Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, LA Auto Show, Sedans/Saloons, Crossovers/CUVs, Lincoln
Lincoln MKT headed to Detroit, facelifted MKZ to LA
by Damon Lavrinc on Sep 12th 2008 at 7:02PM 
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lincoln MKT concept
Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas, has confirmed that the Lincoln MKT crossover is due to be reveal this January at the Detroit Auto Show, while a refreshed MKZ will be unveiled at the Los Angeles Show in November.
We already knew the Ford Flex-based CUV was headed to Detroit, with power provided by either a 3.7-liter or a 3.5-liter Ecoboost V6. Both six- and seven-passenger seating arrangements will be offered, along with Blind Spot Monitoring and a Cross Traffic Alert system which utilizes two sonar modules to notify drivers that a vehicle has moved into their blind spot by shining a light on the corresponding outside mirror. Sales are expected to begin later in 2009 and Ford is insistent that the MKT won't share any body panels with its platform sibling.
The facelifted MKZ sedan will sport the new split-wing grille originally found on the MKR concept. New taillights are also rumored to be part of the package and sales should begin later this year or early in 2009.
Gallery: Lincoln MKT Concept
[Source: MotorTrend]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
indi 7:23PM (9/12/2008)
OMG, It's the NEW Lincoln Pacifica!
Reply
dinnercoat 7:24PM (9/12/2008)
Ew ew ew EW.
Reply
Gardiner Westbound 7:31PM (9/12/2008)
MKT, MKR, MKZ
Which is which?
Reply
hankfidel 7:45PM (9/12/2008)
I really don't think Lincoln even knows anymore. Just take an M and a K and stick some lottery letter at the end.
Torrent 7:49PM (9/12/2008)
Mercedes' 500 counterparts are easier to tell apart from these what- 3 models?
Judy Zik 9:59PM (9/12/2008)
The naming scheme is stupid and this vehicle is not my cup of tea. But then I thought that MK-Edge whatever with the grill that looked like it had braces was fugly but I keep seeing them on the road. So who knows maybe this will sell. With that brand new billion dollar flex plant in Oakville going down to one shift they certainly need all the help they can get though I doubt this thing will sell enough volume to push them over the top.
VP 10:17PM (9/12/2008)
Most other companies use a different letter for each model: CTS & STS, E-class & S-class. This Lincoln is the most confusing alphabetic soup i have ever encountered. I follow all the news here in Autoblog and I am confused, you can only imagine how the average joe will feel. I test drove MKZ but am i buying an MKS???
brandon 7:31PM (9/12/2008)
wait. they... want it to look like that? granted the tail lights are way better, and the front is certainly... unique... but i wouldn't want to buy it.
Reply
The Luigiian 8:17PM (9/12/2008)
Those cues would look much better on a car. They just look ugly on this CUV. Don't know why. It has a "car of the future" aspect that I kind of like.
Reply
Corey L 8:22PM (9/12/2008)
This is going to be a love-it or hate-it vehicle. Those who love it will probably do so not because it looks good, but it's ostentatious enough for attention whoring.
Reply
AntBee 8:25PM (9/12/2008)
I like it, but I bet you the actual vehicle will be way way dumbed down from the concept. Lincoln always chickens out.
Reply
catgirlshyla 9:18PM (9/12/2008)
WHY WON'T YOU DIE?!
Reply
dds010 11:29PM (9/12/2008)
It will be very interesting to see the design of the 2010 MKZ and what engines/ Hp outputs they give it. Also I Hope Ford doesn't dumb down the design of the MKT as it has done to every concept they have decided to produce which has only been about 4 out of 12. If they do end up giving the MKZ & MKT the 3.7 they should make it produce 300+ HP.
akboss302 11:23PM (9/12/2008)
That's cool, my car came with a Blind Spot Monitoring System too! I just turn my neck and voila.
Reply
Justin 11:32PM (9/12/2008)
The back hatch area looks a little weird. Just make it an actual wagon and be done with it, although its close.
Other than that it looks like a nice sportwagon, and fortunately doesn't have a useless lift kit.
Reply
quazi 11:43PM (9/12/2008)
The big grin on the front looks like Eskimo Joe. (eskimojoes.com)
Reply
amac 1:24AM (9/13/2008)
Another ugly luxury SUV type thingy. Did somebody leave the SUV machine on back at the factory... or do people really still want to buy this showy rubbish? Oh how the mind boggles.
Reply
bakka 1:31AM (9/13/2008)
POS!
Reply
BoxerFanatic 1:59AM (9/13/2008)
What are you people complaining about?
After row upon row of box upon box... bland SUVs, and CUVs... Especially the boxy uggo, the Ford Flex.
Finally one is shown (in concept form, certainly more bombastic than production) with a bit of style, and it is scorned? Are you kidding?
Ford has plenty to be scorned for. But designing the MKT as a vehicle that doesn't look like a UPS truck is not one of them. If they would just give it a name, though.
A crossover vehicle may not be my demographic right now, but at least it looks like something.
If they could give the MKX and MKZ that nose, as well as fixing the MKZ's atrocious tail lights (milan has the best of that breed.)
And give them their proper names back. Zephyr, Continental (should be a lincoln-ized production model of the Ford Interceptor concept)
And build a 5-door fastback 4-seat mid-size RWD sedan, based on a much improved IRS-equipped Mustang chassis, or revived LS chassis, the Mark IX, not named MKR. A 1/5-price Aston Rapide type vehicle, basically.
Reply
J M C 3 7:47AM (9/13/2008)
Lincolns should be clean sophisticated well proportioned designs.
The Lincoln of the Kennedy era limo would be a perfect example.
Reply