Topic: 2009 Lincoln MKS Review by Edmunds

[smok]

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articleId=131286?tid=edmunds.il.home.photopanel..2.*

Edmunds rips on the Lincoln MKS, calling it an improved Lincoln Towncar. I wonder if Ford/Lincoln is capable of making a car that can compete?

"Sure, the MKS is about the same price as a Cadillac CTS, but, well, that's where the similarities end. The CTS can legitimately claim various BMWs as rivals. The MKS? It's a luxury sedan and never a sport sedan, not even a little bit"

"So in an odd historical turn, the MKS could be thought of as Lincoln's attempt to build a better Lexus, except that it's no Lexus."

"So the 2009 Lincoln MKS is not much of a handler; no news there, really. But the story doesn't get any better when it comes to acceleration and braking. Again, moving all that weight around isn't easy."

[Sir Osis of Liver]

About what I'd expect from Edmunds. I't been pointed out to everyone that car isn't aimed at BMW, think E class and Lexus GS with more much room, and at a lower price point.

Car and Driver's take:

With the Lincoln name, you’d expect a smooth ride. Is it as calm and unperturbed as in an E-class Benz? Call it a tie, we’ve decided, until we can do a side-by-side matchup.

Is the cabin as quiet? The ears say yes.

Does interior quality match that of a Lexus GS? To our very great surprise and delight, it does. The textures and sheens of the dash top, windowsills, and door panels look Gucci rich. The Scottish leather of the seats has the essential drape and suppleness that lets it deform around your shape with no pressure spots. The mirror-finish jewelry is, of course, molded plastic, but the dies are excellent, holding surfaces that don’t waver when you shift your eye position. We scrutinized knobs and handles, particularly the interior door-release levers, for traces of mold-parting lines. ­Detroit has been failing this test for years, leaving sharp lines that your fingers feel and your mind interprets as Kmart quality. We found none. The MKS is tomorrow’s Lincoln, not yesterday’s.

[rrocket]

Uuhhhh..GS? Too funny.  According to the article it can't even compete with the ES.

"A loaded Lexus ES 350 tops out around $44K and it handles better, has a more elegant interior and is a far more prestigious nameplate."

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Uuhhhh..GS? Too funny.  According to the article it can't even compete with the ES.

"A loaded Lexus ES 350 tops out around $44K and it handles better, has a more elegant interior and is a far more prestigious nameplate."

And here come the fan boys....

That quote is from Edmunds isn't it.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Even in the Edmund's typically biased review:

With that in mind, the MKS's modest speed through our slalom test proved no surprise. At 60.8 mph, it was on par with the Lexus ES 350 and slightly slower than the Hyundai Genesis V6.

60 mph in 7.5 seconds (7.2 seconds with a 1-foot rollout like on a drag strip), a respectable time that's about a half-second slower than the Lexus ES 350

The huge, 4300lb, AWD, MKS is only half a second slower than the much smaller ES and matches it through the slalom. In a car that isn't aimed at the performance crowd that ain't half bad.

[rrocket]

From Edmunds...yea.


But to even say an ES350 "handles better" is a HUGE commentary on how bad the Lincoln must handle...because "handle" and ES350 don't go together...AT ALL.   

Anyhow...someone shopping for a GS would NOT cross shop that Linc.  The ES?  Maybe.  But the GS? No way...


Hey..I had a Linc and loved it while I owned it....

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I never said anything about people cross shopping though, with either the GS or E-Class. Even topped up it's cheaper than either, and aimed at the "near luxury" market whatever the fark that's supposed to be, presumably the ES and maybe high end Buicks.

Not a bad demographic to go after really because Buick moves a lot of cars and the ES remains the best selling Lexus IIRC.

The MKS that I'm curious about is the twin turbo echoboost that's supposed to put out 340hp and 340ft-lb or torque in production trim. The normally aspirated car is soft, but they're supposed to button it down for the high spec version.

[rrocket]

Topped up, the Linc was $46K....topped up the ES was $44K. (in the Edmunds article anyways.....I think the $46K had AWD though)

[Wolverine]

Is funny how Edmunds is the only site that reviewed the MKS and didn't get a nice impression. Everyone else has pointed out a lot of great things found in the MKS that they didn't expect in a Lincoln.

To me the MKS is a great car, I've reading a lot about it and I really like it.

[Mitlov]

We see it as a “reach” car, holding the price of a well-equipped sample cleanly below 40 large but reaching for shoppers in the class above. How high can it reach? We’ve been measuring our sample against some tall yardsticks.

With the Lincoln name, you’d expect a smooth ride. Is it as calm and unperturbed as in an E-class Benz? Call it a tie, we’ve decided, until we can do a side-by-side matchup.

Is the cabin as quiet? The ears say yes.

Does interior quality match that of a Lexus GS? To our very great surprise and delight, it does. The textures and sheens of the dash top, windowsills, and door panels look Gucci rich. The Scottish leather of the seats has the essential drape and suppleness that lets it deform around your shape with no pressure spots. The mirror-finish jewelry is, of course, molded plastic, but the dies are excellent, holding surfaces that don’t waver when you shift your eye position. We scrutinized knobs and handles, particularly the interior door-release levers, for traces of mold-parting lines. Detroit has been failing this test for years, leaving sharp lines that your fingers feel and your mind interprets as Kmart quality. We found none. The MKS is tomorrow’s Lincoln, not yesterday’s.

From Car and Driver's review.  It doesn't handle like a 5-Series, but it does compete with Merc and Lexus on the luxury front.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/car_shopping/luxury_sedans/2009_lincoln_mks_awd_road_test+t-driving_impressions+page-2.html

[MKII]

If Insidelines headline "Lincoln Concedes to Cadillac, and Just About Everyone Else" does not smell of petty journalistic skills having a hate on for a certain car company, then it is just very unprofessional writing.
Plus Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor  should know better then most what cars the MKS competes with.
CTS 
From Fords Media release they mention Cadillac's STS and Lexus' GS, and Chrysler 300 as competitors. With not a mention of trying to be a "sports" sedan.
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/inde...p;art_aid=85426


Makes no difference to me what the writers opinions of the MKS are, but to write with such disdain is very tacky for a "Lead Senior Editor" .

[Mitlov]

Yeah, I don't think anyone was seriously expecting the MKS to be a sport sedan.  But the market is filled with luxury sedans that aren't sporty.

The one problem I see with the MKS's market placing is it seems to duplicate the Volvo S80.  Two Ford subsidiaries bringing similar-but-not-identical vehicles to the same segment seems like a recipe for cannibalism to me.

[footlong58]

I saw the MKS in person the other day, and I like it!  Certainly better looking than an ES or GS from Lexus, thats for sure...

[Leviathan]

Motorweek has a review of it here with a text version here.

The 2009 Lincoln MKS would look competent in any driving environment. But, with gas prices putting the squeeze on everyone, it is perfectly tuned for the times. MKS styling is bold enough to be a standout. It takes a backseat to no one in comfort and technology. Plus, it has an excellent balance of power and economy. That makes the MKS one smart luxury car choice.