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Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ

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Comments

  • driverdmdriverdm Member Posts: 505
    You guys are reading what you want to read and responding accordingly. I specifically said that I am not saying that the Fusion/Zephyr differentiation is the best. All I am saying is that Ford did a better job than the ES. And niether gregg nor scooter touched apond the fact that the front end is one of the most improtant differentiators and that though the Camry and ES actually share no panels, they look alike! If you are going to take things the way you feel like and ignore parts of the post like they were never written, we should just end this convo now.

    By the way the Zephyr is selling well above expectations with no AWD and no 3.5 so I'd say the execution is pretty good. The general public which is not stupid as gregg has said is speaking. Front clip, yada yada yada. The whole design language is different. Ford didn't need to tell me that. THe Fusion is VERY SPORTY AND BOLD looking. The Zephyr is very luxury like. Take someone off the street and ask them about the design and they'd probably say the say. THe ES and Camry don't have such differences.

    Also the new Lexus theme is also being followed by Toyota which is why the new ES resembles the new Camry.
  • scootertrashscootertrash Member Posts: 698
    "though the Camry and ES actually share no panels, they look alike! If you are going to take things the way you feel like and ignore parts of the post like they were never written, we should just end this convo now."

    Do you mean like I said in posts 851 and 853?

    It's kind of ironic you are saying people don't read before they respond, don't you think?
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Unfortunately, I lost track of this discussion in the recent Forums reorganization. Very much more unfortunately, many of you have clearly lost track of the subject of this conversation.

    It's the Zephyr.

    The Lincoln Zephyr.

    Please get your thoughts back in that direction. Thanks.

    (And thanks very much to the member who alerted me to the fact that I was MIA here ... :sick: )
  • prigglypriggly Member Posts: 642
    I was recently treated by a very courteous and professional Lincoln dealer to a 24 hour test drive of the new Zephyr and, in a nutshell, was most favorably impressed.

    The Zephyr is overall a very, very commendable car. It is superbly crafted both inside and out. The interior is stylish and upscale without being ostentatious or gaudy. The contrast between light and dark bits is well executed. The ergonomics are excellent. The instrument panel and gauges are simple and logically laid out. The speedometer and tachometer are functional, tasteful, effective and their appearance at night, white on black, is highly visible. The addition of the Lincoln analog clock is elegant. The genuine wood trim is again very stylish and well done.

    The HVAC works very well. I had no problem whatsoever with overly loud fan speeds. The heated and cooled seats work very well with the heating element being on the warm side and very effective in dispelling winter's chill.

    The seat, both with the cooling elements and without, is comfortable and easy to adjust to a suitable angle. The seat without the cooling element is a bit more plush, not quite so firm as the one with the cooling element. The tilting and telescoping wheel further facilitates a suitable and comfortable driving position.

    The car is sufficiently roomy both in the front and back seats. There is adequate room in the front for a five foot eleven incher, even with the sunroof. The back does not feel cramped in any dimension. The trunk is commodious at 15.5 cubic feet, 25% larger than that of the Acura TL.

    At night the interior lighting is attractive, functional and generally very well done. The xenon headlights are grossly superior to halogens and provide even and uniform illumination of the road without the "hot spots" characteristic of halogens. For those of you who think xenons are an unnecessary luxury, think again. The xenons are the next step up in safety and performance and once you've experienced them, you will look at halogens as primitive and relatively ineffective. Lincoln was very wise to add them to the Zephyr as they add greatly to its appeal. IMO GM was foolish to omit them from their otherwise excellent Lucerne.

    The handling of the Zephyr is exemplary, combining a desirable level of road feel and agility with just enough isolation so that potholes and pavement irregularities are virtually unnoticeable. The steering is again a highly suitable combination of light effort yet nimble feel. The car is extremely quiet at highway speeds with no wind noise, very little road noise depending upon the road surface, and just enough engine noise to make things interesting. The engine does get a little blustery under hard acceleration, however.

