Review-Lincoln MKT Ecoboost

The 2010 Lincoln MKT is Ford’s luxury crossover utility vehicle. Ford has evolved its high volume, mainstream technology for improving fuel economy and reducing CO2 emissions through the EcoBoost engine. The Lincoln MKT offers a combination of performance and utility in a luxurious package. The volumes of MKT will be low initially, due to the high cost Ford is putting into developing plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles.

The MKT has a Volvo-derived architecture keeping with the design style of modern Lincoln. The MKT is 3-row 7-passenger and suits those who want something spacious. It has a distinctive look to attract the wagon lovers. The door panels and dashboard are trimmed in cut-and-sew leather and has an eight-inch LCD touch-screen in the centre stack. The MKT seats are fantastic with delicate, long lower cushions which provide excellent thigh support. It gets a massive, standard glass-roof, with an optional retracing panel over the front row.

The Lincoln MKT debuts Ford’s first GTDI (Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection) engine. It boasts a 415 hp 3.5L V6 version of Ford’s EcoBoost engine which features the horsepower of a larger-displacement engine, with the fuel-economy of a smaller engine. The key to the new engine is direct fuel injection with two Honeywell GT 15 water cooled turbochargers. Injecting fuel directly into the combustion chamber cools the compressed intake charge. This allows the compression ratio of the EcoBoost engine to be kept very high. The result is the 3.5-l EcoBoost hits the torque peak of 350 lb ft @ 1,500 rpm and stays there till 5250 rpm. The peak power is 355 hp @ 5700 rpm. It returns a city/highway fuel economy of 18/24 mpg.

The transmission is smooth with Ford’s 6F50 6-speed automatic transaxle. The EcoBoost’s gearbox has been upgraded with enhanced gears & clutches and an optimized torque-converter. The EcoBoost versions also have steering-wheel mounted paddle-shifters and standard AWD. Ford’s aerodynamicists have reduced wind noise, with thick, acoustic side-glass and an upgraded structure. It allows the Lincoln MKT to cruise with ease at speeds well beyond 100 mph. The MKT features Ford’s Sync voice-activated control for MP3 players and cell phones and 10 GB hard-drive for digital music. It also comes in with the Flex’s rear-console fridge and panoramic power-sunroof and rear window roof.

Optional features include adaptive-cruise-control with collision-avoidance, blind spot warning in which a light on the rear-view mirror lights when a vehicle is loitering outside the viewing range and Ford’s Active Park Assistance system. The system can locate a parking space and make it automatically, using ultrasonic sensors and new electric power-assisted steering. Its base price is $49,200 with the additional features it will mount up to $55,000.

Source: www.nitrobahn.com