Yes, it's true that Lincoln's new flagship, the MKS, will not be available with a V8 (at least initially). But there's a ray of sunshine for the Lincoln faithful - according to Ford Motor's VP of Marketing, Sales and Service, speaking Wednesday to the Midwest Automotive Media Association in Chicago, the Lincoln MKS "will be packed with more technology and features than any Lincoln before it." Best of all, those features include all-wheel drive and a new, Lincoln-exclusive 3.7-liter V6. The cynics among us expect that this is a bored-out version of the 3.5-liter Ford unit, but that's just conjecture at this point.
We'll have to wait until 2008 to see if customers' visions of "Driving the American Dream" extend to driving a V6 Lincoln.
[Source: Ford]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Nick @ Sep 21st 2006 7:32AM
Wow. Even as a Ford fan I think that's just stupid. That MKS is screaming for a V8....even as an option.
That said, fears can be alleviated if that V6 puts out near or above 300hp. Then I won't complain. But, this car must have at least 300hp.
Scott @ Sep 21st 2006 7:47AM
Uh, why is it the "cynics among us" believe it's "just" a bored out 3.5L? Isn't that what almost every manufacturer does? Were the cynics upset when Nissan went from the 3.0 VQ to the 3.5, or 4.0? I would find it personally somewhat stupid to design a whole new engine from the ground up just to get 0.2L more displacement from it, wouldn't you? And, since the 3.5L is already making ~265hp, this new version will most likely cross the 300hp barrier and be very competitive with every other V6 on the market. Does the MKS need a V8? 100% it does, but to knock this V6 for being a "version" of the 3.5 seems pretty idiotic.
JB @ Sep 21st 2006 7:48AM
Whatever. Still looks like an Infiniti to me. So what does this say, Lincoln is copying the Japanese, who copied the Germans.
Not distinctive at all, and the fender vent is dumb. Why is it there at all? It's not functional in any way. Adding the Lincoln logo just adds to the dysfunction.
Using the logo as a side repeater lamp would be cool, but that would cost too much money. I like how BMW integrated into the Z4, Z8.
I still like the wheels though, should hide the brake dust somewhat.
And it should be the new "Continental" not a Scrabblized group of meaningless letters.
gerbick @ Sep 21st 2006 7:53AM
It looks like Lincoln has been taking bits and pieces from the current Lexus designs... looks like a Lexus GS to me on the back quarter panels somewhat.
Which... isn't such a bad thing actually.
Sam @ Sep 21st 2006 9:10AM
I Love this car!! I think it is georgious! Bring it on Lincoln....Please let it have atleast 300 hp...
I agree with Nick....the V8 should atleast be an option.
Dave T. @ Sep 21st 2006 9:19AM
Kelsey in our offices got the scoop on the new 3.7 liter over on Kicking tires (click my name) for those interested. It's not exactly "all-new"...
SKluck @ Sep 21st 2006 9:21AM
When did it get that stupid looking air dam in the front? I don't remember seeing that before. It makes it look like a pontiac, it has no business being on a Lincoln.
Crosmyn @ Sep 21st 2006 9:39AM
I can adjust to the idea of a high-horsepower V6 in the car. But living in the South (no real winter) I don't have any interest in the additional weight and maintenance of all-wheel drive over rear-wheel drive as I currently have on my Lincoln LSE.
MikeW @ Sep 21st 2006 10:01AM
The 'new' Acura RL
Too weird, Honda just gets a 'new' 3.7, +1mm bore, +3mm stroke. 2008 RL.
Didn't Ford see how 'good' the RL sales have been?
richard elsbree @ Sep 21st 2006 10:10AM
Why does everybody think that a car needs a V8engine? For the driving most people do 4 cylinders would do nicely. I guess it proves you are a real man if you drive a V8 with a manual tranny.
infinihertz @ Sep 21st 2006 10:12AM
#8 I'm pretty sure AWD is just an option. That said, I think if you go without it, it's probably going to be FWD rather than RWD.
If you assume Ford can get the 3.5L V6 up from its current 263hp to 270hp by 2008 (which seems very reasonable, since they've been doing similar tweaks on all their engines lately), it'll have to be at least 285hp assuming the extra .2L scales linearly, which I'm sure it won't. It'll probably be right around the 300hp mark.
I'm not in the market for a car like this, but personally I think the design looks awesome. I like the MKZ, but not enough to consider it over the Fusion or Milan. This MKS looks nothing like the Five Hundred, which is a very good thing.
