Lincoln, with the MKX Black Edition, gets a fresh-look start for 2016, a year promising so much new that bursts of enthusiasm are expected throughout the Ford luxury division in the coming months. That would be a rarity for the Lincoln brand.
The redesigned MKX, Lincoln’s premium midsize SUV crossover, showed up at my home with the 335-horsepower, 2.7-liter, twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V-6 engine and an electronic push-button shift on its dash.
Its on-demand all-wheel-drive system handled the long-standing snow and ice with little slipping, instantly shifting much of available torque from front wheels to the rear as needed.
Heading north one afternoon on South Broadway in Denver, I made a quick turn to the right into Landmark Lincoln; I hadn’t been there since their major remodeling project was completed a year ago. What a bright, white showroom, with historic Lincoln photos decorating the walls.
Tom Daniels runs the place, and he seemed anxious to show me video of an updated MKZ sedan, which will arrive in April or May with a new 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 that churns out 400 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque. A brand-new grille will lend somewhat of a Jaguar look to the MKZ.
Then, expected in the fall, is the heralded Continental, replacing the MKS sedan. The Continental will feature disguised door handles, deep-pile carpet and silken headliner.
The new MKZ will be the most powerful Lincoln ever and the Continental will be the most luxurious ever for the brand.
“The Continental will be our flagship,” said Daniels. “Finally, we are really excited about the future.” A move toward brighter days began a year ago at Landmark; its sales of new Lincolns in 2015 totaled 442, a 62 percent jump over the ’14 total.
For the moment, the MKX Black Label carries the luxury crown. Adding elegance to the contrasting black and white interior is crimson stitching and piano black wood appliqués. Venetian leather seating offers perforated inserts, heated and cooled in the front row and heated in the second row. Thigh support in the front seats can be extended with the push of a button.
Doing away with the normal shifter created a better-looking center console, and by moving the electronic shift buttons to the dash it added room for two storage compartments in the console. Failure to connect on first touch for desired frequencies can be frustrating with MyLincoln Touch; the Revel Ultima 19-speaker surround sound audio, though, is mighty fine.
At night, when driver and passenger approach the MKX, a luminous mat of the Lincoln logo is cast upon the ground from beneath the sideview mirrors as a welcome.
The MKX’s 360-degree cameras, one in front, one in back and one on each side give views of the vehicle’s surroundings. The front lens emerges from beneath the Lincoln logo in the center of the grille.
Sharp slope of the roof at the back of the SUV and small windows cut some vision at the rear.
The 2.7 turbo, mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with manual mode and paddle shifters, kicks out with surprising power when called upon. Standard engine is a 305-hp 3.7-liter V-6. Fuel mileage average for the week with the 2.7 was 21.5 in a 50/50 split of city/highway travel. EPA estimate for the MKX is 17/24.
Sticker price for the Black Label Lincoln is $65,270. A cheaper trim level is the Premiere, beginning at $38,100.
Among the Black Label’s many amenities are lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist, automatic headlamps which dim for oncoming traffic, voice-activated navigation, adaptive cruise control, heated steering wheel and 20-inch wheels.
The Lincoln Motor Company, founded by Henry Leland, was Ford Motor Co.’s first acquisition in 1922. Edsel Ford persuaded his father, Henry, to buy the company for $8 million and give Ford an entry into the luxury auto market.
Arthur Kumpf a few years later acquired the franchise for Kumpf Motor Co. at 12th and Acoma in Denver. Landmark and Kumpf merged 15 years ago to create the large dealership on South Broadway.
Among notable Lincoln automobile designs through the years have been the streamlined Zephyr of the late 1930s, the Continental, the ’56 Continental Coupe, ’61 Continental Convertible, ’69 Mark III, Town Car and the new MKX SUV.
The original Continental, which went into production in 1940, is one of the all-time favorites of fanciers of the brand.
Here are the specifications for the ’16 Lincoln MKX Black Label SUV:
- Capacity 5-passenger
- Wheelbase 112.2 inches
- Length 190 inches
- Width 76.1 inches
- Height 66.2 inches
- Curb Weight 4,387 pounds
- Track 64.8 inches front, 64.7 rear
- Ground Clearance 7.8 inches
- Turn Circle 38.6 feet
- Drivetrain All-wheel-drive
- Engine 2.7-liter turbocharged V-6
- Horsepower/Torque 335/380
- Transmission 6-speed automatic
- Steering electric power-assist
- Suspension strut front, multilink rear
- Fuel mileage estimate 17/24
- Fuel mileage average 21.5
- Fuel Tank 18 gallons, premium unleaded
- Wheels 20-inch
- Tires Hankook 245/50R20
- Cargo Volume 37.2 cubic feet
- Warranty 4years/50,000 miles basic, 5/70,000 powertrain
Competitors Volvo XC90, Lexus RX350, Porsche Cayenne, Acura MDX, BMW X5, Range Rover Sport
Assembly Plant Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Parts Content N.A.
Base Price of Lowest Model $38,100; Base Price of Review Model $55,870; Destination Charge $925; Sticker Price $65,270.