New York 2012: 2013 Lincoln MKZ: Comments

[William Maley]

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William Maley

Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

April 2, 2012

Despite getting leaked earlier today, Lincoln showed the new 2013 MKZ before the start of the New York Auto Show.

Based on the MKZ concept vehicle that was shown at the Detroit Auto Show in January, the production version looks largely unchanged except for the door handles and larger side mirrors.

“The MKZ shape is a vision completed with just a few strokes,” said Lincoln Design director Max Wolff.

Inside, the MKZ is a dream concept car come true. The interior is covered wall-to-wall in leather, real wood trim and metal accents. The instrument cluster is a 10.1-inch LCD screen. The dash has a push Button Shift gear selector and 8-inch center touchscreen. SYNC and MyLincolnTouch is standard. Optional is a unique 15.2-foot Retractable Panoramic Roof that Lincoln teased last week.

The MKZ will have the choice of three powertrains; a 2.0L four-cylinder EcoBoost producing 240 HP (on premium fuel) and 270 lb-ft of torque; a 3.7L V6 generating 300 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque; and the hybrid powertrain which uses 2.0L four-cylinder and a electric motor producing 188 HP.

Fuel economy for the three engines are:

• 2.0L EcoBoost: 22 MPG City/33 MPG Highway
  
• 3.7L V6: 18 MPG City/26 MPG Highway
  
• Hybrid: N/A
  

Lincoln Drive Control will be standard on the MKZ. Lincoln Drive Control coordinates every system on the car to continually refine the ride and handling in real time. The system uses Continually Controlled Damping suspension system, which offers normal, comfort and sport modes and activately adjusts the dampers up to 50 times per second.

Safety-wise, the MKZ could set a record for the number of sensors onboard. There's a camera in the rear-view mirror that can read lane-markers, radar sensors for the adaptive cruise control and active Collision Warning with Brake Support, and more radar sensors for parking and backing up. Inside, the MKZ is equipped with eight airbags. Available is a class-exclusive inflatable rear seatbelts.

Press Release is on Page 2

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The New MKZ: Lincoln's Future Begins

NEW YORK, April 2, 2012 – The all-new Lincoln MKZ makes its debut at the New York International Auto Show, marking a key milestone in Lincoln's reinvention.

"The new Lincoln MKZ represents the future of Lincoln in both style and substance," said Jim Farley, Group Vice President, Global Marketing, Sales and Service. "It is proof of our commitment to deliver a new breed of Lincolns for a new generation of Lincoln clients – motor cars that are distinctive, elegant, full of technology and a delight to own."

The 2013 Lincoln MKZ enters the midsize luxury segment later this year.

> It is the first Lincoln created by a dedicated team in its new Lincoln Design Studio

> With a sweeping profile, MKZ incorporates one of the world's widest-opening retractable glass roofs

> Lincoln Drive Control offered as an intelligent system that delivers a refined ride and engaging driving dynamics. Standard Lincoln Drive Control intuitively integrates multiple systems (engine, transmission, body and chassis) to deliver totally new Lincoln driving quality

> Innovations include a distinct Push Button Shift gear selector creates flowing and architectural center console design

> A quiet, well-appointed interior is provided by standard Active Noise Control, genuine wood trim, full LCD instrumentation, heated front seats and SYNC® with MyLincoln Touch™

> MKZ is offered with a choice of three powerful, efficient powertrains, including a next-generation hybrid expected to ensure the MKZ remains America's most fuel-efficient premium sedan

> Class-exclusive inflatable rear safety belts that supplement eight standard airbags are available

Camera- and Radar-Based Driving Aids

The new Lincoln MKZ offers the Lane Keeping System, a suite of advanced driving aids that helps drivers avoid drifting from their lane due to distraction or fatigue. Consisting of Lane Keeping Aid, Lane Keeping Alert and Driver Assist, the Lane Keeping System utilizes a mono-vision camera integrated into the rearview mirror to read the lane markers ahead.

Available radar-based (ultrasonic) driving aids further enhance the driving experience. Adaptive Cruise Control and Collision Warning with Brake Support each use a long-range radar system that scans in front of the vehicle, automatically adjusting to traffic speed and providing a visual and audible alert when a potential front end collision is detected.

Active park assist, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with cross-traffic alert use multiple short-range wide-angle radar sensors. Each function provides a distinct benefit, ranging from making parallel parking easier to warning of oncoming vehicles while backing out of a parking space.

SYNC with MyLincoln Touch

SYNC with MyLincoln Touch is standard in the new MKZ. The combined system makes it easier to use the entertainment, climate and available navigation features as well as devices brought into the car (e.g., phones, PDA, MP3 players). Twin five-way controls on the steering wheel manage essential systems, and many functions can be voice-activated via SYNC.

