No, to get people re-interested in a car brand that has pretty well fallen by the wayside in recent decades, you've got to be
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| To get people re-interested in a car brand that has pretty well fallenby the wayside in recent decades, you've got to be bold, unique andprogressive, even in a retrospective way if necessary. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada) |
bold, unique and progressive, even in a retrospective way if necessary, and the MKS is none of the above. Its one distinctive character trait, the brushed metal insignia-adorned engine vent at the rear edge of each front fender, will appeal to some, no doubt, but it doesn't make up for an otherwise bland styling exercise. Rather, it clashes with the rest of the design, looking more like an afterthought than an integral part of the design. The 20-inch alloy wheels, mind you, are flat-out gorgeous (they're so beautifully detailed, in fact, that I made a point of adding a number of photos specifically depicting their design and manufacturing process to the gallery).
A Ford Design Center executive was on the floor after the December reveal, off to the side while J Mays and Peter Horbury were being mobbed by media reps, so I asked him what he thought of my rather negative opinions. I told him what I've told you, that the MKS looks more Acura- and Lexus-like than any previous Lincoln, something I was surprised to see after all the talk both Mays and Horbury expounded minutes before the unveiling about cars needing to exude a presence that befits the country they originate from. He answered by showing me the large rear doors
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| Even Horbury couldn't show me any other traditional American features to back up his statement about a car needing to openly bear its national roots. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada) |
and large grille, as well as the interior. OK, you're right, I said to him. American cars have long had large rear doors and Lincolns have for the most part included wide and tall waterfall grilles, while the attractive interior, once again, will only work to the brand's advantage if someone bothers getting close enough to look inside. But really, is that all that could be said about the car's homage to American styling?
Later, when the crowds died down, I stood next to Horbury, softly drilling him about the design, and he, in his eloquent British accent and sincere charm, couldn't show me any other traditional American features to back up his statement about a car needing to openly bear its national roots.
