Lincoln MKS - 2006 MKS Concept

2006 MKS Concept

The Lincoln MKS made its first appearance as a concept vehicle at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. The MKS Concept provided a preliminary view of the design direction that Lincoln was taking for their new full-size flagship sedan of the same name. The exterior of the MKS Concept was sculpted to convey a strong sense of performance while maintaining traditional luxury-car elegance. Patrick Schiavone, design director of Ford North America, said of the car's design, "Lincoln MKS communicates power, motion and speed. It's athletic and muscular, yet elegant." The MKS included Lincoln's signature waterfall grille with a crosshatching that was later used in the grille for the 2007-2009 Lincoln MKZ. The MKS' sleekly shaped headlight assemblies featured adaptive lighting which pivots the headlight projectors in concert with steering inputs to improve visibility in turns. Also housed in the headlight assemblies were a series of LEDs that would blink in sequence for turn indication. Side vents positioned aft of the front wheel wells were adorned with the Lincoln star and added character to the MKS' profile. On the top of the MKS Concept was Ford's Panoramic Vista Roof (a large sunroof and moonroof combination that takes the place of a conventional roof), which first appeared in production-form in the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX. In the MKS Concept's rear were LED-based parking and brake lamps and dual chrome, trapezoidal-shaped exhaust tips. The MKS Concept rode on 20x8.5-inch, ten spoke five/five wheels which gave the unique appearance of a five spoke chrome wheel combined with an offset five spoke alloy wheel. The purpose of this was to blend the sportiness associated with five spoke wheel designs with the multi-spoke designs commonly associated with luxury cars.

Inside the MKS Concept was an interior design that was modern and contemporary, getting away from the designs used in previous Lincoln concept vehicles, such as the 2004 Lincoln Zephyr Concept, that drew inspiration from classic Lincoln interiors. The MKS Concept's seats were covered in cream-colored Aniline leather while the doors and interior panels were covered in pearl-white suede. Contrasting with the lightly colored suede-covered panels, the MKS' dash board was covered in dark grey suede. Instrumentation and controls featured satin nickel inserts and chrome trim with backlighting provided by white LEDs. An applique of real maple wood ran across the instrument panel, dividing it into upper and lower sections. Technological features in the interior included Bluetooth device connectivity, a DVD-based navigation system, a 14-speaker, 500-Watt audio system, a passive entry system that identifies the car's driver and allows him or her to start the vehicle by only carrying its key fob, and a push button ignition system. Safety was provided by dual front airbags, driver and passenger side airbags, and side curtain airbags to protect occupants in a rollover situation.

The MKS Concept was based on Ford's natively front-wheel drive, Volvo-derived D3 platform which was already in use in the then-Ford Five Hundred, Ford Freestyle, and Mercury Montego (the version used for the MKS in particular was coded D385). The platform features a fully independent suspension with MacPherson struts and rearward-facing lower L-arms with a stabilizer bar in the front and a multilink coil over shock setup with a stabilizer bar in the rear. Though it would be optional in the production MKS, the MKS Concept featured an active all-wheel drive system that could seamlessly transmit power to any wheel as needed to maintain traction in slippery conditions. Powering the MKS Concept was a Ford/Yamaha 4.4 L DOHC V8 producing 315 hp (235 kW) at 4500 rpm and 320 lb·ft (433 N·m) of torque at 3000 rpm. The engine was mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission.