[escapen]

Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas, has confirmed that the Lincoln MKT crossover is due to be reveal this January at the Detroit Auto Show, while a refreshed MKZ will be unveiled at the Los Angeles Show in November.

We already knew the Ford Flex-based CUV was headed to Detroit, with power provided by either a 3.7-liter or a 3.5-liter Ecoboost V6. Both six- and seven-passenger seating arrangements will be offered, along with Blind Spot Monitoring and a Cross Traffic Alert system which utilizes two sonar modules to notify drivers that a vehicle has moved into their blind spot by shining a light on the corresponding outside mirror. Sales are expected to begin later in 2009 and Ford is insistent that the MKT won't share any body panels with its platform sibling.

The facelifted MKZ sedan will sport the new split-wing grille originally found on the MKR concept. New taillights are also rumored to be part of the package and sales should begin later this year or early in 2009.


This means the MKZ will be unveiled with Fusion and maybe Milan and jit showrooms in December or January 2009 as part of Ford's plan to introduce vehicles and put them into market only a month or two after introduction.

Id expect MKT by late March?

 

[ausrutherford]

Sorry but we pretty much already knew this

 

[escapen]

Maybe but Mark Fields announced this today, and its from Autoblog btw.

 

[ausrutherford]

Maybe but Mark Fields announced this today, and its from Autoblog btw.

i know i saw it.

 

[Ahmad]

Sorry but we pretty much already knew this

I knew the MKT was bound for Detroit, but I didn't know the MKZ was heading to LA. I guess we'll see the Fusion, Milan, and MKZ all debut at LA, along with the new Mustang.

 

[ausrutherford]

I knew the MKT was bound for Detroit, but I didn't know the MKZ was heading to LA. I guess we'll see the Fusion, Milan, and MKZ all debut at LA, along with the new Mustang.

Ford onfirmed the MkZ in the last monthly sales acticle of media.ford.com.

Milan is at Miami, so we only like a month for that one

Fusion could be SEMA but I bet it will LA

MkT and Lincoln Concept( im betting sports car) in Detriot
2 ford concepts in Detriot, at least 1 other one in Paris
Mercury small car concept in Detriot

T. Conect freshening and Taurus in Chicago

Expy and Nav freshening and deisels in Houston/Dallas

NY-Edge and MkX (i bet they got pushed back to an early 2011, so maybe LA next year)

 

[Ahmad]

NY-Edge and MkX (i bet they got pushed back to an early 2011, so maybe LA next year)

I think the MKX will be pretty sweet looking with the MKR's grill and headlights

 

[johnstarnes]

This great to hear confirmation from the top as I love the MKT and at one point there was talk it had been cancelled. I think this may well be a market changing car in many ways.

 

[nsap]

I don't expect to see the MKZ until January because technically Ford cannot sell 2010 model-year vehicles until January. GM ran into this with the Tahoe, remember? They could start building them in December, but would have to hold off sales until January 2009.

I'm very curious to the see both vehicles. I am personally interested in the 2010 MKZ to replace my G6. I suspect that the MKT will do better than expectations; unlike the Flex. The Flex is simply out of touch with 60% of it's target buyers...not everyone wants to drive a Scion xB-inspired design.

 

[johnstarnes]

Ford onfirmed the MkZ in the last monthly sales acticle of media.ford.com.

Milan is at Miami, so we only like a month for that one

Fusion could be SEMA but I bet it will LA

MkT and Lincoln Concept( im betting sports car) in Detriot
2 ford concepts in Detriot, at least 1 other one in Paris
Mercury small car concept in Detriot

T. Conect freshening and Taurus in Chicago

Expy and Nav freshening and deisels in Houston/Dallas

NY-Edge and MkX (i bet they got pushed back to an early 2011, so maybe LA next year)

Thanks...I did not know about these concepts....I look forward to seeing them as they could herald Ford and Lincoln's evolving new design languages.

 

[johnstarnes]

I don't expect to see the MKZ until January because technically Ford cannot sell 2010 model-year vehicles until January. GM ran into this with the Tahoe, remember? They could start building them in December, but would have to hold off sales until January 2009.

