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The Escalade is holding up even in this tough environment. There is an Escalade hybrid. The SRX is being replaced with a more efficient and less station-wagony model. Lincoln has nothing at all like the CTS, which will soon be expanded by a coupe and a very racy looking wagon. The ESV and EXT extend the Escalade range. The XLR gives them a halo car. The V series adds to the cachet. And they already have a small presence in Europe. Plus plans for yet another rear drive platform right smack in BMW 1 and 3 series territory, but for less money.
And yet their situation remains tenuous. Lincoln by contrast has almost nothing on deck. That's what I mean. The product planners and bean counters back in 2001 had no idea what havoc they would wreak and how their ture lack of skills might not just sink Ford from its long held #2 spot, but even spell the end for another venerable old brand like Lincoln.
You're wrong there. Cadillac had the glory until the 80's, when they were making Oldsmobuicks with failing aluminum engines. (Coincidentally when I left Cadillac and went over to Lincoln). The Town car of the 80's and 90's was far superior to the Cadillac in every way. That all ended in 1998 though, and Lincoln has been spiraling down ever since, even abandoning the best lincoln ever made, the LS. I will argue however, that Lincoln's quality was EVER worse than Chrysler - not even sure about Cadillac....have to think that one over. Depends on the model I guess.
That's why GRWD is so important. The potential cost savings for shared platforms between north america and the aussies is huge which would allow Ford to make more money on less individual volume.
That would be funny if it wasn't completely wrong. The MKS has real wood.
I was under the impression it was up against the Lexus ES. It has a very nice, if plain, interior and a comfortable, if non-sporting drive. It loses bragging rights in the horsepower numbers game but the car didn't seem underpowered. I have driven a few different ones now and they always were comfortable and pleasant enough, but I never got the impression they were targeting anything fast or performance oriented.
I certainly don't work for Ford but I am a Ford fan. I've already admitted the MKS has several flaws - the gauges and center stack are cheap, I guess the trunk opening isn't as large as it could be and it's not a sports sedan with 300 hp and 50/50 weight balance (but then again it's not trying to be).
Why do you assume that the things people complain about are all valid?
Lincoln goes to the trouble and expense to use real exotic wood and someone wants to complain about how it's glued together? Give me a break.
There are valid criticisms and invalid criticisms. I'll defend against the latter all day long, for any vehicle.
I suspect that some posters must work for Lexus given their unreasonable criticisms. (see, that works both ways)
I will be the first to admit my bias. I am a Ford guy and have been one for years. I have own other vehicles but I always came back to Ford’s. Call it quality, personal appeal, or just plain luck, I have had outstanding service and could not ask for more. Yet I know they are not perfect, I believe they are the automobiles industry best kept secret. Now when it comes to operations and marketing, that is another story.
Having worked for Ford, I get the inside track on product and procedure on some things. With that I will say that some of the criticism I have read is justified for what that person knows at the time. Others, well they may have a point all together.
I had mostly been a Taurus guy. After a while I was looking to upgrade and realized that I would have to either go on to Mercury or Lincoln. I went with the Zephyr and was impressed with vehicle. When I was able to perform a close inspection of the MKS back in February, I saw many of the same things I have seen in this forum. For me none of them were deal breakers. I ordered the car.
Since I ordered it with some products that were not available yet, I had to wait. So the order went to the plant finally on the 27th of Aug and I have been informed to expect it the week of Oct 6th. I plan on sending regular reports and providing pictures for all to read and see. In this area MKS are flying off the lot. I have yet to see a dealer with more than a web page of inventory (7-10 vehicles). Most of them are the tuxedo black and the ultimate package. Price range is between $38,000 – 45,000 depending on what it has. From my research it seem that the average MKS stays on the lot between 5-8 days.
Mine will top out around $48,000. I have read the pros and cons in comparison of the vehicle. In my opinion the MKS is in a unique area where it is hard to compare it to any vehicle. It size suggests comparison with the Buick Lucerne. But the MKS design is no comparison. I can spot one just about anywhere no matter what color it is. It commands attention with the bold split grill and high shoulders. It takes me a while to spot a Buick Lucerne even with its size. I will agree that the back end and trunk opening may need some work, but again this is personal taste and that is ok.
Many say the engine is not what it is suppose to be in the power area. Both my Zeyphr and Taurus have 3.0 ltr engines and I have enough tickets to fill up a pretty good size wall between the both of them. For me a 3.7 is fine. You guys can have the EcoBoost. Just be sure to light me up when you are on the highway please, that way you get the tickets.
All and all I think Lincoln did well with this fellow. Of course there will be improvements but to come out the gate, I believe it is a good running start.
I think that even though some maybe disappointed in some respects the MKS is at least a step in the right direction for LIncoln.
The car with the ultimate package is loaded with incredible features and the and regular gas doesnt hurt.
I am definitely not saying the MKS is perfect, just wondering if there is a different bar of acceptance for different vehicles in the same market and price range.
Wood used in furniture making is typically the highest quality available. When you cut wood to be used in furniture you end up with small pieces of this high quality wood. These pieces are no less quality than the part that ended up in the furniture - they're just too small to be useful to the furniture maker.
Ford has found a way to take those pieces and turn them into real solid wood trim for their vehicles. The alternative would be that they end up in the trash pile or burned as fuel. So they're not only saving money but saving the environment at the same time without sacrificing quality.
It sounds like you think they're taking sawdust, mixing it with glue and making a composite wood product and nothing could be further from the truth according to the article.
If Toyota was doing the same thing they'd be winning awards from the greenies. But since it's Ford they're (incorrectly) accused of being cheap.
This double standard is ridiculous and needs to stop.
Does Ford tell its customer that the wood is recycled? Also isn't it suppose to be a Lincoln and not a Toyota? What may be acceptable in a Toyota is not in a 40,000 thousand dollar car. Well, the MKS is really a 40,000 thousand dollar Taurus.
If Lincoln didn't use real wood they'd get slammed by people like you for not being competitive.
There is also the matter of getting what one pays for.
You pay for real wood and you get real wood. Do you know how they make tabletops? They glue up smaller pieces of wood.
Get over it. Do you work for Toyota?
So you're not even reading my posts? I said this in post 2148 about 18 hours ago:
I certainly don't work for Ford but I am a Ford fan.
I can't be any more clear. And I've been building furniture for 20 years so I know how they make particleboard, chipboard, MDF and tabletops. Particleboard doesn't look anything like real wood.
You've never said that it didn't match or didn't look or feel good, so your hangup is simply on the manufacturing process. If it looks and feels good, what difference does it make?
Yes, the MKS shares a basic platfom with the Taurus. It is therefore FWD and nose heavy and they share a transmission and possibly the gauge cluster. Everything else in the car is unique to the MKS including the roof line and doors which is the most obvious place to save money.
And you never answered MY question: do you work for Toyota?
And I guarantee you if any other import mfr was doing the same thing it would be celebrated as another example of environmental responsibility. But because it's Ford it's criticized.
"I don't like the ebony wood" is an opinion that nobody can argue with. Why can't we stick with that?
Anybody had any experiences such as this? It didn't seem to give a lot of warning before shutting down completely.