2009 Lincoln MKS
By Jonathan Wong and Bob Gritzinger
After years of neglect, Lincoln is getting serious about the large luxury sedan segment again with the introduction of the 2009 MKS.
While the Lincoln Town Car has remained largely unchanged and mostly relegated to the service industry, the MKS captivates with style, comfort and technology.
When the MKS arrives in showrooms next summer, it will have a base price of less than $38,000. Fully loaded models should have a sticker price of around $48,000, Lincoln officials said.
And a year after its launch, the MKS will be the first Ford Motor product to get the automaker’s new turbocharged gasoline direct-injection engine–which the company says combines V8 power with V6 fuel economy. Lincoln expects that 60 percent of MKS buyers will be new to the brand.
The MKS’ design represents the first of Lincoln’s modern product portfolio and borrows cues from past Lincolns. The double wing split front grille, inspired by the 1941 Continental, is the most notable nod to Lincoln’s design heritage. Another cue: Symmetrical wing-like instruments in the interior, adapted from 1960s Lincoln models.
Interior features include specially developed leather comfort seats, a large rear-opening door in its class, heated and cooled front seats and heated rear seats, and a dual-panel moon roof. Adaptive cruise control, automatic high beam and a voice-activated communication and entertainment system highlight the technology offerings.
Power comes from a new 3.7-liter, 270 hp V6 connected to a six-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is available. The MKS arrives in showrooms next summer. The base price will start below $38,000.
It will add more fuel to Lincolns sales momentum. Through the first 10 months of this year, Lincoln’s U.S. sales are up 14.7 percent, while Mercury’s are down 9.0 percent. With 112,678 sales through October, Lincoln trails Mercury by 29,909 units.