Lincoln MKZ Concept

10 Jan 2012, 12:25

Lincoln’s MKZ has never stood out visually—it has always looked every bit the dressed-up Ford Fusion that it is. If the MKZ concept is a faithful preview of the 2013 production model, all that changes. Curvy, swoopy, and a bit odd-looking, the MKZ concept is a definite visual departure from both the old car and the 2013 Ford Fusion, with which it will again share a platform and which debuts just across the aisle at the Detroit auto show.

Most of the MKZ’s look is fresh, but Lincoln’s new lead designer Max Wolff kept the twin-grille front end worn by the rest of the brand’s lineup. Aside from the horizontal grille slats, the face may seem pulled straight from the 2013 MKS, but the rest of the car is more German “four-door coupe” than American entry-luxury mid-sizer. A sweeping roofline defies the profile of the typical three-box sedan and leads to a clipped Kamm tail. The feasibility of the MKZ’s daring roofline is suggested by the 2013 Fusion; the two share a basic shape, so the bustle-butt profile likely will make it to production. The rest of the design is relatively clean, although we’ll deduct points for the slab sides, a few fussy details up front, and the hatchback-imitating trunk. As is to be expected, LED lighting adorns the front and rear.

Car and Driver