Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ
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- There have been two automobile lines from Ford Motor Company's Lincoln automobile division named Zephyr. Both were entry-level luxury cars. See Lincoln-Zephyr for the 1936-1942 car.
| Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ | |
|---|---|
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| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
| Production | 2006–present |
| Predecessor | Lincoln LS |
| Class | Entry-level luxury car / Mid-size car |
| Body style(s) | 4-door sedan |
| Related | Ford Fusion Mazda6 Mercury Milan |
Contents |
[edit] Zephyr
| Lincoln Zephyr | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
| Production | 2006 |
| Assembly | Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico |
| Class | Mid-size car |
| Body style(s) | 4-door sedan |
| Layout | Front engine, front-wheel drive / four-wheel drive |
| Platform | Ford CD3 platform |
| Engine(s) | 3.0 L Duratec 30 V6 |
| Transmission(s) | 6-speed Aisin AW automatic |
| Wheelbase | 107.4 in (2728 mm) |
| Length | 190.5 in (4839 mm) |
| Width | 72.2 in (1834 mm) |
| Height | 55.9 in (1420 mm) |
| Curb weight | 3546 lb |
| Related | Ford Edge (2007-present) Ford Fusion Lincoln MKX (2007-present) Mazda6 Mazda CX-9 Mercury Milan |
Lincoln revived the Zephyr name in the fall of 2005 as the mid-size entry-level luxury car Lincoln, a platform mate to the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan. The Zephyr differed from the LS in that the LS utilized a larger DEW98 midsize rear-wheel drive platform, shared wth the Ford Thunderbird and Jaguar S-Type, while the Zephyr's more compact CD3 platform is derived from the Mazda 6. The CD3 platform is shared with the similar Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan. Visually the Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury cars are very similar in profile, with fascia styling variations, interior treatments and equipment levels differentiating the brands.
A 3.0 L Duratec V6, taken from the Mazda 6, was the only engine available for the Zephyr. This V6 produces 221 hp (165 kW) and 205 lb·ft (278 N·m).
Competitively, the Zephyr did not match up to cars from other manufacturers. Due to this, Ford overhauled the Zephyr's mechanicals to better compete for the 2007 model year. This included a new engine and suspension retuning. The car was also renamed the MKZ.
[edit] Engines
| Years | Engine | Power | Torque | Fuel Economy (city/hwy/comb.) | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 3.0 L Duratec 30 V6 | 221 hp (165 kW) | 205 ft·lbf (278 N·m) | 20 / 28 / 26.5 mpg | FWD 6-speed Aisin automatic |
[edit] MKZ
| Lincoln MKZ | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
| Production | 2007–present |
| Assembly | Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico |
| Predecessor | Lincoln LS |
| Class | Entry-level luxury car / Mid-size car |
| Body style(s) | 4-door sedan |
| Layout | Front engine, front-wheel drive / four-wheel drive |
| Platform | Ford CD3 platform |
| Engine(s) | 3.5 L Duratec 35 V6 |
| Transmission(s) | 6-speed Aisin AW automatic |
| Wheelbase | 107.4 in (2728 mm) |
| Length | 190.5 in (4839 mm) |
| Width | 72.2 in (1834 mm) |
| Height | MKZ: 57.2 in (1453 mm) |
| Curb weight | 3438 lb (1559 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 15 gal |
| Related | Ford Edge Ford Fusion Lincoln MKX Mazda6 Mazda CX-9 Mercury Milan |
The Lincoln MKZ is a mid-size luxury car from the Lincoln automobile division of the Ford Motor Company. The MKZ is the revised name for the former 2006 Lincoln Zephyr. Lincoln increased the Zephyr's engine size and power output, and changed the car's name to MKZ in 2006 for the 2007 model year. Sales of the MKZ began in September, 2006. The MKZ is also the first Lincoln to use "MK" on its car name.
The car is built at Ford's Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico plant, and pricing ranges from US$29,950 to $37,790.[1]
The MKZ uses the Mazda6-derived CD3 platform. While the car shares 35% of its body panels with the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, the interior is completely unique to bring the car up to Lincoln standards. The suspension is independent all around with a short/long arm (SLA) design in front and multilink setup with coilover shock absorbers in the rear.
Features like a 600 W THX sound system with 14 speakers also set it apart from the mainstream Ford, Mercury, and Mazda versions. This sound system is one of the options for the MKZ that also include a power moonroof and voice-activated navigation. Ford Sync became standard equipment starting with the 2008 model year.
Ford and Lincoln corporate and marketing management originally announced the MKZ with a "Mark-Zee" pronunciation during the 2006 cars show circuit, but eventually changed it to the phonetic "em-kay-zee" due to confusion observed in customer clinics and dealerships.[2]
[edit] Engines
The 2007 MKZ was first shown at the Chicago Auto Show in February 2006 with Ford's new upgraded 263 hp (202 kW) Duratec 35 3.5 L V6 and all-wheel drive. Ford expects to add a hybrid drivetrain in the future. Unfortunately, the upgraded 3.5L Duratec engine is not available in the MKZ's Fusion and Milan triplets. The 3.0L version remains the only V6 available for those models.
Other changes from the 2006 Zephyr to the 2007 MKZ include an updated "waterfall" grille - which shows seven "teeth" on either side of the central Lincoln emblem (the Zephyr has nine), along with chrome trim on the beltline and outside mirrors, and 17 inch alloy wheels.
(Source: Lincoln Zephyr & MKZ product brochures)
| Years | Engine | Power | Torque | Fuel Economy (city/hwy/comb.) | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 3.5 L Duratec 35 V6 | 263 hp (196 kW) | 249 ft·lbf (338 N·m) | 19 / 27 / tbd mpg | FWD 6-speed automatic |
| 2007 | 3.5 L Duratec 35 V6 | 263 hp (196 kW) | 249 ft·lbf (338 N·m) | 18 / 26 / tbd mpg | AWD 6-speed automatic |
| 2008 | 3.5 L Duratec 35 V6 | 263 hp (196 kW) | 249 ft·lbf (338 N·m) | 18 / 28 / 28.0 mpg | FWD 6-speed automatic |
| 2008 | 3.5 L Duratec 35 V6 | 263 hp (196 kW) | 249 ft·lbf (338 N·m) | 17 / 24 / 24.9 mpg | AWD 6-speed automatic |
Note: Calculated estimates of EPA fuel economy are revised for 2008 model year due to new calculation procedures.
[edit] References
- ^ Lincoln MXZ official web-site. Retrieved on 2007-02-13.
- ^ Lincoln Dealer Confusion Forces Model-Name Changes
- Lincoln MKZ: Ford Motor Company press release. Retrieved on February 7, 2006.
- 2007 Lincoln MKZ Overview and Specifications from Media.Ford.com
[edit] External links
- Official Lincoln MKZ Page
- Lincoln Zephyr on CanadianDriver.com
- Ford Press Release
- Detroit News
- Lincoln MKZ Video Review
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| Type | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
| Mid-size | Zephyr/MKZ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Versailles | LS | MKS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Continental | Continental | Continental | Continental | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal | Mark III | Mark IV | Mark V | Mark VI | Mark VII | Mark VIII | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full-size | Continental | Continental | Continental | Town Car | Town Car | Town Car | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SUV | Aviator | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Navigator | Navigator | Navigator | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Crossover | MKX | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pickup | Blackwood | Mark LT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
