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Comments
The Lucerne has a nicely trimmed interior, is very quiet, and unlike the MKS, offers a V8. The MKS, however, offers AWD and soon Ecoboost. As for appealing to 66 year old men, of course Buicks and Lincolns appeal to old guys. But a few younger people cross-shopping the Lucerne have also found value and luxury there. Neither one is going to appeal much to the BMW/Mercedes crowd. Or Acura buyers either.
We were at the auto show in DC a few months later and were talking with the woman at the Enclave display, and she mentioned that the interior of the Lucerne is kept that way because of the demands of the demographic that buys it.
On the other hand, my wife saw a commercial for the MKS (the rocket ship one), and with out knowing what it was said it looked cool.
I think he's trying very hard to do that. The interiors have improved 1000% since Mulally took over - the leather is so much better, the other materials the same, and the design is beautiful. Lots of money has gone into the cabins. The quality is Lexus like in there now, and I prefer their looks in many cases to my Lexus that I drive. The prop rod remains an issue on some models, and I just hate it. It won't stop me from buying one, but will piss me off everytime I raise the hood for anything. It's just not classy.....
Otherwise though, I see tremendous progress with the cars Ford is putting out since Billy went back under the ether and Alan took over.
The Ecoboost will really distinguish the MKS. I would have considered it if it weren't so tall with those too long overhangs. Heck, if the MKZ had truly distinctive styling, stability control and a better interior, that might have been my car. The 2010 will get close, but unfortunately, they could not afford to change the Fusion body with Lincoln accents look.
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f19dd0e/62
Not sure where this issue began but I assure you it has struts for both the hood and trunk - just like the Taurus and Sable. The MKZ has the cheap-assed prop-rod - at least for now.
If they want to cut corners some place, why cut cut some of those upper management bonuses and compensation, especially when the firm suffers a fiscal year loss?
You should not have to walk in expecting a lower value product. Our (as in American) products used to be the best because we made them that way. We can do that again, and I don't know if the top brass - or unions - at Ford really understand what painful actions need to be done.
The MKS, though, feels 90% done to me.
It should be that good sound system is compatible with your musical preference, and not the other way around. When spending this much on a car, that is the type of experience I am looking for. This is offered in Cadillac, Mercedes, and Lexus choices.
I know Lincoln can fight back. What's really sad is that this car makes such a good first impression, I really want to like it more.
I don't like mis-information. If someone says they don't like something then fine, but don't make personal preferences into objective facts.
For the record I think it's front heavy and not balanced therefore it doesn't handle as well as it could (although I don't see that as a fatal flaw), the gauges are cheap and so is the black center stack. The trunk opening isn't quite as wide as it could be. Other than that, I think they nailed it.
The problem is the cars it competes against do not have those flaws. My friend drives an Infiniti M35x and lets me drive it upon request. It's V6 is stronger than the MKS on paper anyway, The guages and center stack are the opposite of cheap and the handling is excellent. Don't forget the cheap switchgear and rear console vents on the MKS either. As for the trunk opening well, I could care less.
I still think the looks alone are enough to at least have people give the MKS a look. To me it doesn't look too much like anything in it's class.
And neither is the Mark Levinson system in the Lexus - my Lexus has to be turned to ear-splitting volume to really pump out any bass at all. Something I've had to get used to, because I like bass.....but when you hear noise you've never heard before from a CD, you get used to liking it pretty quickly.
Well, it is great you don't defend the things that don't need defending. :P
gregg: same question, really...what is being done to the new LaCrosse to make it so much different than the previous Lacrosse or the Lucerne???
Thanks to both...
On a different note, the THX sound system: I haven't heard it in the MKS, but in the MKZ, it's phenomenal. It's a shame if they didn't properly re-tune it for the MKS. Then again, the 2007 MKZ won a couple of independent awards for best factory sound system, yet Insideline still said of the MKZ "the sound quality seems bland regardless of the music genre." And said the stereos in the TL and ES350 were "sound more engaging at any volume." Maybe Insideline is quite sure how to use the THX sound system in any car.
