hbalek

Compared to the camera in the first generation Sync system, the 2013 camera is blurry.

That might be caused by the delay setting for the camera...

We are talking about the Rear Camera Image not the graphics on the screen.

What a dumb move on Ford's part to lower the resolution of the camera and increase the size of the display screen! No wonder it's blurry...

It reacts very fast when someone cuts in front of you. However I did notice a delay getting back up to speed, especially after you change lanes to avoid slowing down. The system took its time adjusting once the path was clear. The white lines represent the direction you would go with the wheels turned. I loved the display on the MKZ showing the legal Speed Limit, the actual speed you are traveling and the speed your Cruise is set for. So you could be in heavy traffic and adaptive cruise would have you at 58 but have the normal cruise set for 75MPH. Once you have a clear path, the vehicle would speed up to 75. It's hard to live without the adaptive feature once you get used to the ease of driving with it! The lane keeping was the annoying feature for me and hard to get used to. Very creepy having the steering wheel resist your moves at times. I didn't mind the corrections but the resistance to slow lane changes annoyed me. The remedy of course is to use your turn signal or turn the system off.

Since I drive a 2010 MKZ I did notice that they are using the same or similar quality plastics and metals on the 2013 interior, with even some of the same textures, except the shapes are designed to be swoopier and sleeker. They didn't really raise the bar enough. So I agree that they should improve the richness of materials in the MCE! In the looks department alone, this car wins against even competitors priced three time higher, both inside and out. A brand new Porshe Panamera parked next to the '13 MKZ I was driving. As I approached with my 2 cousins to show them my ride, the much pricier Porshe did not detract from the Lincoln's impact, especially from the rear!!

I was thinking the same, that I was driving the first '13 MKZ that many in the DC/Baltimore and Annapolis areas had ever seen! Hell the one I drove was the first one I had ever seen outside of a dealer's lot. As for sold, yes and no. I LOVED the car and was so impressed with the attention to detail and innovative tech features it was packed with. And I'm the kind of person who would order every option available. That being said, with all of the electronic nannies at play, I literally felt like I was almost in a sci-fi movie, a passenger in a car with an invisible driver! There was a feeling of isolation and confinement from the outside world that luxury cars are supposed to have but almost too extreme for me. On my trip back to return the car, I turned all of the stuff off and really enjoyed the "natural" drive on windy, wet country roads. At last, I was really steering the ship rather than being a spectator. As great as the safety tech is, it does take the fun out of driving, along with the danger of course! Would I buy one? YES it's just a matter of what color, engine and when. In the fall, I will have had my '10 MKZ for 3 years and I usually keep my cars an average of 8 years. I'm also a single, one car household. That may change soon or I may just trade up to the '13 within the year. I must say though that driving the old MKZ, feels so much lighter, smaller and more nimble even. Driving the '13 MKZ felt almost like driving the Taurus SHO both in size, feel, driving position and handling.

Ruby Red was the one I was staring at the other day!!! NICE! One interesting detail to note about the 2013 MKZ: All of the glass on the vehicle is embossed with the Lincoln Star logo above "Carlite" unlike my 2010 MKZ which has FoMoCo instead of the star. Does this mean now they REALLY mean business? LOL Sadly I just returned the MKZ to the dealer after driving 280 miles in 2 days! I maintained an average of 25 MPG.

I have it until this afternoon. I did wipe off the lens as I also do with my 2010 MKZ and it's still blurry. By the way I'm lusting after the Explorer Sport now. I was looking at a red one when picked up the MKZ. What color is yours?

As requested here are more exterior pics but I didn't bother with interior because it's so dark, black with gray metal trim and it was a dark cloudy day too! LOL

I have put over 260 miles on this MKZ so far and I love everything about it! I'm averaging about 25.7 MPG in mixed driving. The one minor complaint is, believe it or not, that the rear camera has a lower quality, BLURRY image compared to my 2010 MKZ. Also, the big center screen does get fingerprints and smudges much easier than the older version. The graphics on MLT are mostly black and white with very washed out colors for the different control screens. I prefer the vivid, saturated colors on my old Sync screen. When driving on I-95 today, a lot of young, mostly urban males driving Escalades, Genesis Sedans, and other higher-end vehicles would slow down to see what I was driving. LOL One minor problem: when driving on the freeway in a very light, wet snow shower, the Adaptive Cruise Control and Collision Warning became inoperable due to a blocked sensor according to the message on the IP. Oddly, it cleared up after driving for another 20 minutes or so and the system worked fine. The outside temp was about 35 so it was well above freezing. Another little gripe, a few squeaks and rattles from interior pieces when driving over bumpy roads, most notably an annoying squeaking from the steering column. As for the antenna, it doesn't really bother me much. There are actually 2 antennas, one little nub on the trunk centered below the rear window and the black stick antenna on the rear fender. After playing with this powertrain combo, i have no complaints. The 2.0 EcoBoost has plenty of power so I may end up getting it instead of the 3.7 AWD, which i haven't driven yet. The paddle shifters work quite well, much better than the 2010 Taurus SHO, which had the weird push/pull set up, versus the typical - left and + right paddles, which Ford has finally adopted as of the 2013 MY. I've had no trouble passing most anything on the road around here. The steering is sporty and precise even in the Normal Drive Control mode. I like the firmer, sportier ride and handling compared to the soft, squishy 2010 MKZ. Even under hard acceleration, I didn't experience any torque steer despite the FWD drivetrain!

