Originally posted by TLProspect
Wow! Now that is one UGLY interior.

Originally posted by phile
It's the wood and the abundance of aluminum. Cut back on the metal, use a darker wood and change that center stack, then it would look a little more decent. Also, the dashboard seems very high.

Originally posted by phile

I'm not too crazy about the center stack...it looks like a robot's head, the vents are the eyes and the nav screen is the mouth.

Originally posted by charliemike
Umm, you make no sense.

Who cares when the name was first used?

I don't care if it's called the Lincoln Oven Mitt if it's a good car.

Originally posted by 1SICKLEX
L E T M E S P E L L I T O U T F O R Y O U.

Our generation, the younger generation gives 2 figs on some name from the 1930s. And 1930s brings up GREAT DEPRESSION in most minds. I think they should have gotten a trendier name, something youth oriented, hell the LINCOLN SPRITE, I dunno.

IMO, all these "YOUNG" CAddy's and Lincolns and Jags are not bought by young people. They are bought by old people who want to look young or old people who finally have enough dough for a brand they always wanted.

Originally posted by Jason
Why can't Cadillac or Lincoln come up with a decent interior?

Originally posted by Jason
Why can't Cadillac or Lincoln come up with a decent interior?

Originally posted by soopa
Pimp. I dont like the early 80's gauge style tho.

Originally posted by 1SICKLEX
Looks very nice inside and out, though the interior has a weird 80s look to it.



That is so freaking stupid, they want to attract younger buyers and bring back the name from a car made when we were not even a fetus. So damn stupid.

So Lincoln is going back to names? I thought Lincoln LS was a stupid name. Good. We need more names.

This is actually a TL/I35/X-type competitor. Built of a cheaper FWD car.

Funny, how everyone screams AWD this and that and the X-type has it standard and it's been DEAD LAST in every comparo known to man.

I'm not too crazy about the center stack...it looks like a robot's head, the vents are the eyes and the nav screen is the mouth.

Originally posted by TSXhopefull
ummm...does anyone realize that this car is a concept. All concept interiors look odd. Look at the Mustang concept compared to production; alot changed. As it is, the interior is a great improvement on the LS. By the time it comes out, I'm sure it will be fine.

Originally posted by TSXhopefull
ummm...does anyone realize that this car is a concept. All concept interiors look odd.

The 2006 Lincoln Zephyr brings Lincoln's hallmarks of elegant design and comfort to a new generation of customers.

The Lincoln Zephyr is a major element in the brand's growth strategy for the next decade by providing an additional entry point to draw customers into dealerships. Zephyr will be the second new Lincoln product to be introduced during 2005, following the all-new 2006 Lincoln Mark LT truck.

Importantly, Zephyr will be the only Lincoln product in the showroom offering front-wheel drive, a key purchase consideration for many buyers. Lincoln will add an all-wheel-drive powertrain option for Zephyr a year later.

"The Lincoln Zephyr is the kind of exciting new product that will move the brand forward," says Darryl Hazel, Lincoln Mercury president. "We're beginning a renaissance at Lincoln, and it starts with the Mark LT and Zephyr in 2005."

DESIGN COMMUNICATES REFINEMENT

The 2006 Lincoln Zephyr incorporates elegant Lincoln design inside and out. Its classic proportions, clean lines and well-planted stance convey confidence and presence with understated elegance.

The Lincoln Zephyr is designed with a theme of unpretentious luxury. The interplay of sleek interior and exterior accents finished in chrome and satin nickel lend the Zephyr an air of distinction.

This new sedan has a distinct Lincoln family resemblance with its classic waterfall grille. The front is accented with standard jewel-like, quad beam halogen headlamps or optional High Intensity Discharge (HID) units.

Wide all-season tires enhance Zephyr's confident stance, and 8-spoke, 17-inch aluminum wheels are standard.

