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Why the 2015 Lincoln MKC is 'holding some powder'

Earlier this month in our first drive of the 2015 MKC, we told you that Lincoln finally had a new vehicle in its arsenal worth crowing about. So with the compact premium crossover now finding its way into dealers, why aren't you seeing its likeness plastered on billboards and barraging you on television? It's because Lincoln is "holding some powder."
Those are the words of Lincoln's global director, Matt VanDyke, who tells Autoblog that the company is holstering some of its marketing guns because it's keen to avoid repeating the ill-timed efforts that blighted its last rollout, the MKZ. That vehicle's launch early last year was beset by various delays related to manufacturing and quality. The cadence issue was so dire that by the time the model reached showrooms in volume, Lincoln had already blown most of its budget on things like Super Bowl ads that ran weeks or even months before customers could check one out in person. It was a particularly trying series of events for parent Ford because the MKZ and its oversized marketing spend were charged with relaunching the Lincoln brand to the public.
Keen to avoid repeating the same timing issue and mindful of consumers' habits at this time of year, Lincoln is taking a different strategy with the MKC. According to VanDyke, "What we don't want to do is try and fight the summertime - people using television being down, and other mass media when school's out. New television shows aren't on." Of course, that doesn't mean Lincoln is sitting idle. VanDyke says, "By no means are we quiet during the next 90 days. This year, we're going to really spend the next 60 to 90 days using digital and social media, in-theater advertising and the like, and once we have full availability at dealerships, we'll really ramp up the advertising later on in the summer." Part of that early media effort includes immersive digital marketing like Lincoln's clever Dream Rides web experience.

2017 Lincoln Continental spied on the inside

We just saw the lightly camouflaged exterior of the 2017 Lincoln Continental a few days ago, and a new set of spy shots now give us an even better look inside the upcoming luxury sedan. Where the outside largely brings the concept's design to the road, the production interior shows far more compromises. Rather than the expanse of blue leather and Alcantara upholstery, Lincoln's stylists tone things down with a mostly black cabin. While less overwhelming than on the showcar, there's still no shortage of chrome because strips of the shining metal outline nearly every surface. Wood accents also help add some visual interest. The general cabin layout remains close to the concept. The infotainment system gets prime position near the top of the center stack, and the buttons for the transmission sit vertically on the left side of the screen. The design then flows to an angled console that features physical controls for things like the radio and HVAC. These photos provide another view at the nearly undisguised exterior, too. The Lincoln emblem at the front is chrome on this test car, and you can now spot more shining trim underneath the grille. Also look close for a better view of the door handles along the beltline. We expect the full reveal of the production Continental at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Related Video:

2020 Lincoln Aviator fuel economy revealed

Ford finally revealed some of the last details, such as fuel economy, for the non-hybrid 2020 Explorer. So it's no surprise that its classier corporate twin, the 2020 Lincoln Aviator, has had its own fuel economy data released by the EPA. Though, like the Explorer, we only have information for the non-hybrid versions. The 2020 Lincoln Aviator has just two engine options, a base turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 with 400 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque, and the same engine coupled to a hybrid system with 450 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque. That base engine is the one we have fuel economy numbers for, and it's shared with the Ford Explorer ST, though the ST's version makes an extra 15 pound-feet of torque. With all-wheel drive it gets nearly the same fuel economy as the fast Ford with 17 mpg in the city, 24 on the highway and 20 in combined driving. The Explorer ST gets one more mpg in town. Unlike the Explorer ST, the Aviator does offer rear-wheel drive with this turbocharged V6. This model gets improved fuel economy of 18 in the city, 26 on the highway and 21 in combined driving. This isn't too surprising, since all-wheel-drive vehicles often do a little worse when it comes to fuel economy. We'll be especially curious as to how the Aviator hybrid performs. We doubt it will match the Ford Explorer hybrid, since that crossover relies on a less-powerful naturally aspirated 3.3-liter V6. But it might give the all-wheel-drive four-cylinder Explorer a run for its money, since the rear-drive V6 Aviator is only 1 to 2 mpg behind it. Related Video: