Nu Ford de merken Jaguar en Land Rover in de etalage heeft gezet zal Lincoln de kans krijgen om de rol van luxe merk over te nemen binnen het concern. En daarom hebben ze ook de MKT Concept meegenomen naar Detroit.
Onder de motorkap vinden we een 3.5 liter V6 EcoBoost-motor voorzien van een turbo en directe injectie en dat levert maar liefst 415 pk op. Verder is de MKT Concept natuurlijk heel erg zuinig en een functionele cross-over concept blablabla, je kent het wel.
DETROIT, Jan. 14, 2008 – Lincoln today pulls the wraps off a new premium utility concept vehicle – unsurpassed in its balance of spaciousness, comfort and fuel efficiency – that shows customers a new way to tour in style.
The Lincoln MKT concept features a 3.5-liter V-6 EcoBoost engine with turbocharging and direct injection that produces the power and torque of a V-8 engine with the fuel efficiency of a V-6. EcoBoost – combined with advanced transmissions, electric power steering, weight reductions and aerodynamic improvements – is a key part of Ford Motor Company’s vehicle sustainability strategy.
The company is introducing EcoBoost engines that will deliver up to 20 percent better fuel economy on half a million Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles annually in North America within the next five years. Ford will first introduce EcoBoost in the Lincoln MKS next year. The luxury sedan will feature a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6, delivering an estimated 340-horsepower and more than 340 lb.-ft. of torque on regular gas.
“EcoBoost engines can deliver better fuel economy and performance on a full range of vehicles, from small cars to large trucks,” said Mark Fields, president of The Americas. “The Lincoln MKT concept offers the comfort of a luxury sedan, the spaciousness and flexibility of a full-size utility and the performance of a sporty roadster – executed with new technologies and materials that make it as environmentally friendly as it is elegant.
“The Lincoln MKT concept is understated but powerful – inside, outside and under the hood.”
Premium EfficiencyThe Lincoln MKT concept features an EcoBoost engine that’s flex-fuel capable, providing the driver with the flexibility to switch back and forth between premium gasoline and E85 ethanol-gas blend. Burning these high-octane fuels, the MKT concept’s V-6 engine delivers 415 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque – an impressive 118 horsepower per liter.
The concept’s engine is mated to a six-speed transmission for greater fuel efficiency. Fuel efficiency also is helped by weight-saving, eco-friendly “upcycled” materials from SABIC Innovative Plastics.
Two upcycled plastic materials, Valox iQ and Xenoy iQ, were used in making the Lincoln MKT body panels, energy absorbers, wire bundles and glazing. The resins are made from discarded soft-drink bottles and other polyester waste, keeping them out of landfills, reducing energy consumption and shrinking the vehicle’s overall carbon footprint.
Some applications of the resin help the vehicle resist heat and chemicals and also improve overall noise and vibration.
Spacious Elegance
Drivers and passengers alike will appreciate the Lincoln MKT concept’s spaciousness – right down to the seats that mirror those found in first-class aircraft cabins. Four executive-sized chairs offer comfort and unprecedented leg room. As an added pleasure, second-row heated and cooled thigh supports deploy from under the seats, while footrests deploy rearward from the front seats, allowing passengers to fully recline.
“We envisioned this concept as a modern grand tourer, really a Learjet of the road,” said Peter Horbury, executive director of Design, The Americas. “With the Lincoln MKT concept, you find a premium utility that could as easily accommodate a businessperson slipping into the back seat on the way to his or her next meeting in the chaos of Manhattan as a family packed up for a weekend getaway to the coast.”
The vehicle’s symmetrical interior design divides the cabin thoughtfully, providing all four passengers equal access to the vehicle’s appointments.
Through the use of soothing tone-on-colors, eco-friendly materials, ambient lighting and flexible storage, the MKT concept offers customers a unique combination of serenity and connectivity.
Environmentally friendly details include the plush, hand-knotted rug made from banana silk that covers the floor and complements the contrasting Creamy Pearl chromium-free leather seats.
Elsewhere in the interior, chrome accents – including a one-piece sculpted door handle featuring a baroque-influenced graphic – mirror the elegant lines on the concept’s exterior.
For the center stack, designers invented and patented a solid-state lighting technology that allows them to project onto a contoured surface in 3-D. Until now, all projection was limited to flat surfaces with square or rectangular boundaries like a flat-screen television. This new technology allowed designers to use non-traditional shapes and spaces for information displays as well as unique storage spaces in the center stack.
The expansive instrument panel and twin-level center console, finished in a reconstituted oak veneer, houses an assortment of technologies, including an instrument cluster inspired by Swarovski crystals. It uses Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) strategically positioned so light appears to emanate from the center of three circular dials and radiate to the outer edge of the dials.
The MKT concept’s center console, which runs the entire length of the vehicle to create a feeling of continuity between the upper and lower portion of the cabin, contains individual air vents, audio and climate controls, and personal storage.
