Edmunds accuses Lincoln of putting exotic tires on MKZ to pad handling numbers

[Mike K]

Full article: Lincoln Tries To Fool Media With Supercar Tires

More or less, Lincoln put really nice tires on the MKZ media cars and they ended up putting down really good numbers, like 1 mph under the 911 through the slalom and FASTER than the M5. Lincoln's response is that 1% of people will get the wheel/ tire package and Edmunds claims that they're not presented a realistic representation of the car as it will be most commonly equipped.

That's all good and well and at first I was all like WTF Lincoln but then I thought to myself "Self, doesn't an M5 already have performance tires on it?". Wouldn't this just even the playing field? Either way, the numbers it put down are ridiculously good for a car that's basically a Ford Fusion. They're totally missing the point. Even if you remove the "super-car" tires the car appears to be a really competent handler.

So I guess what I'm saying is that while the MKZ basically sucks and will end up being the last nail in Lincoln's coffin rather than their savior, the Ford Fusion is apparently an awesome handling platform for a run of the mill, vanilla family sedan.

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[Yaj Yak]

the new mkz is sexy as FAHHHCK

 

[Mike K]

the new mkz is sexy as FAHHHCK

Disagree... Disagree... Gahhh... I can't disagree more.

And maybe the problem is that with Ford it's very clear what the Lincoln cars are based on. You look at the MKX or whatever the Taurus car is and you know it's a Taurus. So you're paying a $15,000 premium for what? A Fusion with different skin and the then unlike the days of old, you can get all the same features in a Fusion. Why would anyone buy this car?

 

[Jean Ralphio]

the front end/grill on the new lincolns = total fail

 

[Yaj Yak]

i dig it...

but with that being said i really like the fusion as well.. i think they look really good.

 

[DanJ]

Ford Fusion, the second coming of the SHO.

 

[willseph]

The Fusion looks fantastic. The Lincoln, definitely not my style. I don't really have a problem with them putting those tires on...as long as you can order your Lincoln with Supercar tires.

 

[Flyn]

I just put all season mid level performance tires on my Daughter's Buick Skylark GS as a Christmas present. Is that wrong? Took the car for a ride and...DAMN! Handling is night and day better than the crap Goodyears that were on it. Nothing wrong with putting good tires on a car. It's such a relatively cheap way to improve performance.

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

Lincoln mkz = gtr killer

 

[Wild White Pony]

Talking tires the Michelin Pilot Sport 2s fashioned with the Veyron's unique compound cost about $30,000; in the UK they're £23,500 ($38,216 U.S.). Bugatti recommends you change them every 4,000 kilometers, or 2,500 miles, and at every ten thousand miles the company recommends changing the wheels and tires, which runs north of $50,000

I need a set of these on my 3V for the 1/2 mile event.

 

[Mike K]

Talking tires the Michelin Pilot Sport 2s fashioned with the Veyron's unique compound cost about $30,000; in the UK they're £23,500 ($38,216 U.S.). Bugatti recommends you change them every 4,000 kilometers, or 2,500 miles, and at every ten thousand miles the company recommends changing the wheels and tires, which runs north of $50,000

I need a set of these on my 3V for the 1/2 mile event.

I read about that or maybe saw it on Top Gear. Don't you have to physically ship them the car or the tires? It was something ridiculous.

Lincoln mkz = gtr killer

Nah brah... That's the 2010 Taurus SHO.

 

[radioguy6]

Majority of people who buy the MKZ or whatever alphabet soup model Lincoln spits out want an appliance not a race car. 99% of the MKZs will have factory shitty all season OEM tires for the life of the car. And those same owners will never understand its a premium badge engineered Ford Fusion with a hideous grill.

 

[Wild White Pony]

I read about that or maybe saw it on Top Gear. Don't you have to physically ship them the car or the tires? It was something ridiculous.

I remember that Top Gear, they were going for a Top speed record in that episode. I think that at around 245mph and over the tires would only last a few laps. 50k well spent I guess then ship the car back..