Standard SYNC Services make turn-by-turn directions available via one-button push and simple voice commands. Continually improving voice recognition software learns user voices, improving the efficiency of voice commands.

MKZ Dynamic Driving Technologies

The new MKZ offers Lincoln Drive Control as standard. Lincoln Drive Control is an automatic system that delivers an ideal balance of a smooth ride with confident handling as it intuitively responds to driver commands and the road, making the 2013 model the most refined and engaging MKZ ever.

Always on, Lincoln Drive Control orchestrates the performance of the Continuously Controlled Damping (CCD) adjustable suspension, electric power-assisted steering (EPAS), engine, transmission, Active Noise Control (ANC), traction control and stability control systems.

The result is an unsurpassed combination of refined ride and engaging driving dynamics. CCD offers three modes (Sport/Normal/Comfort) that are accessible using MyLincoln Touch. Selecting "Sport" on the Push Button Shift gear selector enables a decidedly more sporty driving experience.

CCD contributes to Lincoln Drive Control's transparent action by monitoring the car's suspension settings up to 500 times per second. The real-time system adjusts the suspension up to 50 times per second to deliver more controlled handling with a smoother ride. CCD augments a highly developed chassis that includes a refined strut front suspension and an all new integral link rear suspension.

The new MKZ is the only sedan in its class to include Continuously Controlled Damping and Active Noise Control as standard equipment.

MKZ Engines, Transmissions and Drive Systems

The 2013 Lincoln MKZ offers three distinct powertrains. The standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost delivers the performance of a traditional V6 along with expected segment-leading fuel economy that is at least 3 mpg better than the closest competitor. This engine delivers a projected 20-percent increase in highway fuel economy versus the 2012 MKZ.

Emphasizing performance and efficiency, the optional 3.7-liter V6 produces significantly more power (37 horsepower and 28 lb.-ft. of torque) than the previous MKZ V6 while improving fuel economy approximately 5 percent.

Maximizing fuel efficiency, the optional 2.0-liter four-cylinder hybrid powertrain is expected to enable the 2013 MKZ Hybrid to remain North America's most fuel-efficient premium sedan. The 2012 MKZ Hybrid is rated at 41 city mpg, 36 highway mpg.

Non-hybrid models utilize a six-speed automatic transmission. Standard paddle shifters mounted behind the steering wheel add to the performance driving experience of the MKZ.

2.0- and 3.7-liter gasoline engines are equipped with six-speed automatic transmission; 2.0-liter Hybrid is equipped with a continuously variable transmission. Horsepower, torque and fuel economy figures all are projected, not certified.

Improving grip on slippery roads, the available all-wheel-drive (AWD) system anticipates and adjusts the power delivery to the front and rear axles in as little as 16 milliseconds, faster than the blink of an eye.

The new MKZ is the only sedan in its class to offer inflatable second-row outboard seat belts. Rear-seat passengers – often children or mature passengers – can be more vulnerable to head, chest and neck injuries. The available inflatable second-row, outboard seat belts spread impact forces across more than five times the area of conventional belts, reducing pressure on the chest while helping to control head and neck motion and helping reduce the risk of injuries.

Retractable Panoramic Roof

The Retractable Panoramic Roof is a new signature feature for Lincoln. The 15.2-square-foot glass panel offers one of the largest openings available on any current sedan. The design maintains the structural strength of a steel-roof vehicle.

DESIGN

Nearly identical to the MKZ Concept shown at the North American International Auto Show in January, the production 2013 Lincoln MKZ embodies a design language that is subtly distinctive.

"We call it elegant simplicity," said Max Wolff, Lincoln Design director. "We wanted the new MKZ to be inviting and approachable. We moved away from traditional luxury cues and complex designs. We came up with something warm that is rich, yet still intentionally restrained."

MKZ Exterior

A sweeping roofline defines the new luxury sedan's profile. The steeply raked windshield and lengthened backlight make for a sleeker and more flowing appearance that is 10 percent more aerodynamic than the model it replaces. "The MKZ shape is a vision completed with just a few strokes," said Wolff.

Although strikingly modern, the design retains classic Lincoln design elements including a more refined interpretation of the split-wing grille, first seen on the 1938 Lincoln-Zephyr.

Rearview mirrors stand on door-mounted, sculpted pedestals. This fitment enables the front door glass to extend farther forward to improve visibility and to allow even more light into the interior.

The crafted headlamp assemblies include bright, energy-efficient LED lighting. The front headlights turn in sync with the steering wheel, providing enhanced visibility. At the rear, LED technology enabled a thin, distinctive full-width taillamp graphic.

MKZ Interior

Design teams created an inviting interior featuring bold architectural elements, rich natural materials and fine details.

