Lincoln Navigator - With a dash of decorum

So, you're cruising the streets in your Lincoln Navigator, captivated by the smaller objects and automobiles that risk getting pulled into the large truck's own gravitational field. The vehicles light up with the glint off of the massive chrome grille, reflecting back to your eyes. Now what if in this spine-chilling (albeit theoretical) situation, you forget what you're driving? The horror!

Not to fear: Lincoln's got your back. (And front and sides, as it turns out.) Right between the chrome-rimmed gauges is a big "Lincoln" label. Crisis averted. Whew. But, if that didn't work, you can figure out what you're driving from the:

• Lincoln crest on the steering wheel
• Embroidered Lincoln crest on each front seat headrest
• "Navigator" embossed into each door pull surround
• Tiny "Lincoln" written on the clock
• Lincoln crest on a chrome plate on each front door

And, just so that passersby don't miss what you're driving, let's add:

• Massive Lincoln crests on the front grille and tail gate
• "Navigator" in the chrome strip on each front door
• Two "Lincoln" labels and one crest on each hubcap
• And, of course, the full "Lincoln Navigator" badging on the rear tail gate

So, by that count, we're up to 11 Lincolns, 7 Navigators, and 11 Lincoln crests. (And I probably missed some.) Funny thing is, it makes a Cadillac Escalade look demure and understated by comparison.

The Ford Expedition I drove recently shares the Navigator's platform and some traits, also prominently displaying "Expedition" between the gauges. What bothers me is that somehow Ford/Lincoln has room for the badge in the instrument panel, but didn't see fit to put in an in-dash gear display, a common omission in recent Ford products. I'd rather be reminded what gear I'm in--especially since it's easy to slide the shifter past Drive--than be reminded of the name of the SUV that I already bought and may be making payments on.

--Tom Mutchler

Personal picks: Upscale sedans, part 4

Here are more staff perspectives on the upscale sedans test group:

Jeff Bartlett: I recently spent several days in the Lincoln MKZ. The experience has reminded me of two things I very much enjoy: the Ford Fusion and $10,000 in the bank. While it is a solid sedan, for my money, there are more enticing near-lux cars, including the magnificent Infiniti G35 and the enticing Acura TL. That said, it has been hard rotating through these four-door indulgence machines having just spent quality time in the latest family sedans. In their top trims, the well-rated Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, and Toyota Camry all provide 90 percent of the feature amenities and similar power compared to their uppercrust stablemates from their respective manufacturers' luxury divisions. When staring down a payment, the prestige branding and elite engineering isn't enough to justify the extra expense for me month after month. I find no shame in driving a reliable, refined family sedan. In fact, I think there is great solace in making a smart purchase decision. And, ideally, a few nickels left over.

Jim Travers: Three cheers for the Saab 9-5! Or actually, make that just two. One from me, and one from Mike Quincy. Reading the logbook stashed in the glove compartment, CU staffers have filled pages with complaints about the Saab's antiquated design, quirky controls, $38,000 price, and creaky body structure. I can't argue with any of that.

But what the Saab does have is enough personality to give a chapter of Toastmasters International a run for their money, and that's refreshing in a group of such highly competent sedans, some of which are crushingly boring to drive or even to look at. And many are even pricier than the Saab.

In addition to distinctive styling, an admirable and increasingly rare quality in any automobile these days, the 9-5 has an airy cabin with good visibility--something else that's getting harder and harder to find. The steering is nicely weighted and offers good feedback, and the car has plenty of grip in corners. The 260-horsepower, turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine delivers plenty of acceleration, and I found myself taking the long way home more than once because I was enjoying the drive so much.

Yes, the Saab is quirky, and in this car some of the quirkiness seems oddly contrived. Even a dedicated Saabophile might be able to do without the floor-mounted key at this point, and chances are it's not going to help attract all those young, upscale car buyers we keep hearing about at car shows. Weirder still is the whole "Born from jets" thing. Designing a flimsy overhead light to look like a reading lamp in a 737 is a stretch, and the two-bell warning for those who neglect to fasten their seatbelt is an even bigger stretch. At least leg room isn't compromised for the sake of Swedish charm.

I like this car, if for no other reasons than it's different and fun to drive.  Would I buy one? Um, let me get back to you on that.