I signed up at the Detroit Auto Show Lincoln Lounge. I was told they were recruiting current owners there and also those who drive competitors' vehicles elsewhere. If you call your Lincoln dealer I'm sure they can tell you details on how to sign up now. The vehicle I'm driving has aluminum trim which has an additional charge of $195 and deletes the wood, which is standard at no cost.

After a month delay, my Lincoln MKZ Date Night began this afternoon. I get the car for 48 hours along with a pre-paid $100 Visa Gift Card! I was told of no mileage restrictions, so I've already logged over 80 miles just around the D.C. area today. It only had 1,150 miles on it when I got behind the wheel. I am averaging 25 MPG in mixed driving! My 3.5 V6 AWD would be averaging 19 or so in the same drive! It's a loaded Tuxedo Black on Black with Panoramic Roof, 2.0 EcoBoost engine, FWD with the Technology Package. After using the latter, including Active Park Assist, Lane-Keeping and Adaptive Cruise Control, my conclusion is that the car does eerily drive itself. However, the experience for me harkens back to my teenage driving school experience, when the instructor was able to over-ride my own steering and braking or lack-there-of! LOL Yes as nice as it is to have, the feeling of safely being chaperoned on the road, it does ultimately take the sheer joy out of real driving that I think all of us here value! The interior of the vehicle feels like a VW or Audi more than any previous Ford product! The doors close with a vault-like thud. Every operation is precise and smooth. The Germanic feel of this interior is not a bad thing. But in all black with metal accents and no wood, as in this example, it leaves me feeling cold. My 2010 MKZ has a Light Camel interior with wood accents. The softness and warmth of a lighter color leather and wood would be my choice, even with the Tuxedo Black. My favorite exterior colors on the new MKZ are Candy Red, White Platinum or Smoked Quartz. I would go with either the Dune or Hazelnut interior. As for the Panoramic Roof: MUST HAVE! Remember Solomon Song, the designer in one of his interviews pointed out that the roofline's shape made this full glass, retractable roof possible. Thus, the form and silhouette of the car, its very structure was made with this feature in mind. I can't imagine getting this vehicle without it. It is the one unique feature that makes it a standout! Even closed with the shade open, the expanse of seamless glass transforms this vehicle's interior experience. When I was showing this car off to my group of close friends on the street in downtown D.C., the view out from the open glass as I sat in the driver's seat talking to them outside was a special experience. The push-button gear shifter took very little time to get used to it! I don't miss the gear-shifter at all. My "old" car is going to feel clunky when I get back to it. If I have left anything out, in the midst of my euphoria today, please don't hesitate to ask questions! I will try to take more pics tomorrow and post more driving and user impressions. What a great birthday present from Lincoln! It just so happens, March 24 is my birthday!

MKC prototypes were built in February so this is definitely one of those!

I've already seen a few 2013 "Town Cars" in Washington, D.C. and they are perfect for this role once they catch on. My dealership uses a Flex as a shuttle and it's so roomy and comfortable! It makes sense to have an MKS version too, just like there are fleet versions of the Taurus and Explorer Interceptors. In my opinion they should add a livery Flex too! Also here in the D.C. area I've been seeing a lot of non-police uses of Explorer and Taurus Intercepters for government fleets. Maximize D3 sales.

I was told that prototypes were built starting this month actually so that's why they may be starting to hit the roads The MKZ was much further along when the concept was at NAIAS. So I wouldn't expect the production version debuting at NYIAS. I would think LA. at the earliest or a non-auto show debut.

I've been single for the past year so I better find a real date otherwise it's just me and the car! LOL So far I've only asked my ex to go with me, unless I find another date... P.S. That center console can be obtrusive especially for a big guy like me. For that kind of a date I'd prefer a Navigator!

The beautiful thing is the Date Night got moved to my birthday weekend! EPIC!

I signed up for this at the Lincoln Lounge at the Detroit Auto Show. The new MKZ has finally arrived at my dealership and the Lincoln Concierge reserved mine for a 48-hour test drive starting this Saturday afternoon! Lincoln will also give me a $100 gift card for a complimentary dinner for 2 at a top Zagat-rated steakhouse. I simply drive my current vehicle to the dealer and after a brief orientation with the new MKZ, I drive off for a 2 day test drive. I'll be back to post my experiences and observations here this weekend... UPDATE: They called me today to reschedule for March 23-25. It seems someone jumped the gun!

This dealer test drive series takes the MKZ out in the snow and opens the panoramic roof at highway speeds:

This is a new commercial on Lincoln's YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAehh2uQVm4&feature=player_detailpage Here is Consumer Reports' MKZ video:

I have a feeling the next Edge will be unveiled in a similar manner as the 2011 Explorer, i.e. in a very pubic, big city venue, perhaps the Vegas strip, instead of the next auto show season this fall. I predict a mid-summer media event somewhere like Las Vegas or similarly glitzy place! http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-20011468-48.html

This week's Motorweek names the 2013 Ford Fusion the Best Family Sedan in their annual Drivers' Choice Awards. Another Ford, the Shelby GT500 also won its category! http://www.motorweek.org Unfortunately you have to watch the TV episode this week before you can view it online. Cadillac ATS won Best of the Year.

The District of Columbia Police and local Maryland police have purchased a ton of these in both SUV and sedan form. They especially look great at night in D.C. with their red, white and blue paint jobs and blue LED running lights!

Looks like they added paddle shifters and the front seat cushions are contoured differently!