"The exterior's front graphic is repeated in the dramatic sweep of the new instrument panel, helping tie the interior to the exterior in a harmonious manner. These flowing forms – along with the open center console – create a comfortable and functional interior that particularly appeals to younger, more diverse drivers we believe will now consider Lincoln," said Wolff.

Innovation and technology abound inside the new MKZ. Replacing the traditional mechanical transmission shift lever is a contemporary five-button interface. The individual buttons of Push Button Shift engage Park, Neutral, Reverse, and forward gears in two modes, Drive and Sport.

Push Button Shift gave designers freedom to create a sculptural multi-level center console with more functional storage areas.

Positioned ahead of the driver, the full-color 10.1-inch LCD instrument cluster operates with the latest version of SYNC with MyLincoln Touch. The all-new design combines dimensional indicator rings framing a brilliant and reconfigurable Thin Film Transistor (TFT) LCD. An equally critical component of MyLincoln Touch is the nearly flush-mounted center 8-inch LCD touch screen that displays information clearly in easy-to-reference color-keyed quadrants.

Premium-grade, supple leather covers all seating surfaces. Responsibly harvested wood and metal-toned surfaces create a luxurious and comfortable interior space.

Standard luxury amenities include an 11-speaker audiophile entertainment system and cabin air filtration, plus heated front seats (with the driver's featuring 10-way power controls), remote start capabilities and Active Noise Control.

To make the MKZ exceptionally quiet, ANC electronically targets frequencies and reduces their intensity. To improve the refinement of the driving experience, other frequencies are subtly enhanced.

The available THX® II Certified Car Audio System is a Lincoln-exclusive that features 700-watts, 14-channels and 14-speakers. THX audio engineers spent more than 200 hours custom tuning the THX-certified equipment to the new MKZ's interior. The result delivers home-theater surround sound to the road.

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[David]

Love the side and rear profile pics. Not feeling the nose of this car or the roof. Like others have mentioned, I believe that sad excuse for a glass roof will be gone in 2 years replaced by a more traditional sun roof.

Sad how little that roof opens up.

Interior, I am feeling it. I like the layout and the over all design that to me seems inviting.

[Robert Hall]

The photos in the gallery all look weirdly distorted (maybe it's my browser resolution), so I can't really judge the shape and proportions..I like the taillight detailing and profile, though the decklid seems overwrought and too tall..

[David]

Cubical, I have a high end desktop system and I played with my resolution and it is not our machines, these pictures seem to be stretched in all the wrong ways. Bing it online and there are better pictures, but I still hate the Front Nose of the car.

[balthazar]

From the pics, I do like the rear fascia, but prefer the vertical blades/grille on the prior gen.

The sunroof is 'much ado about nothing'.

And gee, another 3-spoke steering wheel with a hole thru the bottom one.

Agreed : pics are making me unsure as to the true proportions/ surfacing. Better verdict 'in the steel'.

[Robert Hall]

Cubical, I have a high end desktop system and I played with my resolution and it is not our machines, these pictures seem to be stretched in all the wrong ways. Bing it online and there are better pictures, but I still hate the Front Nose of the car.

Yeah, I checked the pics on Autoblog and they look normal...on my 24 inch Mac monitor and 15 inch laptop monitor they look wierd here...

[ocnblu]

To me, the design is cold. Lacks warmth and therefore is not attractive. I'm not attracted to cold things.

I see Volvo in the back half. Volvos have never been "warm" cars to me, until recently maybe when they went soft.

[Robert Hall]

To me, the design is cold. Lacks warmth and therefore is not attractive. I'm not attracted to cold things.

It definitely has a honed, technical quality to it...the bland exterior and interior colors of the photos definitely add to the coldness... I'd like to see it a brighter exterior color and light or two tone interior..

[daves87rs]

The nose! Everything else is good though....

[smk4565]

Looks sort of like a Kia. Better engine choices is good, it does look unique and will stand out unlike the 07-2012 MKZ that is sort of boring looking. However it might be too radical. Problem is, it is still a front wheel drive Fusion against rear drive imports and a rear drive CTS.

[thedriver]

Lincoln is so dead in the water. I could do better. Seriously.

[William Maley]

The photos in the gallery all look weirdly distorted (maybe it's my browser resolution), so I can't really judge the shape and proportions..I like the taillight detailing and profile, though the decklid seems overwrought and too tall..

Cubical, I have a high end desktop system and I played with my resolution and it is not our machines, these pictures seem to be stretched in all the wrong ways. Bing it online and there are better pictures, but I still hate the Front Nose of the car.