In addition, a flat screen deploys from a floating overhead console which also hides two small cameras, each aimed at one of rear seats to provide on-screen “conference calling.”In the rear cargo area, a smart space behind the second-row seats provides additional storage. Designers also included a power lift system that raises and lowers a series of rails behind the rear seats to allow flat-load or compartmentalized storage.
Lincoln’s timeless design on a whole new package
The Lincoln MKT concept features Lincoln’s signature double-wing chrome grille, encapsulating LED headlamps that wrap around into the sculptured hood, lending the luxury utility a powerful presence.
Its elegant body side chamfer runs along the shoulder, with dynamic haunches over the rear wheel arches. Inset into each front fender and traveling through the door panels are chrome Lincoln stars with spears that add visual length to the car. Meanwhile, winged, curb-clearing doors give the car a dramatic sense of direction, agility and forward movement.
A substantial C-pillar creates an aura of privacy for the rear occupants. Like limousines, the MKT cuts an interesting profile – long, low and comfortably wide. The signature roofline runs the entire length of the greenhouse and remains uninterrupted. The roof itself is glass, allowing in natural light.
As an unconventional surprise, designers incorporated a bustle-back design into the concept. The classic look provides massive storage capacity, crucial for any trip.
From the rear, the concept is instantly recognizable as a Lincoln, thanks to full-width LED taillamps stretching from side to side.
The exterior is bathed in a rich Liquid Bronze Metallic paint that compliments the chrome brightwork. The intricate 21-inch, 14-spoke interlocking chrome aluminum wheels have body color accents.
“The Lincoln MKT concept represents harmony in motion, balancing sculptured shapes and contours traditionally associated with beautiful cars on a crossover vehicle that offers the luxury of space and efficient, powerful performance,” Horbury said.
Specifications
Powertrain
Engine: 3.5L V6 EcoBoost
Horsepower: 415 HP @ 5750 RPM
Torque: 400 lb.ft. from 2000 to 5000 RPM
Transmission: 6-speed select-shift AWDChassis
Length: 208.4 in
Wheelbase: 120.7 in
Width: 78.7 in
Height: 63.9 inTrack Width
Front: 67.1 in
Rear: 67.0 inSuspension: Independent Rear Suspension
Headroom:
Front: 41.5 in
Second Row: 39.4 inLegroom
Front: 42.0 in
Second Row: 44.0 inTire size: 285/35/ZR21
DiDi zegt
de cijfers zien er goed uit
maar het design spreekt me niet echt aan
Papa zegt
Ik ben wel een fan van Lincoln denk ik, zeker na de Zephyr. Deze is ook weer gelikt. Ik denk dat je toch wel 2x kijkt als je deze langs ziet komen.
Jan C. zegt
Maar deze concept bestond toch al? Sterker nog, ik meen dat er zelfs al miniaturen van zijn
Huin zegt
-edit: nutteloze bijdrage-
Graaf H. zegt
De neus doet mij denken aan die Fisker Karma (the joker) van enkele dagen terug.
Niet mijn keuze, maar dit mag van mij de straat op.
De achterlichten mogen wel veranderd worden. Het mag dan wel vernieuwend zijn, de conventionele achterlichten vind ik mooier.
Het is ook eens een aangenaam interieur voor een Amerikaan. De zetels zien er zonder meer uitnodigend uit.
Michiel zegt
top design.. hoop dat ze weer wat gaan durven..
Jan C. zegt
kennelijk dacht ik aan de MK.
RenesisHP zegt
Ik vind het geen mooie auto, die kont kan nog wat werk gebruiken. Zelfs dan is het mijn smaak niet.
Turbopaultje zegt
Stukken geslaagder dan die Chrysler F700………., of was het toch een Daimler ?
G. de Groot zegt
Deze wagen is veeeeel te uitbundig gestyled, en wat is het eigenlijk?
Is het een hatchback, is het een crossover?
Dit ding komt dus nooit verder dan de conceptstage, niemand wil zoiets.
Leejon zegt
Die voorkant is ehm.. vreemd. Toen ik deze pagina opende kreeg ik zo’n vreemd gevoel van verbazing, een beetje zoiets als je ziet dat je oma aan hiphopdansen doet ;):P
En over die achterkant.. Het lijkt gewoon een afgehakt blok, dat is het!
Mustang zegt
Die achterkant is iets (of misschien ook veel) te groot! Als er een auto is waar ik in een kofferbak moet liggen wil ik wel in deze liggen!:) Lekker veel ruimte!:P
Maar hopelijk niet natuurlijk!
Pierot zegt
Men neme een Vel Satis, restyled hem een beetje en hopla!!
Een innovatieve bak, die nóóit een commercieel succes zal worden…
Timmy zegt
Vind die neus wel iets hebben, heeft wel iets dominerend.
maar die achterkant? jongens rij daar is mee achteruit zonder achteruitrijcamera. paal van anderhalve meter achter je auto zie je nog niet staan.
nee de achterkant is niet echt mijn ding.
lincoln zegt
oooeeehhhh .. heel mooi .. neus doet mij alleen veel aan de pontiac/olds 70/80 periode denken .. maarja .. hun doen er toch nix meer mee ..