Car Talk Names Winner in Ugliest Car Contest

Last month we invited you to join us in the democratic ridicule of finalists in the Ugliest Car Contest organized by Tom and Ray Magliozzi, hosts of NPR's "Car Talk" radio show. The votes have been tallied, and it's time to inaugurate the ultimate unattractive automobile currently in production: the Nissan Juke.

What about the Juke offended the most? Those bulbous, froglike headlights situated atop the hood. Not only did voters consider the headlights homely, but some noted the additional creep factor of feeling like they were being watched in the driver's seat. It seems some people just can't take a Juke.

In second place, things also didn't shape up well for the Nissan Cube, whose right angles were all wrong for voters. Finally, in third, the Lincoln MKT's aggressive grille was off-putting for voters who felt the crossover was gnashing its teeth at them.

It should be noted that the Fiat Multipla, which was winning handily as of Jan. 23, was disqualified when contest organizers realized it was no longer in production.

For the full rundown on the Car Talk Ugliest Car Contest, click here.

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Car Talk: What's the Ugliest Car?

Just as a person's beauty is only skin deep, a car's is in the eye of the pink-slip holder. Still, there's just no denying that some have a face only an owner could love. Tom and Ray Magliozzi, the hosts of NPR's "Car Talk" radio show, solicited input online to determine the ugliest automobile currently in production.

Based on the nominations received, the field was narrowed to 10: Chevrolet Spark, Fiat Multipla, Infiniti QX56, Kia Soul, Lincoln MKT, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Nissan Cube, Nissan Juke (photo above), Toyota Prius v and the Smart ForTwo. At last check, the Multipla was trouncing the uncomely competition with nearly 39% of the vote. Its nearest opponent is the Juke with nearly 26%; the balance of the nominees' vote tallies were in the single digits.

Is the Multipla being unfairly maligned in the face of an uglier opponent? Or perhaps you wish to contribute to the pile-on? Click here to cast your vote.

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Recall Alert: 2013 Lincoln MKT

Lincoln is recalling 128 of its MKT SUVs from the 2013 model year that are equipped with the limousine or hearse preparation package, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In the affected vehicles, which were manufactured from March 6 through April 3, the rear brake rotor bolts were not mounted correctly. (You can check your vehicle’s build date on a sticker on the driver-side doorjamb.) If the bolts stick up above the wheel mounting, a loss of torque in the wheel joint and wheel separation could result. This could lead to an increased risk of injury.

Owner notification started May 24. All the affected vehicles have been quarantined and will be repaired before delivery to owners, according to Ford. Owners can call Ford at 866-436-7332 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

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Lincoln Sticking with MK-Lettered Nameplates

Like them or not, the Lincoln brand's nameplate nomenclatures of "MKT," “MKZ," "MKX," and "MKS" are here to say, according to USA Today.

Last year, Ford CEO Alan Mulally intimated that the carmaker was considering a switch from the MK naming to something more traditional, like Continental.

For the hopeful, those dreams have officially been dashed. At the 2012 Detroit auto show, Lincoln introduced the MKZ Concept, indicating the Zephyr name probably wouldn't be revived.

Jim Farley, Ford's marketing chief, also hinted that the names would stick. "What I've learned in my career is it's product that matters, not the name," Farley told reporters at the show. In a separate interview, Mulally also told reporters he had come to terms with the current naming structure at Lincoln.

No word on if this spells the end of the only model still holding a proper name at Lincoln: the Navigator full-size SUV.

No change: Lincoln Is Stuck With Alphabet Soup Names (USA Today)

Did the New Ford Flex and Lincoln MKT Change Enough?

The Ford Flex has one of those love-it-or-hate-it vehicle designs. It's boxy, it's square, it's retro and apparently it's also totally L.A. (It turns out Los Angeles is one of the Flex's hottest markets). Case in point, when we hosted actor Joey Lawrence and his family at one of our recent Cars.com Shootouts, he kept comparing the cars we were testing to his own Flex.

More 2011 L.A. Auto Show Coverage

The Flex isn't as popular in other markets, and neither is the Lincoln MKT. Both sell in meager amounts next to mainstream crossovers like the Chevrolet Traverse and even Ford's own Explorer. Can some refreshes to these two vehicles skyrocket them onto families' radars?

2013 Lincoln MKT: Up Close

The slow-selling MKT tones down some of its more controversial elements for 2013, and it remains spacious in the first and second rows. But the latest version of MyLincoln Touch still needs work.

