Cars
There are faces only a mother could love, and then there are faces even a mother couldn't love. The Lincoln MKS's face fits into the latter category. Oddly, Lincoln has chosen to make their big sedan's nose even more offensive for the 2013 model year. Why oh why.
If only the MKS was a top-of-the-class car in some other way. Lincoln says their 355-hp twin-turbocharged V6 offers the performance of a V8 and the fuel economy of a V6. But at 355 horsepower, it's down on the V8-powered Infiniti M56 by 65 horsepower. Rated at a combined 20 miles per gallon, the EcoBoost-powered MKS is two mpg down on the Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic, a V6-engined car, and only one mpg up on the V8-engined 429-hp Hyundai Genesis. In other words, the Lincoln doesn't even live up to its main claim to fame.
Stare at the MKS from the rear-three-quarter and it's not a bad looking car by any means. Unfortunately, there's nothing else special about the Lincoln MKS. In fact, there's something particularly awful about the Lincoln MKS: a great deal of ugliness going on up front.
Alternatives: Living on a deserted car-less island because the MKS's ostentatious nostrils tainted your opinion of all cars everywhere. Waiting for the Cadillac XTS. Stepping down in prestige (and up in price) to the Ford Taurus SHO.
Base USD/CAD Price: $41,500 / $47,500
It Sucks, But... you can put a lot of bodies in an 18.7 cubic-foot trunk if your name is Tony Soprano or Domenico Clericuzio.
Sales Stats: In Canada, where the Lincoln brand is basically the MKX brand, the MKS accounted for only 8% of all Lincoln sales through the first eleven months of 2011. MKS sales were down 35% in that time period. The MKS was worth 14% of all U.S. Lincoln sales between January-November, a more appropriate figure given that the MKS represented 17% of available Lincoln models for most of 2011. Monthly and yearly sales figures for the Lincoln MKS can be viewed here.
- 2012's The Bad 8 - Nissan Versa Sedan
NISSAN VERSA SEDAN It worked fairly well the first time around, so Nissan stayed true to practice with the second-generation Versa sedan by making it as ugly as possible. Where the first Versa sedan was devoid of styling, as though Nissan...
- 2012's The Bad 8 - Honda Crosstour
HONDA CROSSTOUR On April 1, 2011, BMW revealed the M3 Pickup Concept. Though strangely cool, the M3 Pickup was a joke. Uniquely distinguished in an ugly way, the M3 was an intentionally silly way of showcasing the talent of BMW's engineers. ...
- 2012's The Bad 8 - Ford Explorer Ecoboost
FORD EXPLORER ECOBOOST The Ford Explorer is not, at its core, a bad vehicle. But that doesn't mean you can't make a bad choice when it comes time to select an Explorer. Ford's heralded EcoBoost branding has done wondrous things...
- 2012's The Bad 8 - Chrysler 200 Convertible
CHRYSLER 200 CONVERTIBLE It should be hard to hate a convertible. The very idea of dropping the top and basking in sunshine, while driving, is accepted as a possible definition of the word "fun." But it's easy to hate the Chrysler 200 Convertible....
- 2012's The Good 12 - Porsche Boxster Spyder
PORSCHE BOXSTER SPYDER As if it wasn't enough that the Porsche Boxster was one of the best cars in the world to drive, in Spyder form, it's also one of the best at which to gander. We're nearing the end of the line for the current,...
Cars
2012's The Bad 8 - Lincoln MKS
LINCOLN MKS
Stare at the MKS from the rear-three-quarter and it's not a bad looking car by any means. Unfortunately, there's nothing else special about the Lincoln MKS. In fact, there's something particularly awful about the Lincoln MKS: a great deal of ugliness going on up front.
-----
Alternatives: Living on a deserted car-less island because the MKS's ostentatious nostrils tainted your opinion of all cars everywhere. Waiting for the Cadillac XTS. Stepping down in prestige (and up in price) to the Ford Taurus SHO.
Base USD/CAD Price: $41,500 / $47,500
It Sucks, But... you can put a lot of bodies in an 18.7 cubic-foot trunk if your name is Tony Soprano or Domenico Clericuzio.
Sales Stats: In Canada, where the Lincoln brand is basically the MKX brand, the MKS accounted for only 8% of all Lincoln sales through the first eleven months of 2011. MKS sales were down 35% in that time period. The MKS was worth 14% of all U.S. Lincoln sales between January-November, a more appropriate figure given that the MKS represented 17% of available Lincoln models for most of 2011. Monthly and yearly sales figures for the Lincoln MKS can be viewed here.
The Good 12
BMW 3-Series - Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon - Chevrolet Suburban
Ford F-150 EcoBoost 4x4 - Ford Focus Titanium Hatchback - Jeep Wrangler
Kia Rio 5-Door - Land Rover LR4 - Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
Ford F-150 EcoBoost 4x4 - Ford Focus Titanium Hatchback - Jeep Wrangler
Kia Rio 5-Door - Land Rover LR4 - Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
Nissan Juke - Porsche Boxster Spyder - Volkswagen GTI
The Bad 8
The Bad 8
Acura RL - Chrysler 200 Convertible - Ford Explorer EcoBoost
Honda Crosstour - Lincoln MKS - Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet
Nissan Versa Sedan - Toyota Corolla CE
Honda Crosstour - Lincoln MKS - Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet
Nissan Versa Sedan - Toyota Corolla CE
The Bad 8 Rules
- 2012's The Bad 8 - Nissan Versa Sedan
NISSAN VERSA SEDAN It worked fairly well the first time around, so Nissan stayed true to practice with the second-generation Versa sedan by making it as ugly as possible. Where the first Versa sedan was devoid of styling, as though Nissan...
- 2012's The Bad 8 - Honda Crosstour
HONDA CROSSTOUR On April 1, 2011, BMW revealed the M3 Pickup Concept. Though strangely cool, the M3 Pickup was a joke. Uniquely distinguished in an ugly way, the M3 was an intentionally silly way of showcasing the talent of BMW's engineers. ...
- 2012's The Bad 8 - Ford Explorer Ecoboost
FORD EXPLORER ECOBOOST The Ford Explorer is not, at its core, a bad vehicle. But that doesn't mean you can't make a bad choice when it comes time to select an Explorer. Ford's heralded EcoBoost branding has done wondrous things...
- 2012's The Bad 8 - Chrysler 200 Convertible
CHRYSLER 200 CONVERTIBLE It should be hard to hate a convertible. The very idea of dropping the top and basking in sunshine, while driving, is accepted as a possible definition of the word "fun." But it's easy to hate the Chrysler 200 Convertible....
- 2012's The Good 12 - Porsche Boxster Spyder
PORSCHE BOXSTER SPYDER As if it wasn't enough that the Porsche Boxster was one of the best cars in the world to drive, in Spyder form, it's also one of the best at which to gander. We're nearing the end of the line for the current,...