Everybody's Doing It: More Detroit Auto Show Embargoed Lincoln MKR Concept Content

After everyone learned last week about the tragically debilitating collective selective memory loss disorder suffered by the employees of Car & Driver (I know, how tragic is it that it only affects the ability to remember what date their magazine's printed on and pops up only during months preceding major auto announcements and when issue sales are looking flaccid?) pretty much everyone's put out all they got on the Lincoln MKR, the new concept set to be unveiled in Detroit from FoMoCo's "luxe" brand. So, we figure we should drop our load on you as well.

For starters — let's talk about the design. See, the kids in the design center looked at old Lincoln models and tried to come up with what made those vehicles successful. I know, shocking concept, right? Anyway, they came up with what they're calling a "design DNA theme" — a vision that brings together a cantilevered roof, a "Lincoln" C-pillar and a "powerful" contrail. Unlike recent Lincoln models, the concept takes the front grille, splits it into two Britney-like legs to show the world the Lincoln logo in between. Plus, if this fascia design becomes the reality you'll have all sorts of different mesh 300C-like grille-inserts. So, you know, mix n' match 'em kids! Among the ACGT strings, Lincoln's DNA recipe...

also calls for "thin, horizontal tail lamps that run from one side to the other." Last but not least is a "powerful beltline." We're not really sure what makes a beltline "powerful" — but whatevs, we'll roll with it.

It's under the hood that we've talked about before, so we'll finish with it here — the TwinForce(TM) engine family. The concept car's powered by a 3.5-liter gas twin-turbocharged direct-injection V6, which FoMoCo claims performs "comparably or better than V8 engines, delivering 415 hp and 400 ft-lb of torque." Oh yeah, and it runs on E85 — so you know, there's that. But the really important thing about this engine, and really — the line of engines Ford's hoping will spring up from this concept — because as Mark Fields said at the Showcase of da Future event a few weeks back —

"You'll see production versions power a wide range of future Ford and Lincoln products...because it's a powertrain perfectly suited for a future of higher and potentially volatile gas prices."

We're assuming he left out Mercury because the company's got no plans to drop "performance-level" engines into any of the meant-for-metro-cool badged vehicles, and not because the company's got no plans for Mercury. But whatever, we'll have some better shots of this concept once we're under the harsh lighting of Cobo Hall at the Detroit Show next weekend. Not-so-full gallery below.

Related:
It's Mayhem! Lincoln MKR Concept Pics Hit the Net [internal]