    The THX sound system with its 600 watts and 14 speakers is easily one of the world's premium automotive systems. Combined with the car's quiet interior, listening to all types of music is a sheer delight. Again, Lincoln has displayed a high level of regard for the motoring public in providing such an excellent audiophile system in what is a very reasonably priced car.

    The navigation system is also excellent. Its use is intuitive and much easier than many of its competitors. I found the navigation system to be highly accurate and feel it is becoming a "must have" on a new car. There is simply no comparison between the ease of use of the navigation system and paper or internet maps. If the navigation system has a weak point, it is that the female voice giving directions is a bit tinny and a bit too electronic-sounding but this is a relatively small point compared to the system's overall quality and usefulness.

    The engine power is adequate but not stellar. It needs a bit more low-end torque but is reasonable at highway speeds. The six-speed transmission is wonderful. The shifts are sure and smooth. The transmission does not "hunt" nor does it dangerously hesitate when instant power is needed, as in the case of the Lexus ES 330.

    In summation, this is one very excellent automotive offering and ought to do extremely well in the marketplace. All it really needs is a bit more power and the upcoming 3.5L engine in the re-named MKZ should take care of that.

    All in all, the new Lincoln offering complete with its generous warranty and prepaid four year maintenance should be a huge hit for Lincoln IMHO.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Sorry, it's a 4 yr 50K mile warranty but only 12 months/12K miles of free maintenance. It used to be 3 yrs but Lincoln dropped it to 1 yr in 2003. I think they should go back to 4/50K and run concurrent with the warranty.
  • prigglypriggly Member Posts: 642
    it's a 4 yr 50K mile warranty but only 12 months/12K miles of free maintenance

    Wrong. In Canada it's four years and 80,000 km (50,000 miles) of free maintenance.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    It wasn't "Wrong" - both of our statements were correct in our respective countries.
  • prigglypriggly Member Posts: 642
    And the definition of "is" is what, exactly? Are you sure your last name isn't "Clinton?"
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    What I meant was if you add "In Canada" to your post and "In the U.S." to my post they're both correct.
  • jtfordjtford Member Posts: 12
    I was also suitably impressed with my test drive of the Zephyr and posted a positive review 3-4 months ago. The light-wood interior with crhome accents is classy. The THX sound is quite good, though they need to offer built-in satellite radio and bluetooth support in this segment. BTW.. in hot weather, the cooled heats are spectacular. I think that feature is one of the greatest luxury innovations of the past 50 years. In terms of comfort, this is a big win, particularly for those who live in areas with hot/humid summers.

    That said, the upcoming 3.5L and GM/Ford 6-speed auto are keeping me from pulling the trigger at this point. Even if the performance of the 3.0L and Aisin 6-speed are good, it would drive me crazy to spend this much now only to have a brand new next-generation of powertrain/transmission be introduced later in the same year. This is similar to the Caddy CTS which launched with the Opel 3.2L, only to be eclipsed by the new 3.6L engine, except in this case, both the engine and tranny are making a leap.

    On a related note, what I'm hoping is to be able to have both the upgraded MKZ and the redesigned Caddy CTS available in the Fall... It'll be good to have two no-excuses US entrants in the entry-lux market.

    -Jeff
  • ricwhitericwhite Member Posts: 292
    I read Car and Driver Magazine today and I was very surprised to read comments about the Lincoln Zephyr that were so negative.

    In response to Lincoln's attempt to attract younger drivers with the Zephyr, C&D responds, "Younger than whom? Alan Greenspan? Phyllis Diller?"

    "Here is a sedan that is exactly as stimulating to drive as a nice sofa."

    They went on to criticize the handling and power and then the interior. . .

    ". . . attributes seem better conceived for senior citizens than young affluents. . ."

