2006 Lincoln MKS Review

Specifications

Taking On the Japanese

If you were expecting something inspired by Lincolns early 60s Continental to replace the current LS and pull back long disenfranchised Town Car buyers back into the Lincoln fold, something along the lines of the gorgeous Continental Concept of 2002, then you may be shocked to see that what Ford North Americas new head of design, Peter Horbury, has dreamed up.

Do you like the MKS? Ford sure hopes you do, because this is “the design direction for Lincoln and its upcoming new flagship sedan,” or so says the domestic manufacturer.

I first saw it during a blue-oval (and family) design forum hosted in Dearborn last month, and was immediately perplexed. I suppose the mental hurdle I have to get over in accepting this new design direction is that Ive been in love with the last few concepts that came under J Mays direction. These include the Continental Concept I just mentioned, plus the stunning two-door Mark 9 Concept from the year prior, as well as the somewhat odd but still attractive Navicross from 2003 and T-Bird-based Mark X of 2004 (not to be confused with the MKX production CUV introduced today).

Dont get me wrong, Mays is still in charge of global operations, but now living in London town he has less influence on what takes place here in North America, and purposely so. He told me, during our conversation, that he had to get out of Dearborn in order to regain a global perspective on design, or something along those lines, therefore he petitioned Fords CEO Bill Ford, to move to London, where most cars dont wear the blue oval (almost everyone drives a Ford, Lincoln or Mercury in Dearborn).

But no matter about Mays, the MKS is all about Horbury, and therefore Mays needed to stand back and allow the amiable Brit to do his thing. After all, you dont put a head designer of Horburys credentials in place just to watch over him all the time. Still, while Ive been a fan of Horburys work for some time, especially after he gave new life to Volvo with the introduction of the current S80 and all models of the Swedish brand since, I am not warming up to his latest creation at all, and Ive had over a month to consider it.

The feelings resonating within Fords Dearborn design centre last month were extremely mixed, mind you, with some feeling even stronger in the negative than I, and others who quite liked the swoopy new styling direction. Horbury, of course, was hardly happy that I immediately shared my contempt for his new MKS, probably akin to insulting ones newborn after a long and arduous gestation period and seemingly longer delivery, but he took my criticisms in stride and was quick to mention that the reason the previous design direction was dropped, yes the one I like so much, is that it appeared too retro and received criticism for such. OK, I can understand why a designer wouldnt want to be pulled into the past when given a clean sheet of paper to sketch on and with it the opportunity to come to market boasting an all-new design language, but Im still a bit choked.

I suppose, if I liked what I saw Id be less perturbed. First of all, before I get branded as a grumbling curmudgeon (or at least more of one than usual) there were many aspects of the MKS that I liked on that first day, all of which once again came to light when seeing it yesterday in Detroit, upon its “official” unveiling.

The first achievement is the cars sumptuous interior, every bit as nice as rivals from Europe and Japan, and in some ways even more luxuriously appointed. The plastics are superb, leather wonderfully soft and pliable, switchgear well executed and fit and finished well above any previous Lincoln (except maybe the Zephyr which is extremely well done), and on par with those same European and Japanese brands. The rear seat is limousine-like, which seems fitting if this is indeed to be Lincolns flagship, and overall ambience exclusively rich.

But most people buy a car, or at least choose to drive down to the local dealership to take a closer look at one, at which time they can fall head over heals for the interior, because something about its exterior styling has captured their imagination. This is where Im at a loss. Despite offering up the requisite premium styling cues one would expect to see on a full-size luxury car, such as exquisitely finished metal trim details, large diameter alloy wheels on low-profile tires, and an imposing grille, the car doesnt come off as upscale as an Audi A8, BMW 7-Series, Jaguar XJ, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, or even a Chrysler 300C. Like them or not, these cars have a uniqueness that set them apart in their full-size luxury segment, where the new MKS seems to suffer from Acura RL-itis.

This is especially apparent from the rear, where the MKS taillights remind me more of Acuras flagship than any other car - other than their Maserati Quattroporte (or Kia Rio5) strip of grey lens plastic adorning their outer edges. They cap off a tapered rear end design, which makes the entire car appear smaller than it really is when seen from behind. This will be a positive to some people, whod rather be seen as environmentally minded when piloting a full-size luxury ride, but most vehicles in this class seem to try and appear more substantial than their actual size.

Does the shape of headlight clusters seem familiar? I thought so too. Again, I refer to Acura, but this time to the TL, one of my favorite designs in recent years. Yes, I like how they look when applied to this mid-size entry-level Japanese luxury model, but once again find them a bit too racy for a flagship Lincoln.

