http://a137.g.akamai.net/n/137/3538/20060109163119/www.cars.com/features/autoshows/2006/detroit/coverage/images/concept_Lincoln_MKS_frontangle_cs_430.jpg

Looks like: A Ford Five Hundred that will actually sell
Defining characteristics: 4.4-liter V-8, emblem-adorned side vents, squat side mirrors
Ridiculous features: Solid bird's-eye maple trim, Oxford-gray and pearl-white suede
Chance of being mass-produced: Excellent
The American buyer's disappointment in the Ford Five Hundred full-size sedan is a tragedy. It's a very complete car, and possibly one of the best-packaged sedans in history. There's tons of interior space and, famously, room enough in the trunk for eight or nine golf bags. All this in a car that's shorter from bumper to bumper than stalwarts such as the Ford Crown Victoria and Lincoln Town Car. Now the Five Hundred (and thus its Mercury Montego sister vehicle) has earned the top rating in its class in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's stringent crash tests. So what's everyone's beef? That it's too bland looking (a reasonable complaint) and underpowered (asinine). But you can't always change people's minds.

Enter the Lincoln MKS concept, Lincoln's version of the Five Hundred. It has sharper styling and a V-8 engine. Lincoln says the car "strongly hints at the design direction for Lincoln and its upcoming new flagship sedan." Translation: You're looking at it. Only the expensive exotic materials, inside and out, and some of the more ambitious features are likely to change. Maybe some styling touches, too.

Lincoln would be foolish to do away with the vents on the front fenders, which are among its more interesting design elements. They appear immediately in front of each front door and are dressed up with a Lincoln ornament. The gray and white suede on the seats, dashboard and door panels probably wouldn't be affordable or age well. Like the new 2007 MKX crossover vehicle, the MKS has a glass roof.

The drivetrain starts with a 4.4-liter V-8 that puts out 315 horsepower at 4,500 rpm and 3,000 pounds-feet of torque at 3,000 rpm. If the engine seems unfamiliar for a Ford vehicle, it's the same Yamaha-built V-8 that's an option in the Volvo XC90 sport utility vehicle, with which the MKS shares a platform. The six-speed-automatic transmission in both the concept and the MKX is the long-awaited product of a partnership with General Motors. The MKS has all-wheel drive; the platform also supports front-wheel drive.

One of the niftier high-tech experimental features is a type of active headlights that don't require motorized, sweeping lights. The halogen projector-beam lights are fixed and conventional. A series of high-intensity LED lamps outboard of each wraps around the fender. When the driver turns, the lights illuminate as far outward as is needed based on the sharpness of the turn. It's not unlike the turning lights that have appeared on luxury cars for many years — just smarter and brighter. Compared to the common active headlights, there are no moving parts or expensive repairs.

http://a137.g.akamai.net/n/137/3538/20060109163846/www.cars.com/features/autoshows/2006/detroit/coverage/images/concept_Lincoln_MKS_rearangle_cs_430.jpg

According to the chicago tribune, the MKS may be scrapped. Although, they could just move the plant to Mexico... :)

That could hinge on whether the plant builds a new Lincoln sedan planned for 2008. Sources within Ford and auto suppliers have identified Torrence as the site for the Lincoln MKS, but the company has not confirmed plans to build the sedan.

The MKS reportedly would be built on the same platform as the other models made at Torrence Avenue, making the Chicago plant a logical location.

But Ford's product plans are in flux as it tries to turn around its struggling North American operations, which lost $1.6 billion last year, so the MKS could be scrapped.

Ford plans cuts in Chicago
Declining demand hits Torrence plant

By Rick Popely
Tribune staff reporter
Published April 8, 2006


Ford Motor Co. said Friday that it will lay off an undetermined number of workers at its Chicago assembly plant by October as it trims production of the Five Hundred sedan to match declining demand.

The layoffs will be the first since the plant received a $400 million overhaul in 2004 to become a flexible manufacturing facility that can produce several models on the same production line.

Tony Tallarita, chairman of United Auto Workers union Local 551 at the plant, said Ford has discussed reducing production line speed by 10 percent, though the amount is not set.

A 10 percent reduction in line speed would not mean that 10 percent of the 2,500 union workers at the plant would be laid off, he said.

"There's no way to forecast the number of people that will be involved," Tallarita said. "As we get closer to the fall, engineering teams will re-evaluate workloads throughout the plant and how many people they will need."

The Torrence Avenue plant has the capacity to produce 300,000 vehicles annually. It built 241,000 last year on two shifts.

Sales of the three models built at the plant dropped in March, led by an 18 percent decline in the Five Hundred. The weak month resulted in the first year-over-year decline since production of the vehicles began in August 2004. The plant also builds the Ford Freestyle crossover and Mercury Montego sedan.

Before flex manufacturing was adopted, Ford would shut the plant and idle workers for weeks when sales slumped, but Tallarita said keeping the lines running is more efficient and results in better quality.

"I hate to have to consider a reduction in line speed, but it's better to run it consistently instead of stopping and starting production all the time," he said.

Until now, Ford has expressed satisfaction with the sales pace of the three models, but Ford sales analyst George Pipas said the company wants to reduce output before inventories become bloated. Ford had nearly 57,000 in stock at the end of March, 10,000 fewer than a year ago.

"We don't want to let our inventories get so high that we have to pour $4,000 [in incentives] on the car or shuttle it off to Hertz," he said, referring to the rental car company Fold sold last year.

That is a reference to the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable previously built at Torrence. After sales cooled, Ford kept the factory running with high incentives to retail customers and by selling two-thirds of production to fleets such as Hertz.

"That's what you get yourself into when you produce at a higher rate than there is demand," Pipas said. "We're thinking ahead and not waiting until we're painted into a corner and have no alternatives."

David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research, said Ford is making the right move.

"Ultimately, [big incentives] catch up to you," Cole said. "You need balance between production volume and market volume. This makes a lot of sense."

The idled workers will be placed on indefinite layoff and could be called back if production increases.

That could hinge on whether the plant builds a new Lincoln sedan planned for 2008. Sources within Ford and auto suppliers have identified Torrence as the site for the Lincoln MKS, but the company has not confirmed plans to build the sedan.

The MKS reportedly would be built on the same platform as the other models made at Torrence Avenue, making the Chicago plant a logical location.

But Ford's product plans are in flux as it tries to turn around its struggling North American operations, which lost $1.6 billion last year, so the MKS could be scrapped.

Torrence Avenue was in line to build a Mercury version of the Freestyle, but that model was dropped as part of a restructuring plan announced in January that will eliminate seven North American assembly plants and 30,000 jobs.

Ford spokeswoman Anne Marie Gattari would not comment on the MKS or whether it could wind up in Chicago.

"As part of our North American turnaround, we're developing a new product portfolio. Where those products will be built has not been determined," she said. "We will very much take advantage of our flexible manufacturing system. We will do more with less."

i like and then i dont like...it looks to much like an IMPORT!!!!

Interesting Yamaha engine...

Interesting Yamaha engine...

the taurus sho v8 was a yamaha eng, in the first gen sho, the fast but ugly one, not the bubbled one but the rounded generic car looking, very high reving small 8

3000lb ft of torque huh? thats more than any diesel on the market lol