The Surprising 2010 Lincoln MKZ

2010 Lincoln MKZ

You can count me among the skeptics who never fully embraced the first generation Lincoln MKZ when it was introduced in late 2005 as the 2006 Zephyr. Not that the size of the car was a problem nor its possibilities, rather the car was too much like its less costly brand siblings, the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan.

Still, the MKZ has proven to be a decent seller for Lincoln and, coupled with the introduction of the MKS last summer, has helped to breath new life into the premium brand. I still hesitate calling Lincoln a true luxury brand as it has lost much of its luster over the past two decades. Yet, the next generation Lincoln MKZ just may go a long way to helping restore some of what was lost, at least recoup some sales that Lincoln has lost to Lexus, Cadillac, and even Mercedes and BMW over the years.

The next generation MKZ shares styling cues with its big brother, the MKS. This unity in design will likely help Lincoln bolster its image, doing more to set the model apart from the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan than anything else.

Available with optional all wheel drive, the 2010 Lincoln MKZ promises to be quieter than the first generation model while offering a number of amenities that luxury car buyers crave including brushed chrome, genuine aluminum and wood, ambient lighting, tuxedo stitching on luxury seats featuring Bridge of Weir Scottish leather.

Standard engine for the MKZ is Ford’s 3.5L V6 Duratec motor which gives 263 horsepower and 249 lb.-ft. of torque. Paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, the MKZ will propel occupants from zero to sixty in just 7.1 seconds.

For 2010, the MKZ gets a new instrument cluster layout with center speedometer, new door trim, redesigned centerstack with high-mounted, next generation navigation system, leather wrapped steering wheel with real wood insert and available perforated suede seat style.

Ford is gambling that the newest styling trend for Lincoln — the split wing grille — will get the attention of luxury car buyers. Offered first with the MKS and to appear on the MKT crossover when it is released next summer, the direction Lincoln is going in is a radical departure from where the brand has been for many years.

Yet, the change for Lincoln could be just what the doctor ordered, a way to gain the attention of customers including those who long ago left Lincoln for one of its competitors.

(Source: Ford Motor Company)