Lincoln MKR concept car continues to turn heads

I was pleased to see the MKR again in New York, as it is one of those rare cars that looks better in person than it does in photographs. The long hood, flowing, sinuous body lines, and big wedge-shaped chrome grille give it the elegance a luxury cruiser should have. This second encounter serves as a reminder of a secondary benefit of new-car shows, the ability for manufacturers to introduce concepts, design, and technology, and for consumers to glimpse the possible cars of tomorrow.

Lincoln unveiled the MKR concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit last January. Rather than allow just a one-time viewing, the MKR has traveled on the auto-show circuit with the potential for hundreds of thousands more show-goers to set eyes on it.

What this reporter finds unusual about the MKR is that for the first time in a great while, Lincoln has a car design that stands out from the crowd, at least in terms of looks. A few years ago Cadillac did something similar with the CTS whose crisp lines were later applied to the DTS and STS sedans.

The MKR as shown will not be built. It's a design exercise that demonstrates some styling cues promised for the next generation of Lincoln production cars. Those include a tail-light strip that runs horizontally across the whole width of the trunk, as well as the big, prominent chrome grille and a long style line running along the body sides.

The concept MKR is called a "four door coupe," although it's not exactly clear why it shouldn't be considered a sedan. The slope of the roof? The thickness of the middle roof pillar? Who knows?

The MKR concept has no visible door handles. Instead, the doors are opened by small chrome buttons that blend into the window trim. Clever but probably not practical.

The interior goes farther out into unreality, with a sweeping fore-and-aft console that effectively erects a partition between the two rear seats. Interior trim also employs a lot of "green" recycled or recyclable materials such as "chemical-free leather" and soy-based seat foam. Maybe that's supposed to make you feel better about driving a huge, powerful car. The MKR has a rear-wheel-drive chassis and a turbocharged version of Ford's newest 3.5-liter V6, said to be good for 415 horsepower. So much for being green. However, if Lincoln's next flagship looks like the MKR, then it will turn plenty of heads at future auto shows and on the street. 

--Gordon Hard

From the logbook: Lincoln MKZ

We try to keep up to date with the cars we test, but automakers don't always make it easy. Take the Lincoln Zephyr. Introduced in 2006, we ran one through our test program. Little did we know that the 2006 Zephyr would be a one-year-wonder. For 2007, a new name -- MKZ -- and more importantly a new 3.5-liter V6 arrived, replacing the old 3.0-liter V6 that remains in the MKZ's siblings, the Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan.

So we bought a 2007 MKZ to see if the new engine is more successful than the name change; Alan Mulally, Ford's president and chief executive officer, has been quoted as joking that he's still looking for his Zephyr in the parking lot. Given that the Taurus name is back on his urging, could Zephyr be not far behind? (We're hoping Aviator returns too, rather than the confusing and non-distinctive MKX moniker that afflicts new Lincoln crossovers.) 

We were wowed by the Fusion and Milan, but is the luxury Lincoln version as convincing? Here's the first impressions jotted down so far in the logbook:

"Very nice steering, agile handling and good power should add up to a nice sports sedan."

"The 3.5-liter V6 is better than the 3.0, but still not as sporty and refined as Nissan's, Toyota's or Honda's 3.5-liter V6s or GM's 3.6."

"Ride is comfortable but floaty at high speeds."

"Turning circle is wide, making it clumsy to park."

"Pretty quiet, but, overall, it feels ordinary--what makes it a Lincoln?"

"Seats are comfortable. Access is easy."

"Could use more head room."

"Small seat heater controls are hard to find; the seat heaters also time-out. I much prefer to switch them off when I'm [good and] ready."

"Good rear seat room for kids."

"Some features and interior trim is more in keeping with an American luxo-barge, so I'm not sure what this car's market is."

"Hard plastics abound inside and the back-lit controls on a silver background are illegible."

"Limited cubbies; no place for cell phone."

"If you like the Milan/Fusion/Zephyr, than the MKZ is for you...but I think a 'new' Lincoln should have more."

"Save $10K and buy the nearly as good Ford Fusion."

So, as you can see, it's a mixed bag. Overall, we're not sure it distinguishes itself all that much from the more affordable Ford Fusion on which it is based. The MKZ will have its work cut out for it when it competes against other upscale sedans in our spring-time road test.

--Mike Quincy