The steering wheel might look like it belongs in a Mark LT, but it offers a great tactile experience, with controls exactly where they should be. The flow-through center stack houses an eight-inch monitor that controls the THX II sound system with 5.1 Surround circuitry, which keeps the audio popping, but only in a good sense. Also on-board for the ride is the Next Generation Navigation system with Sirius TrafficLink which offers real-time traffic updates as well as directions to the lowest price in fuels available in your neighborhood.
The front seats offer good lateral bolsters, but we were surprised by the less-than-adequate depth of the seat for those with longer legs. We love the air-conditioned seats for their efforts in combating gluteal warming. The rear seems to suffer from the same short seat dimensions, but overall offer great comfort over long drives.
But Does It Go?
Using front-drive architectural engineering, the MKS is easily adaptable to (and offers) an All-Wheel-Drive system similar to those offered in the Volvo XC90 and Taurus AWD. Powered by a new 3.7-liter V6 engine, the MKS delivers 275-horsepower and 276 lb-ft of torque when using premium fuel. Ford’s PR team is quick to point out the MKS is one of the few luxury sedans that will run just as happily on regular-grade fuel, delivering 273 horsepower and 270 pound-feet.
During high-speed maneuvers, the AWD tracked steady, never giving the feeling that something was about to break loose or swing wide. Through a series of clutches, power is transferable up to 100-percent in either direction for additional traction as needed.
Power is transmitted to the pavement by way of a six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission that allows for driver operated shifts should the spirit move you. A MacPherson strut suspension holds things steady up front while an all-new independent rear suspension with stamped steel lower control arms tracks true in the rear. We found that the larger diameter 20-inch low-profile tires transmitted more expansion joint noise from road surfaces into the cockpit than the smaller diameter, 19-inch combo. Despite this, overall interior noise was extremely quiet.
We’re interested to see how the MKS will perform once Ford offers more powerful engines. We can only assume the hotter variants will come with AWD standard. Speaking of wish, we think Ford should drop the FWD option all together, to help distance itself from the sub-luxury connotations of a front-wheel-drive platform.
Why You Would Buy It?
The new Lincoln MKS is a worthy competitor to the other established luxury brands that it faces in the battle for large car supremacy. If you rejoice in the new vehicle architecture that finally gets away from the Crown Vic/Grand Marquis underpinnings of yore, this is your ride!
Why You Wouldn’t
If you are going to be wondering where the old Town Car went, move on, youngster. If rear-wheel-drive is your thing, look elsewhere.
Words and photos by Mark Elias
If Buick had an older, uglier sister this would be their mother.
Without the ecoboost how is this going to compete. Cadillac sts has 300hp di engine with 26mpg highway, while this new Lincoln has 275hp and only manages 24 mpg on the highway.
Ford really needs to step it up quick. They are going to sell like what 3 of these.
Front wheel drive. They’re out of their minds. This will not replace the Town Car.
how come ford/lincoln and honda/acura still haven’t learned that their luxo cars need RWD already to compete with the others out there….
I actually like it, overall. The interior is a bit busy with all the lines and seams.
It’ll be interesting to hear what my father (who is retired) thinks. He’s not a very sporty driver, likes Lincolns, but insists on RWD.
Also it’d be good to know the MPG. I think it’s a strong selling point in the current environment that an owner has a choice between premium or regular. I know the difference between those two would only cost maybe $25/month, but the fact that you can choose is a good selling point, as opposed to being compelled to buy the pricey crap.
Anyway, once they throw $5k ont he hood it’ll be a decent value.
Should do just as bad as the RL, and deservedly so.
Will become a fleet queen with corporations.
They’ll have to beep the fob to figure out which one is theirs.
with regular fuel the EPA rates the MKS fwd at 24mpg hiway and the awd at 23mpg hiway. I am pretty sure that would improve a little bit with premium fuel.
happy birthday Les Paul!
This is not a replacement for the Town Car. It is the flagship of the line, but the Town Car will remain for fleet sales…just without an apparent sales push. But down here in Florida, I can see the old codger in Boca Raton, storming into the dealership and demanding of the sales guy, “I want my Town Car, dammit!”
Just think of it…there could be a major uprising amongst T-C fans!
Elias
The front is a mish mash; horizontal slats on the chin grille, vertical slats on the upper, and with the split it looks like a really ugly Pontiac. Steering wheel looks like same garbage in the Fusion, gauges are rental car fare, and the rear is trying too hard to look like something from Europe or Japan.
Snooze……….
I’d rather buy a used Lincoln LS. They’re relatively cheap, RWD, and the 2003+ models are actually reliable.
‘brassmonkey’ and ‘global_lightning’ … yup and yup … nothing more needs to be said.
First of all, thank the lord the wops were annihilated by Holland in today’s Euro2008 game.
NExt, I can’t get over this car’s taillights - it’s a blatant copy of Kia and it looks like utter ****.
Yes, Happy Birthday to Lester.
The EcoBoost model should do well, especially if Ford advertises it by having it run against a 5 series. The car is not bad, pertty good interior, and the grille is nicer then the one on the MKZ.
Only tools like you would bother comparing this load with a 5, jackass … more worthless **** I see.
Impulsive, if you knew half as much as you pretend to, you would know this car is built of the Taurus platform. A video of a Taurus with an EcoBoost engine was shown on the net with the Taurus out running the 5.
IDIOT … what don’t you understand? Are you that dense? NOBODY in their right mind would compare a 5 to this lump regardless of what engine went into the Ford. You just confirmed AGAIN how stupid you really are. Stick to driving that Focus of yours.
NoNameDenton, you’re truly a ****ing loser. You clearly have no clue when it comes to comparing cars. What does racing a 5 series have to do with this?
If it outruns a Rolls Phantom, is it worthy of comparison? Moron.