INDULGENT INTERIOR

Inside, every detail quietly conveys sophistication. Genuine materials, such as real maple wood or aluminum surfaces, illustrates the level of luxury Zephyr provides.

Details include satin-nickel trim on a wood-and-leather steering wheel, chrome door handles and an aluminum and leather-wrapped gear selector. Metal finishes are used in key touch zones as a complement and contrast to the wood and leather.

Leather seating surfaces also are designed with a soft touch, while wood accents have a warm aura. The metals, as expected, are cool to the touch. This tactile contrast is an intentional design exercise that communicates genuine luxury to the occupants.

Attention to detail abounds. Margins between separate parts are tight and consistent. At night, soothing, cool-white interior lighting delivers yet another level of modern luxury.

QUIET CABIN HELPS DELIVER SURROUNDING CONCERT SOUND

The Lincoln Zephyr's interior also benefits from "sound science." Starting with an exceptionally stiff body structure, engineers took extensive steps to reduce noise, vibration and harshness. From insulation under the carpet to reduce road sounds to aerodynamically optimized side mirrors to cut down on wind buffeting, Zephyr's quiet ride is a key enabler for its next-generation sound system, THX II-Certified® audio.

This optional system creates surrounding theater or concert hall sound with the help of six speakers, two subwoofers and two amplifiers. The system carries up to six compatible with Radio Broadcast Digital Signaling, which displays information from participating radio stations.

LINCOLN OPTIMIZED DVD NAVIGATION

Lincoln is launching its new Lincoln Optimized DVD-based Navigation System with the Zephyr. It is the most advanced navigation system Lincoln ever has put into production.

The optional system provides fast, intuitive operation with a bright 6.5-inch display screen mounted in the center stack. The display was designed to coordinate with Zephyr's crisp interior design theme.

LINCOLN DRIVING EXPERIENCE

The 2006 Lincoln Zephyr is designed to deliver comfort with an additional level of responsiveness. It starts with a well-designed chassis tuned for ride comfort.

The standard 17-inch tires with a wide 225/50 profile were specifically engineered for Zephyr to deliver good ride quality, responsive handling and reduced cabin noise. In turn, the power rack-and-pinion steering was tuned to complement the suspension and tires.

The Lincoln Zephyr features large four-wheel disc brakes with a standard anti-lock system to provide confident braking performance. Also standard is an electronic traction assist system that automatically works to reduce engine torque when it senses impending wheel slip.

HIGHLY ADVANCED ENGINE AND TRANSAXLE

The 2006 Lincoln Zephyr comes standard with a highly advanced powertrain featuring the 3.0-liter Duratec 30 V-6 engine. It uses intake variable cam timing to improve engine torque for better acceleration while reducing emissions.

To achieve optimum performance, the computer-controlled system varies the timing of the two intake cams - one in each cylinder head &endash; based on factors that include engine speed and load. The Duratec 30 in the Zephyr makes 210 horsepower and 200 pounds-feet of torque.

Dual mufflers, accented with twin chrome-tipped exhausts, produce low backpressure for added performance and a very restrained exhaust note.

The engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic transaxle &endash; the new industry standard for luxury cars. Zephyr also uses an electronic throttle control that works with the electronically controlled transaxle to ensure smooth and seamless shifts.

Zephyr joins the new 2005 Lincoln Navigator in leading the luxury market into advanced 6-speed transmissions. Along with this new level of performance, Zephyr delivers the cleanest Duratec 30 ever. It will be rated for ULEV II tailpipe emissions in "green states," as well as a U.S. EPA rating of Tier 2, Bin 5 tailpipe and LEV II evaporative emissions in other states.

ADVANCED SAFETY

Lincoln Zephyr benefits from highly advanced safety technologies. Zephyr was designed with Ford's Personal Safety System™ and a body structure optimized to help manage energy in a crash.

Zephyr's Personal Safety System provides a wide combination of safety features, including standard driver and front-passenger air bags, front-passenger classification sensing and three-point safety belts at all seating positions with front-seat pretensioners and retractors.

