Review: 2010 Lincoln MKS with EcoBoost, Who Needs a V8?

As the German and Japanese premium brands have cemented their place in the luxury automotive landscape, Lincoln in particular has struggled to find a place for itself and set itself apart. Several years ago, former Ford North America design director Peter Horbury gave his team the task of determining what Lincoln's DNA looked like. The designers set about identifying elements that made classic Lincolns unique and bringing these together in a modern interpretation . The intent was to create a visual identity that connected current models to those of the past like the 1930s Zephyr and the 1960s Continental without looking retro.



The new Lincoln style created by this team was first exemplified in the 2007 MKR concept with the most prominent element being the split "bow-wave" grille that hearkens back to that Zephyr. The MKS originally appeared as a concept in 2006 with a much more sedate looking nose and most of the design was already looked in by the time the MKR was finished. Nonetheless, the designers deemed it important enough to change the front of the new sedan to incorporate the new style. The late change was critical to giving the MKS a real visual presence that immediately identifies it as a Lincoln.



The MKS differs in almost every way possible from contemporary Cadillacs beginning with its platform architecture. The current mainstream Cadillacs, the CTS and STS ride on a unique rear wheel drive platform. The MKS rides on a platform that is significantly modified from the previous generation Ford Five Hundred/Taurus which itself was derived from the Volvo S80. The Lincoln engineers made significant revisions to the suspension in preparation for its duties as a Lincoln prior to the launch of the MKS. While Cadillac more directly targeted cars like the BMW 5-series, Mercedes E-class and Lexus GS, Lincoln went in a different direction.

Taking a cue from the popularity of the SUVs and crossovers, Lincoln designed the MKS with a higher seating position than most other cars in its class. The result is something more akin to the command seating of an SUV with its improved visibility found in those other vehicles. This also has the advantage of making entry and exit easier for the driver and passengers with neither the step up of an SUV or the drop down of a traditional sports sedan. The result is an overall profile that is taller than its competitors although you don't really get a sense of the height until you stand next to the MKS. From a distance the overall shape looks fairly sleek and modern although it could never be called low-slung.



The visual presence of the MKS is aided by the tall, rising belt-line although this does have an unfortunate effect inside the car of sitting deep within it even though you do sit higher than in most competitors. The interior of the MKS has a very clean layout and thanks to Ford's SYNC and navigation systems it's remarkably easy to use with a minimum of buttons and no need for a controller like BMW's iDrive or Audi's MMI. The center stack has rows of buttons and knobs for the audio and climate control plus selectors for the navigation, menu, setup, etc. Most of the interaction is done through a high resolution touch screen that provides a graphical interface that is both attractive and remarkably easy to use. Simple intuitive icons on the screen allow the driver to set the screen to display either a single or three pane interface. The former allows you to see any one element such as navigation, audio, travel link etc. The latter allows three elements to be displayed simultaneously.



The SYNC interface and Navigation system currently offered by Ford is without question the best one currently offered by any manufacturer at any price point and the fact that it is available in everything from a $20,000 Fusion up to a near $60,000 Lincoln is quite an achievement. The voice control system is activated by a button the steering wheel, that brings up a menu of available commands on the screen. The commands are simple and easy to remember and the system works reliably. You can even enter points of interest by name without ever touching the screen, something that can't be achieved in most German vehicles in the segment.



The fit and finish of the MKS interior is excellent with brown cut and sewn leather covering the top of the dashboard and the seats. The seats themselves are both extremely comfortable and supportive during aggressive cornering. The rear bench has ample room for 3 people with plenty of head and leg room. The steering wheel has a pleasantly thick rim and for the first time on a Ford vehicle, a pair of paddles for manual control of the transmission.



What's truly special about this particular MKS is the first application of the new 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. EcoBoost is Ford's branding for its line of engines with gasoline direct injection and turbo-charging. This technology allows the automaker to use smaller displacement , more efficient engines that match the power of competitors engines. Most other cars in this luxury sedan segment feature V8 engines of about 4.2-4.6-liters as their top engines. These engines typically produce about 325-360 hp. This Lincoln's twin turbo-charged V6 produces 355 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque and thanks to its advanced fuel system, it produces that torque from as low as 1,500 rpm. The result is an powerplant that feels like a much larger engine.



Driven back to back against the likes of the Infiniti M45 and Cadillac STS the MKS is clearly up to the task with none of the dreaded turbo lag of the past. All EcoBoost equipped versions of the MKS come with standard all-wheel-drive ensuring all weather stability. The MKS features adaptive damping and even with big 20 inch wheels and tires, it provides excellent ride quality without ever feeling floaty. In spite of the comfortable ride the nearly 4,300 pound MKS is able to get around corners at significant speeds and yet without drama.

That EcoBoost engine was created to achieve improved fuel efficiency without sacrificing the performance expected in the segment. Here Ford and Lincoln have succeeded. The MKS EcoBoost sprinted to 60 mph in just 5.4 seconds and averaged 19 mpg over a week of mostly city driving. Cruising at 70 mph the MKS achieves a respectable 25 mpg. The MKS with all-wheel-drive and EcoBoost starts at $47,760 while our example loaded with nav, the special appearance package and the panoramic sunroof bring the final tally on our tester to $56,925, a very reasonable price compared to the rest of the segment.




Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.