R.I.P.: Lincoln V8
Amidst a series of recent shake-ups in Ford's production, a new casualty has fallen prey to the "way forward." The Yamaha derived 4.8-liter V8, currently found in the Volvo XC90, sought a new home within the Lincoln MKS in 2008. That possibility has been squashed, mainly due to the low volume of vehicles that would suit the engine.
In doing so, Ford is putting all their power-producing eggs into one, 3.5-liter V6 engine. This stalwart of Ford's product line is currently available in everything from the Lincoln MKZ to the Ford 500, although the power output will be increased slightly for the MKS, due to it's competitors V8-advantage.
Although this lack of engine choice may prove to be a sticking point with consumers, the possibility of not offering a V8 may be in Ford's best interest if fuel economy concerns continue to mount.
[Source: Automotive News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Eric 3:11PM (8/27/2008)
I have a classic lincoln mark viii and I love the v-8 im sure its not just me so many have went down the v-6 road and crashed so i think they should let the customer decide by producing some v-6 and some v-8 I like the Infiniti G35 but will most likely not buy one because of its 6 cylinder.I think it should keep the v-8 alive and let the people decide.Acura has went all v-6 and I dont see as many being sold the Fords have a very fuel effiicient v-8 so keep it in motion and dint let it die....sincerly I was a lincoln man for life but If no v-8 then ya lost me and im sure others too and I will have to convert to a V-12 Benz or Something of that sort come on guys keep it alive im practically pleading.lol seriously or im getting a Mercedes cls5 amg V-8,yep V8,V8,V8
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ChromeWaves 10:04AM (8/21/2006)
Stalwart?!? Is the 3.5 available in ANYTHING at the moment?
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DJ 10:13AM (8/21/2006)
This is ludicris...Ford is going to attempt to market a flagship for Lincoln with a V6 engine??? Bill, go ask Acura how well that premise has played out for them.
Ford already has an incrediblely fuel efficient, low volume V8 with excess production capacity. Not only that, it's already fitted to state of the art six-speed manumatic and can be used in both RWD and AWD configurations. And it's ready to go RIGHT NOW!
It's the AJ-V8 built by Jaguar and currently used by Jag, Land Rover/Range Rover and Aston Martin. We have an XJ8 and the engine is remarkable and would be a perfect fit for the Lincoln. Best of all? No tooling costs, no development costs...nothing other than freight costs.
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Doogs 10:20AM (8/21/2006)
AWD on a FWD platform...no V-8 option...automaker insisting that a 3.5L V6 is competitive in the segment...this remind anyone else of the Acura RL?
I know history repeats itself, but I don't think I've ever seen it cycle through so quickly. The RL came out what...two years ago?
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Dubbedinenglish 10:23AM (8/21/2006)
Wellit is sad they nix the Yamaha....but that 3.5 will have many variants of it. Ford has survey asking people on its Lincoln website if they would prefer a turbo V-6 variant or the n/a v-8.So I expect a turbo six to take the flagship role. I wonder if they will up the displacement of the 3.5 for this variant...
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Clarence 10:54AM (8/21/2006)
The V8 would sell the V6's and add some V8 customers otherwise lost.
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DDL 10:56AM (8/21/2006)
The V-8 they were proposing to use is already adapted to this platform in the Volvo XC90 and new S80. I agree that this Acura approach means that Ford is going bankrupt in more ways than one.
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Soulstirred Roadster 10:57AM (8/21/2006)
Who cares? This car is anything but new or news-worthy, it's a weak attempt at a near-luxury or full-luxury car, no character except for it's vapidly "me too" appearance to make some hapless buyers think they'll be getting some "good old Japanese reliability" in a Lincoln. It looks as if it wasn't designed for real people, but only trained seals in focus groups. If Lexus aped Mercedes Benz, this car merely apes a Lexus or Acura. How sad is that? It's as if Lincoln refuses to compete with Cadillac and BMW, and compete only with Mercury and Buick. Nobody who's buying a Lexus, Infiniti, or even Acura RL is going to be wooed into a Lincoln showroom with this.
Lincoln needs a lot more than *just* a V8 to sell cars. The car itself needs character. This car has none. It will get lost in a sea of bland. They had a chance w/the Continental concept w/a V8 RWD platform and just enough heritage in the style that gave it character. So it must have scared off the brilliant marketing geniuses inside the Fauxrd Motor Company. These idiots just don't get the advantage they'd have in the market designing cool-looking American cars w/some attitude and boasting Japanese-like reliability. They can do it if they quit the damned focus group mentality and tripping over dollars to save a few pennies. And quit throwing all their resources into trucks or whatever today's lemmings are going towards (crossovers now) and ignoring the rest until it's too late. Which is SOP in Detroit.