The grille? Well it definitely makes me think of modern Lincolns, but also of the new Lexus LS and also, with regards to its general shape, Cadillacs DTS. In other words, its not going to win any points for originality.

I suppose this last point is how I feel about the entire car. The new MKS wont win any points for originality. To me, where as the outgoing LS mimicked BMWs previous 5-Series to the point that even my five-year-old son thought it was one of the German automakers models (and up until last year when he learned to decipher a cars make from the badge on its hood or rear deck lid he could tell you the name of pretty well any model by looking at either its headlights or taillights), the new MKS appears all too Japanese in design.

Again, if I was alone in my thoughts I wouldnt be so concerned for Lincoln, but being that similar criticisms arose from the hubbub surrounding the car at its initial launch, and once again at the Detroit auto show in Cobo Hall, I feel that this new design language may see the next-generation Lincoln flagship facing off more directly against Acura and Lexus, if not Infiniti which is a heck of a lot more distinctive (in this case another word for eccentric) with its upper range model. In any event, I dont think its wise for Lincoln to go head-to-head with the best from Japan, at least from a styling perspective, being that the Japanese will probably continue to win where it matters, with short- and long-term quality, resale values and on the sales charts. Rather, Lincoln should take a cue from Chrysler, and design a car that is distinctively American (although some say the 300 has been influenced heavily by big Bentleys and Mercedes-Benz four-door models), like, hmmm… the previous Continental Concept perhaps (which others say was inspired by European models that initially inspired its 1960s predecessor)? Of course, looking rearward isnt the only guarantee for success. Sometimes it can work against a brand or model. Another approach that has worked well is Cadillacs Arts & Science design language, pulling very few cues from the past and in so doing dictating a very progressive and original future-thinking image. The edginess of the initial CTS and XLR models has been watered down, however, with the introduction of the STS and even more so with the DTS, the latter of which looks less futuristic than its DeVille DTS predecessor.

If Lincoln marches forward into production with the MKS, it will have to sell on performance, features, and inevitably price in order to beat the Japanese at their own game. Selling on performance is a tough racket, as Lexus at least, is well ahead of Lincoln at this point and even when the new Lincoln arrives with its expected 315-horsepower V8 mated to a state-of-the-art six-speed automatic and “intelligent” all-wheel drivetrain, Lexus will be launching an even more powerful V8 for its upcoming LS, which will also be fitted into its V8-powered GS. As for all-wheel drive, it hasnt proven popular at the top end of the market, just look at Audis lackluster A8 sales. At the same time, the Japanese automakers performance-optimized hybrid powertrains are a class above anything even Europe has to offer, although Ford is ahead of most rivals when it comes to hybrid technology so something similar to what Lexus will soon offer, the GS 450h being the brands first production hybrid car, could be offered in future Lincoln models.

Selling on features is an even weaker prospect than selling on performance, as such a ploy, like interior design, normally only works on people who are already at the dealership taking a closer look at the car in question, unless a car brand is selling something much better equipped than its rivals for a much lower price. This, of course, reduces profit margins, making a brands overall success less of a guarantee. The MKS includes some pretty high-end features, mind you, such as heated and cooled seats with 14-way power adjustments, a panoramic glass sunroof, adaptive LED lighting, a navigation system, Bluetooth connectivity and a DVD-audio surround sound system. Of course, while top-tier, all of these features are available with most rival premium luxury models already - nothing breakthrough at all. It is entirely possible however, that Lincoln is holding something back for the introduction of its production MKS.

As difficult as selling features, selling on price, or even worse, profit gouging incentives, is a lousy way to gain market share, something Chrysler hasnt had to do a great deal of with its 300C due to its wholly unique styling, powerful HEMI V8 engines, full-load of features and competitive MSRP, but on the contrary, something Lincoln has used to entice prospective LS buyers into showrooms.

No, to get people re-interested in a car brand that has pretty well fallen by the wayside in recent decades, youve got to be bold, unique and progressive, even in a retrospective way if necessary, and the MKS is none of the above. Its one distinctive character trait, the brushed metal insignia-adorned engine vent at the rear edge of each front fender, will appeal to some, no doubt, but it doesnt make up for an otherwise bland styling exercise. Rather, it clashes with the rest of the design, looking more like an afterthought than an integral part of the design. The 20-inch alloy wheels, mind you, are flat-out gorgeous (theyre so beautifully detailed, in fact, that I made a point of adding a number of photos specifically depicting their design and manufacturing process to the gallery).

