Lincoln MKX Concept

[Keef]

Lincoln has finally revealed the new MKX, the Ford Edge-based crossover which is slightly larger than the Escape-sized MKC shown late last year. Apparently this will be a global car, notably being sold in China as well.

Once again, it looks great on the outside. Lincoln's new design language is unique and modern, a blend of classic wing-like shapes combined with modern bright work and hardware, lending the car a low, wide, futuristic look. It's an excellent looking little thing. Details on the interior haven't been offered yet but you can be sure it will include touch controls, the bane of modern automobiles, just like the MKZ already has and MKC will have.

I've actually driven an MKZ recently and spent a few minutes fiddling with the touch controls. While the touch surfaces are made of sparkly gray plastic which looks and feels nice enough, I noticed the functionality was rather lacking in that shiny glares in sunlight would render the embedded labels virtually invisible. Unlike Cadillac's piano black touch surfaces which cause a mirror-like glare, this is more a diffuse glow that isn't blinding but still annoying. Plus, it doesn't "touch" in the way that your iPhone does - you have to touch and hold a button for a split second to activate it. Took me a second to realize why none of the buttons seemed to work. The system makes for a very smooth, clean design, though I'm not a fan. I prefer more texture in a luxury car. You'll notice the European luxury brands don't do smooth and clean but their interiors have some serious topography going on that makes it feel like it's strongly built and structural, rather than simply smoothed plaster.

So, prospective touch-based interior aside, the car is looking pretty good. Hopefully it sells. Lincoln's current design language is fantastic in my opinion so as long as they can come up with good advertising and offer an aggressive price point they should be able to gather traffic and start growing. The entire lineup is starting to look really nice.

 

[Sidebrowns]

That grille finally looks at home on this concept. I didn't like the more diagonal look so toned down it works a lot better IMO. I hope those lines on the hood don't make production though because all I can think is Crossfire. The Lincoln lettering on the hatch looks great with that taillight design. 👍

Not a big fan of any of the silver bits. The side ones look especially bad.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

It looks like an Audi Q5 with a new and very ugly front end. They'll sell loads.

 

[xNEVER-ONEx]

People still buy Lincolns?

 

[Xilor]

Overall its not too bad, though that colour really ruins it for me. However its not a very creative design; if you look closely, there's lots of design cues which are blatantly copied from other cars.

-Headlights are very similar to the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
-Taillights were taken off a Jaguar XF.
-The overall shape of the car, especially the side profile, is very similar to an Audi Q5.

Then there's other possible issues; like the powertrains which will probably be EcoBoost units exclusively, and I've driven many EB equipped Fords and Lincolns and they just aren't as smooth and quiet as what the Germans offer. Then there's their infotainment system, Ford has recently ditched Microsoft and are now working with Blackberry on a new system, no idea if it will make it on this MKX but regardless you can guarantee that it will be problematic.

Maybe i'm being a bit pessimistic considering this is still only a concept but I just have a gut feeling this car won't be very competitive.

 

[Robin]

The rear looks slightly too 'Ford Part's Bin'. Looks way to similar to all of Ford's other SUV and MPV's.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

As expected, the heavy-handed nature of Lincoln's latest styling direction has been finessed with this; I think it's arguably the best application yet, really. It's distinct and identifiable as a Lincoln. The MKZ, for all the good about not looking like a Taurus, didn't feel all too finished once you got around back, but this looks much more sorted and cohesive.

Noice 👍

 

[gt3_racer05]

looks pleasing

 

[Sage Ages]

It looks like pretty much everything Ford/Lincoln made in the past two years.

 

[Badasp5.0]

WTF does Lincoln need another crossover? Where is the new large RWD sedan?

 

[Keef]

WTF does Lincoln need another crossover? Where is the new large RWD sedan?

This is a replacement for the current MKX. The MKC concept they showed is smaller, like an Escape.

Crossovers are one of the hottest selling segments right now. Lincoln needs them for the same reason Porsche and Audi do. Make dat money. The more money they make the more they have to dump into low-selling projects like a luxo barge.

 

[MHPALA]

IMO. Their design language is getting more pleasing to the eye. I like it.. (Can't believe I said that)

 

[Omnis]

Worthless without interior pics.

 

[Keef]

Worthless without interior pics.

There aren't any available yet.

 

[Omnis]

There aren't any available yet.

I know. These Lincoln concepts look great, but they're not worth much without a knockout interior. Still don't know why they don't do a new Conti with this design language. Is their strategy really to just make luxe SUVs?

 

[Zenith]

Jeez, even Lincoln's concept cars are boring to look at.

 

[Keef]

I know. These Lincoln concepts look great, but they're not worth much without a knockout interior. Still don't know why they don't do a new Conti with this design language. Is their strategy really to just make luxe SUVs?

The strategy is to increase sales volume and profit before developing a car that must be excellent and therefore expensive to develop with low volume production.

 

[Omnis]

Whatever, Keef. That kind of mentality is why Lincoln sucks.

