Lincoln MKS EcoBoost

PREVIEW

SPECIFICATIONS

1. Powered by the same twin-turbo 3.5L V6 as in the Ford Taurus SHO, the MKS EcoBoost makes 355-hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. 2. EcoBoost models come standard with all-wheel drive. 3. MKS models start at $41,500 with EcoBoost versions jumping to $48,390. 4. Optional extras include 20-inch wheels, an EcoBoost appearance package inside and out, plus adaptive cruise control.

When the young parking attendant turned the car over to me, he said, “Boy, this Lincoln is a BIG car!” That provided a bit of a chuckle. Sure it’s a rather large vehicle by modern standards, but for those who grew up with the land yachts of the Lincoln brand’s past, it seems like a svelte speedboat. 

A 1963 Lincoln had yards of slab sided steel reaching 213-inches from front to back, weighed in at two-and-a-half tons, and rode on a pillowy soft 123-inch wheelbase. One could move the steering wheel 10 degrees on either side of dead center with barely a move of the front wheels. Making a right turn at anything above parade speed would send one’s girlfriend sliding across the bench leather seat and right into the driver’s outstretched right arm – a feature not listed in the sales brochure, but often a valuable benefit to the driver nonetheless.  But at the time, when no self respecting investment banker, captain of industry, or Mafia Don would be caught dead in a Mercedes Benz or BMW, it was the height of conspicuous luxury consumption.

Flash forward to today and the Lincoln MKS is still among the top of the luxury car list, but in a smaller, leaner, and much different driving package. It is nearly a foot shorter in both wheelbase and overall length as the Lincolns of yore, and about 800 lbs. lighter.  And this Lincoln MKS puts handling and performance at the top of the priority checklist, with no sacrifice to luxury comforts.

INTERIOR

Inside the spacious cabin, Lincoln uses the full vocabulary for what luxury car buyers look for. Stylish, but with a good handle on luxurious understated elegance. It has everything you’d want in an executive level interior, including an enormous amount of rear seat legroom, and a large trunk. There’s a handsome electroluminescent dash gauge package, as well as soft-touch double stitched leather that covers the dash, doors and center console. Thin strips of brushed aluminum trim dot the cabin – again not too flashy, just enough to look classy. The dual panel moonroof allows light to flood the cabin, and the fabric wind deflector works so well at diffusing the airflow into the cabin, no driver or passenger will ever need to worry about messing one’s hair when it’s open. 

The center stack is dominated by a large Navigation screen that also provides the driver with the ability to control almost everything in the car. And with Ford’s SYNC System, the driver can control music through the THX Sound system, telephone, and the Nav system with voice activation. All of the controls in the cabin are well laid out and easy to use. Another great feature is Adaptive Cruise Control.

One might take issue with the perforated heated and cooled front seats. They have a rather short seat bottom, which might catch some drivers at an uncomfortable place on the thigh, a few inches above the knee. On longer trips it can be irritating, as is the somewhat intrusive forward cant to the active headrests. Also, with all the amenities, it seems odd that Lincoln didn’t include electrically adjustable pedals for the gas and brake, as they fit on many less expensive cars. And while the ignition is push button, you still have to manually unlock the front door with the fob, or by pressing in a code on the door’s electric keypad.  It would be better to just walk up to the car and be able to open the door.

 

                                

UNDER THE HOOD

Our test car was outfitted with Lincoln’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo, direct injected V6.  It is designed to offer all the power of a V8, with the fuel economy of a V6. The power is certainly there, and considering the size of this machine, fuel mileage is too, at 17/25-mpg.

On tap is 355 horsepower at 5,700 rpm - but it’s the 350 lb-ft of torque that reaches it peak at only 3500 rpm that makes this engine so sweet for everyday driving. You’ll hit 60 mph in 7.5 seconds, and you awaken the twin turbo boost when you press hard on the accelerator when moving out to pass on a two lane road. No turbo lag, just power. And all that power comes on smoothly and with just enough exhaust note to let you know you’ve got some grunt under the hood.