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Build It, Build It NOW. The Lincoln MKR could save Ford’s Lincoln brand.
Images of the Lincoln MKR concept car to be revealed at the North American International Auto Show in mid-January have leaked to the net. VehicleVoice and AutoPacific staffers have seen the car in person in Detroit and this is a car that Ford should approve immediately and get into production ASAP.

Ford’s North American design boss, Peter Horbury, took us through the basic elements of Lincoln design. He contends that there are seven design elements that have defined Lincoln styling over the years and that each future Lincoln will have at least three of the seven cues. The MKR concept, however, has all seven and they work awfully well. The last time Lincoln showed a truly mind blowing concept was Gerry McGovern’s 2002 Lincoln Continental Concept Car.

Gerry McGovern’s 2002 Lincoln Continental Concept Car
The MKR concept rides on a platform derived from the present Mustang which, of course, was derived from Ford’s DEW98 platform that underpinned the Lincoln LS and the present Jaguar S-Type. Adding the independent rear suspension forgone by Mustang, and voila we have a chassis for the MKR. But, apparently, this is not the final chassis for the car. That will be found in the platform being developed for the Ford of Australia Falcon.
MKR uses the upcoming Lincoln 3.5L V6 with twin turbos putting out about 415 horsepower. We’d rather have a V8 for the range topping Lincoln and that may come by the time the MKR gets on the road.

Gorgeous interior.

MKR is Not Perfect… Let’s Play Product Planner
So, what would we change? Since this is the Lincoln range topper, we’d give it more interior room. The present roofline is beautiful, but MKR will suffer from the Mercedes CLS disease if they produce it in its four-door coupe form. Make it easier to get into and out of, make the rear seat more spacious, sacrifice a little style for a lot of function. Of course, we’d opt for a V8 as the standard powertrain and a V8 that puts out more horsepower than a Honda Odyssey (the present Town Car still lags Honda’s minivan in the horsepower department). And, of course, we’d immediately abandon the alphanumeric “MKR” and return to a classic Lincoln name like Continental or Premier.