Spotted in the wild: 2009 Lincoln MKS in Ann Arbor
Ford is desperately hoping that the new Lincoln MKS will prove to be the beginning of a rebirth for its premium Lincoln brand. After flailing about for the past two decades trying to find a design direction for Lincoln, Peter Horbury and the team have created a consistent and unique look that will be applied to all the brand's models over the next couple of years. We've previously seen the MKS on auto show stages and prototypes in various stages of camo on the road for several months. Walking in to my office this morning I spotted a production model on the street for the first time and decided to snap a few pics. Regardless of how you feel about the bow-wave grille, it certainly gives Lincoln a unique, stand-out face for the first time in many years. We'll have our first opportunity to drive the MKS in a couple of weeks, at which time we'll let you know if the driving dynamics back up the visuals.
Gallery: 2009 Lincoln MKS on the street
Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
TBlueMax 9:06AM (5/23/2008)
Snappy looking car. For Lincoln's sake, hope it sells.
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Xcountryflyer 12:47PM (5/23/2008)
It is an attractive enough car, but I don't think it is distinctive or compelling enough to pull people away from Lexus/Infiniti or the German brands. The CTS is head and shoulders above this car. A step in the right direction, just not a big enough step.
RIFRAF 1:43PM (5/23/2008)
I think the front grill is horrible! It looks like to me it has to buck teeth as a center grill design.. Eesh..
Daniel 2:39PM (5/23/2008)
I think the MKS is great looking and I really like the new disign theme. However, for this car to be a world class success (the one that Lincoln desperately needs) it must have a V8 as the top end offering. Additionally, it must have a Hybrid model as this could be a huge seller and Lincoln could command a price that would make it highly profitable.
Andrew L 11:03PM (5/23/2008)
Dude the MKS is not in the same class as the CTS its in the same class as the STS so you cannot compare them
Stuka 9:09AM (5/23/2008)
I really like the way it looks. Best looking Lincoln in ages, thats for sure. I think it will certainly sell better than the out going model.
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Tracy 12:20PM (5/23/2008)
There is no outgoing model genius!
Stuka 12:45PM (5/23/2008)
Uhm, its replacing the Lincoln LS. So the Lincoln LS would be the outgoing model...
SPG 4:03PM (5/23/2008)
The LS was cut a few years ago, sadly.
So there is no outgoing model.
Tracy 11:10AM (5/24/2008)
It is NOT replacing the Lincoln LS. The LS has been gone since 2006. It is a new car that will appeal to a completely different audience than the LS did.
Matt 9:10AM (5/23/2008)
Lincoln cannot have a FWD, V6 flagship.
Yes Acura can, yes Lexus can...but not Lincoln.
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Ligor 9:30AM (5/23/2008)
Lincol can not have a FWD as a flagship, it's just wrong, and the LS before this was a better car that this FWD can be, but as an AWD this will be just fine
ps. Lexus is RWD, only the lexus Camry um ES is FWD
MUSASHI66 10:10AM (5/23/2008)
Acura's flagship is RL, and it is AWD. Any of the big Lexus models are RWD or AWD... right now, I can't think of a company with a FWD car as a flagship. Maybe I can, Nissan I guess, Maxima is their largest sedan, If you don't count Armada as a flagship.
I guess I can't think of any luxury company with a FWD flagship.
jamie 11:14AM (5/23/2008)
Agreed.
Lincoln must have all the bells and whistles with no compromises. That means AWD is absolutely necessary; no FWD versions!
I will concede that a V6 is more economical in the long run (and more acceptable for CAFE regulations), but enthusiasts demand V8 HP (the option should remain alive).
Lincoln also should incorporate Hybrid tech as well to really be a notch above the rest of the field. Not only would this be a bonus selling feature, but it would enhance resale value as well.
Za 6:36PM (5/23/2008)
To which FWD Lexus/Acura flagships are you referring? Lexus LS=RWD, Acura RL=SH-AWD
Tracy 11:18AM (5/24/2008)
Lincoln has never called this their "Flagship". They don't really need a flagship right now. What they need is a car that will appeal to a broad range of luxury car buyers. I believe that this car will do that better than many others in its class. It may not be the leader but it will be near the top in sales performance sometime within the first six months of production.
J.Crew 9:14AM (5/23/2008)
Nice pics Sam! The car looks sharp on the street. I can imagine black would really pop. I like how the A-pillar flows into the hood, very clean. I think this will sell well for Ford.
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Egon 9:17AM (5/23/2008)
That's the nicest looking Taurus I've seen in a long time. Actually, that's about as good as badge-engineering can get and might even bump down the median age of Lincoln customers. Not bad at all.
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Talisman 10:29AM (5/23/2008)
No offense but you need to look up the definition of badge engineering. This is not it.
Sharing a platform does not mean badge engineering.
Egon 10:38AM (5/23/2008)
None taken. I mixed up the terminology and indeed platform sharing a more accurate description. But there's no hiding the fact that under the skin, both cars share much of the same DNA...not that the target audience will know (or care for that matter).