In addition to standard U.S. government frontal crash tests, Zephyr is designed to meet stringent new side-impact tests.

A standard package of seat-mounted side air bags for chest protection and a full-length safety curtain for head protection provide an additional layer of side-impact safety.

Electronic safety features include a standard traction assist program and anti-lock braking to help drivers reduce the risk of losing control on slippery surfaces.

WHEN AND WHERE

The Lincoln Zephyr will be built at Ford Motor Company's Hermosillo Assembly Plant in Mexico. Sales begin in the fall of 2005 in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

Pricing for the newest, most affordable Lincoln will be announced closer to launch.

SIDEBAR &endash; RECALLING AN ERA OF ELEGANCE AND INNOVATION

The original 1936 Lincoln Zephyr was based on an innovative concept by Dutch-born designer John Tjaarda of the Briggs Body Corp. He drew his inspiration from the aerodynamic "streamliner" trains that were catching the nation's imagination &endash; including the record-setting diesel-powered Burlington Zephyr that helped to end the age of steam.

Ford Motor Company Design Chief E.T. Gregorie, along with Edsel Ford, refined the design and brought into production one of the most beautiful cars of its day.

Zephyr was introduced as an affordable entry point for the Lincoln brand, with prices starting at $1,300 compared with $4,200 for a Lincoln Model K. The Zephyr was a huge hit for Lincoln, bringing luxury motoring to an entirely new group of customers. In its first year, Lincoln sold 14,994 Zephyrs, compared with only 1,500 Lincoln Model Ks.

Lincoln was able to produce the original Zephyr at lower cost thanks to its pioneering use of a unit body atop a frame. In an industry first, designers tested Zephyr's chassis using aircraft-type stress analysis, proving its superiority over the then-current method of bolting a piecework body to a frame. At 3,300 pounds, Zephyr was lighter than most of its competitors, yet it proved to be much stiffer.

Lincoln Zephyrs also were noted for spirited performance with an impressive 110 horsepower from their flathead V-12 engines. In 1939, Zephyr formed the basis of the Lincoln Continental, with a stretched hood, short rear deck and external spare tire.

Zephyr remained Lincoln's most popular model until production was halted during World War II. When peacetime production resumed in 1946, the name Zephyr stayed on the shelf, and all models were simply called "Lincoln." In total, Lincoln produced 131,428 Zephyrs between 1936 and 1942.

Zephyrs are still highly prized. In fact, a 1938 Lincoln Zephyr that had been converted into a street rod &endash; using the original V-12 engine and body panels on a lowered chassis &endash; recently sold at auction for more than $400,000, affirming the timeless appeal of the design.

DETROIT -- Lincoln's 2006 Zephyr, which Ford Motor Co. hopes will lure younger buyers to its U.S. luxury brand, will have a base sticker price of $29,995, including shipping, Lincoln announced Thursday.

The Zephyr goes on sale in the fall.

The five-passenger mid-size sedan is Lincoln's attempt to attract drivers in their mid 30s. Its average customer is considerably older.

"The Zephyr makes the Lincoln brand more relevant to a new generation of younger customers who are ready to move to a luxury vehicle," Al Giombetti, Lincoln Mercury's president, said in a statement.

Powered by a 3.0 liter V-6 engine, the front-wheel-drive Zephyr has a highway fuel economy in the upper 20s, the automaker said. It also has a six-speed automatic transmission. Lincoln will offer 3.5 liter V-6 and all-wheel drive versions next year.

The Zephyr has six premium options, including a moonroof, navigation system and chrome wheels, that could raise the price to $35,575, including shipping.

The sedan, built on a version of the Mazda6 platform, will be manufactured with the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan in Hermosillo, Mexico.

Lincoln has sold 51,667 vehicles through May, a 7.4 percent drop from 2004's five-month performance, according to the Automotive News Data Center.