smooth3d

This is the 2013 Lincoln MKZ:

2013 Lincoln MKZ shows final form for production

I think it looks very nice and very different from the Fusion. I also like that they gave the MKZ its own premium engine with the 3.7 v6 putting out 300+ hp. It comes with the Ecoboost 2.0 4 standard with 6 speed push button transmission standard.

Indelibility

The interior and rear are nice, very nice. And I'm a big fan of that huge panoramic roof. But...the grille looks like a butterfly and the rear 3/4 looks disproportional.

Overall B

King Moose SS

... I think my grandpa would like that car. Seriously Lincoln, get back into the luxury game. Drop the silly naming, and make something that competes with the likes of BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and Cadillac. Heck, even Chrysler is leaving the grandpa market and targeting young luxury buyers.

smooth3d

I think a "grade B" is fair assessment. A grade B is a long way from the grade C- from the 2012 MKZ. The 2012 is a nice car ,it just doesn't have any personality.

smooth3d

The only that makes this car look plain is the wheels and those can be easily changed.

King Moose SS

Yeah, the wheels are a little odd, but I didn't mean it looks bland. It looks alright, but it's missing something, I can't point my finger on it though. I feel like its the same trap that Buick is in the U.S. It just can't get out of the old person image.

I just can't imagine anyone under 50 yrs old going, ahhh yes I'm going to spend $35,000 on a Lincoln MKZ (a mid-size luxury car). Over a Cadillac ATS or CTS, over a 3-series BMW, over a C-class Mercedes, or an A4 Audi. Even the Chyrsler 300 is making a name for itself (I know it's full size, but still in the price range)

smooth3d

I get what are saying. But it takes time to change perceptions. Remember it took Cadillac a while to change its image and to be fair even Cadillac still has a old persons image as a whole still to most lux buyers that buy Audi and such.

F1GT

Agreed on the wheels, but I'm sure they have other wheel options.

The trunk lid design is very interesting, I want to see it up close. One of the photos has the leading edge blacked out some, making it look like it lowers the height of the trunk and also allow a more coupe look to the flow of the back glass and on another photo, the whole lid is silver topped. Must have something to do with the glass roof.
I like the trailing end of the lid and how it extends back out. They need this part of it as all sedans are having faster rear glasses making them look more towards a wagon look(with taller rear shelves), even though they are going for a coupe look.

F1GT

Is it because it's missing a halo car? Like Caddy has the CTS-V, BMW has M, etc. Even the 300 has SRT-8 to tune it up. But Lincoln has no such "tuner" version. This MKZ looks slightly sporty only.
,.,. They should've kept the waterfall grille.

King Moose SS

That is true, and I can still see why. Cadillac still makes old slush mobiles for old people. (DTS) But the entry level car is what changed Cadillac back in the 2000's. The entry level car is the most important if a luxury auto maker wants to attract younger buyers.

Cadillacs biggest change was when the (woeful) Catera ended and it was replaced with the first gen CTS. (a car meant to compete with the Germans head on, a very bold move back then.)

The entry level car changed, and the whole image of Cadillac completely changed, even though they still made the (dated FWD) Seville and Deville.

This new MKZ, isn't the right step (this is only my opinion of course) for Lincoln to leave it's dated image. It has to make an entry level Luxury car that can gather a younger crowd in.

Z28Wilson

In some ways it kind of reminds me of the original "Bangled" BMWs.

Looks nice enough I guess, but it doesn't make the kind of splash Lincoln desperately needs IMO.

guionM

It's a very good looking car. Aside from that horribly dull front end and completely uninspired grill that looks more like an afterthought than a design. I like the fastback design, the full width LED tail lights, and the body is actually very up to date.

But my problem with the new MKZ is that it looks like something that a company like Volvo might do. Or may be an entry level Infiniti, or something Lexus would do as a desperate attempt to shed it's somewhat bland near-luxury car image.

You get a feeling that Ford seems unable to figure out what to do with the Lincoln nameplate, so they passed it off to someone who's the automotive equivlent of that annoyingly overconfident, young and self centered guy in an overpriced and upscale, but chic and hip fashion store who just "KNOWS" how to dress you and what you should wear, without knowing you, your tastes, and who you are as a person. You get a feeling that someone like that was given Lincoln with no clue or knowledge of it's history, and doesn't care.

I like the goods looks of the new MKZ (again save for that horrible front end!!).

But....and I hate to say this... that thing aint a Lincoln.

Buick is successfully attracting younger buyers wanting something a step above Chevrolets, Toyotas, and Fords. In that context, I can see this MKZ as spiritual updated Mercury.

But this car isn't a Lincoln... and it sure isn't something in the same league as what you'd find in a Cadillac showroom.

Z28x

It is odd how Ford has done a fantastic job with the Ford brand, yet doesn't really seem to have a clue as to what to do with Lincoln.

I think this MKZ looks good and is a nice improvement, but I would never cross shop it with an ATS or CTS.

Silverado C-10

Hmmmm, I had thought they killed Lincoln when the killed Mercury (sarcasm).

I see a camry with a honda grill (close the middle off) seabring hood with taillights borrowed from dodge and the top of the rear deck looks like something volvo would do. It looks like an incohesive mess to me. However, the interior looks really cool. I would walk past this car and never give it a second glance.

guionM

Unlike just about any car line since I've been following behind the scenes, Ford's handling of Lincoln this decade simply grinds on me as inexcusable. Why?

At the end of last decade, Lincoln was outselling Cadillac. Just about every vehicle they had was not only quicker than Cadillacs, but also reflected a coherent direction for the line. Ford even came up with a great chassis for Lincoln that to this very day is found underneath Jaguar's most potent, best handling cars.

This chassis was to be expanded to all Lincolns in the first part of the decade, but when Jac Nasser was fired, it seemed every project started under him was sent back to square one or killed.

The biggest casualty it seems was Lincoln, which went from a very strong and purposeful division (it was about to trump the CTSv with a supercharged, McLauren engineered LS and Thunderbird) to a division that seemed to change directions or design every couple of years. Today, no one knows what Lincoln is (and this seems to also include Ford), and sales have been allowed to simply disintegrate. Ford even dropped Mercury partly as an effort to help boost Lincoln sales.

Just to demonstrate how many different directions Lincoln went in just over a decade, these were the concept versions of actual vehicles Ford fully intended to make for Lincoln. It's intresting to note that not only were all based on a RWD platform (DEW or a D2C spinoff), but that the "face" of Lincoln changed more times in just 10 years than it did in the previous 50.....or 60!


The Lincoln Continental. This concept was supposed to preview the design of the restyled Lincoln LS. When Ford decided to drop plans to expand the usage of RWD DEW98, the design was modified and used on a Volvo based FWD platform as the Lincoln Zephyr.






The Mk9. A production version was supposed to be part of the program that would have put all Lincolns on the DEW (Lincoln LS/ last edition Ford Thunderbird) platform. Even if it hadn't come out as a coupe, the design would have been the theme for the Town Car replacement.






The Mark X. Was to be built on the Thunderbird structure after the T-Bird was discontinued. That's why the interior has greater detail than concept cars usually do, as does the exterior. It wouldn't have cost Ford much to do since it was essentially a restyled Thunderbird. Showcased the first of the new Lincoln front ends and rears.





Finally, the MKR Concept. This was originally envisioned to be on a RWD D2C based platform back when Ford was considering what platform should replace the Panther. The other concept based on the idea of using this platform was the Ford Eliminator concept. The MKR design theme lived long enough to reach showrooms. The RWD D2C based platform didn't.




I just don't see the MKZ having as big of an impact.



Other things to note when judging the impact of this new MKZ Ford's making a big deal about (because of it's glass roof, electronic gadgets, and new styling... behind yet another grille):

* Lincoln was the first to create the Luxury SUV market (Navigator).

* Lincoln was the first to challenge German imports with a modern RWD small car (the Lincoln LS)

* Lincoln would have been the 1st with a high performance RWD sedan (the McLauren LS)

* Lincoln would have beaten Cadillac's XLR with a 2 passenger convertible (the Mark X).

* The MK9 wouldn't have beaten the STS to market, but would have made a bigger impact even if Ford decided to make it as a sedan.

So... sure, that new MKZ is.... "nice".

But it's nothing to the things Lincoln had in the pipeline at one time or another the past 12 years that Ford killed not so much because of money, as it was a lack of steady direction in internal politics.