Build it right and it'll sell itself. Put it in a special area at the Ford dealer. If the Koreans can do it, so can they.

 

[MoLiEG]

I like it 👍

 

[DeathSmiles]

Lincoln needs to put out a large four-door, and a large coupe. This concept looks nice in and of itself, but they need to go ahead and pull the trigger on the promised new models, already.

Or at least tease me with them, already.

 

[Keef]

Whatever, Keef. That kind of mentality is why Lincoln sucks.

Build it right and it'll sell itself. Put it in a special area at the Ford dealer. If the Koreans can do it, so can they.

The Koreans had cheap labor on their side when they began selling crappy, inexpensive cars with an unmatched warranty. They continued embracing their production cost advantage while heavily advertising their warranty and lower prices, expanding into profitable new small-SUV/crossover segments with underwhelming but cheap offerings that carried the magical warranty. They became so profitable that they expanded production into the US for American-market cars, another advertising point, and drastically increased the quality of their most profitable segments of small and midsize cars and SUVs/crossovers. It's only been the last 5 years when they expanded into moderate luxury territory with the Genesis, and only a year since Hyundai started selling the Equus - again a lower-quality offering with a relatively cheap price and massive warranty.

Lincoln doesn't do a very good job of advertising, frankly, and they don't have a ridiculous warranty to tout which is one of the Koreans' strongest selling points. Lincoln's cars are on par with the highest-end offerings from the Koreans like the Optima, Sonata and Genesis, if not slightly better, but they don't have the warranty advantage and haven't shaken the old-peoples-car stigma. It's a work in progress. Ford is going to have to leverage their excellent profits to invest heavily into Lincoln marketing if they expect it to grow like Cadillac did.

Frankly, I think parking the concept in a hangar with a jet is the wrong kind of advertising. You know what kind of ******ckers fly in a Challenger on a regular basis? They have AMGs and Ms and Alpinas for daily drivers. Lincoln isn't fooling anybody with those photos. However, Buick's new advertisement (That's a Buick?!) is fantastic. Young, hip people buying new Buicks because they're actually new and relevant, and the old lady being blown away that it's so nice and modern. I hate Buicks (who the hell wants blinding ice-blue lights filling their cabin at night?) but the advertising is great and promotes a new, youthful image.

 

[Omnis]

Lincoln should be gunning for young professionals and fashion hipsters.

"Why, look! You can shoot at the lighthouse in your new Lincoln."

"Big enough for Ruth Buzzi's chin. Big enough for the whole family."

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

I like the design, don't care for the color at all.

 

[YSSMAN]

Lincoln doesn't do a very good job of advertising, frankly...

You mean having the other guy from Mad Men in the ads? No, not that guy. The other one. Yeah, that one. The one that looks older than he actually is, and everyone thinks he's super cool and stuff. That dude. Because baby boomers totally relate to that guy and his smokin' hot wife, bopping around in a MKZ after having a fantastic dinner of grilled salmon on a bed of rice pilaf, asparagus, and nice bottle of Merlot, going out on the town to drink some more while listening to jazz with that massive sunroof open. Oh, how nice it must be to be part of the 2%, and being the 1% of that 2% who for some reason decided to buy a Lincoln instead of an Audi like anyone else.

I think, at the very least, Lincoln does a great job advertising the idea of their cars being well-designed, and having a very distinctive, "clean" (in an architectural sense) look to them that a lot of other brands don't. Their updated dealerships definitely reflect that image, and if you've been to one of their displays at a larger auto show, it definitely shows a direction for where they want to go. But they image they want is not the image that they're getting - a lesser American option than a Cadillac, barely better than a Chrysler.

I dunno, say what you will about that controversial Cadillac add with Dum Dum Dugan, but it got people talking about Cadillacs. Even if it wasn't entirely positive, Cadillacs were on people's mind. As much as GM fumbles their advertising year after year, somehow, it works. But, they've also got the products to back up what they're intentions are. Maybe Ford should take a page from them and make some stupid, semi-offensive mistake and get some attention for themselves.

That, or somehow get the whole cast of Mad Men to promote their cars. You know, forgetting about John Hamm driving a Cadillac on the show, and him being the voice of Mercedes-Benz and all...

 

[Omnis]

Lincolns would sell if their interiors didn't suck. They made things all buttony. People that buy lincolns want knobs and levers.

 

[Keef]

@YSSMAN apparently when I move to Columbus and live that real college life I'll have to learn how to eat all over again. Currently I don't see a problem with getting salmon or ribs almost every time I eat out which is like 4 times a week. Ahhh, the pleasures of living at home.

@Omnis the new MKZ's interior is all touch buttony. I don't like it, personally. There's nothing tangible about it. I don't like my iPhone either, but it works well and I use it. That doesn't mean I like it as much as my PC with its buttons and real keyboard and whatnot. Knobs and levers really are better and I think all manufacturers need to get back to basics. Nobody loves touch screens.