Lincoln's future coming into focus with MKS

Larry Printz | The Virginian-Pilot |

9/3/2008 - 9/4/08

When Peter Horbury, executive director of Design, The Americas, was asked to give Lincoln a fresh styling direction, the designer sought to honor past Lincolns without outright mimicry, something that had plagued the brand for decades.

The result was the MKR show car for the 2007 Detroit auto show, at left.

Now, the first production car to reflect the MKR's styling direction has arrived: the 2009 Lincoln MKS sedan.

Actually, the MKS's design was already started when Horbury arrived at Lincoln. And while it resembles the MKR, the MKS's proportions were compromised by its use of the Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable platform. Certain hard points, such as the height of the car, were locked in. This explains why the MKS lacks some of the sleekness needed for a luxury flagship.

Still, interesting design details abound, from the Lincoln star on the front fenders and the split waterfall grille to the vertical taillamps and heavy use of chrome. The shape of the sculpted hood is mimicked on the instrument panel's center speaker.

The MKS wants to be noticed. And it works: Heads twisted in passing cars. Folks stopped in parking lots to look.



Inside, the trendy retro design that marked previous Lincolns has given way to a flashier look that dazzles occupants. Metallic accents frame black surfaces along the center console. A horizontal wood strip accents the instrument panel and steering wheel.

What the design lacks in a knowing hipness, it makes up for with excellent ergonomics. The controls are placed up high where they're easy to reach. The large, touch-sensitive radio/navigation screen works particularly well. However, it will take some time to learn all of its menus, sub-menus and functions.

Large front bucket seats are wide yet supportive enough given this car's mission. Long-range comfort is very good. Rear seating is supportive and comfortable. It's also incredibly spacious.



With a 273-horse 3.7-liter V-6 mated to a six-speed automatic, the MKS is snappy. Body motions are fairly well-controlled despite the bias toward ride comfort. Sure, you won't mistake it for a sport sedan, especially in aggressive cornering or abrupt maneuvers. There's too much weight for that. But it's easy to drive and much more fun to pilot than Lincolns of old.

And the MKS is packed with the latest technology: radar-guided cruise control, push-button starter, keyless entry, rain-sensing windshield wipers, rearview camera and parking sensors.

Its coolest feature: a capless fuel tank. There's no gas cap, just a spring-loaded door. When you poke the fuel nozzle past the door, the system opens up. Pull out the nozzle and seals shut. Neat.

Another option: Microsoft Sync, which allows you to synchronize your wireless handheld devices with your car. Very handy.

Prices start at just under $38,000, and the well-equipped test car came in at a bit over $46,000.

While not a home run, the MKS is a solid triple play. It announces Lincoln is once again a competitor in the luxury field. If you haven't piloted a Lincoln in a while, you might be surprised at how much this car offers for its price.

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The MKS was first spotted a year ago this week in Chicago on the set of The Dark Knight. Imagine the surprise of those who cared when it hardly even made the finished movie.

A commenter to the Motor Trend forums said: "Product placement is alive and well in Hollywood, but worry not, very few will really notice it in the new Batman movie, unlike other recent movies. In fact, the MKS has about 2 sec of screen time. ... Makes you wonder why they bothered."

If you look closely, it's the car that's driven up to the boat where the Joker burns the money. — Drive

Second engine is on the way

About the time a production version of the MKT concept hits showrooms next year, the MKS will add the choice of a 340-hp 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6. EcoBoost, a family of four-and six-cylinder engines, is Ford's answer to hybrids and diesel vehicles. It combines turbocharging and direct-injection gasoline technology for up to 20 percent better fuel efficiency and lower emissions. — From Edmunds.com

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I liked the Lincoln, but I loved the Buick. That emotional intensity is affected by product competence. Put another way: The Buick Lucerne Super, to my mind, trumps the Lincoln MKS.

The difference is that Buick got the nuances right. The Lucerne Super is a work of elegant simplicity — gracefully flowing lines inside and out. Materials in the Lucerne Super are high-quality, consistent, pleasantly underwhelming.

Buick uses premium leather, including a double-stitched dashboard covering, but in sparing amounts and simple arrangements, inviting attention without overwhelming the senses.

The MKS also employs a very nice leather — Bridge of Weir. But it is tufted and puffed up and mated in an unflattering manner with vinyl that looks and feels like vinyl. There is an attempt in the MKS to go all out, to wow the senses more than please them.



Lucerne and MKS models usually come with standard front-wheel drive and V-6 engines. But the Lucerne Super, weighing roughly 3,900 pounds, came with a 4.6-liter, 292-horsepower V-8. The MKS, weighing 4,127 pounds and equipped with optional all-wheel drive, came with a 3.7-liter, 273-horsepower V-6. More power moving less weight always feels better than less power moving more weight. Advantage thus goes to the Lucerne Super.

But even comparing apples to apples — front drive and V-6 — the Lucerne comes out a winner over the MKS, although the Lincoln's V-6 is considerably more powerful (273 hp versus 197). Our admittedly subjective determinant here has to do with consistency of design, simplicity of execution.

The Lucerne is a big, well-crafted family sedan designed to haul kit and kin through civil society in safety and comfort. It retains an air of common sense and mission even in its most vaunted iteration, the tested Super.

The MKS, by comparison, gives the impression of trying too hard.

— Warren Brown, The Washington Post