"Strongly hinting" at the design direction Lincoln will take with its future flagship sedan is the MKS concept.
With an exterior that includes Lincoln's trademark waterfall grille and 20-inch tires, the largest ever on a Lincoln sedan, the MKS combines a new all-aluminum 4.4-liter V-8 engine (315 horsepower) with a six-speed transmission.
"It's a concert of robust and confident acceleration, very good fuel efficiency and low emissions," said Horbury.
Inside, MKS features heated and cooled seats with 14-way power adjustments, the panoramic Vista Roof and a variety of entertainment and convenience features including an advanced navigation system, Bluetooth and DVD-audio surround sound.
"This type of innovative and intuitive technology will be the hallmark of Lincolns going forward," said Horbury.
Along with an array of safety features, the Lincoln MKS is also equipped with a steering column that tailors its rate of collapse to a driver's size and safety-belt use in the event of a serious collision.
"Lincoln has historically excelled at full-size luxury sedans, it's been our hallmark" said Darryl Hazel, vice president, Marketing. "With the Lincoln MKS we're reaffirming what we stand for and signaling our intent to introduce a new full-size performance luxury sedan in the very near future."
"Luxury customers have very high expectations for vehicle design, performance, comfort and service," said Stevens. "Innovation is something they expect and demand. And they will buy brands that deliver it. Lincoln is becoming their luxury brand."
Source: Lincoln