There is a reason for that. The forum software we use (me guessing here) can only take uploads of 2 MB (per picture). That means I have to resize them to fit. Usually, that means pictures get resized to 1024x768 with the software I use. Sure, the pictures don't always look right, but at least I can get them onto the site.

I wished the upload size was larger so I could not resize them as much. But, I'm not sure if there is a solution.

[pow]

If the Rover 75 were still around, this would be its replacement.

[David]

Thanks MudMonster for the explanation.

[regfootball]

i probably tend to agree with blu and the others that this is half baked, cold, uninspired, unfinished, not sure what Lincoln is after. and the interior is nice but then they go and put in poofy seats..

[PONTIAC06]

Definitely hate the nose...otherwise the exterior is good...and the interior is unique, but it would be nice to see other color combos...and of course see it in person. Regardless I don't think that this is going to be Lincoln's saving grace...

[Blake Noble]

There is a reason for that. The forum software we use (me guessing here) can only take uploads of 2 MB (per picture). That means I have to resize them to fit. Usually, that means pictures get resized to 1024x768 with the software I use. Sure, the pictures don't always look right, but at least I can get them onto the site.

I wished the upload size was larger so I could not resize them as much. But, I'm not sure if there is a solution.

What software are you using?

Photoshop and even newer versions of Paint have an option where you can "link" the dimensions of an image together, so if you change the width of an image to, say, 1024, it'll automatically adjust the height accordingly and not distort the image when you make the change.

[William Maley]

There is a reason for that. The forum software we use (me guessing here) can only take uploads of 2 MB (per picture). That means I have to resize them to fit. Usually, that means pictures get resized to 1024x768 with the software I use. Sure, the pictures don't always look right, but at least I can get them onto the site.

I wished the upload size was larger so I could not resize them as much. But, I'm not sure if there is a solution.

What software are you using?

Photoshop and even newer versions of Paint have an option where you can "link" the dimensions of an image together, so if you change the width of an image to, say, 1024, it'll automatically adjust the height accordingly and not distort the image when you make the change.

I use either InfraView or GIMP 2.. Will need to see if GIMP has something like that..

[Blake Noble]

There is a reason for that. The forum software we use (me guessing here) can only take uploads of 2 MB (per picture). That means I have to resize them to fit. Usually, that means pictures get resized to 1024x768 with the software I use. Sure, the pictures don't always look right, but at least I can get them onto the site.

I wished the upload size was larger so I could not resize them as much. But, I'm not sure if there is a solution.

What software are you using?

Photoshop and even newer versions of Paint have an option where you can "link" the dimensions of an image together, so if you change the width of an image to, say, 1024, it'll automatically adjust the height accordingly and not distort the image when you make the change.

I use either InfraView or GIMP 2.. Will need to see if GIMP has something like that..

I know in Photoshop there's pretty much just a box you check on the input panel for resizing images to link the changes together. I'm not too familiar with either InfraView or GIMP, though.

[ZL-1]

I LOVE the interior! There's a of simplicity to those interior shapes and the layout (no bulging center stack) that I appreciate.

Regarding the exterior, I don't know... Overall the styling looks like something very technical or machined, yet there is something curvy in that front-end at the same time (look at the fron 3/4 picture)... It certainly is VERY different from its Ford platform mate, and that's a good thing. Wonder how this new brand styling will evolve...

[Drew Dowdell]

I am substantially underwhelmed. This may have some technology available that the Impala doesn't, but the Impala LTZ is simply a nicer place to spend your time than the MKZ.

Oh yeah... and I uploaded a bunch more photos to the gallery.

[GMTruckGuy74]

This and the Fusion are realted, correct? If yes, then I like this better than the '13 Fusion... but I'd stick with something GM sells instead

[Robert Hall]

This and the Fusion are related, correct? If yes, then I like this better than the '13 Fusion... but I'd stick with something GM sells instead

Yes..based on the Fusion. Not sure how the dimensions differ, though.

[Drew Dowdell]

The photos in the gallery all look weirdly distorted (maybe it's my browser resolution), so I can't really judge the shape and proportions..I like the taillight detailing and profile, though the decklid seems overwrought and too tall..

Cubical, I have a high end desktop system and I played with my resolution and it is not our machines, these pictures seem to be stretched in all the wrong ways. Bing it online and there are better pictures, but I still hate the Front Nose of the car.

There is a reason for that. The forum software we use (me guessing here) can only take uploads of 2 MB (per picture). That means I have to resize them to fit. Usually, that means pictures get resized to 1024x768 with the software I use. Sure, the pictures don't always look right, but at least I can get them onto the site.

I wished the upload size was larger so I could not resize them as much. But, I'm not sure if there is a solution.

Do you have a "preserve aspect ratio" option when you are resizing photos

If the Rover 75 were still around, this would be its replacement.

lol ouch