    Overall, the review was very negative. Obviously one review is no death sentence, but if this is a pattern, then I think I'll have to scratch this off my list of cars to see. Usually "good" cars get good reviews overall.
  • johnclineiijohnclineii Member Posts: 2,287
    Wait a minute. Although *I* very much agree with their review (I found the handling of Zephyr only slightly better than that of the Queen Mary), you owe it to yourself to test drive the car. Who cares what reviewers think? It's YOUR money and YOUR car to like or not like.

    For the record, I adored the Fusion. I just think FoMoCo went much too soft and floaty on the Zephyr suspension. You, on the other hand, might find it quite wonderful. Peoples' perceptions can and do differ. You'll never know what YOU think of it if you pass on even trying it.
  • prigglypriggly Member Posts: 642
    I read Car and Driver Magazine today and I was very surprised to read comments about the Lincoln Zephyr that were so negative.

    The opinion of Car and Driver is essentially worthless. Notwithstanding the fact they consistently demonstrate an anti-US car bias, they are in the business of selling magazines, not objectively reviewing cars.

    I would classify the magazine as essentially humor and much less objective information. I would certainly not be swayed by their drivel in advance of checking out the car for myself.

    As far as the power issue is concerned, yes, it does need a stouter engine and will get one in a few months. As far as handling is concerned, the car handles extremely well in a real world sense. It is not an Indy contender nor is it intended to be. It will certainly impress more than it will not.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    >Sorry NV, they use the same body shell with a different front clip as a 1997 Expedition. The doors and all the glass are all interchangable

    This is stupid to debate, scooter, but I owned a 99 Navigator, and an 03 Navigator, and the rear window and rear side windows were not interchangeable. I know, since I had to replace them. I'm not buying your statement this time. Some of the panels and parts may have been the same, but for sure, not all of them. I still doubt the body was the same, frankly. They seemed like totally different trucks to me.
  • 06zephyr06zephyr Member Posts: 32
    If I believed all the reviews I read id never buy an American car and Id never go to the movies. Go and drive one and see for yourself. I have one and love it..the power is fine and the ride is outstanding and the cabin is wonderful. Yes there are certain things Id like to see improved but that did not stop me from buying and enjoying this car.
    If you read the car magazines as i do you will realize that they usually favor the foreign cars over the American ones and usually give the American ones bad reviews. Go judge it for yourself as you will be the one riding in it not them
  • caliddcalidd Member Posts: 60
    Question for Priggly,

    When you refer to the "prepaid four year maintenance," do you mean that oil changes and general maintenance such as that is prepaid? I had understood that only one year of oil changes, etc. is provided. Wonder if provisions in Canada are different from those in the U.S. Wonder if this just varies by dealer or by region?

    Really appreciated your review, by the way.
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    Maybe it's just me, but I don't know why Lincoln would want to market to the young and try to be sporty. What's the point of having a separate Ford-Mercury-Lincoln divisions if they're all marketing to the same folks? I think of Lincoln like Buick, and it's hard for me to imagine any young person ever wanting to drive a Lincoln or Buick.

    I think Lincoln should stick to marketing their cars to the 50+ crowd. Ford should be the division for the sporty & economy vehicles (Focus, Fusion, Edge, Escape, Explorer) and Mercury should become the more tame & upgraded vehicles (Freestyle, future minivan, Mariner, etc).
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    That's the discussion we just had. It's 1 year in the U.S. but 4 years in Canada.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I think of Lincoln like Buick, and it's hard for me to imagine any young person ever wanting to drive a Lincoln or Buick.

    And that's the image they're trying to change. Otherwise you're stuck with a dying customer base and eroding market share.

    If Acura, Lexus, Infiniti and Cadillac can do it, why not Lincoln?
  • 06zephyr06zephyr Member Posts: 32
    this is for calidd..

    did u get the photos i sent to you
  • prigglypriggly Member Posts: 642
    calidd,

    Thanks for your kind comment.

