Lincoln MKS
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The Lincoln MKS is a full-sized luxury sedan that was manufactured and marketed by the
Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincol ...
subdivision of
Ford Ford commonly refers to: * Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford * Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river Ford may also refer to: Ford Motor Company * Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company * Ford F ...
from 2008 to 2016. First shown at the
LA Auto Show The Los Angeles Auto Show is an annual auto show held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in early December. The LA Auto Show is an OICA sanctioned international exhibition. It is open to the public for ten days each year, filling of exhibit s ...
in November 2007, the MKS began production for the 2009
model year The model year (sometimes abbreviated "MY") is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured. ...
at Ford's
Chicago Assembly Chicago Assembly (sometimes referred to as Torrence Avenue Assembly) is currently Ford Motor Company's oldest continuously operated automobile manufacturing plant. It is located at E. 130th Street and Torrence Avenue in the Hegewisch section of Chi ...
plant in May 2008 with sales beginning a month later. The MKS was the second Lincoln to adopt the "MK" nomenclature and the first model to wear it through its entire production run. With the discontinuation of the
Lincoln Town Car The Lincoln Town Car is a model line of full-size luxury sedans that was marketed by the Lincoln division of the American automaker Ford Motor Company. Deriving its name from a limousine body style, Lincoln marketed the Town Car from 1981 to ...
in 2011, the MKS at 205.6-inches in length became the longest production sedan sold by an American automaker through 2016. Sharing the
Ford D3 platform The Ford D3 platform is an automobile platform assembled by Ford Motor Company. In production between the 2005-2019 model years, the D3 platform is the fifteenth generation of full-size cars produced by Ford in North America. Marking the adopt ...
with the fifth and sixth-generation Ford Taurus, the Lincoln MKS offered front-wheel drive with optional
all-wheel drive An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand. The most common forms of all-wheel drive are: ;1x1 : All unicycles Reflecting one axle with one w ...
(a first in a full-size Lincoln). Shared with the Taurus SHO, the 3.5L
EcoBoost EcoBoost is a series of turbocharged, direct-injection gasoline engines produced by Ford and originally co-developed by FEV Inc. (now named FEV North America Inc.). EcoBoost engines are designed to deliver power and torque consistent with thos ...
twin-turbocharged V6 became the first turbocharged gasoline engine in a Lincoln. The Lincoln MKS was discontinued after the 2016 model year and replaced by the new
Lincoln Continental The Lincoln Continental is a series of mid-sized and full-sized luxury cars produced by Lincoln, a division of the American automaker Ford Motor Company. The model line was introduced following the construction of a personal vehicle for Ed ...
.