I'm very curious to the see both vehicles. I am personally interested in the 2010 MKZ to replace my G6. I suspect that the MKT will do better than expectations; unlike the Flex. The Flex is simply out of touch with 60% of it's target buyers...not everyone wants to drive a Scion xB-inspired design.

I agree about the Flex design....I think a boxy shape might appeal to 20 somethings but not older more upscale buyers.

By the way NSAP....I appreciated your taking the time to thank all the political thread posters who have kept it largely civil ( I have on Ignore the one who can't) and for making clear that getting nasty and juvenile is what could herald the return of "no politics" at GMI. I feel that was both a thoughtful thing to do while offering a nice dose of positive reinforcement. Thanks!

 

[ChevroletRevived]

Espessially looking forward to the MKT. I hope they keep it as close to the concept as possible. I love the concept and Ive showed it to everyone I know and they love it too. The MKZ is a great car as it is. Will be interesting to see how extensive the changes are. I've heard new front end and interior. The MKT better be awesome though like the concept. I have high expectations!

 

[1931Chevy]

well my son Ford its keeping their word that it will not share any sheetmetal with the flex

http://jalopnik.com/photogallery/mktcuv333/1003357049

 

[johnstarnes]

Espessially looking forward to the MKT. I hope they keep it as close to the concept as possible. I love the concept and Ive showed it to everyone I know and they love it too. The MKZ is a great car as it is. Will be interesting to see how extensive the changes are. I've heard new front end and interior. The MKT better be awesome though like the concept. I have high expectations!

I agree....I REALLY hope the MKT comes out looking nearly identical to the concept....a nice mix of brash and luxurious.

 

[escapen]

Milan is at Miami, so we only like a month for that one

MkT and Lincoln Concept( im betting sports car) in Detriot
2 ford concepts in Detriot, at least 1 other one in Paris
Mercury small car concept in Detriot

T. Conect freshening and Taurus in Chicago

Expy and Nav freshening and deisels in Houston/Dallas

NY-Edge and MkX (i bet they got pushed back to an early 2011, so maybe LA next year)

Thats usually exactly how Ford unveils cars every year, they need to switch around cars a bit to where they are released.

I think the MKX will be pretty sweet looking with the MKR's grill and headlights

Yeah! im excited! I agree with authur that the MKX wont be metioned for awhile because MKX and Edge are doing well in sales and dont need a big update for another year.

well my son Ford its keeping their word that it will not share any sheetmetal with the flex[/URL]

It looks like it would be pretty impossible to share too mich between the 2 crossovers. the Flex is distinctly boxy and the Lincoln takes on the rounder sexier look. I hope the interiors in the rear are vastly different too, not just the dashes which we already know are not similer. Im sure the lincoln will get a fridge too lol.

 

[johnstarnes]

In my opinion, the MKT may well be the first truly beautiful Lincoln since the Mark VIIs of the early 90s. And I am crossing my fingers that the MKR that launched this new design language gets built with NO toning down.....absolutely stunning car!

 

[blank disk]

I agree. I love the boldness. It looks like nothing else, and certainly nothing like it's platform sibling the Flex.


Great job Lincoln.

 

[escapen]

I hope its whatt the Encalve is to the Acadia and Traverse, but to a further level. Sure GM has done a job to diffirentiate the lambdas to a point, but their overall shape isnt vastly different enough make easch vehicle shine in its own right.

I imagine the only thing that makes these vehicles look similar is their length and thats it. People should have hard time telling that the Flex and MKT share their parts underneth.

 

[Xenon]

So when will we start to see a rollout of EcoBost cars?

 

[escapen]

Id imagine the MKS Ecoboost will be shown in detroit or chicago and thats the fisrt vehicle. Flex was hown last year in NYC, so the EB version of that vehicle could definetly turn up there. Finally I believe the DI V6 F-150 will be shown in Detroit or a later spring show

All together, these vehicles are meant for MY 2010 so id imagine we see:

MKS first in Mid spring to early summer '09
Flex late summer or fall '09
F-150 in fall '09 as well

As for the MKT, I have a feeling since Ecoboost will kick off into production late this year and early next, that this vehicle will have little to no wait for Ecoboost and Lincoln might just have the 3.7L and EB 3.5 both avalible at launch.