    Yes, according to the Lincoln Canada website and the sales associates the car in Canada comes with "No-Charge Scheduled Maintenance: 4 years/80,000 km (approximately 50,000 miles)."

    http://www.ford.ca/main/default.asp?language=en&sVehCategory=Lincoln&model=Zephy- r&source=FC&session={595AE9B4-7C43-4472-BA44-944E2132071A}&section=1

    Yes, it is different in the U.S. where the vehicle includes "12 months/12,000 miles complimentary maintenance." I am not sure why the difference.

    The car is a seriously and surprisingly good car, soon to become even better, and should be considered by all who are interested in purchasing a car in the entry luxury category, which includes the Acura TL, the Lexus ES 330, the SAAB 9-3 and 9-5, the new BMW 3 series, the Mercedes C class, and the new Buick Lucerne. In my estimation the new Zephyr offers a unique combination of value, quality and rich feature content unmatched by any of these except possibly the Acura TL which, unfortunately, has a much stiffer and rougher ride and some inconsistent quality foibles.
  • After looking at and driving the Zephyr, it does seem to be--like most 2006 well-equipped mid-size (and even near luxury class) entrants--well screwed together, decently styled (if a bit stiff and dated on the interior), and a reasonably good drive. The whole field has moved forward in the past few years. That said, like Car and Driver, I did not find it particularly compelling by comparison with others available.

    However, C & D did like the LS when it was first offered, so maybe their lukewarm response means Lincoln is onto something. After all, Buicks sell, but there are few cars of that price class that are as boring.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    "What happened to Navigator's market dominance?
    I guess attaching $60k of bling to a 97 Expedition isn't fooling buyers anymore."

    Dennis, I'm getting really tired of your incorrect depiction of Ford's SUV evolution. For one thing, I bought a 99 Navigator, the finest truck I've ever had, BTW.
    Sure, it's based on the Expedition - as the Escalade is based on the Tahoe, the LS-470 is based on the Land Cruiser, a 20 year old truck BTW, the QX-56 is based on the Armada, etc. Only Range Rover has a unique truck.

    The Navigator broke new ground that everyone else laughed their asses off at in 98 with the Navigator, the pimped up Expedition - but it created a whole new profitable segment in the industry. It was more than just the Expedition. The Dash was different, the interior was subtly different, the seats were different, it had Quad Seating in the second row, another innovation this truck created in the masrket. The engine was 30hp more powerful in early 99, then went to the 4 valve 300hp engine in mid 99, which the Expedition didn't get. It had the air spring suspension, and virtually all the rest of the top line options of the Eddie Bauer Ex.

    Why did Cadillac take away the Navigator's domination of the segment? Style, and Rappers, and a bigger motor. Ford let that happen. Bad move. But it was a hellova truck and a great market creation.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    >The Camry/ES do not share a single visible part. They have enough respect for their product and consumer to make them completely different, yet I do not see why they made them look so similar.

    You don't think the hoods are the same? You think every body panel is interchangeable between the Navigator and the Expedition, which you are wrong about, but NO body panels are the same between the Camry and the ES? If you're right, it's because the ES is based on the Avalon, not the Camry.
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    "I think of Lincoln like Buick, and it's hard for me to imagine any young person ever wanting to drive a Lincoln"

    I'm on my 5th Lincoln, my 3rd LS, 1 Navi and 1 Mark8. MY first Lincoln was a 97 Mark 8 LSC, at that time I was about 20-21. It didn't bother me (then or now) to think I'm driving a "Lincoln" perceived as an old man's brand. Pretty interesting to see my 4.6L DOHC V8 290HP "Land yacht" at 204-208 Inches in length blow by these little Civics and Accords my friends had, with the numerous toys/gadgets that at it's time was ahead of many others.

    And even to this day I still have people asking about the cooled seats, Navigation, THX stereo system, flip-open stereo/Navi screen, and seeing what the car can do when I drive it.

