The grille? Well it definitely makes me think of modern Lincolns, but also of the new Lexus LS and also, with regards to its general shape,
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| The grille makes me think of modern Lincolns, but also of the new Lexus LS and Cadillac DTS, while the headlights are extremely similar to Acura's TL, all Japanese models. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada) |
Cadillac's DTS. In other words, it's not going to win any points for originality.
I suppose this last point is how I feel about the entire car. The new MKS won't win any points for originality. To me, where as the outgoing LS mimicked BMW's previous 5-Series to the point that even my five-year-old son thought it was one of the German automaker's models (and up until last year when he learned to decipher a car's make from the badge on its hood or rear deck lid he could tell you the name of pretty well any model by looking at either its headlights or taillights), the new MKS appears all too Japanese in design.
Again, if I was alone in my thoughts I wouldn't be so concerned for Lincoln, but being that similar criticisms arose from the hubbub surrounding the car at its initial launch, and once again at the Detroit auto show in Cobo Hall, I feel that this new design language may see the next-generation Lincoln flagship facing off more directly against Acura and Lexus, if not Infiniti which is a heck of a lot more distinctive (in this case another word for eccentric) with its upper range model. In any event, I don't think it's wise for Lincoln to go head-to-head with the best from Japan, at least from a styling perspective, being that the Japanese will probably continue to win where it matters, with short- and long-term quality, resale values and on the sales charts. Rather, Lincoln should take a cue from Chrysler, and design a car that is distinctively American (although some
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| While the MKS features some distinctive features, is the overall look "Lincoln" enough to pull disenfranchised fans back to the domestic luxury brand? (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada) |
say the 300 has been influenced heavily by big Bentleys and Mercedes-Benz four-door models), like, hmmm... the previous Continental Concept perhaps (which others say was inspired by European models that initially inspired its 1960s predecessor)? Of course, looking rearward isn't the only guarantee for success. Sometimes it can work against a brand or model. Another approach that has worked well is Cadillac's Arts & Science design language, pulling very few cues from the past and in so doing dictating a very progressive and original future-thinking image. The edginess of the initial CTS and XLR models has been watered down, however, with the introduction of the STS and even more so with the DTS, the latter of which looks less futuristic than its DeVille DTS predecessor.
