Call it a comeback: Lincoln unveils its new iteration
One of the storied North American marques is making a comeback with a fresh approach, new technologies and a 330-horsepower EcoBoost engine.
The Lincoln Motor Company, founded in 1917 by Henry M. Leland, has been a subsidiary of Ford since 1922. The Lincoln has been many things during the past century, including a luxury car, a successful racing car and the vehicle of choice for the United States Secret Service.
The Lincoln-Zephyr was the epitome of the evolution to streamlined design in the 1930s and was available with a V12 flathead engine, which is highly sought-after even today for high-end hotrods. Fourthgeneration Continentals, particularly 1961 to 1966 models, are very desirable as the basis for custom cars by builders such as Mobsteel of Detroit.
Then what happened to Lincoln? Most people think of the horrible decades — the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s that saw opera windows and fake landau roofs. The age of the average Lincoln owner was well past retirement, and things didn’t look good for the brand’s future. The only saving grace was the Lincoln Town Car seen at airport taxi stands. Fortunately, Lincoln made it through Ford’s reorganization a few years ago and there is a definite new vigour in the name, with two sedans and four SUVs. There is even a Continental concept that we can look forward to seeing in production soon.
I had the opportunity to spend some time in the 2016 MKX, a mid-size SUV, and I was curious to see if it would be a true Lincoln or a high-end Ford in its driving experience.
The “all-new” MKX is based on Ford’s CD4 platform, found in other Lincoln SUVs and Ford’s Taurus, Flex and Explorer. This shared engineering is used to amortize the costs across corporate brands and models. It isn’t a negative thing, and in the case of Lincoln, the marque may share the underpinnings with Ford but from there on, it is a distinct marque with its own designers and engineers.
Debuting in 2007, the MKX was refreshed in 2011, and now we have the second generation coming into dealerships with new exterior styling and an additional engine choice. The 2.7-litre, twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 is smaller in displacement, but at higher rpms it packs more horsepower and torque than the still-available 3.7-L engine: 330 hp and more than 370 pound-feet of torque in the 2.7-L engine, versus 303 hp and 278 lb-ft in the 3.7-L. The combined fuel ratings of each engine are essentially the same, but the greater torque of the 2.7-L at lower engine speeds makes a big difference. The penalty is a $2,950 premium for the EcoBoost package, but Lincoln does throw in some nice 21-inch alloy wheels.
The exterior styling is all new for 2016, but the split-wings grille is retained, framed by new all-LED headlight clusters included as part of the $5,500 Luxury Package. The lights change intensity and focus depending on the speed of the vehicle; they are wide and low at slower speeds, brighter and narrower on the highway.
The body lines are a pleasing blend of elegance and sporty aggressiveness, with flowing curves and bolder fenders. But as nice as an exterior may be, you spend your time inside a vehicle, and this is where it must interface effectively with humans. So far, so good: the 22-way adjustable, heated and cooled front seats were swaddled in Terracotta Brown perforated leather. For those particularly long journeys, both front seats are equipped with massage, which you can adjust to different levels of intensity.
In this fully equipped Premium model, there is a plethora of technology, from the Revel II audio system with 19 speakers, to active noise cancelling, acoustic glass, active cruise control, lane-departure warning, active parking assist with front, rear and side cameras for 360-degree views, and a collision warning that will apply the brakes if needed. As with other Ford and Lincoln models, the MKX is willing and able to park itself, in both parallel and perpendicular spots.
So with all these improvements and features, is Lincoln making a comeback?
I drove the MKX through the narrow cobblestone streets of Vieux Montréal and on the winding country roads of the scenic Eastern Townships to get a good sense of the Lincoln driving experience. It is supremely quiet in the cabin, with minimal road noise. The SUV is softly sprung and can get a bit wobbly in a series of corners if you dip into the ample horsepower of the EcoBoost twin turbos. I kept the transmission “Sport” button in play all day.
There were plenty of options on my test vehicle and it added up to a bigger bottom line. The MSRP of $45,890 (which includes a delivery charge of $1,800) increased to $65,090 after adding $19,200 worth of options. They included the climate package ($5,100), cargo utility package ($350), technology package ($1,100), driver’s assistance package ($1,950), 2.7L EcoBoost package ($2,950), luxury package ($5,500), floor mats ($150), Class II Tow package ($500), 22-way power driver’s seat ($1,125), aluminum trim ($250) and enhanced security ($75).
Hefty option pricing aside, I think it’s safe to say that Lincoln has brought back its unique mix of horsepower, performance, style and luxury that made it a legend in the automotive world.