The Lincoln MKT will never die
The hearse-shaped crossover will continue on, even after its replacement, the Aviator, comes online.
I like to joke that the two things that will survive a nuclear apocalypse are cockroaches and Cher. I might have to add the Lincoln MKT to that list, too.
Despite being technically replaced by the upcoming Lincoln Aviator , the Lincoln MKT will continue to live in the near-term, Automotive News reports, citing an interview with Robert Parker, Lincoln's marketing manager. The MKT will be used for fleet sales -- think livery vehicles, rentals, that sort of thing.
So why wouldn't Lincoln be keen to get its flashy new SUV in as many places as possible, as quickly as possible? According to AN's interview, Parker says that Lincoln doesn't want to heap fleet discounts onto its new luxury ute right away, which could be detrimental to the brand's growing cachet. Instead, it'll sell the MKT at a discount.
The Lincoln MKT will outlive you, me and everything everybody knows and loves. It will survive the heat death of the universe.
Of course, if companies want to buy a fleet of Aviators for their hotel or whathaveyou, that's entirely possible, but it won't come with a lower price tag. "If you see an Aviator in Denver at a rental-car location, it's because they paid us what you would have paid when you bought it," Parker told Automotive News.
The Lincoln MKT is nearly a decade old, and it shows. It sports Lincoln's last-generation design language, and AN says that's not likely to change. It has Lincoln's last-gen gauge cluster, as well, but at least it packs the latest iteration of Ford's Sync 3 infotainment. It relies on a 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 putting out 365 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, and it's pretty thirsty at an EPA-estimated 15 mpg city and 21 mpg highway.
By comparison, the Aviator looks like it's coming out for the 3018 model year. Riding on a rear-wheel-drive platform with optional all-wheel drive, all Aviators will wield twin-turbocharged V6s, and a plug-in-hybrid variant will add both more power and a dash of efficiency. It's built to look like a little Navigator, which is smart, because the new Navi is one of the prettiest things Lincoln has built in decades. And yes, it'll rock Lincoln's ultra-complicated 30-way adjustable massaging seats.
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