    You make the car, what it is. Which is why the Camry and Accord have received a bad reputation for being bland, stale and boring.... Because of who, and how, it's driven. I've always made my Lincolns sporty, fresh and energetic, and have changed the perception of many once they took a spin with me :)

    Reminds me of one of the most interesting salespeople I ever encountered showing me an Explorer. Without any warning at 40mph veered off the road down an embankment, hit the top of a crest, bounced the vehicle off of it, down the other side, through the woods, came out on the opposite side. He showed (as a few others in the car), WHAT the vehicle was made for...how it took it, and kept on going. And just as any other vehicle, it is how you apply it, use it, and be creative with it.
  • scootertrashscootertrash Member Posts: 698
    The key words in your post are your repeated use of the words "was" and "had".
    Ford is still using the same body shell as the 97 Expedition. That's a fact. I never said all the panels are the same. I said the body shell and doors are the same. They are.
    Yes, it's been thoroughly updated but it's still the same basic body. Cadillac started a year behind the Nav and is now on it's third completely new model.
    We can all wax nostalgic about when the Nav had it's own specific engine or all the special features it had 9 years ago when it was introduced but that's like a fat middle aged guy who works at Wal-mart telling stories of when he was the high school quarterback. It's a little interesting, but mostly it's sad to see he only lives in the past and how far he's fallen.
    I don't think hanging a new cheese grater grille on a 10 year old body is going to do anything other than embarass itself against the all new 2007 Escalade, anymore than a gold chain makes a sad old guy cool.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    >Cadillac started a year behind the Nav and is now on it's third completely new model.

    All new? Do you share what you smoke? Same engines, same 4 speed transmissions, no IRS, no fold away flat seats, no OHC or multi valves....yeah it's all new alright.
  • navigator89navigator89 Member Posts: 1,080
    Nvbanker what are you talking about? The new Escalade has a 6 speed tranmission and a 6.2L V8 making 403hp, way more than any of its competitors. It can dust the 5.4L V8 in the Navigator both in torque and hp. The interior is competely revamped and looks great. It's no longer a Tahoe dash with wood and chrome.

    And in any case, this forum is for the Lincoln Zephyr - not to discuss Cadillac vs. Lincoln.
  • scootertrashscootertrash Member Posts: 698
    You should try actually READING posts instead of REACTING to them.
    Yes, the 1999 Cadillac, the 2001 and the 2007 were each new vehicles. Lincoln has been freshened but is still using the same body shell as in 1997. The market has voted what they think of this, that can't be debated.

    Unlike Lincoln which uses the same engine as in your landscapers work truck, the Cadillac has it's own specific engine with 375 hp and gets better MPG than the "Lincoln". Of course Lincoln has that snazzy new grille...

    What does this have to do with the Zephyr?
    Ford has given up on Lincoln and now it's the "fancyford" division of badge engineered shared product.

    Remember those few years when Lincoln was outselling Cadillac? Lincoln had specific vehicles and every vehicle had it's own body on a shared chassis or with Navigator, it's own specific engine to make it distinctive. Cadillac was getting it's butt kicked because all it had were boring front wheel drive vehicles shared with other divisions and a rebadged Chevy SUV.

    Isn't it ironic that they copied each other?
    Lincoln is going all front wheel drive and a rebadged Expedition and Cadillac has distinct vehicles and it's SUV has "Cadillac only" engines.
  • poodog13poodog13 Member Posts: 320
    Reminds me of one of the most interesting salespeople I ever encountered showing me an Explorer. Without any warning at 40mph veered off the road down an embankment, hit the top of a crest, bounced the vehicle off of it, down the other side, through the woods, came out on the opposite side. He showed (as a few others in the car), WHAT the vehicle was made for...how it took it, and kept on going. And just as any other vehicle, it is how you apply it, use it, and be creative with it.

    I feel bad for whoever ends up buying that truck.
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    MY first Lincoln was a 97 Mark 8 LSC, at that time I was about 20-21.