A Ford Design Center executive was on the floor after the December reveal, off to the side while J Mays and Peter Horbury were being mobbed by media reps, so I asked him what he thought of my rather negative opinions. I told him what Ive told you, that the MKS looks more Acura- and Lexus-like than any previous Lincoln, something I was surprised to see after all the talk both Mays and Horbury expounded minutes before the unveiling about cars needing to exude a presence that befits the country they originate from. He answered by showing me the large rear doors and large grille, as well as the interior. OK, youre right, I said to him. American cars have long had large rear doors and Lincolns have for the most part included wide and tall waterfall grilles, while the attractive interior, once again, will only work to the brands advantage if someone bothers getting close enough to look inside. But really, is that all that could be said about the cars homage to American styling?

Later, when the crowds died down, I stood next to Horbury, softly drilling him about the design, and he, in his eloquent British accent and sincere charm, couldnt show me any other traditional American features to back up his statement about a car needing to openly bear its national roots.

Mays? Well, we sat for about 20 minutes, chatting away while everyone else was devouring lunch. All he was willing to offer was his unequivocal support of Peter Horbury, which, no matter how he may actually feel about the MKS design, was a wise and prudent attitude to take with a reporter - hes danced with members of the press many times before, of course, although his candor about other things, that for the time being will remain unspoken, was extremely refreshing.

While its easy to be critical of someone elses work, knowing little of the intricacies needed to pull off an all-new model, let alone setting up a new design language with the hope of to redirecting an entire brand from virtual oblivion to future success, critiquing what I see, backed up by many years on the road to becoming an “industry expert” is my job. You can critique my points of view or writing style all you want, if you think Im being too harsh on Lincolns MKS, but while youre doing so, ask yourself if this new prototype has you anticipating its arrival to the point where youre willing to march down to your local Lincoln store and drop a G-note in order to get in line. I didnt think so. Personally, I think the Zephyr shows a great deal more originality, and because of that, will do more to build the Lincoln brand than this MKS has a hope of doing.

So, Lincoln, and particularly Mr. Horbury, I believe it might be a good time to think over the direction youre taking Lincoln. My guess is that youve received similar criticism from like-minded journalists (while automotive journalists are often a bit jaded they are at least not as easily wowed as the non-professionals collected by marketing departments for focus groups - remember, the Five Hundred passed all the focus groups too, and while an excellent car in many ways, it has hardly stirred up much adoration among car enthusiasts). I, for one, dont think its wise to go up against the Japanese giants in a game theyre already winning at (although the one car it appears closest too, Acuras RL, is stagnant in dealerships, reportedly because of its uninspired styling). Rather, build something distinctive and truly American that may divide loyalties, like the 300C has, but will be sure to light fires under a given market demographic. Get one group of people pumped about a new product, any group, and enough fence sitters will commit to make it a success.

Despite being inspired by one of the most coveted Lincolns of all time (think about that last statement as youre targeting Boomers like me), the Continental Concept could do incite such an undying passion among a small, select group of loyalists, and if followed up with a full-size four-seat Mark 9 coupe, could draw a lot of much-needed attention to the beleaguered Lincoln brand. Both cars would also lineup nicely beside the new MKX crossover, previously called the Aviator concept, and stylish new Zephyr, each of which more closely resembles the 2001 and 2002 concepts than the MKS, forming a distinctive family design language rather than what would otherwise be a continuation of hodgepodge styling exercises.

The MKS concept wont take anyones breath away, mind you, and wont redefine the Lincoln brand. Rather, like how Buicks Allure (LaCrosse) or Lucerne merely keep current Buick buyers coming back for more, the MKS will probably do a similar service for Lincoln while hardly sending a ripple through the conquest buyer pool.

So, how do I really feel? Yeah, I suppose it would help my personal career to keep my mouth shut and simply utter some vague nothings about fluid styling and a substantial presence, which really translate into “formed by a wind tunnel” and “ruddy big car”, but I owe you, the reader, more than that. I also like the people in Dearborn, J Mays and Peter Horbury included, and being a fan of everything automotive as well as a paid scribe, truly want the next flagship Lincoln to be a design and resultant sales success. I wear my heart on my proverbial sleeve in coming out so strongly against the MKS, and do so because Im a big fan of the brand and know how great it could become one day, if lead by a truly inspired flagship model. This MKS is not it, in my “humble” opinion, and the future of Lincoln as a truly competitive luxury brand needs to be reconsidered once again.