 

[Primalzer]

When I had my Fusion, it didn't handle that bad. It was even the base model, with shitty all-seasons, and 16" tires, but was still somewhat competent. M5 levels? Fuck no, but it was decent in it's own right. People have to remember, Ford has been doing FANTASTIC handling front wheel drive cars for the better part of 25 years (SVT Focus, SVT Contour, SHO, Focus RS and ST, etc), so I think they know a thing or two about making them handle well.

 

[Yaj Yak]

did you just capitalize fantastic to that extent.

 

[Mike K]

When I had my Fusion, it didn't handle that bad. It was even the base model, with shitty all-seasons, and 16" tires, but was still somewhat competent. M5 levels? Fuck no, but it was decent in it's own right. People have to remember, Ford has been doing FANTASTIC handling front wheel drive cars for the better part of 25 years (SVT Focus, SVT Contour, SHO, Focus RS and ST, etc), so I think they know a thing or two about making them handle well.

Fantastic is a pretty far stretch. The old SHO's can be made into very good handling cars for what they are. The other cars you cite are just small so they wouldn't require much to make them good.

The current SHO is miserable.

 

[Primalzer]

Fantastic is a pretty far stretch. The old SHO's can be made into very good handling cars for what they are. The other cars you cite are just small so they wouldn't require much to make them good.

The current SHO is miserable.

Yeah current SHO is worthless. But when the SHO first came out, it was one of the better handling sedans in the world, and was good, especially for a FWD car. Yes, by today's standards it is pretty poor, and like you said can be made into a good handling car. Ford has been doing the Mondeo (AKA contour and Fusion) in Europe for many year and it has been made into a very good handling car. Even Top Gear considers it one of the best sedans out there as far as pleasures to drive. Ford, out of the big 3, is probably the best at making great handling FWD cars. Hell even the Mustang holds its own now with Euro car makers in terms of handling prowess.

 

[RICH17]

No matter what car it is. Tires will help tremendously

 

[cacicgtp7]

I actually really like the new MKZ *shrugs*

When we bought our MKX we test drove it back to back with the Ford Edge, and yes while the MKX was more expensive than the Edge it was FAR more than just "different skin."

The interior materials are vastly more impressive, with almost zero plastic. The entire dash is stitched leather for instance. Sound dampening and acoustics was night and day. Fit and finish MUCH better (leather quality, leather on doors and trim ect), and obviously the available features and options were stacked in Lincoln's favor.
Now they did drive very similarly, and actually handle quite well for a SUV. However braking performance was better on MKX (larger rotors), and exterior is just dependent on who you talk to.

In a couple of years after there are some used new Fushions and MKZ's I plan to pick up one or the other and look forward to comparing them back to back. I can tell you this though, there was a much more dramatic difference from going from my Pontiac to Lincoln than there was from Pontiac to the Ford. I didn't buy new though so we saved quite a bit off a brand new car which is how we afforded the Lincoln in the first place

 

[P40E]

I like the new body styling of the Fusion , but not the MKZ .

 

[guspech750]

When I had my Fusion, it didn't handle that bad. It was even the base model, with shitty all-seasons, and 16" tires, but was still somewhat competent. M5 levels? Fuck no, but it was decent in it's own right. People have to remember, Ford has been doing FANTASTIC handling front wheel drive cars for the better part of 25 years (SVT Focus, SVT Contour, SHO, Focus RS and ST, etc), so I think they know a thing or two about making them handle well.

Remember the better handling 1987 Mercury Lynx XR3?

Friend of mine had one in high school. For a small turdmobile. It did quite well.

Oh, I might add the MKZ looks ugly. And the name is retarded. MKZ?

 

[Yaj Yak]

whats retarded about mkz

 

[Primalzer]

Remember the better handling 1987 Mercury Lynx XR3?

Friend of mine had one in high school. For a small turdmobile. It did quite well.

Oh, I might add the MKZ looks ugly. And the name is retarded. MKZ?

I've always had a soft spot for those 80's Escort GT's