The only reason anyone would chose that over the STS, GS, or M45 is for blind loyality to Ford. Yet another example of a god concept gone bad.
NoName, this area is for grownups. Go put yourself to bed. And stop picking your nose.
I have to share the road with this piece of crap, just don’t park it on my block……..our property value will collapse. Also, what’s up with those overhangs? Is this the really, really short wheelbase version.
The only way to explain this mess is that…… everyone at Ford is related to eachother, why else would they still have their jobs!
This car has some good content - but there MUST be a good looking car just waiting to come out of Lincoln. Right Lincoln? Right?
lucklaster, there is always the MKT coming out, and work is that we wil eventually get a version of the MKR concept when Ford builds its global rwd platform, and there will possibly be a coupe version.
Looks good for a Ford.
FORD is not going to make many waves with this. A very solid showing but th MKZ is more interesting to look at, could be the color, and still looks to be a bit under par.
Some stronger interior styling, some of the gleaming painting surface from the MKR Concept would be nice. Certainly looking retro should be more than an exterior affair and more obviously interior as well. Luxury cars of the 1950s and 1960s were much more ornate and gripping. They were just as great to be in as look at or be seen in.
There was little to none of the now tired and stogy looking wood. Too little and it looks cheap, too much and I can’t help but think ‘BOAT!” even if it is a $100K German land jet. If LINCOLN is determined to go another way then go all the way there. Shining gleaming enamel painted surfaces on the dash and some other areas like the doors. Some tasteful chrome, “not gold chaining” but like very nice buttons on your best suit, would be helpful as well.
Also, resolve to make LINCOLN a real competitor in the market place. Pick a brand to rival and go after them like you are at deadly war with them .
This is, as I said a solid effort, but still hits me as too timid, and not the best possible successor to the LS. Play up the AWD, hurry with that Turbo-six, and get aggressive about being a serious player.
I will hope for a kill MKR production model, if that happens. FORD seems determined to dream that full-sized trucks and SUVs will be vogue again, so I won’t hold my breath.
It is so Ford and so 70’s-80’s. Basically we have here a Ford 500/Taurus with slightly better tuned engine. Every mid-level manager in that era was buying LTD because hos boss was driving Mercury or even Lincoln with a bot bigger engine, but tranny and all guts were identical. And of course beautiful synthetic walnut of a steering wheel. I wonder is you can get polyester suit to go along.
‘NoNameDufus’, how does it feel to be a demonstrable FAILURE here? You are a tool. You are an idiot. All FACTS.
honda/acura doesnt need RWD to sell cars Lincoln may but Honda Acura doesnt and thery have the SH AWD and its a gem on the new MDX I cant wait till its on the new TL
“Front wheel drive. They’re out of their minds. This will not replace the Town Car.”
Comment by olds307, posted on June9 at 2:11 pm
Agreed. However tell that to one of my clients, a 76yr old man who currently owns a Lincoln Town Car, and already pre-ordered one and is waiting to for his MKS to arrive at his dealer. That kinda already tells you the major demographic of buyers…
Also Automobile magazine did an interesting review of this car. I think it’s their June 08 mag. Anyone happen to see it?
Need4SSpeed, I saw an article in Automobile mag, not very flattering, basically the guy doing the article ripped the MKS bad. Saw a commerical for the car, it was interesting. tripleonefive, that is true about Acura, but there are the rumors that after the NSX comes back, Acura will build other rwd cars based on the platform. Blakkarr, you are right, Ford does need to focus more on its cars then its trucks with the market the way it is, and an MKR based model would be an awesome additon to the Lincoln lineup. I wonder if or when the MKZ will get a grille similar to the MKS.
there are the rumors that after the NSX comes back, Acura will build other rwd cars based on the platform
That would be great. I know they after this current TSX there will be no more platform sharing btw Acura and Honda. That can be an indication of RWD to come for Acura
Either way I dont care bc in certain parts of the country RWD is NOT a good thing. The SH-AWD on a RWD based car is a good thing
If they do choose to go with rwd based cars with sh awd option it would OVER for Infiniti and Lexus
yeah, NoNameDenton1, that writer of the article didn’t care for the MKS now did he? I think it looks cool for a Lincoln. All I know is that i’ll be getting enough wheel time behind it, once he gets it.
@1115, You think they’ll come out with a 2+2 seater RWD sub-compact possibly revived RSX or Integra to compete with Nissan, Toyota and Subaru?
American Car manufacturers do not pay enough attention to detail. A perfect example is the tired old interiors they put into relatively nice looking cars. Cadillac got it right with the CTS why cant other manufacturers follow? Another eyesore is tail pipes. They look like electrical piping. How much would it cost to put a nice finish on an exhaust pipe. I drive a Volkswagen and I had a 2000 DTS which I just sold. No comparison, the Volkswagen even though have the price put that car to shame.
I just love these comments people are leaving that have not even driven the vehicle yet. And don’t forget that a BMW 5 series will cost about $15k more than the Lincoln. Give Lincoln a break and lets wait and see how good the car really is.
Need4SSpeed, I sometimes think many fo the guys at Automobile have it in for domestics. That is true tripleonefive, Snow Belt people love awd, but for Acura to compete better with BMW, Mercedes and such it needs rwd (Audi’s new quattro system and engine mounting makes the cars seem like rwd).
Tail lights look like KIA diarR(rhea)IO 5.
They **** the bed visually on this one at the very least. The concept version had a unique promising design which obviously was lost in translation. Now we’re left with styling cues from all sorts of competitors.
Bimmer, drive a Kia, they are not bad cars, they are packed with features, and safety at a good deal and are not a bad drive.
By the way hateful83, may not be the most beautiful, but it is not bad looking, worst can be said is that it is inoffensive.