truth about domestics

In a move that doesn’t surprise many in the auto industry, Ford has decided to release a hybrid version of the Lincoln MKZ.  The MKZ rides on the same platform as the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan which both feature an impressive hybrid powertrain.  These two cars achieve 41 mpg in the city, 8 mpg more than the Toyota Camry hybrid.  The MKZ hybrid will be a 2011 model and should achieve the best mileage of any luxury car on the market, even beating the Toyota hybrid platform-sharing Lexus HS 250h which gets a rather unimpressive 35 mpg city, 34 highway.  For more details on the MKZ hybrid, head on over to MSNBC.

(Image source: Stephen @ Truth About Domestics)

I have been wondering how long it would take before Ford started to offer a Lincoln MKZ hybrid.  I mean, the MKZ went through a very substantial redesign for 2010 just like the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan sedans, yet it was the only one not available with a hybrid option.  That will change this year, now that Ford has planned to unveil a hybrid version of the MKZ at this year’s New York Auto Show.  Since the MKZ hybrid will most likely feature the exact same powertrain as the Fusion/Milan hybrid, it should hit close to the same 41 city / 36 highway miles per gallon of the less sedans.  This would position it above the Lexus HS 250h as the most fuel efficient luxury car available on the market.  For more details, stay tuned or click on over to The Detroit News or Autoblog.

(Image source: Ford)

According to an article in The Detroit News, some Lincoln dealers are a bit upset about how long the Lincoln transformation is taking.  They are also upset about the fact that an MKS costs $10,000 more than its sibling D-car, the Ford Taurus.  Many dealers complain that the cross shopping isn’t happening between Lincoln and Audi/Mercedes/BMW/Lexus, but instead people are cross shopping Lincoln with Ford.  I for one am glad that vehicles like the MKS/Taurus and MKT/Flex have different top hats completely, but I think the other vehicles in Lincoln’s lineup need to follow suit.  The 2011 Ford Edge and MKX didn’t go far enough in my book to separate the two models from each other.  Customers want to feel like they got a car that is more special than a fancy Ford since they paid a good deal more for it.  For the full story, head on over to The Detroit News.

(Image source: Lincoln)

Mark Fields spoke to the National Automobile Dealers Association this Sunday in Orlando, Florida and there he gave Lincoln/Mercury dealers something to finally look forward to.  According to Fields, a new compact based off the new global C-platform will be coming to Mercury dealers sometime in 2011.  As to what type of vehicle we could expect, there was no word, but some guesses include a coupe/convertible or a version of the smaller C-Max.  For more details, head on over to Autoblog.

(Image source: Autoblog)

The article on Autoblog starts off with dissing the looks of the 2010 Lincoln MKT.  They have a few gripes about the sometimes awkward styling.  I have to disagree here.  While the look of a vehicle is a personal matter of taste, I am glad the designers of the MKT didn’t give it traditional “SUV” like styling like other CUV’s.  The MKT is not an SUV, neither are its competition, so why make it look like an SUV?  The rest of the vehicle really impressed them though, from the Active Park Assist that parallel parks the car for you, to the EcoBoost V6 that returned anywhere from 19-22 mpg, meaning its 16-22 mpg EPA rating is fairly accurate.  They are also really shocked at how well the MKT handles, putting it above the Audi Q7!  For the rest of the really great review, head on over to Autoblog.

(Image source: Ford)

The 2011 Lincoln MKX was revealed at the 2010 North American International Auto Show to fairly strong reviews.  It is the first application to get Ford’s new MyLincoln Touch.  MyLincoln Touch includes an 8-inch touch screen, touch-sensors in the place of buttons, and the ability to control just about any function inside the vehicle using voice commands and the SYNC system.  For some nice photos of the MKX, head to our gallery!

Ford has gone through some serious remodeling over the past few years.  They have sold off Land Rover, Aston Martin, Jaguar and is in the process of selling off Volvo.  With all of these luxury brands now gone, Ford is left with but one: Lincoln.  According to an Automotive News report, Ford will only consider taking Lincoln globally after their North American operations has turned around.  2009 was one of the worst years for Lincoln in nearly 30 years, but going forward they have one of their freshest lineups of all time.  Hopefully the new MyLincoln Touch screen will help Ford make the decision to try and spread Lincoln’s reach, but for now, head on over to Autoblog.

Ford Motor Company has a lot to be proud of this year.  The automaker was the only one of the Domestic three to avoid bankruptcy and they passed on the government bailout.  The 2010 Ford Fusion won Motor Trend’s car of the year, and now it appears they have something else to celebrate.  According to the results of the ALG January/February 2010 Residual Value Forecast, the average residual value of a Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle is up an average of $1,310 versus the same period in 2009!  That’s the biggest jump amongst any automaker in the industry!

Ford has passed Toyota for best in initial quality, and the Fusion hybrid surpassed the Camry hybrid by 8 mpg in the city.  Now they have another award to add to their portfolio; the Fusion is worth $687 MORE than the Camry after 36 months!  The Flex also knocked the Toyota Highlander hard, being worth $1,800 more than the Toyota in three years!

The Ford Taurus and Super Duty trucks won the Kelly Blue Book Best Residual Value awards for their segments.  Ford also posted the highest customer consideration, even besting Toyota for the first time since the survey started in 2002.  For more details, head on over to Autoblog.

(Image source: Ford)

The Ford Edge and its sibling the Lincoln MKX were pretty big hits for the Dearborn automaker when they debuted a few years back.  Well, the vehicles spotted above are the first glimpses of the refreshed front and rear ends of the aforementioned vehicles.  Both vehicles look to be more in line with the current Ford/Lincoln lineups.  Let us know what you think in the comments!

(Image source: Autoblog)

According to a J.D. Power study, the Mercury brand is number one in customer satisfaction.  While this is great news for the Ford Motor Company, the big story is that all seven of GM and Ford’s mass market brands (Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, GMC, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury) were ranked above average!  For more on the story, head on over to MSNBC.

(Image source: Ford)