    That's nice, but I doubt if the average age of Lincoln owners is 21 ;)

    The 55-60+ generation is huge right now, so I don't see the problem of marketing to them. There are going to be a lot of people in their 70s driving, so why turn them away by marketing solely to 30somethings?
  • cobcob Member Posts: 210
    Don't forget the Navigator's quad tail lights. Looks like the station wagon used in National Lampoons Vacation movie. Thats probably where Lincoln got it's design from.
  • heavensoldierheavensoldier Member Posts: 61
    Hello I wanted to buy a aftermarket navigation system if I ever do get the Lincoln zephyr God willing, do you think this navigation system will fit in it? http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/product/detail/0,,2076_3151_295632461,00.h- tml

    I think the unit needs a double din opening, double sized, its a 7 inch screen, just wondering if it will fit? Thanks and God Bless.
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    The Lincoln and Caddy conversation and points might need to be tailored in the sense of, they no longer compete with one another. Cadillac has moved up market, at least that's what the memo said 3 years ago...

    And now, back to our regularly scheduled program...
  • scootertrashscootertrash Member Posts: 698
    I wonder what Ford thinks of the fact the Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis are outselling the 500/Montego.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    They think that they're making a TON of profit on those dinosaurs.

    The 500/Montego sales will be ok until they get the 3.5L engine and a facelift. There are a lot of faithful customers that will buy CVs and GMs as long as they're available. Not to mention the CV police fleet and livery sales.
  • While the Zephyr's sales figures are not burning up the charts (translates annually into a bit over 20,000), it is doing OK.

    But yikes! The Ford people must be shaking now. The new 2006 Explorer is not doing well--even taking into consideration the cooling of SUV sales, and the sales of 2006 Mountaineers are absolutely tanking. There is one "redesign" that didn't take.

    The Milan, out since last fall, cannot even match last year's sales of the lame duck Sable. And no wonder Ford has extended production of the Taurus...it still sells more than double the 500. When it goes out of production next fall, the percentage drop in sales won't look good. That a specialty vehicle like the Mustang still handily outsells the excellent, mainstream mid-size Fusion is also troublesome. This is no longer introduction time, the media have been saturated with Fusion and Zephyr ads, and the dealer lots around here are now full of both of them.

    I don't know of course what the problem is, but I do know none of the Zephyr ads have spoken to me. The interior shot they use is especially not compelling. Until you see it "in the flesh" all of a piece, that driver's dash shot just looks "old."
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    "But yikes! The Ford people must be shaking now. The new 2006 Explorer is not doing well--even taking into consideration the cooling of SUV sales, and the sales of 2006 Mountaineers are absolutely tanking. There is one "redesign" that didn't take."

    The Mountaineer and the Explorer sales ARE going to tank because one of the factories producing them was closed down. Hence, there's only factory producing them at this time, and that's at full capacity. This was planned on purpose knowing the segment was shifting, therefore you will continue to see the numbers drop to around 250K combined units.
  • The segment may be shifting, yes. But just as in the minivan segment, a few names rise to the top of the sales charts while the others fade away. I do hope Ford shoots to be tops in more segments than just Mustang's.

    Regardless of how Ford adjusts production to meet demand, Ford has seen some of the greatest percentage decreases in the mid-size to full-size SUV field. No reason why the historically chart-topping Explorer couldn't wear a set of clothes and attributes that would continue its sales domination indefinitely. However, even with a new front clip, new tailgate, new interior, strengthened frame, stronger V8, and 6 speed transmission, it looks identical on first glance to the previous one. Lincoln, PLEASE don't take this route when you update the MKZ.
  • savethelandsavetheland Member Posts: 671
    Ford is notorious for saving money when making redesign. Take Taurus. When it was redone in 1992 the only change they made was rear and front end. Doors and etc were the same, engines were the same, transmission was even worse. And it is after 7 years without any change! But because original design was fantastic Taurus hold its best selling position with discounts (logical considering they did not spend money on redesign) until 1996.

