Lincoln MKC Spotted

"bobkustofawitshz" (bobkustofawitshz)
10/15/2013 at 21:20 • Filed to: Lincoln

First impressions?

This does not look like the concept. The resemblance is there, but the concept was really something special. Something that could have saved Lincoln. This just looks like every other CUV out there.

After seeing the concept, I was really excited for it – an American Evoque, possibly the best design to come out of Lincoln in decades; the prospect of a sales success injecting some much needed life into the brand. I wanted to go out and buy the car. I haven’t felt that way about any Lincoln in a long, long time. So I am very disappointed to see that the stylish and attractive concept has been fattened up and neutered into what reminds me of a cross between a Buick Enclave and Acura RDX, and frankly every other CUV on the road.

Gone is the squat, athletic stance that made the concept so cool. Also gone is the sleek tapered roofline of the concept, replaced here by a big fat rump. At least the clamshell rear hatch made it, but the effect is not nearly as dramatic on a taller vehicle. And it is noticeably taller, to the detriment of the overall design. It has the Escape's greenhouse from the C-pillars forward. The stylish chisels in the bodywork have sadly been toned down; the sweet LED headlamps of the concept have been replaced by traditional units. The nicely integrated exhaust of the concept was ditched for two round pipes. It also looks like it has lost some of the [badly needed] definition in that grille. And what is going on with the glass near the A-pillar?

This could have been so, so much better.
Lincoln, I am disappointed.

DISCUSSION (15)

TheOnelectronic > bobkustofawitshz
10/15/2013 at 21:21

Concepts and Accountants are natural enemies.

desertdog5051 > bobkustofawitshz
10/15/2013 at 21:23

Why try to disguise it, nobody will notice it anyway.

SpeedSix > bobkustofawitshz
10/15/2013 at 21:26

I hope the car isn't as half-assed as the camouflaging. That camouflage serves nearly no purpose.

SpeedSix > bobkustofawitshz
10/15/2013 at 21:29

At least make the lights more tapered. Today's cars have giant headlight assemblies with a village of LEDs inside. I'd rather have a narrow strip of lights with only what I need.

MooseKnuckles > bobkustofawitshz
10/15/2013 at 21:30

Camo or not, you can't hide that kind of ugly. Actually, they likely camo'd it up so it would draw some attention

bobkustofawitshz > SpeedSix
10/15/2013 at 21:40

I think the light size is one of the things they got just right on this one; any smaller and they wouldn't be proportional to the size of the car's front end, any bigger and it can start to look goofy. I agree with you about the giant buggy headlamps afflicting so many vehicles these days (the Subaru Outback comes to mind as one of the most egregious offenders), but at the same time things can get weird real quick when you start making the lights too small or messing with their positions ( see: Cherokee; also insert "face of car" argument that's been repeated on Jalopnik countless times )

BaconSandwich is tasty. > bobkustofawitshz
10/15/2013 at 21:53

It really does look like a rebadged/slightly modified Buick Enclave.

Me no likey.

Volvosaurus-Rex > bobkustofawitshz
10/15/2013 at 21:54

Can I just buy the concept instead?
I mean it's better than the old one, by a mile, but did they go far enough? I guess they can't, too expensive.

NotACactus > bobkustofawitshz
10/15/2013 at 22:34

That's just nasty.

BmacIL > bobkustofawitshz
10/15/2013 at 22:36

Having seen the real, non-camo version in person, I think that some of your gripes will be rectified once you get a chance to see it for yourself - standing next to it. It is quite noticeably lower and wider than the Escape and has a gorgeous interior. The powertrains on offer will be quite pleasing, as well.

wtrmlnjuc > bobkustofawitshz
10/15/2013 at 23:06

You know, it doesn't look that different to me from concept to production. There are some smaller things but it isn't a very drastic change, at least.

bobkustofawitshz > BmacIL
10/15/2013 at 23:34

Having not seen the real non-camo version myself, I'll have to take your word for it. I hope you're right. I really want it to succeed (and Lincoln needs it to succeed) and I'm just concerned it will deviate too far from the concept and lose that "wow" factor. That's why when I first saw the concept I said just build that. Maybe add door handles.

What can you tell us about the interior? I thought the concept's was gorgeous (again, Lincoln, just build that). Hopefully sans the acres of cheap grey hard plastic that cover the MKZ's center console. For the powertrains I was guessing 2.0 EB and maybe a hybrid, will a V6 be offered? You seem to have inside knowledge... what else do you know, and how (if you can tell)?

bobkustofawitshz > wtrmlnjuc
10/15/2013 at 23:36

Yeah there is definitely a resemblance, but its all those little things that add up to a really stunning vehicle, something Lincoln desperately needs and can't afford to screw up.

wtrmlnjuc > bobkustofawitshz
10/16/2013 at 00:47

I agree. Maybe darken the chrome on the grille and I doubt luxury buyers wouldn't mind paying a little extra for sexier exhausts.

BmacIL > bobkustofawitshz
10/16/2013 at 06:55

In terms of styling, similar to MKZ from a thematic point of view, but applied to an Escape-ish console. It's very neat, well thought-out and classy. I didn't get to sit in it, but the material choices looked better, as well. They've learned from some of the gripes with the MKZ and applied those learnings to the MKC. They're very excited about launching this one, as am I. I can't say much on the powertrains, but what I can say is that it should satisfy the luxury customer. It will get everyone from the person who wants balance between performance and FE to the person who wants performance in a small SUV. No rocketship SVT thing here, but you'll have the option of plenty of grunt.