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Dave T. 11:00AM (8/21/2006)
right the blog is inaccurate in saying "currently available" since I don't believe it has actually been released in any of the vehicles yet.
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pedro 11:13AM (8/21/2006)
Soulstirred has a great point. It is fairly amazing that Saturn of all makes is starting to have more of a cohesive and vibrant brand image than a marque with decades of history behind it.
I think that Lincoln should attempted to go the Chrysler 300 way of things: strong, rear wheel drive american styling. Cadillac was moving to the BMW/Mercedes school of thought, and so the time would have been right to reestablish lincon as something uniquely american.
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igor 11:16AM (8/21/2006)
TWIN TURBO DIRECT INJECTED 360HP V6
was approved for this car and will be an optional engine. If yo ulook at Ford's V8 offerings, you will see this is more than any of their NA V8's .
Igor
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djSyndrome 11:25AM (8/21/2006)
"TWIN TURBO DIRECT INJECTED 360HP V6 "
Bullshit.
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rick 11:32AM (8/21/2006)
it's incredulous to think that a company with the size and scope of ford motor company cannot find its way to offer a competitive v8 in their upscale division's flagship. ask any acura dealer...should'a had a v8. no wonder this company is in so much trouble. is anyone in charge over there?
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Ken 11:40AM (8/21/2006)
7. Who cares? This car is anything but new or news-worthy, it's a weak attempt at a near-luxury or full-luxury car, no character except for it's vapidly "me too" appearance to make some hapless buyers think they'll be getting some "good old Japanese reliability" in a Lincoln. It looks as if it wasn't designed for real people, but only trained seals in focus groups. If Lexus aped Mercedes Benz, this car merely apes a Lexus or Acura. How sad is that? It's as if Lincoln refuses to compete with Cadillac and BMW, and compete only with Mercury and Buick. Nobody who's buying a Lexus, Infiniti, or even Acura RL is going to be wooed into a Lincoln showroom with this.
Lincoln needs a lot more than *just* a V8 to sell cars. The car itself needs character. This car has none. It will get lost in a sea of bland. They had a chance w/the Continental concept w/a V8 RWD platform and just enough heritage in the style that gave it character. So it must have scared off the brilliant marketing geniuses inside the Fauxrd Motor Company. These idiots just don't get the advantage they'd have in the market designing cool-looking American cars w/some attitude and boasting Japanese-like reliability. They can do it if they quit the damned focus group mentality and tripping over dollars to save a few pennies. And quit throwing all their resources into trucks or whatever today's lemmings are going towards (crossovers now) and ignoring the rest until it's too late. Which is SOP in Detroit.
Posted at 10:57AM on Aug 21st 2006 by Soulstirred Roadster
Hey "Soul", pull your pants up, get off the computer, and get out of your parents basement! Who in the hell are you anyway? Spitting venom about a car you haven't seen or driven? It's not even out yet!? You seem to be the smartest kid in your class. I bet you even get a 100% score on tests you haven't even taken yet, because you can see in the future. Go find yourself a date and relax a little. It'll do you, AND your hand some good.
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Robert O 11:42AM (8/21/2006)
Everytime I see a rendering of this vehicle I want to weep. Automobile
magazine just recognized the 1961 Lincoln design as one of the best
of all time. Lincoln could have built the Continental concept that
honored this beautiful styling, but instead they pander to... what? The V6 crowd :(
The Way Forward - over a cliff!
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igor 11:42AM (8/21/2006)
^^keep believing it ...
it was approved and is coming.
Igor
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igor 11:44AM (8/21/2006)
my #14 comment replies to #11
#13 .. the car that just got a green light looks quite different from the renderring ... Ford went back and re-did it, because the reaction to this version was anything but uniformly positive.
Igor
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Richard Warren 11:44AM (8/21/2006)
Who cares? If they upped HP in the V6 and it went like stink or equals the competition, who cares? A litle turbo here a compression rise there, a change in gearing.
A V8 is not the only thing buyers are looking at, it's the whole package and the pricing.
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The other Bob 11:46AM (8/21/2006)
"9. Soulstirred has a great point. It is fairly amazing that Saturn of all makes is starting to have more of a cohesive and vibrant brand image than a marque with decades of history behind it.
I think that Lincoln should attempted to go the Chrysler 300 way of things: strong, rear wheel drive american styling. Cadillac was moving to the BMW/Mercedes school of thought, and so the time would have been right to reestablish lincon as something uniquely american."
Pedro is right on. Plus, what about the current 4L V-8 in the LS? Could it be tweaked and dropped into the new Lincolns? Its almost like Ford is trying to kill Lincoln.
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Stoneman 11:54AM (8/21/2006)
The Lincolns make great limos. I'm not convinced they make great regular daily driver cars. They're made for senior citizens.
Stoneman
http://www.stonemanautoreview.com
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