    ’96 redesign was failure because it was overdone, quality did not allow to charge premium price and Ford was too late in shifting to bio-design – party was over when they came with this model (I still like it as a radical and interesting). This time it took only 4 years for remake – a big progress by Ford’s standards!

    But what they did this time around? Right – they only changed front and read ends. So with all this curves it looked obsolete from the beginning. Did they replace Vulcan with more modern engine? No, Camry’s 2.2L was superior to 3.0L Vulcan. Did they improve Duratec? No, Camry’s 3.0L was superior to Duratec.

    Ford always was famous for starting with breakthrough designs and then not improving it for decades until running out of money and being on the brink of bankruptcy. E.g. model T, model A, whatever they made in 70s.

    Ford also must improve interiors. Without good interiors they are never going to win. Ford interiors still feel cheap and ergonomics is not good. Honda and Toyota just running circles around Ford when it comes to interior design, quality and ergonomics. And Ford makes good interiors for European models.
  • navigator89navigator89 Member Posts: 1,080
    "Ford also must improve interiors. Without good interiors they are never going to win. Ford interiors still feel cheap and ergonomics is not good."

    Have you seen a Ford interior lately? No, I'm not talking about the Crown Victoria or Taurus - they are old designs. I'm talking about the Fusion, Explorer, Excursion, and Five Hundred. I dont see what they lack in terms of design and quality compared to the Japanese. This would have been a bit true a few years back, but now domestics are really making strong efforts in their interiors. In fact, I even think the Fusion design beats the Accord and the Explorer is much better inside than the Pilot.
  • prigglypriggly Member Posts: 642
    Ford also must improve interiors.

    The interior of the Zephyr [MKZ] lacks in nothing. It is stylish, functional, and refreshing. It wisely and tastefully omits the sullenness of the German interiors and the "Tokyo by night" effect of the Japanese interiors.

    When was the last time you saw a control for the HVAC fan speed on the steering wheel?
  • Ford has indeed come a long way. The materials in the Zephyr interior do seem to exude quality. However, in the evolution of the new Lincoln interior look, from the 2006 Navigator to the "newer" look of the 2007 Navigator and 2006 Zephyr, it is beginning to look less like classic Lincoln and more like 1980s dash design lines.

    The other thing Ford could do that would help is a small thing: stop with the gaping cupholder holes and at least provide a cover on those models considered to be near luxury or luxury.

    Look at the interior of an Audi A6, the Acura RL, the Toyota Avalon, the Lexus GS for how others do luxury ambience. I think Lincoln did a masteful job of saying "quality interior" on the MKS concept (and no gaping cupholder holes either!). I hope they don't water that interior down too much in bringing it to market.
  • ricwhitericwhite Member Posts: 292
    The interior of the Zephyr [MKZ] lacks in nothing.

    Hmm. . . well. . . C&D magazine said the zephyr's

    ". . . attributes seem better conceived for senior citizens than young affluents. . ."

    Not exactly a raving review of the interior, if you ask me.
  • caliddcalidd Member Posts: 60
    This message is for 06Zephyr,

    I did not receive the photos. Please resend with "Zephyr photos" on subject line.

    Many thanks!
    calid
  • prigglypriggly Member Posts: 642
    Not exactly a raving review of the interior, if you ask me.

    See post #881 regarding the joke that is the Car and Driver "review."
  • 06zephyr06zephyr Member Posts: 32
    please send ur e mail addy to my AOL acct and i will resend the pics
  • 06zephyr06zephyr Member Posts: 32
    instead of reading all the reviews and making an opinion....go see it for yourself and drive it....then make an opinion

    as they say "a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing" and you are making a judgement based on very little first hand knowledge

    the inside is both luxurious and up to date...is it right for a 21 yr old...probably not....but Lincoln is not targetting that market for this car
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