The production version of the 2013 Lincoln MKZ makes an appearance ahead of the NY Auto Show.
Once one of the dominant players in the luxury market, Lincoln is today little more than an automotive afterthought for most upscale buyers. But the Ford marque hopes to begin what will admittedly be a lengthy turnaround with the introduction of the new MKZ sedan.
Unveiled in concept form at the Detroit Auto Show, last January, Lincoln will give potential buyers a first look at the production MKZ when the New York Auto Show opens later this week. It will also be querying potential buyers about the sort of services they’d like that might help set Lincoln apart from other up-market brands like Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and Cadillac.
The new MKZ “defines the future of Lincoln,” said the brand’s chief designer Max Woolf, during a sneak preview for automotive media prior to the official opening of the 2012 NY Auto Show.
The 2013 Lincoln MKZ's retractable glass roof, an industry first.
The basic looks of the 2013 Lincoln Mkz don’t differ all that much from the concept that was first unveiled in Detroit. The foglamps are a little less over-the-top, as is the interior, but key design elements will be carried from prototype to production – notably including the new horizontal grille, a significant break from the so-called waterfall grille used on Lincoln products for more than three-quarters of a century. Another carryover from concept to production will be the industry-first use of a fully retractable glass roof.
The new model will be a high-tech showpiece. All lamps, including the headlights, migrate to LED technology. The interior uses LCD displays, rather than conventional gauges, and all but a few traditional controls are now incorporated in the 2013 MKZ’s MyLincolnTouch system, which uses a touch-sensitive display at the top of the center stack.
Company officials emphasize that they have switched to a second-generation software package that is faster and easier to read, a response to complaints about the original MyLincolnTouch system.
The updated MyLincolnTouch system.
The new model will feature an adaptive, electronically controlled suspension system that can rapidly response to road conditions and driver input. There’s even an active noise cancellation system that not only can mute unpleasant road and engine noises but – when set to Sport mode – will enhance the guttural sound of the MKZ’s EcoBoost powertrain.
Such technologies will help set the Lincoln MKZ apart from the more basic Ford Fusion, also new for 2013.
The 2.0-liter EcoBoost inline-four replaces the prior-generation MKZ’s 3.5-liter V-6 and, while delivering more muscle, will boost fuel economy by as much as 6 mpg. The target is an EPA-rated 27 mpg Combined.
A hybrid-electric version, akin to the one in the new Fusion, will push the mileage number to 47 – which would mean a midsize Lincoln delivering about 4 mpg more than the latest-generation Toyota Camry Hybrid. In fact, Lincoln anticipates being able to promote the new hybrid version of the MKZ as the most fuel-efficient premium sedan on the U.S. market.
The 2013 MKZ with Lincoln design chief Max Woolf.
While Mark Fields, Ford Motor Co.’s President of the Americas, says “new product is critical” for the Lincoln brand’s revival, he stresses that the marque must do more if it hopes to stand out in an increasingly crowded luxury market. That includes a new emphasis on the “customer experience,” which Fields insists is “as important as product.”
During the Monday night preview, Ford’s global marketing chief Jim Farley outlined some of the steps Lincoln will take. The maker has teams up with Les Clefs d’Or, the organization representing the world’s top hotel concierges, too help train dealer personnel. Ford has slashed by nearly a third the number of retailers representing the Lincoln brand in the U.S. hoping to have only the best represent the brand. In turn, about 80% of the remaining dealers plan significant upgrades to their showrooms.
Starting in 2013, the brand will introduce the new Lincoln Concierge service, with representatives available for live video online chats, 24/7. The agents will be able to assist a potential customer in researching Lincoln products – and comparing them to competitors’ models.
A look at the rear of the new Lincoln MKZ.
According to Farley, Ford research shows 80% of luxury “intenders” use the web for the primary research today, the average buyer devoting eight hours to the online shopping effort.
Farley hinted at several other new services Lincoln is considering, including a “Date Night,” which would offer potential buyers a 48-hour test-drive and reward them further with “a dinner on Lincoln.”
Lincoln owners may also begin to receive special services to celebrate the anniversaries of purchasing one of the brand’s products, such as new floor mats or a complete car detailing.
“Those moves wouldn’t be expensive,” said analyst Joe Phillippi, of AutoTrends Consulting, but could help differentiate Lincoln from other luxury brands – many of whom treat customers no better than mainstream marques. Lincoln, added Phillippi, “has an opportunity” to try new ideas “because their volume is so small right now they can get personal.”
For his part, Ford President Fields argued that “Size is not a goal in and of itself,” but Lincoln clearly wants to see volumes grow. The question is whether the maker can get where it needs to be in the U.S. alone.
For now, marketing czar Farley stressed that Lincoln has no choice but concentrate on its home market. Even new models like the 2013 Lincoln MKZ aren’t ready for overseas. But, he quickly acknowledged, “Obviously, any brand has to think globally and long-term, that’s our direction.”
It is all but certain to be a decade-long journey, suggested analyst Phillippi, and the new Lincoln MKZ will determine whether the Ford luxury brand is finally ready to move ahead.