And basing the MKZ on one of the best handling cars in the entry-level midsize class hasn't hurt its driving dynamics either. The
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| The MKZ's fully-independent suspension balances a comfortable ride with spirited handling. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada) |
suspension is fully-independent, of course, with short and long arms (SLA) and rearward facing control arms plus a stabilizer bar, as well as nitrogen filled, gas charged, hydraulic coil over shocks up front, and a multilink system with more or less the same hardware attached in the rear. The steering system is power rack and pinion, resulting in reasonably direct response to input - or at least the 2006 version shows such characteristics.
The 2007 MKZ will incorporate all-wheel drive instead of front-wheel drive, which should help it react more like the premium Audis and Volvos it's up against. When the updated Lincoln later this year,
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| The MKZ wheels mix classic styling cues with a sporty demeanor. Two additional 17-inch wheel styles are available. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada) |
parent company Ford will offer more than 20 vehicles with AWD which will help increase its total annual all-wheel drive sales to 500,000 units over 2007; a figure that elevates the Dearborn-based automaker to AWD leadership levels.
Lincoln made sure to note, however, that while the MKZ features all-wheel drive and a nimble, responsive undercarriage, it has also been tuned with ride comfort in mind. Therefore, don't expect ultra-low-profile tires on massive alloy rims, but instead reasonably large 17-inch aluminum wheels with tires that are as much biased toward performance as they are compliance to road imperfections. According to U.S. press information, a choice of three 17-inch wheel styles are available at no extra charge - Canadian-spec MKZs may differ.
And that all-wheel drive system has been designed more for overcoming inclement weather than enhancing
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| The MKZ's all-wheel drive system has been designed more for overcoming inclement weather than specifically for enhancing performance. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada) |
performance. Don't get me wrong, the addition of some rear-wheel propulsion should give the car better dynamics, especially considering the system's rather light weight shouldn't hinder acceleration or lateral transitions very much, but being a front-wheel biased setup, unlike BMW's rear-biased xDrive, for instance, its primary objective is to increase traction in wet and snowy or icy conditions. Lincoln says that its AWD system "actively and seamlessly delivers torque to all four wheels, even before wheel slippage occurs". It does this via an active on-demand coupler, which apportions the exact amount of rear-wheel torque needed, and when combined with optional traction control, Lincoln's "intelligent" all-wheel drive has the ability to not only send torque from front-to-rear, but also from side-to-side. This, of course, increases stability which in-turn improves safety.
Other safety features include standard driver and front passenger airbags, seat-deployed side airbags for thorax protection, plus three-point safety belts
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| Standard driver and front passenger airbags, seat-deployed side airbags for thorax protection, plus full-length curtain-type airbags are included in the MKZ. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada) |
at all seating positions, with front-seat pretensioners and retractors. What's more, full-length curtain-type airbags stretch from the A-pillar to the C-pillar, wrapping occupants in what Ford dubs its Personal Safety System.
Lincoln made a point in its MKZ press materials to note that its side curtain airbags are anything but average in their construction or deployment. Compared to conventional curtain-type airbags, with Lincoln states open up in an accordion-like fashion, the MKZ side curtains feature "roll-fold" technology, an exclusive system in the midsize segment that, when deploying, forces itself between an occupant's head and the side glass, even if that passenger is not optimally positioned.
