2013 Lincoln Mks Base on 2040-cars

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Bring back the Bronco! Trademarks we hope are actually (someday) future car names

Trademark filings are the tea leaves of the auto industry. Read them carefully – and interpret them correctly – and you might be previewing an automaker's future product plans. Yes, they're routinely filed to maintain the rights to an iconic name. And sometimes they're only for toys and clothing. But not always. Sometimes, the truth is right in front of us. The trademark is required because a company actually wants to use the name on a new car. With that in mind, here's a list of intriguing trademark filings we want to see go from paperwork to production reality. Trademark: Bronco Company: Ford Previous Use: The Bronco was a long-running SUV that lived from 1966-1996. It's one of America's original SUVs and was responsible for the increased popularity of the segment. Still, it's best known as O.J. Simpson's would-be getaway car. We think: The Bronco was an icon. Everyone seems to want a Wrangler-fighter – Ford used to have a good one. Enough time has passed that the O.J. police chase isn't the immediate image conjured by the Bronco anymore. Even if we're doing a wish list in no particular order, the Bronco still finds its way to the top. For now (unfortunately), it's just federal paperwork. Rumors on this one can get especially heated. The official word from a Ford spokesman is: "Companies renew trademark filings to maintain ownership and control of the mark, even if it is not currently used. Ford values the iconic Bronco name and history." Trademarks: Aviator, AV8R Company: Ford Previous Use: The Aviator was one of the shortest-run Lincolns ever, lasting for the 2003-2005 model years. It never found the sales success of the Ford Explorer, with which it shared a platform. We Think: The Aviator name no longer fits with Lincoln's naming nomenclature. Too bad, it's better than any other name Lincoln currently uses, save for its former big brother, the Navigator. Perhaps we're barking up the wrong tree, though. Ford has made several customized, aviation themed-Mustangs in the past, including one called the Mustang AV8R in 2008, which had cues from the US Air Force's F-22 Raptor fighter jet. It sold for $500,000 at auction, and the glass roof – which is reminiscent of a fighter jet cockpit – helped Ford popularize the feature. Trademark: EcoBeast Company: Ford Previous Use: None by major carmakers.

2018 Lincoln Navigator First Drive | From black sheep to flagship

This is Lincoln's flagship. It's the most luxurious, comfortable and expensive vehicle the brand sells. It's quite obviously the biggest and heck, like every Lincoln flagship of yesteryear, it even features body-on-frame construction. Crucially, though, this all-new 2018 Lincoln Navigator is also very good. It's distinctive, capable, and competent in ways that will stand up well in the upper echelon of the SUV hierarchy. And we'll get this out of the way now: it's far superior to its primary competitor, the Cadillac Escalade. And yet, the Navigator's flagship status is a comeback story. It wasn't too long ago that it was a black sheep confined to the distant back row of Lincoln family promotional photos along with the Town Car and a fichus added for decoration. It was never given one of the new-fangled MK names, and its V8-powered, truck-based status made it a thirsty dinosaur at a time of rising gas prices and an increasing number of crossovers. Livery services bought them in black-painted droves, but it was otherwise forgotten even as a substantive refresh for 2015 arguably made it a better, more practical bet than its Caddy nemesis. Like its predecessor, and indeed every Navigator since the second generation dawned for 2007, the third-generation 2018 model features an independent rear suspension rather than the live axle in GM's SUVs. First and foremost, this reaps benefits for those sitting in the third row. Full-sized adults enjoy an abundance of room back there on par (or perhaps even better) than a minivan. There's a USB port on each side, the seatbacks power recline and its three seat belts allow for an eight-passenger max. There's even enough room behind the raised third-row for creatively stacked suitcases. Compare this to a regular-wheelbase Escalade with its third row stuck to the sky-high floor; its occupants' knees jammed against the second row and/or stuck into their own chins. It's a wasteland back there, but to be fair, not much worse than an Infiniti QX80 or Lexus LX 570. Yes, the extended-wheelbase Escalade ESV helps, but there's still less space than the standard Navigator. In fact, the Navigator L model offers the exact same third-row – only the cargo area behind it expands. That rear suspension also pays dividends in the ride and handling department.

Lincoln reveals MKC compact crossover ahead of LA debut [w/video]

It used to be that if you wanted a luxury SUV, you had to go big. Just look at the first high-riders released by some of the major luxury automakers - Audi Q7, Cadillac Escalade, Lexus LX - and you'll see what we mean. But since 2009 the small premium crossover segment has grown a whopping 200 percent, so it's no surprise that each has followed up with smaller luxury crossovers. And this is the latest.
At the other end of the utility spectrum from the Navigator, the new Lincoln MKC is based on the Ford Escape (much as the old pseudo-premium Mercury Mariner was), but completely rebodied and luxed up to put it in another league. Although we're still not sold on Lincoln's family fascia, the grille treatment on the MKC is certainly one of the better variations on the theme to date. The Dart-like rear lights dominate the wrap-around tailgate, and the overall shape looks taut and upscale. The same can be said of the dynamically-designed interior, taking the concept revealed in Detroit earlier this year to production fairly seamlessly.
Power will come from a choice of EcoBoost four-cylinder engines with turbocharging and direct injection: a 2.0-liter with 240 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque, or a slightly punchier new 2.3-liter with 275 hp and 300 lb-ft. Lincoln didn't disclose what transmission they'll be mated to, but did note that the MKC carries the brand's "signature" push-button gear shifter. It comes standard in front drive, but buyers who upgrade to all-wheel drive (or tick the right box) will also benefit from a new adaptive suspension Lincoln calls Continuously Controlled Damping. Other features include an approach-detection system that lights the car up and projects a Lincoln "welcome mat" on the pavement when you get close to the car, and a "bread-crumbing" feature that lets you track where your vehicle has been.