Driving home after picking up Lincoln's new 2009 MKS flagship sedan, I found myself following an earlier example of this brand that, along with rival Cadillac, once defined the American luxury car, but which for years now has been struggling to re-establish its marketplace relevance.
The model I was shadowing was one of the grandly scaled, early 1990s Town Cars, dingy white and rather rusty and with its rear licence frame hanging askew.
All it needed to exemplify Lincoln's steadily declining status during that decade was a vanity plate reading "FDEDGLRY."
But the Town Car should be venerated by the Lincoln faithful. Its continued sales - mainly to limousine companies as its elderly fans died off - did much to keep the name alive while a new generation of vehicles was being created.
Interestingly, the Lincoln name continues at Ford, while much-vaunted import brands that might have supplanted it, Jaguar and Land Rover, are gone, leaving only currently up-for-sale Volvo as a rival within the company's luxury portfolio.
Lincoln's seemingly successfully revitalized range now includes the pretty clever crossover MKX, full-size dinosaurs the Navigator and Mark LT pickup on the truck side, the modestly successful mid-sized MKZ (due to be revamped for 2010) and the full-size MKS sedans.
In the heydays of the Town Car and Continental, Lincoln was at the top of the aspiration ladder, but with its new line-topper, the MKS, it is aiming a rung lower.
The $45,599 front-wheel-drive MKS - $47,799 for the all-wheel-drive model tested - targets the middle of the market, a segment broadly defined by vehicles such as the Cadillac STS, Infiniti G37, Lexus ES350 and GS350, Saab 9-5, Toyota Avalon, Volvo S80, Acura RL, Audi A6 and BMW 5-Series.
Stiff competition. But this new Lincoln measures up in most categories and initial reaction, despite being launched at one of the industry's worst low points, appears positive. I liked it, too.
The MKS is based on a much-revised version (structurally stiffer/longer wheelbase/wider track) platform that underpins a number of large Ford models.
And it takes a sensible approach to luxury-car power with a 3.7-litre V-6 engine rated at 270 hp and which produces 265 lb-ft of torque, delivered through a six-speed automatic transmission you'll hardly ever notice operating.
This may not provide high-horsepower bragging rights - the twin-turbo, 340-hp version coming later this year will though - but it does deliver strong and flexible power in any driving situation short of a drag race.
Along with decent fuel economy numbers. The AWD model is rated at 12.9 L/100 km city and 8.8 highway, 0.4 litre/100 km more than the FWD version.
The MKS has a MacPherson strut front suspension and a new independent rear suspension design, four-wheel disc brakes and 19-inch wheels as standard (20-inchers are optional).
The all-wheel-drive system can transfer 100 per cent of power front to rear, and is dialled in to work in harmony with the AdvanceTrac stability control system.
Driving dynamics remain a little old-school Lincolnesque. Steering weight is natural enough and response to inputs linear if not exactly sharp.
It's competent enough in the curvy bits but not what you'd call enthusiastic, and perhaps just a vestigial hint of that old Town Car-like floatiness remains on highway undulations.
The upcoming turbo model will undoubtedly be much better pinned down.
The body work is attractively drawn, while the overall length is 5,184 mm compared with the old Town Car's 5,471 mm.
It is a strong enough design that it doesn't fade into the streetscape and easily takes a place in the front rank among its rivals.
As it's a Lincoln, it had to have a large chrome grille, and it does, but this one manages to be tasteful.
Lincoln claims the cabin is the most capacious in its class and I wouldn't argue.
There's plenty of glass area, too, which lends it an open and airy feel, particularly in the roomy rear, further enhanced on my tester by the optional dual-panel moon roof. The trunk has 521 litres of space.
Up front, the interior styling borrows a page from the Lexus book on how to create an elegant, luxurious and efficient interior treatment.
The dark-over-light dash is trimmed in real polished aluminum, the wheel is leather with a wood insert and the tester came with a cricket-bat-wide plank of unusually grained olive ash. You can also order ebony recycled from old furniture.
The front seats are wide based and comfortable (heated and cooled) and upholstery is in perforated Bridge of Weir leather.
Lincoln was generous with the standard power and convenience items, as you'd expect, and added some neat touches, such as a cap-less fuel filler system (you just plug in the pump nozzle), adaptive headlights (they swivel) and Ford's Sync hands-free communication and entertainment system.
The test unit came with the Vision package that added adaptive cruise control, voice-activated nav system, rear view camera and superb THX-II audio system. Along with the moon roof, this upped the price, including destination charges, to $56,479.
The MKS looks good, is very nice inside and pleasant to drive.
It could well be the Lincoln that, while it may not restore the name to its former glory all by itself, does get the brand back in the luxury passenger car game in a meaningful way.
2009 LINCOLN MKS AWD
Type: Luxury sedan
Base Price: $47,799; as tested, $56,479
Engine: 3.7-litre, DOHC, V-6
Horsepower/torque: 270 hp/ 265 lb-ft
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Drive: All-wheel-drive
Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 12.9 city/8.4 highway; premium or regular gas
Alternatives: Cadillac STS, Infiniti G37, Lexus ES350 and GS350, Saab 9-5, Toyota Avalon, Volvo S80, Acura RL, Audi A6, BMW 5-Series
Like
- Attractive and distinctive looks
- Comfortable and understated interior with plenty of room
- Decent performance and economy
Don't
- Single multi-function left stalk control
- Indistinct brake pedal feel
- A little more suspension firmness wouldn't be amiss
globeauto@globeandmail.com