The Ford Motor Company’s has coined a new slogan for it’s flagship make, the Lincoln: “Take a Smarter Look at Luxury.” Embodying this credo with a blend of innovative technologies and luxurious amenities, the 2011 Lincoln MKX makes it mark on the luxury mid-size SUV market.
The 2011 Lincoln MKX’s new exterior embraces Lincoln’s classic image with a split-wing grille and refined treatments for taillamps. Inside, new leather-trimmed seats and genuine aluminum accents create a more luxurious style. And, while easy on the eyes, the 2011 MKX will please the other senses too. The interior’s absorptive sound pack reduces high-frequency noise while the acoustic-laminated windshield and door windows cut down on outside noise. For improved function of Ford’s innovative SYNC system, the MKX uses an acoustic headliner and a relocated microphone to better pick up the driver’s voice.
But the true brains of the new MKX lay in the all-new MyLincoln Touch driver connect technology, a control system built to create a smarter, safer, and simpler way to connect the driver and in-car technologies to the driver’s digital life. The system controls reside in a pair of five-way switches set on either side of the steering wheel to give the driver maximum control without taking his or her hands off the wheel. These touch-sensitive switches – designed to resemble the controls on mobile phones and MP3 players – allow the driver to swipe a finger along a slider to adjust volume and cabin temperature for the MKX. Vehicle information from the MyLincoln Touch system is displayed on a pair of 4.2-inch LCD screens aside the analog speedometer as well as an 8-inch touch-screen LCD embedded into the center stack.
But the MKX’s technology moves beyond your life behind the wheel. Equipped with an available factory-installed HD Radio receiver, the MKX is the world’s first-in-class vehicle to use iTunes Tagging. With this system if you hear a song you like on the radio, simply “tag” the song to save it for downloading at a later time. By connecting your iPod to the SYNC system, all tagged songs – up to 100 songs total – transfer to the iPod. Connect the iPod to your home computer and a playlist of your tagged songs will appear on your iTunes screen, prompting you to download the songs.
Beyond the MyLincoln Touch system, the MKX includes a bevy of other standard technologies. Along with remote start and adaptive cruise control, the MKX features a Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with cross-traffic alert. The BLIS alerts drivers of vehicles approaching in the MKX’s blind spots and when backing out of parking spots. The MKX is also equipped with the innovative MyKey feature, designed to promote safe driving for teens. By designating certain limitations for drivers based on the key used in the vehicle, concerned parents can restrict the top speed and volume, require a seat belt for operation, and provide sound warnings for low fuel and at preset speeds.
The engineers at Lincoln certainly took entertainment into account when considering the technology of the MKX, but the vehicle’s performance also received a leg up thanks to innovations in design. Thanks to the clever twin independent variable camshaft timing system, the MKX’s 3.7-liter V6 received a boost in horsepower (305 at 6,500rpm) and torque (280 lb.-ft. at 4,500rpm) without sacrificing fuel economy. As for the fuel economy itself, the 2011 MKX squeezed out an extra MPG to boast a best-in-class 19mpg city and 26mpg highway. For the All-Wheel Drive model, the fuel economy decreases only slightly to 17mpg city and 23mpg highway.
All told, the 2011 Lincoln MKX fully represents “smarter luxury.” Best of all, this vehicle makes no compromises when it comes to performance, luxury, and cutting-edge technology.