2006 MKS Concept

The Lincoln MKS made its first appearance as a
concept car A concept car (also known as a concept vehicle, show vehicle or prototype) is a car made to showcase new styling and/or new technology. They are often exhibited at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or ...
at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in
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,
Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
. The MKS Concept provided a preliminary view of the design direction that Lincoln was taking for their new
full-size Full-size car—also known as large car—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than mid-size cars, it is the largest size class for cars. In Europe, it is known as E-segment or F-segment. ...
flagship sedan of the same name. The MKS included Lincoln's signature waterfall grille with a crosshatching that was later used in the grille for the 2007-2009
Lincoln MKZ The Lincoln MKZ, is a four-door, five-passenger mid-size luxury sedan manufactured by Ford and marketed as the Zephyr ( MY 2006) and as the MKZ (MY 2007–2020) by Ford's Lincoln brand across two generations in both gasoline and hybrid gas/elect ...
. The concept car's headlights featured ''adaptive lighting'' that pivoted the headlight projectors in concert with steering inputs. The headlight assemblies incorporated a series of
LEDs A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (cor ...
that would blink in sequence for turn indication. Side vents at the rear of the front wheel wells were adorned with the Lincoln star. The MKS Concept featured a large sunroof and moonroof combination that takes the place of a conventional roof. The MKS Concept's rear were LED-based parking and brake lamps and dual chrome, trapezoidal-shaped exhaust tips. The MKS Concept rode on 20x8.5-inch, ten spoke wheels. The MKS Concept seats were covered in cream-colored
Aniline leather Aniline leather is a type of leather dyed exclusively with soluble dyes. The dye colours the leather without producing the uniform surface of a topcoat paint or insoluble pigmented sealant. The resulting product retains the hide's natural surface. ...
while the doors and interior panels were covered in pearl-white
suede Suede (pronounced ) is a type of leather with a fuzzy, napped finish, commonly used for jackets, shoes, fabrics, purses, furniture, and other items. The term comes from the French , which literally means "gloves from Sweden". The term was firs ...
. The dashboard was covered in dark grey suede. Instrumentation and controls featured satin nickel inserts and chrome trim with backlighting provided by white LEDs. An applique of real
maple ''Acer'' () is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated since http ...
wood ran across the instrument panel, dividing it into upper and lower sections. Features included
Bluetooth Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is limi ...
device connectivity, a
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...
-based navigation system, a 14-speaker, 500-
watt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James ...
audio system, a passive entry system that identifies the driver and allows starting the vehicle by carrying its key fob, and a push button ignition system. Safety was provided by dual front airbags, driver and passenger side airbags, and side curtain airbags. The MKS Concept was based on Ford's
front-wheel drive Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitu ...
,
Volvo The Volvo Group ( sv, Volvokoncernen; legally Aktiebolaget Volvo, shortened to AB Volvo, stylized as VOLVO) is a Swedish multinational manufacturing corporation headquartered in Gothenburg. While its core activity is the production, distributio ...
-derived D3 Automobile platform that was already in use in the then-
Ford Five Hundred The Ford Five Hundred is a full-size automobile that was manufactured and marketed by Ford from 2004 to 2007, and debuted as a 2005 model year vehicle. Deriving its nameplate from the ''500" suffix used by Ford on the Custom 500, Fairlane 500 an ...
,
Ford Freestyle The Ford Freestyle is a crossover utility vehicle that was sold by Ford from 2005 to 2009. Largely marketed as the successor to the Ford Taurus station wagon, the Freestyle was the CUV counterpart of the Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego fo ...
, and
Mercury Montego The Mercury Montego is a nameplate that was applied to three separate generations of vehicles marketed by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company. Taking its name from Montego Bay, Jamaica, the nameplate made its first appearance for 1967 ...
(the version used for the MKS in particular was coded ''D385''). It has independent suspension with
MacPherson strut The MacPherson strut is a type of automotive suspension system that uses the top of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. It is widely used in the front suspension of modern vehicles, and is named for American automotive engineer Ear ...
s and rearward-facing lower L-arms with a stabilizer bar in the front and a multilink coil over shock setup with a stabilizer bar in the rear. The MKS Concept featured an active
all-wheel drive An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand. The most common forms of all-wheel drive are: ;1x1 : All unicycles Reflecting one axle with one w ...
system. Powering the MKS Concept was a Ford/Yamaha 4.4 L
DOHC An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion cha ...
V8 producing 315 hp (235 kW) at 4500 rpm and 320 lb·ft (433 N·m) of torque at 3000 rpm. The engine was mated to a 6-speed
automatic transmission An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving ...
.


MKS (2009–2016)

