On Sale:
Summer 2009
Mid $40,000s
The MKT crossover shares its architecture with the Ford Flex, but the two vehicles are worlds apart in terms of looks. The Flex is boxy, almost like a giant Mini Cooper, but the MKT is swoopy and rounded, with smooth front and rear bumpers, a full-width taillight, a standard glass Vista Roof, and a Lincoln's signature split-wing grille. Its 207.6-inch length is almost a match for the Lincoln Navigator, but the MKT is not as tall or wide.
When it is released late this summer, the MKT will be offered with two engines. The base engine will be a 3.7-liter V6 making 268 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque. The MKT will also be among the first vehicles to offer Ford Motor Company's EcoBoost twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6. EcoBoost will produce 355 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque while delivering 22 mpg on the highway.
MKTs equipped with EcoBoost will come standard with all-wheel drive, while the base engine will be offered with front- or all-wheel drive. Both engines will be mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with SelectShift, which adds manual shift capability through the shifter or a pair of steering wheel paddles. SelectShift also includes a rev-matching feature to make downshifts smoother for performance driving.
Inside, the MKT will have three seating rows for seven-passenger seating. The second and third seating rows will both fold flat, and a power-folding third row will be optional. The standard 60/40-split second-row bench seat will feature heated seats in the outboard positions. Available power-fold-and-tumble second-row buckets, with heating and cooling, will reduce seating capacity to six. The buckets will be accompanied by a two-row center console.
Lincoln says it benchmarked several competitors for fit and finish in developing the MKT, including Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Lexus and Toyota. The company also added extra noise insulation, as well as acoustic laminated glass for the windshield and side windows.
All MKTs will be outfitted with a full list of features, including 19-inch wheels (with optional 20s), hard-drive radio, ambient lighting, rain-sensing wipers, Lincoln's Intelligent Access system with push-button starting, and Lincoln's MyKey. MyKey will allow parents and fleet managers to activate a restricted driving mode that keeps all safety systems active and has a persistent Beltminder and an earlier low-fuel warning. It can also be set to limit stop speed to 80 mph and sound warnings at 45, 55 and 65 mph. Other features will include a voice-activated navigation system, Sync, automatic high beam headlights, adaptive cruise control, rear DVD entertainment with screens in the front seat headrests, and Lincoln's new Active Park Assist that can parallel park the vehicle with the driver providing only the brake and throttle inputs.
A full-list of safety features will be offered, including a rear backup camera, Collision Warning with Brake Support, a Blind Spot Information System, and a Cross Traffic Alert system. The Collision Warning system uses the adaptive cruise control's radar to detect if the vehicle is closing too quickly on the car ahead. If so, it warns the driver and pre-charges the brakes to reduce stopping distance when the driver reacts. BLIS uses radar modules in the rear quarter panels that monitor traffic in the blind spot zones. When detected, BLIS alerts the driver with lights in the side mirrors. Cross Traffic Alert uses the same radar modules to monitor traffic crossing behind when the vehicle is backing out of a parking space. It also warns the driver with lights in the side mirrors.
Pricing hasn't been announced for the MKT, but one company official said it should start in the mid $40,000 range, and the EcoBoost engine with all-wheel drive should be about a $5000 premium.
NEXT CARS
0 comments:
Post a Comment