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)

Lincoln MKZ Concept: Photo Gallery

Lincoln thinks a fresh new design direction is just what the brand needs to stay relevant in the luxury-car segment; many of the cues Lincoln is thinking of using are represented on on this thinly veiled concept version of the next-generation MKZ.

More 2012 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

Looks like big changes will come to the MKZ's grille, which ditches vertical slats for horizontal ones that help emphasize the car's width.

2012 Detroit Auto Show: What To Expect

Nearly a month from today will mark the return of America’s — and maybe the world’s — most important auto show. Thirty-six all-new vehicles are set to debut at the 2012 North American International Auto Show, according to the Detroit Free Press.

After a two-year hiatus, Nissan and Infiniti will be at the show. At the same time, Suzuki, Land Rover and Jaguar will be leaving.

New vehicles at the show will include the 2013 Toyota Prius C, which will be the most fuel-efficient and most affordable Toyota hybrid available, according to the automaker.

Hybrids Surge on Cars.com, Trucks Suffer

Yesterday, we illustrated how higher gas prices can affect consumer preferences on Cars.com and ultimately real-world car purchases. After analyzing the last 30 days of search data, we see that hybrids and fuel-efficient vehicles are the biggest beneficiaries of the sudden rise in gas prices, and heavy-duty trucks, large luxury cars and SUVs are the biggest losers.

Out of the 15 vehicles that have seen the most improved search traffic over the last 30 days, eight are hybrids.

The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid saw an 1,836% increase in traffic month-over-month on Cars.com. The Sonata Hybrid originally hit dealerships in January, according to Hyundai spokesman Miles Johnson, but the car was delayed soon thereafter over impending legislation requiring noisemakers in hybrids and electric vehicles. Miles says the Sonata Hybrid has a noisemaker, but owners have the option to turn it off, which is similar to the system in the Nissan Leaf. Hyundai modified the system in the hybrid so it doesn’t have an option to turn off the virtual engine sound anymore. The car went back on sale sometime this week.

2011 Kia Optima Earns Five-Star NHTSA Rating

The 2011 Kia Optima received an overall rating of five stars in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s new crash-test rating system, the agency announced today.

Read Cars.com's Full Review of the 2011 Kia Optima

The Optima’s overall composite score is composed of a five-star frontal, five-star rollover and a five-star rating for the combined side pole and barrier tests. The side barrier test is an area where other vehicles have shown weakness with the safety agency’s new testing format. The side pole test simulates a 20-mph side-impact crash into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver’s side.

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.

2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid Priced at $34,330

Ford has priced its first luxury hybrid, the 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, at $34,330, not including an $850 destination fee. There is no price differentiation between the regular V-6 MKZ and hybrid model, which means the V-6 model got a $105 price bump for the 2011 model year. With this move, Lincoln has made this a choice between performance or fuel efficiency. The MKZ Hybrid competes with other fuel-efficient entry-luxury sedans such as the Lexus HS 250h, Acura TSX and the BMW 335d. 

The Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a hybrid system that together generate 191 horsepower. The vehicle achieves an EPA rating of 41/36 mpg city/highway. The MKZ Hybrid is only available in front-wheel drive; gas-powered MKZs can be had in both front- and all-wheel drive.

New Cars Increasingly Composed of Recycled Materials

We all know recycling is good for the planet. Melting down old soda bottles to make new ones reduces what goes into landfills and the amount of oil used to make many plastics. What may surprise you is that your old Coke bottle may be a part of your new car. 

According to the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers, 9 percent of all recycled milk jugs, laundry detergent bottles and other high-density polyethylenes ended up in cars in 2008. 

Lincoln Rolls Out Free Maintenance Incentive

While many luxury automakers offer free maintenance as a rule, Lincoln is rolling out a short-term incentive through Sept. 7 on all new Lincolns for free maintenance.
 
The program covers scheduled maintenance — including oil changes, tire rotation, inspections and wear-and-tear items like windshield wipers and brake linings — for three years or 45,000 miles. Ford is trying to shine a spotlight on Lincoln as it phases out Mercury this year.
 
The free maintenance program begins today and applies to all new 2010 and 2011 models.

2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid Rated at 41/36 MPG

It’s no surprise that Lincoln’s version of the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids gets the same mileage — 41 mpg city and 36 mpg highway — as its siblings. The “news” is that under the luxury banner of Lincoln this becomes the most efficient luxury sedan on the market. It easily surpasses the Lexus HS 250h at 35/34 mpg and is larger overall.   

The MKZ Hybrid goes on sale this fall. We’re still waiting for Lincoln to set a price for it.

More Lincoln MKZ Coverage