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Lincoln MKZ Concept: Future Vision Today
The new Lincoln MKZ Concept, revealed today at the North American International Auto Show, signals a significant step in Lincoln's reinvention, providing a clear vision of its next-generation vehicles.'With the Lincoln MKZ Concept, we are not introducing a new car. We are essentially introducing a new brand,' said Derrick Kuzak, Ford Motor Company group vice president for Global Product Development. 'The MKZ Concept is the next step in the reinvention of Lincoln, something we've been quietly but aggressively pursuing.'
Lincoln MKZ Concept: Exterior
The MKZ Concept strongly hints at the production model arriving in dealerships later this year, as well as Lincoln's design future.
'The MKZ Concept's shape is a vision of simplicity completed wîth just a few strokes,' said Max Wolff, Lincoln design director. 'Our movement as a brand is toward something we call elegant simplicity. It's something warmer and more restrained, which is moving away from complex designs and traditional luxury.'
Warm hues are evident in every aspect of the new vehicle's Cognac-colored exterior. The deep finish is achieved wîth a rich base coat covered in multiple layers of tinted clear-coat finishes.
By retaining key, recognizable brand design elements, the MKZ Concept remains clearly identifiable as a Lincoln. One example is the more refined interpretation of the split-wing grille, introduced on the 1938 Lincoln-Zephyr.
The sedan's profile is dominated by a long, sleek and sweeping roofline that allows the design to break away from the traditional sedan three-box shape. The lengthening of the roofline enables a more flowing, elegant and more naturally aerodynamic appearance. (Access Lincoln MKZ Concept specifications here.)A panoramic glass roof spans uninterrupted from the windshield to the top of the backlight. Integrated into the sedan's aluminum and boron steel superstructure, the fixed-glass expanse extends to the side roof rails of the cabin, creating an airy, open interior.
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Lincoln MKZ Concept: InteriorThe Lincoln MKZ Concept's four-seat interior is open, warm and inviting. 'The front graphic is repeated in the dramatic sweep of the instrument panel, helping tie the interior to the exterior. These flowing forms create a comfortable and functional interior that particularly appeals to the younger, more diverse customers we are targeting,' said Wolff.
Innovative interior features include push-button transmission gear selection, an open, tiered center console and liquid crystal instrumentation. The reconfigurable 10.1-inch Thin Film Transistor (TFT) LCD positioned ahead of the driver operates wîth the latest version of MyLincoln Touch™ as does the nearly flush-mounted center 8-inch LCD touch screen.
Responsibly harvested poplar wood, aluminum in bright and satin finishes as well as leather help create a sculptural, luxurious and comfortable interior space. Champagne-colored leather seats wîth dark taupe accents feature a champagne perforation pattern, so-called because the perforations on the seat backs conjure the image of champagne bubbles rising from the bottom of a glass.
Lincoln MKZ Concept: Engineering
The Lincoln MKZ Concept is a styling study that rides on an all-new midsize platform. The sedan is capable of utilizing multiple powertrain options in front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations.
Like the recently introduced MKS and MKT wîth EcoBoost™, the Lincoln MKZ Concept features Lincoln Drive Control and the sophisticated Continuously Controlled Damping (CCD) adjustable suspension.
The Business of Lincoln'Lincoln is an important part of our company's success,' said Mark Fields, Ford Motor Company president of The Americas. 'The luxury piece of the is significant. In any given year in the Ú.S., the luxury §egmènt is 11 to 13 percent of overall sales, and it is important for us to win customers in the luxury market wîth strong new vehicles. That is a key reason we have invested so heavily in Lincoln.'
During the past 14 months, Lincoln has built a dedicated team – including designers, engineers, quality and manufacturing experts as well as marketing and sales leaders. The team includes people from luxury brands, some outside of automotive.
'This team wakes up every morning thinking about Lincoln – and only Lincoln,' Fields §äid. 'These are the people committed to delivering world-class vehicles wîth a customer experience to match.'
Many of the new team members begin working this year in the all-new Lincoln Design Studio in Dearborn, Mich.
Únder Wolff's direction, construction of the 40,000-square-foot studio began in early 2011 and ultimately will house more than 180 modelers, engineers, stylists and designers in a space that encourages creativity and collaboration.
'This is the first time Lincoln has had its own studio since the 1970s,' said Wolff. 'Having our own space is critical to the continued development of the brand. We are passionate about creating beautiful, even seductive, vehicles – and the MKZ Concept marks just the beginning.'Source - Lincoln
| Fitting In While Standing Out, Ford Designers And Chicago Architects Discuss Parallel Trends In Aesthetic Worlds | |
 | ◾'Big Ideas in Small Spaces: Proportion in Design' panel brings together leading architects, innovators and automotive designers to push the boundaries of the global design world ◾Ford is joining with the Chicago Architecture Foundation in a discussion on common design trends between cars and buildings ◾Vehicles and buildings are expected to be stylish as unique creations, but must also reflect their time and surroundings while offering practical access to features people require for daily use...[Read more...] |
| Kia Motors America Announces Strong April Sales | |
| IRVINE, Calif., May 1, 2013 – With the first deliveries of the all-new 2014 Cadenza and Forte sedans taking place throughout the month, Kia Motors America (KMA) today reported best-ever April sales of 47,556 units. The U.S.-built* Optima midsize sedan led Kia's sales for the 17th consecutive month with 14,678 units sold, and together with Sorento CUV, also built in West Point, Georgia*, accounted for nearly 50 percent total sales for the month. The Soul urban passenger vehicle also recor...[Read more...] | |
| Volkswagen Of America Reports April Sales | |
| - April sales total 33,644 units delivered- • April sales total 33,644 units, representing an 10.3 percent decrease versus the prior year • Chattanooga-built Passat delivered 9,069 units for the month, 30.8 percent TDI® Clean Diesel • Jetta Sedan achieved 11,110 sales in April • Best year-to-date sales of Tiguan with 10,439 units delivered through April and 2,488 for the month • High-mileage, TDI® Clean Diesel models accounted for 21.7 percent of sales in April and 21.5 percent of sales ...[Read more...] | |
| BUICK DELIVERS BEST RETAIL SALES YEAR SINCE 2006 | |
| • Sales up 80 percent over three consecutive years of growth DETROIT – Buick retail sales for 2012 were up 6 percent over 2011 and at the highest level in six years, giving the brand its third consecutive year of retail sales gains. Buick total sales increased 2 percent in 2012 and were the highest since 2007. Retail sales, which are sales to individual customers, are up a combined 80 percent since 2010. Buick's retail sales were also up for the eighth consecutive month...[Read more...] | |
| New Sierra Marks 111 Years of GMC Pickup Heritage Photo History Shows Evolution of Truck Design Through 12 Decades | |
 | • New Sierra Marks 111 Years of GMC Pickup Heritage • Photo history shows evolution of truck design through 12 decades DETROIT - The all-new 2014 GMC Sierra fullsize pickup will be the latest in a bloodline that stretches back over a century. The first truck to wear a GMC badge debuted in 1912, while a predecessor from the Max Grabowsky's Rapid Motor Vehicle Co. was the first commercial truck operated in the City of Detroit 10 years earlier. Here's a list of highligh...[Read more...] |
 2012
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