The MKZ: not your father’s Lincoln
Back in the 1960s, one of the most iconic – and easily recognizable – cars on the road was the fourth generation Lincoln Continental. With its massive slab-sided body, imposing front grille and centre-opening suicide doors, it was the go-to vehicle for potentates, politicians, corporate bigwigs, and anyone else who wanted to project an image of power, wealth and exclusivity.
As time went on, it devolved into a parody of itself and became favoured by hot-rodders and was even used (and destroyed) in a few movies – Animal House and Goldfinger, to name two. These days, it’s a kind of cult favourite with tattooed hipsters and hard-core chop artists.
But Lincoln has moved on and the Continental definitely ain’t what it used to be. Still a crucial part of Lincoln’s model lineup, it’s now augmented by the MKZ series, which is about as far removed from the original Continental as you can get.
In a move that would likely have astounded diehard Lincoln drivers back in the day, the MKZ can also be had as a hybrid model, which is what I drove this time around.