Fustang Sally @ Sep 21st 2006 10:20AM
This car looks like a Lexus GS body with the front clip off of a BMW 5 series. If you can buy the original,why get the copy? I saw a 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible on the road the other day and it still looks great even after 45 years. I think it is one of the best looking American cars of all time. Lincoln had a show car at the NY Auto Show a few years back that was styled like the 61 to 64 Continental, what happened to it? Instead of copying an import why don't they come out with a modern "retro" version of the early sixties Continental. It would make a great rear drive Town Car replacement.
The other Bob @ Sep 21st 2006 10:33AM
Now that the town car is NOT being killed, the Lincoln line up is starting to make a little more sense, wit this car being the Continental replacement they should have had three or so years ago.
Scott @ Sep 21st 2006 10:35AM
#6 -
I didn't see anything in that Kicking Tires report worth mentioning. How is the upcoming 3.7L V6 not "all-new", when it is based off the 3.5L V6 which IS all new and hasn't been sold in a single vehicle yet? While Ford is putting the name Duratec on these new engines, they are new from the ground up, not just size variations on the old 2.5L and 3.0L V6's. Not to mention that blog states that the 3.5L has 250hp when it's been stated for months now that it will have a minimum of 263hp. A base 3.7L V6 making 300hp plus hopefully a V8 in the near future will make for a very competitive vehicle.
me @ Sep 21st 2006 10:35AM
Hmmm, a little bias in this Autoblog post? It is OK for Lexus and Acura to bore out their engine, but not Lincoln...interesting.
What does Autoblog think of the RDX engine - they only added a little turbo to a Honda four cylinder!
Ben @ Sep 21st 2006 11:30AM
*** FORD **** IF YOUR LISTENING OUT THERE ... BRING IT ON !! IF THIS LINCOLN LOOKS LIKE WHAT WE SEE MY ACCURA TL IS ON THE TRADING BLOCK. AS FAR AS A V6 VS V8 .. WHO CARES. THE V6 IN THE TL IS SMOOTH, QUIET, ECONOMICAL AND DELIVERS LOTS OF POWER. J.A.PAN & CO. ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN BUILD ENGINES LIKE THAT. I DO AGREE IT SHOULD HAVE AROUND 300 HP. IF FORD STARTS PRODUCING CARS LIKE THIS FORD IS ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY.
r.yo @ Sep 21st 2006 11:44AM
I think it's grasping at straws to belittle this 3.7L because it's based on the 3.5L, an engine which has been available in production vehicles for... negative four weeks?
Lincoln (and Ford) should just give up and stop issuing press releases. No matter what they do, they'll never get a positive reponse from the "enthusiast" media.
If they did introduce a V8 in this car, they'd be lambasted for completely misreading the market and producing another gas guzzling crapbox when all americans obviously want to buy microcars.
By exercising the modular nature of the new 3.5L to make a 3.7L, they are considered to be "cheating", because that's not REALLY making a new engine... but if they made an all-new, ground-up engine, it would be ridiculed (and rightly so) as an extravagant waste of resources.
So, there's no winning. At least, not for a while. Once Toyota has been the world's largest automaker for a few years, the focus will shift. Toyota will be christened the big, bad corporation, and the press will start cheerleading the domestics again. If Lincoln can just hold on until then, they'll become the alternative, cool, "indie" choice for luxury cars.
I'm guessing 2015. Any bets?
MikeW @ Sep 21st 2006 12:22PM
Sometimes people want positive net torque, so you 7 or more even firing cylinders. Maybe ford could buy the rights to make a VR8 from VW.
Who makes a 7 cylinder engine?
http://www.epi-eng.com/ET-PistonExcit.htm
Ford needs something more powerful for the haldex cars, where is the 350hp turbocharged volvo inline6?
This 3.7 should be in the MKZ with haldex, keeping the 3.5 with front drive.
The fusion/milan should be 3.0 front drive [as is], and add the 3.5 v6 with haldex. [picking up people who wanted the Mazdaspeed6 but didn't want a manual shift trans]
The only bored out 'lexus' engine was the 3.3. The 3/4/5gr are de-bored engines.
Peter L. @ Sep 21st 2006 1:28PM
I'd like to see the 3.7 (if it makes over 300hp) available in a SVT-ified Fusion, with a 6 speed manual and AWD (if it isn't too heavy of a system) or FWD with an LSD.
Dr. Woo @ Sep 21st 2006 1:31PM
This car DESERVES a torque-rich, smooth-pulling V8. The most gorgeous design to come out of Lincoln in decades, bar none. Though the panel vents, I have to agree, are a bit much.