Lincoln MKT. Click image to enlarge |
Four-passenger Grand Tourer offers fuel-efficient "EcoBoost" turbocharged V6 powertrain
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Lincoln MKT
Detroit, Michigan - Lincoln pulled the wraps off a new premium utility concept vehicle: the Lincoln MKT concept features a 3.5-litre V6 engine with turbocharging and direct injection that produces the power and torque of a V8 engine with the fuel efficiency of a V6, says the company. Called "EcoBoost", the engine is combined with advanced transmissions, electric power steering, weight reductions and aerodynamic improvements, a key part of Ford Motor Company's vehicle sustainability strategy.
EcoBoost engines will deliver up to 20 per cent better fuel economy on half a million Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles annually in North America within the next five years. Ford will first introduce EcoBoost in the Lincoln MKS next year. The luxury sedan will feature a 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6, delivering an estimated 340-horsepower and more than 340 lb.-ft. of torque on regular gas.
"EcoBoost engines can deliver better fuel economy and performance on a full range of vehicles, from small cars to large trucks," said Mark Fields, president of The Americas. "The Lincoln MKT concept offers the comfort of a luxury sedan, the spaciousness and flexibility of a full-size utility and the performance of a sporty roadster - executed with new technologies and materials that make it as environmentally friendly as it is elegant.
The MKT has four executive-sized chairs that offer unprecedented leg room. Second-row heated and cooled thigh supports deploy from under the seats, while footrests deploy rearward from the front seats, allowing passengers to fully recline. "We envisioned this concept as a modern grand tourer, really a Learjet of the road," said Peter Horbury, executive director of Design, The Americas. "With the Lincoln MKT concept, you find a premium utility that could as easily accommodate a businessperson slipping into the back seat on the way to his or her next meeting in the chaos of Manhattan as a family packed up for a weekend getaway to the coast."
The vehicle's symmetrical interior design divides the cabin, providing all four passengers equal access to the vehicle's appointments. The MKT concept's centre console, which runs the entire length of the vehicle to create a feeling of continuity, contains individual air vents, audio and climate controls, and personal storage. In addition, a flat screen deploys from a floating overhead console which also hides two small cameras, each aimed at one of rear seats to provide on-screen "conference calling."