The production version of the Lincoln MKS was unveiled to the public in November 2007 at the
LA Auto Show The Los Angeles Auto Show is an annual auto show held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in early December. The LA Auto Show is an OICA sanctioned international exhibition. It is open to the public for ten days each year, filling of exhibit s ...
. Sales began in the summer of 2008 as a 2009
model A model is an informative representation of an object, person or system. The term originally denoted the plans of a building in late 16th-century English, and derived via French and Italian ultimately from Latin ''modulus'', a measure. Models c ...
. The front fascia of the production version received a new grille, a chrome, split-wing design. The trapezoidal-shaped chrome exhaust tips of the MKS Concept were replaced with more common circular chrome tips. The production MKS uses leather seating surfaces,
thermoplastic olefin Thermoplastic olefin, thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), or olefinic thermoplastic elastomers refer to polymer/filler blends usually consisting of some fraction of a thermoplastic, an elastomer or rubber, and usually a filler. Outdoor applications s ...
door and interior panels, as well as
leatherette Artificial leather, also called synthetic leather, is a material intended to substitute for leather in upholstery, clothing, footwear, and other uses where a leather-like finish is desired but the actual material is cost prohibitive or unsuitab ...
for the top of the dashboard. The
maple ''Acer'' () is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated since http ...
wood instrument panel applique from the concept car was replaced with olive-ash or
ebony Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus '' Diospyros'', which also contains the persimmons. Unlike most woods, ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely textured and has a mirror finish when ...
wood. The MKS was the first series production Lincoln with
radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...
autonomous cruise control system Adaptive cruise control (ACC) is an available cruise control advanced driver-assistance system for road vehicles that automatically adjusts the vehicle speed to maintain a safe distance from vehicles ahead. As of 2019, it is also called by 20 u ...
. Other features include intelligent access system with a push button start, a keyless entry keypad that is mounted flush inside the driver-side B-pillar with buttons that only appear when touched, and optional adaptive HID headlights. Other features include automatic HID headlights, foglights, an ''Easy Fuel'' capless fuel filler, foldable power adjustable mirrors with memory, 18x7.5-inch machined aluminum wheels, a 6-speaker audio system with an AM/FM radio and 6-disc in-dash CD changer,
Sirius Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. Its name is derived from the Greek word , or , meaning 'glowing' or 'scorching'. The star is designated α Canis Majoris, Latinized to Alpha Canis Majoris, and abbreviated Alpha CM ...
satellite radio with a six-month prepaid subscription, dual-zone automatic climate control, an auto-dimming rear view mirror with compass, 12-way, heated and cooled power driver and passenger seats, heated rear seats, a power tilt and telescoping steering wheel with memory, a universal garage door opener, and Lincoln SYNC. Safety features include dual front airbags, driver and passenger side airbags, and side curtain airbags. Three equipment packages include the ''Navigation Package'' (a DVD navigation system, a THX II-Certified, 14-speaker, 600-watt audio system with an AM/FM radio and six-disc in-dash CD player, and a rearview camera); ''Technology Package'' (adaptive HID headlights, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a forward-sensing system, a power sunshade for the rear window, and the intelligent access system with push button start); the ''Ultimate Package'' includes everything in the Navigation and Technology packages and a dual panel moonroof, premium 19x8-inch painted alloy wheels, ''Ultimate'' seating trim with color-keyed suede strip in the center of the seat back, and a Lincoln Star logo embroidered into the front seat headrests; an ''Aluminum Applique Package'' (aluminum dash trim in the place of wood, as well as a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob), is also available but requires the Navigation, Technology, or Ultimate packages. Options include
all-wheel drive An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand. The most common forms of all-wheel drive are: ;1x1 : All unicycles Reflecting one axle with one w ...
, 19x8-inch machined aluminum wheels, 20x8-inch polished aluminum wheels, adaptive cruise control, and a ''PowerCode'' remote starter. Active Park Assist, a system which uses
ultrasonic sensor Ultrasonic transducers and ultrasonic sensors are devices that generate or sense ultrasound energy. They can be divided into three broad categories: transmitters, receivers and transceivers. Transmitters convert electrical signals into ultrasoun ...
s to find and measure a parking space, then operate the steering wheel to accomplish the
parallel parking 250px, Parallel-parked cars in Washington, D.C. 250px, A motorist gets assistance parallel-parking 250px, Parallel parking animation Parallel parking is a method of parking a vehicle parallel to the road, in line with other parked vehicles. ...
task, will be available in mid-2009 as an option on the 2010 MKS. This feature is accomplished by using
software Software is a set of computer programs and associated software documentation, documentation and data (computing), data. This is in contrast to Computer hardware, hardware, from which the system is built and which actually performs the work. ...
control of the Electric Power Steering (EPS) system. The production MKS rides on Ford's D3
platform Platform may refer to: Technology * Computing platform, a framework on which applications may be run * Platform game, a genre of video games * Car platform, a set of components shared by several vehicle models * Weapons platform, a system or ...
. The MKS features an independent suspension with
MacPherson strut The MacPherson strut is a type of automotive suspension system that uses the top of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. It is widely used in the front suspension of modern vehicles, and is named for American automotive engineer Ear ...
s and rearward-facing lower L-arms with a stabilizer bar in the front and a multilink coil over shock setup with stamped steel lower control arms and cast upper control arms in the rear; "Lincoln Drive Control" with continuously controlled damping (CCD) available as optional feature. The car features four-wheel antilock disc brakes ( rotors in the front and rotors in the rear) with standard ''AdvanceTrac''
traction control A traction control system (TCS), also known as ASR (from german: Antriebsschlupfregelung, lit=drive slippage regulation), is typically (but not necessarily) a secondary function of the electronic stability control (ESC) on production motor vehicle ...
and
Roll Stability Control An active rollover protection (ARP), is a system that recognizes impending rollover and selectively applies brakes to resist.http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/esv/esv19/05-0471-O.pdf Bosch Rollover Mitigation Functions ARP builds on electronic s ...
(RSC). Front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard while all-wheel drive (AWD) is optional. In a significant departure from the MKS Concept and past Lincoln flagship sedans, the production MKS does not offer a V8 engine. In the place of the 4.4 L Ford/Yamaha V8 found in the MKS Concept, the production MKS is powered by an all-aluminum 3.7 L
Duratec Duratec is a brand name of the Ford Motor Company used for the company's range of gasoline-powered four-cylinder, five-cylinder and six-cylinder passenger car engines. The original 1993 Duratec V6 engine was designed by Ford and Porsche. Ford ...
DOHC An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion cha ...
V6, a larger bore derivative of the Duratec 35 and a member of Ford's Cyclone engine family. The engine was designed to accept either regular grade, 87 octane gasoline or premium grade, 91 octane gasoline. Using regular grade gasoline, the 3.7 L V6 produces 273 hp (204 kW) at 6250 rpm and 270 lb·ft (366 N·m) of torque at 4250 rpm. Using premium grade gasoline results in a small boost in output to 275 hp (205 kW) at 6250 rpm and 276 lb·ft (374 N·m) of torque at 4250 rpm. Power from the MKS' V6 is transmitted to the wheels via Ford's 6F50 6-speed
automatic transmission An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving ...
. The transmission is equipped with ''SelectShift'' which simulates the operation of a
manual transmission A manual transmission (MT), also known as manual gearbox, standard transmission (in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States), or stick shift (in the United States), is a multi-speed motor vehicle transmission system, where gear change ...
. A road test by ''
Car and Driver ''Car and Driver'' (''CD'' or ''C/D'') is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. In 2006 its total circulation was 1.23 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011. It was f ...
'' magazine of an AWD-equipped MKS recorded acceleration from zero to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds and a quarter-mile in 15.7 seconds at . Testers noted the MKS' heavy weight of over 4300 lbs. Ford introduced its
EcoBoost EcoBoost is a series of turbocharged, direct-injection gasoline engines produced by Ford and originally co-developed by FEV Inc. (now named FEV North America Inc.). EcoBoost engines are designed to deliver power and torque consistent with thos ...
V6, an all-aluminum, twin- turbocharged, direct injection 3.5 L DOHC V6, in the 2010 MKS arriving in showrooms in the summer of 2009. The EcoBoost engine provides and of torque.


