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2007 Lincoln MKZ AWD Road Test

Whats in a Name?

First of all, other than this, my brief intro, Im not going to say anything more about Lincolns new naming scheme (cough... cough). After a year of incurring what are no doubt rather sizable bills from its ad agency to build model recognition through awareness ad campaigns, and simultaneously receiving mostly positive reviews about its new Zephyr, Fords luxury division goes and pulls the rug out from under itself by changing the cars name to MKZ, whatever that means, and thus confusing the marketplace. OK, MKZ pays tribute to the many Lincoln Marks of the past, but really, if they meant it to do so the powers that be wouldnt be insisting on its pronunciation of "M, K, Z," not "Mark Z", the way most of those who know anything about Lincolns storied past have been referring to it. Confusing the matter further is an all-new MKX, previously to be named Aviator, which some people initially thought referred to Mark

What was so wrong with the Zephyr name that the MKZ can somehow fix? (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

10, which once again would have paid homage to Lincolns sequential alphanumeric designation process. Worse yet, the all-new Navigator stymies the new name game by keeping its very recognizable nine-letter handle intact, instead of adopting MKN, or something of the like. Ugh! I know that numerous think-tanks of overpaid marketing flunkies attempting to justify their existence by dreaming up schlock like this probably put together a strong business case for disrupting the forward movement of Americas number two luxury brand, but was it really necessary? Because amid the confusion, the Zephyr... er... MKZ is really a fine automobile.

I

New naming scheme makes little sense but updated MKZ certainly does. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

was glad to get the updated model to test for an entire week recently, as it answered most of the concerns I had after first driving the Zephyr in Manhattan and greater NYC last year (no I dont have any negatively associated feelings towards Fords Fairmont-based Mercury Zephyr of the late 70s and early 80s... 1978 to 1983)... so once again it wasnt a naming issue for me), namely a more powerful engine and the option of all-wheel drive. I dont mind front-wheel drive in this sporty sedan class, as there are benefits with regards to fuel economy, but most luxury makers find it pretty difficult to be taken seriously in todays rear-wheel drive slanted market if at the very least all four wheels arent used for forward movement.

Nothing wrong with FWD in a more luxury-tuned car. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

Now the MKZ can be uttered in the same sentence as BMWs 3-Series, Mercedes-Benzs C-Class or Audis A4, rather than having to be relegated to the back shelf with a handful of mere pretenders.

But in all fairness, is the MKZ in the same league as the Germans just mentioned? No, not really. Hold on Lincoln fans, Im not saying its not as good, Im just saying that its different. Where the Germans, well, excepting Mercedes, are focused on sport-biased luxury, the Lincoln should appeal to luxury buyers. This was a smart move for Lincoln, being that the MKZs predecessor, the LS sedan, tried too hard to be European, complete with its quad headlamps under glass lenses and bisected twin-kidney grille. It did OK at first, but never really having a personality of its own was tossed to the bottom of most luxury buyers shopping lists if making

The MKZ might be biased towards luxury, but it still performs well. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

it on at all. The new MKZ, on the other hand, isnt even trying to lure in 3-Series buyers, a near impossible task even for the likes of Audi, Lexus and Infiniti. Rather, it has its sights on the former Japanese brands ES 350 buyers, offering more for the money plus unique American styling to boot.
No matter which angle I look at it, I cant help but like what I see; and that from a six-time BMW owner, one-time Audi owner, one-time Jaguar owner, and one-time Maserati owner. Ive never owned a Lincoln, and have only really ever had a thing for the 56 through 57 Mark II and 68 - 71 Mark III Continental coupes, plus the 61 through 64 Continental sedans and convertibles. Nothing newer has even remotely interested me, not even a Navigator. Being honest with myself, I probably wouldnt go for a MKZ either, but then again I would hardly be interested in the ES 350 either. I prefer a Cockpit is well appointed and nicely put together, but not really driver-centric. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press) italic;">true drivers car, something with rear-wheel drive (how stereotypical) so that I can hang the tail out once in a while and get my heart-rate pumping.

Thats pretty well impossible with the MKZ, which is probably a good thing. My guess is that its prospective owners would rather all four wheels maintain a trajectory along the course of the road ahead, benefiting from the added traction of front- or all-wheel drive, better in wet and slippery conditions, and when aided by standard traction and stability control plus ABS-enhanced four-wheel disc brakes, as is the case with the MKZ, keeping everyone ultimately safe and comfortable. But safe and comfortable doesnt mean it has to be boring.

On the contrary, the MKZ actually handles tight, weaving corners quite well. Its one of those cars that doesnt feel all that sporting when first getting behind the wheel, but then after feeding the throttle a little more fuel and feeling the surge

No manual mode makes it obvious Lincoln wasnt going after the BMW 3-Series crowd. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

of its 263 horsepower 3.5-liter V6, all 249 lb-ft of torque coming to life and launching the car forward with self-satisfying zeal, you just have to try and push it a little harder than what seems reasonable when the first set of curves arrive. And it reacts wonderfully, carving up apexes with surprisingly little transitional heft, maintaining a calm balance at the limit and charging forward to the next corner, all the time coercing me to coax out more. Its limit, by the way, is nothing more than gentle understeer, a little plowing of the front end being its way of saying, "Slow down you idiot. What do you think I am... an Audi RS4?" Fair enough.

I drove the front-wheel drive model last year, with the old Duratec 30 V6. This engine, as good as it once was, and with respect to the Fusion, still is, pales in comparison to the new 3.5. The new mills mellifluous power band and sonorous mechanical and exhaust notes make for a much more refined, yet exuberant companion, and the new six-speed automatic,

Despite impressive interior and good performance, the brutally competitive midsize luxury segment is a tough place for the MKZ to do business. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

curiously devoid of any do-it-yourself leverage, translates the raw power into usable force. Just why Ford went to all the trouble of building an in-house automatic without giving it any manual-mode capability is beyond me, but spokespeople at the engine and transmission launch program in Dearborn last year told me that its buyers said they had no need for such a device. I suppose this might make some sense, despite being a negative when it comes to marketing against rivals that offer manual mode. Having had many cars with the option of manually actuating the shift lever, I hardly ever bother fiddling around with the transmission once its in Drive. If a car has paddle-shifters next to the steering column, well, I can barely keep my hands away from them, but Ill only stoop to flick an auto-shifter if the car has a ton of power plus the sport-tuned suspension to harness it, like Chryslers sinfully delicious 300C SRT8.

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