Another note on audio, the same question of what brand the speakers are could be asked of Lexus's Mark Levinson stereo. There are no "Mark Levinson" speakers. The company only makes, pre-amplifiers, amplifiers, players, and processors.
My point exactly - how can a stereo win awards for sound quality and get rave (or at least good) reviews from all other reviewers yet InsideLine finds it "bland"?
It's tough to believe a review when it goes 180 degrees from almost every other review out there.
The new Lacrosse will be more in the new Malibu idiom, but more elegant. It will be quiet, the direct injection 3.6 will be available, and the interior will be upgraded significantly. At least it should give some buyers pause in buying the MKZ, if they were cross-shopped.
Contrast this to a Lexus, Cadillac, or Mercedes sound system... heck even to the Avalon, and it just doesn't cut it.
I don't need awards to tell me what's good, when my ears can do just fine. Lincoln really needed to impress with this car, and the outside does just that. IMO it slips when you get into the details.
I love the design, though. And if they get serious and put a real sound system (not delco tuned by THX) and a bigger trunk opening, with more wood inside the cabin, I may be back for a second look.
This car is both good and bad, IMO at least.
Perhaps yours was defective or maybe they didn't do the vehicle specific tuning on the MKS (although that would be hard to believe). Or maybe you just have a different personal preference.
Ford certainly has their share of mediocre sound systems (the 'audiophile' system in my Fusion, e.g.) but their THX system is not one of them.
Most people have the same feeling about BOSE audio systems, yet you seem to like them.
2,374 MKS in August as compared to 2,279 in July.
Also, even the name BOSE carries cachet, Lincoln should have gave the extra bucks and got a cachet-rich system. They would have gotten better sound for sure, but since many people unfortunately don't see the lincoln brand as aspirational anymore, surrounding themselves with powerful brand names would certainly help Lincoln.
Its just such an attractive car, I wish it didn't have the gun slit rear window and tiny trunk opening. This car is such a tease, such a huge trunk whose space in not accessible :P
On a personal note, I wish the hard drive was bigger. That's not a deal breaker though.
I'm not a Bose hater per se - I have their clock radio and it's great - but it's certainly not in the THX or Mark Levinson league.
Even the plate would cringe.
I agree 100% Lincoln needed a branded sound system. I refuse to be ripped off, if I can avoid it :P
Try to put a decent size cooler in the trunk and your down for the count.
In a car of this size, class, and price range it was downright foolish for them to make such a silly mistake. That is borderline deal breaker for me. Besides the sound system it is really one of the few things holding me back.
That small rear window doesn't bother you?
I didn't say the THX system was as good as a Mark Levinson, only that more people know the THX name.
Where does it come up short, in your opinion? Bass, sound stage, etc.?
https://www.fleet.ford.com/maintenance/owners_manuals/default.asp
I want them to be a true luxury contender and offer us premium features for the premium asking price. Lincoln has a damaged brand, one of the ways to heal a damaged brand is to associate it with more established, high cachet brands. Damaged or not, every true luxury automaker offers high end premium audio systems.
Aside from just having bragging rights, a true 'branded' high end sound system would have sounded better than this 'THX Certified' system. When we tested it, we would not have to adjust the system for the different types of music that we tried. I recall that on some Rock/Metal songs, we heard artificial distortion! It was actually unpleasant, as if the speakers could not handle the different types of sounds!
In a real system, the music is so good you will want to sit in the car a bit longer just to listen to your favorite track. You can hear notes you never heard before. Lincoln needs to understand that they have competition, other cars this size and price offer a better sound experience.
There is still hope that Lincoln will play ball...
I'm not an audiophile in any way, though.
I do like a Top tier steakhouse steak a lot better than a Friday's one, though -- must be what they feed the cow, I don't know.
Anyways, to stay on topic, I think the MKS looks nice and I'll give it a test drive in a few months. Just not convinced on the the way that rear end looks, though.