2013 facelift

The facelifted 2013 model year MKS debuted at the 2011 Los Angeles International Auto Show, with a mildly refreshed exterior and interior (front "Multicontour" seats) as well as safety updates such as auto high beam, adaptive cruise control,
forward collision warning A collision avoidance system (CAS), also known as a pre-crash system, forward collision warning system, or collision mitigation system, is an advanced driver-assistance system designed to prevent or reduce the severity of a collision. In its ...
, blind spot information system with cross-traffic alert, and lane-keeping system. The new MKS also grew slightly in overall length to , making it the longest domestic production sedan. For 2015, the deck lid once again received aesthetic changes. A chrome trim section was added, stretching horizontally across the lid. The Lincoln lettering was increased in size and centered above this new trim section following along the length of it. The MKS emblem was moved to the left side corner of the lid.


Reception

A reviewer from Canada's ''
National Post The ''National Post'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet newspaper available in several cities in central and western Canada. The paper is the flagship publication of Postmedia Network and is published Mondays through Saturdays, with ...
'' gave the MKS a positive reception in a comparison test with the Cadillac STS and Infiniti M45, two cars that Ford picked to bring along. The MKS has dimensions comparable to the 2010 Audi A8 4.2 FSI quattro, a sedan with all-wheel drive which is equipped with a naturally aspirated 4.2 L V8 engine with direct gasoline injection. The MKS is almost an inch longer than the A8L (long-wheelbase version), an inch wider and five inches (127 mm) taller, has four more cubic feet of trunk space, and extra of torque, while being lighter. The MKS starts at $30,000 less than the base A8. The MKS also undercuts several mid-luxury cars with V8 engines and all-wheel drive by $10,000, such as the
Audi A6 The Audi A6 is an executive car made by the German automaker Audi. Now in its fifth generation, the successor to the Audi 100 is manufactured in Neckarsulm, Germany, and is available in saloon and estate configurations, the latter marketed by A ...
4.2 FSI quattro and the Infiniti M45x. While praised for its large interior and long list of features, the MKS has been criticized for not being as refined as other luxury sedans in a similar price range. It is also noted that the MKS's platform-mate, the
Ford Taurus The Ford Taurus is an automobile that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States from the 1986 to 2019 model years. Introduced in late 1985 for the 1986 model year, six generations were produced over 34 years; a brief hiat ...
, offers the same powertrain and many available technological features, starting at an MSRP of $10,000 less than the MKS.


End of production

Due to declining sales, the Lincoln MKS was replaced by a new car based on the
Lincoln Continental The Lincoln Continental is a series of mid-sized and full-sized luxury cars produced by Lincoln, a division of the American automaker Ford Motor Company. The model line was introduced following the construction of a personal vehicle for Ed ...
concept in 2016. The Chicago Assembly Plant where the MKS was produced continued to manufacture the
Ford Taurus The Ford Taurus is an automobile that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States from the 1986 to 2019 model years. Introduced in late 1985 for the 1986 model year, six generations were produced over 34 years; a brief hiat ...
(until March 2019). The plant continues to build the
Ford Explorer The Ford Explorer is a range of SUVs manufactured by Ford Motor Company since the 1991 model year. The first four-door SUV produced by Ford, the Explorer was introduced as a replacement for the two-door Bronco II. Within the current Ford light ...
and Police Interceptor vehicles.


Yearly American sales


References


External links


Official Website
{{Authority control MKS MKS 2010s cars All-wheel-drive vehicles Cars introduced in 2008 Limousines