Holy Hell; the New Lincoln MKZ is Great

"DerW220" (w220)
11/18/2015 at 01:07 • Filed to: Lincoln, MKZ

The new MKZ gets a new exclusive 3.0L twin-turbo V6 making 400 bhp and 400 lb-ft of torque! The new design language is working soo good in my opinion! More pics below.

Ford is getting serious with budgeting for great Lincoln interiors as this thing has soft-touch everywhere. It should provide a great bridge and preview between now and the unveiling of the (probably ULTRA plush) Continental. I’m hoping they can actually be Cadillac-competitive eventually.

DISCUSSION (49)

Sneaky Pete > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 01:14

With looks like that, they will not compete with much of anything.

DerW220 > Sneaky Pete
11/18/2015 at 01:25

That’s funny, because it looks like it’s competing with vehicles far above its design class and price-level to me.

911e46z06 > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 01:27

Lol! Good one.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 01:27

Looks like a huge step in the right direction. But honestly at first glance I thought someone ‘shopped Audi headlights and a new grill onto a Malibu.

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 01:29

What is this witchcraft? I don’t believe that’s a Lincoln. I’m getting a Jaguar vibe from the hood and grille though, not that it’s a bad thing.

DerW220 > 911e46z06
11/18/2015 at 01:31

Good what? It’s a FF-biased AWD platform with a new suspension and class-leading engine. It basically performs as an Audi A6 would at twice the price of this.

boxrocket > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 01:32

I had to do a double-take when I first saw the releases on Facebook. I thought it was the MKS, as the current MKZ still looks like a handsome rolling sculpture, but at least it has the brand's newest face. I hope they settle on one design soon...

Blondude > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 01:33

100 hp more than the last generation? Damn.

DerW220 > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
11/18/2015 at 01:34

Look closer and you’ll see no Audi whatsoever. The turn signals are in the corners and the LEDs are vertical.

DerW220 > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC
11/18/2015 at 01:36

Exactly. It hits far above its brand image in design and performance. This thing will outrun a $70k Audi A6!

Sneaky Pete > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 01:37

Looks wise, it looks like it’s competing with the Chrysler 200.

If it sells, anywhere near what the ATS sells, I’ll eat my hat. (I’m guessing it does a 1/4 of the ATS)

DerW220 > Blondude
11/18/2015 at 01:37

And a re-worked AWD and chassis and suspension...

911e46z06 > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 01:39

Look at it.

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 01:39

That’s for sure. I’d honestly consider one of these if I were shopping for a comfortable daily driver. Ford is just knocking everything out of the park recently.

DerW220 > Sneaky Pete
11/18/2015 at 01:40

You should probably stay away from design if you don’t think this is a step in the right direction for Lincoln. If you think the last one looked so great, why did it barely sell? We still haven’t even seen the rear of the redone MKZ yet.

Sneaky Pete > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 01:41

Just because it isn’t as ugly as the old one doesn’t mean this one is not also ugly.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
11/18/2015 at 01:43

Yeah but that’s part of the problem. You shouldn’t have to look closely to distinguish one brands’s feature from another’s, at least not something as recognizable as headlights. It looks good, don’t get me wrong, but it looks good in a cheap Chinese knockoff sort of way. Even the speaker grilles mimic Mercedes’ Burmester speaker grilles. Oh, and presumably the engine is still mounted the wrong way? That will hurt sales, I suspect.

DerW220 > 911e46z06
11/18/2015 at 01:43

You must have made a mistake. Oh, that’s right, you BMW folk like the kidney grill crap.

911e46z06 > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 01:46

Looks like someone slapped a knock-off Jag front clip on a Kia

DerW220 > Sneaky Pete
11/18/2015 at 01:47

It weighs nearly the same as an Audi S4, has 67 bhp and lb-ft torque greater from a superior 3.0L, and has the same FF-biased AWD setup. This thing will be a rocket. It’s closer in numbers to an S6 even.

DerW220 > 911e46z06
11/18/2015 at 01:50

People and their uneducated pre-conceived notions. This thing will outrun an E39 M5.

911e46z06 > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 01:56

It’ll beat an e39 through the quarter mile (and look like shit doing it). Not on anything with curves. And the M5 driver will have more fun, since he has a manual transmission and RWD.

for Michigan > Sneaky Pete
11/18/2015 at 01:56

Kinja'd!!!

Source: The Truth About Cars .

The MKZ has been outselling the ATS consistently for a while. Not that it’s anything to write home about...

911e46z06 > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 01:58

Lol. Uneducated. Driven the new MKZ, have we?

PS9 > Sneaky Pete
11/18/2015 at 02:02

Kinja'd!!!