More 2011 L.A. Auto Show Coverage

Shallower than the one that preceded it, the MKT's new grille is more palatable, but the car's ungainly profile remains. Some people like it, but if you hated it before, the rhinoplasty doesn't change that. Like on the MKS, most of the grille — plus the lower bumper inlet — is closed off. Fewer openings usually improve highway aerodynamics, but it means most of the MKT's grille is unnecessary. Bah.

2013 Lincoln MKT at the 2011 L.A. Auto Show

• Competes with: Buick Enclave, Acura MDX
• Looks like: The whale tail remains, but the baleen have multiplied
• Drivetrain: 300-hp, 3.7-liter V-6 with front-wheel drive, or 355-hp, twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 with all-wheel drive; six-speed automatic
• Hits dealerships: Spring 2012

The refreshed Lincoln MKT, a cousin to the refreshed Ford Flex, gets a litany of interior and exterior updates for 2013. Besides the visual alterations — which include a reshaped grille and redesigned dashboard — the three-row crossover gets an uprated base V-6, optional adaptive suspension and other hardware upgrades. The MKT hits Lincoln dealerships next spring.

More 2011 L.A. Auto Show Coverage

The MKT's grille plunges less but carries more vertical slats — 36 instead of 14 — in a "calmer, more restrained way," Lincoln says. So less blue whale, more humpback. The MKT's trademark belt line kink and broad tail remain, if you dig that sort of thing. If not, keep the sunglasses on.

2011 L.A. Auto Show: What We Know

Fall should mean only one thing to attentive auto enthusiasts: a new auto show season is upon us.

With the 2011 L.A. Auto Show less than a month away, we have a pretty good understanding of what to expect, though there still looks to be a few surprises. Like in previous years, the show will be a heavy mix of luxury car debuts intertwined with some fuel efficient, green options.

There will be at least 21 all-new releases at the show, and 25 vehicles that will make their North American debuts (about the same as last year). This fresh new clutch of vehicles will be shown to the media, and subsequently to you on KickingTires, Nov. 16 and 17.

The everyday car shopper should keep tabs on the redesigned Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Hyundai Azera, all of which will debut at the show.

2012 Lincoln MKT EcoBoost Price Drops $3,000

In a move to gain exposure for a well-reviewed but little-noticed vehicle, Lincoln has dropped the price of its top-tier vehicle, the EcoBoost MKT crossover, by $3,000 to $46,295, excluding $875 for destination. That’s the same price as the standard V-6-powered all-wheel-drive MKT from the 2011 model year. The EcoBoost includes a 355-horsepower, twin-turbo V-6 engine and all-wheel drive standard.

The 2012 MKT EcoBoost comes with leather seats, panoramic glass roof, heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, dual-zone climate control, Sync, DVD entertainment system, power-adjustable foot pedals, power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, power tailgate, parking sensors and rear sunshades.

Navigation and a surround-sound stereo system are part of a $4,000 Elite Package, while a rear entertainment system with dual screens is an additional $1,995.

The base MKT with front-wheel drive and 268-hp V-6 engine still starts at $44,300.

Lincoln also released details on the rest of its 2012 lineup. However, there are no other significant price adjustments.

Incentives on Defunct Mercury Brand Tick Upward

Retail production of Mercury vehicles ceased nearly a month ago, and now Ford is getting down to the business of ridding itself of any leftover inventory for the defunct brand. The remaining Mercury dealerships are on a deadline to move the metal before the end of 2010 when their Mercury franchise agreements will be terminated.

To flush out the remaining inventory, Ford has increased retail incentives for the Mercury brand drastically for November. Until this month, the 2010 and 2011 Milan, Milan Hybrid and Mariner all offered $2,000 cash on the hood, which was the same as its Ford counterparts. Now all three have up to $3,500 on the hood, nearly 60% more money back than what’s offered on the identical Ford Fusion and Escape. The 2010 and 2011 Grand Marquis now get upward of $5,500 cash back.

The aggressive incentives are supposed to help Ford expedite the shutdown of Mercury by the Dec. 31 deadline, according to Automotive News. Ford spokesman George Pipas told Automotive News that there are fewer than 10,000 Mercurys left in the inventory, which amounts to a 35-day supply. Currently there are nearly 4,000 Mercurys on sale on Cars.com. Below you’ll find the remaining deals on all Mercury and Lincoln inventory. Most of these incentives are good until Dec. 31.