Lincoln MKS Review

This 2009 review is representative of model years 2009 to 2010.

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Ten years ago Lincoln was the top-selling luxury marque in the United States. Now it’s last among posh nameplates. But Lincoln hasn’t thrown in the towel. It’s on a mission to restore its luster, and the 2009 MKS sedan leads the charge. Plus, with the dramatic sales drop of high-profit pickups and SUVs, the fiscal well being of Ford also rides on the wide shoulders of this new luxury flagship.

Model Lineup
When it arrives later this summer, the MKS will be offered as just one very well-equipped model. A 4-door sedan with a 113-inch wheelbase, the full-size MKS stretches 204.1 inches. Front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard, all-wheel drive (AWD) will be optional.

If you’re looking for groundbreaking styling, you’d best look elsewhere. A sculpted hood slips between the fenders to meet the most striking exterior design element: a double-wing grille that reflects the 1941 Continental. Detailed high-intensity discharge headlights peek out from a neat wraparound assembly. Overall the car is well proportioned. Side panels and doors eschew adornment for clean, uncluttered lines, but the truncated tail, with its after-thought taillights, fails to hold up its end of the bargain.

Under the Hood
When the MKS debuted as a concept car at the 2006 North American International Auto Show, it was equipped with a 4.4-liter 311-horsepower V8 engine. Passionate conversations among product planners followed, but in the end the V6 won out. Three years later, with gasoline flowing at more than $4 per gallon, the smaller engine appears to have been the savvier choice.

The Lincoln-exclusive 3.7-liter version of Ford’s proven Duratec V6 produces 273 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque. Power is directed by a six-speed automatic transmission that offers the choice of selecting gears manually. This combination delivers an EPA fuel mileage rating of 17/24 mpg (city/hwy) using regular gas. The AWD version is rated at 16/23.

Inner Space
Lincoln is touting technology, and it begins before you enter the MKS. Hidden behind the driver’s side B-pillar is a backlit, heat-sensitive keypad. Numbers appear when touched, and a five-digit code unlocks the door.

Inside, the large cabin is all business-class luxury and extraordinarily quiet. Leather, climate-controlled seating is superb, and the 12-way power driver’s seat teams up with the fully adjustable steering column to produce an excellent driving position for people of all statures. Wide rear doors welcome adult-size occupants and, at 18.4 cubic feet, the trunk can accommodate

a foursome of golf bags. A 60/40 split-folding rear bench allows more storage if needed.

The lack of any dashboard seams is a slick detail, and seat leather is supplied by Bridge of Weir, a Scottish company that supplied hides for the Continental Mark II 50 years ago (as well as to Saab for many years). Ebony wood used on some trims is reclaimed from furniture makers and other sources.

The standard array of luxury features includes the deceptively easy-to-use Sync voice-activated communication and entertainment system, a dual-panel moonroof, automatic climate control and heated rear seats. Optional are high-tech features such as adaptive cruise control, a rearview camera, rain-sensing wipers, adaptive headlights, auto high beam and a THX surround-sound system.

The optional navigation system with an 8-inch high-resolution screen is one of the finest available. Also worth the additional money is SIRUS satellite radio with SIRIUS Travel Link. Not only does it provide real-time traffic info, gas prices at the closest stations and sports scores, the weather feature steered us clear of a severe windstorm that hit Virginia during our drive.

On the Road
While the wind blew and trees fell across roadways, the cabin was serenely quiet — a silence broken only by the sound of the engine under acceleration. It pulled impressively under full throttle and delivered more than sufficient power to merge and pass, even with a full load of passengers. Upshifts and downshifts of the transmission were nearly invisible.

The MKS sits atop a modified version of Ford’s Taurus full-size sedan platform, but with a heavily revised independent suspension, with all-new rear components. Gone is the floaty ride of the Town Car, replaced by a ride that is firm with positive body control. The steering is hardly sporting but accurate. Turn-in to corners is slow and more majestic than maniacal; however, the car can be hustled effectively and with little understeer.

Right for You?
With base prices of $38,465 for the FWD car and $40,355 for the AWD version (including destination charges), the MKS seriously challenges the Cadillac CTS and Lexus GS series, two competitors that Lincoln has in its sights.

The Lincoln MKS makes a good impression, graced as it is with good manners, high-tech galore and fashionably outfitted with top-of-the-line leather and wood. And with the fuel economy of the V6, there’s a conviction around the company that this is the right car at the right time.

Larry Hall is the editor of Northwest Auto News Service and a freelance journalist based in Olympia, Wash. For more than 20 years, he’s covered theautomotive industry for numerous trade journals, newspapers and business publications.

via: msn