Lincoln as a brand isn’t competitive, but the MKZ is the 4th best selling Mid-sized luxury car in the US. 1st is the ES, a car very much like the MKZ.

Sneaky Pete > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 02:03

Quick and ugly.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 02:08

Kinja'd!!!

This door panel I do like.

Amoore100 > 911e46z06
11/18/2015 at 02:29

Just because you don’t like its looks doesn’t mean you should spoil it for the rest of us. And to the rest of the American public the E39 is just something noisy that will break down all the time whereas this is a fast and responsible way for them to feel proud about buying American. This is the first actual legitimate effort from Lincoln in the past few years; at least give it a chance.

Random Commenter > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 02:44

To all the people saying “It’s ugly”...

No. This. This is ugly.

Kinja'd!!!

This new design is a billion times better than the one they had. If you think otherwise, well, I suggest a trip to LensCrafters...

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 03:26

Wow, now they can finally compete with the XTS V-Sport. Yaaawn

Illegitimus Prime > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 05:24

Kinja'd!!!

Everything looks fantastic, I just get this sickly feeling that this particular storage compartment is going to be hard, unpleasant plastic and everyone is going to rail on it as if it’s something that breaks the whole car and interior. I would drive this car and I despise most of the new tech and weight in vehicles.

Hot Takes Salesman > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 06:35

Ooo I like that interior

RTeeJay > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 07:07

The interior looks great. But the front fascia looks like a mashed together Frankenstein of a Jag XF, Subaru WRX, and an Audi S6. While I agree this is an improvement over last generation, I'd still have a Cadillac over a Lincoln.

samssun > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 07:09

Where did the 3.0 come from? De-stroked Ecoboost 3.5? Whatever they’re doing to get 400/400 out of this, just do the same thing to the 3.5 and you’re at 450-475.

samssun > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 07:11

What does it weigh? I’m afraid of the answer, but if it’s less than the S4 that’s a start (although the new S4 is supposed to drop like 225 pounds).

Jayhawk Jake > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 07:51

It’ll outrun a 20 year old BMW? Wowwwwww.

It’ll still be slower than a new Cadillac

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Jayhawk Jake
11/18/2015 at 08:02

Actually it might not be... Even though it landed them in some shit because they changed out the tires it actually came with, the last generation on Super Sports put down better times than the F10 M5 at Willow Springs(?), IIRC.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Jayhawk Jake
11/18/2015 at 08:07

Never mind, that was the larger, (probably)heavier MKS with less power. Granted track times don't really mean too much.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > 911e46z06
11/18/2015 at 08:09

This! It looks like a knockoff of the K900

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 08:23

I can respect the 400 horsepower and AWD (though, like the XTS-V, I feel like there’s only so much you can do with a FWD-based mainstream sedan chassis) but the looks are just thoroughly meh. They just grafted the continentals face onto the MKZs body and I just ain't feeling it.

OPPOsaurus WRX > boxrocket
11/18/2015 at 08:39

i was kinda disappointed they bailed on the double waterfall grill. I felt like they were just starting to get it sorted out.

Jayhawk Jake > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
11/18/2015 at 08:41

It’s a Haldex (I assume) based Fusion with a 400hp motor. It’s going to be quick in a straight line and probably decent to drive, but I doubt it’ll hold a candle to the ATS-V performance-wise.

Power =/= performance, and no matter how much it gets gussied up the MKZ is still just a Fusion.

Jayhawk Jake > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 08:43

The headlights look very much like A5 headlights

I’m not saying it looks like an Audi, but it’s not all that unique.

Nolan Knight > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 08:48

It's the same rear design, unfortunately.

DerW220 > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
11/18/2015 at 09:36

Every single Audi made is a FF-based AWD.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > DerW220
11/18/2015 at 09:42

Every Audi except stuff based on the A3 uses a longitudinally mounted engine thats probably 90% of the time or more is coupled to quattro which has a standard rearward bias that has the ability to send more power to the front. Odds are the system in the MKZ will be haldex and only use the back wheels when slip is detected on the front two.

DerW220 > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
11/18/2015 at 10:08

Also excluding the R8 and Q7... But my point is every Audi anywhere near the price of this MKZ will have FF-bias. You also have it backwards. Most Quattros are naturally FF and have the ability to send close to 50% to the rear. The base A6 doesn’t even come with AWD. It’s FF only.

911e46z06 > Amoore100
11/18/2015 at 14:09

They killed any chance it has by making it look like that.

Atomic Llama > DerW220
01/09/2016 at 22:27

Kinja'd!!!

Too much Kia in this weird grille indent. That can probably be forgiven, as otherwise it’s a very handsome car.