The Lincoln MKS was supposed to replace the Town Car as the top-of-the-line Lincoln. Although bigger than the MKZ, I never really thought of it as a proper successor, what with its FWD and V6 motivation. However, Lincoln customers must think otherwise, as demonstrated by this MKS I spotted in downtown Bettendorf.
At least it’s in good company, with a simcon 1987-88 Coupe de Ville and late-’90s, landau-roofed Grand Marquis in the background. I can just imagine the cars talking: “So, they got you too, huh?”
Ugh. Landau roofs look awful on modern cars. Just awful. I even think they look bad on areo panthers.
You know what looks even worse? I saw a brand new CTS coupe with a landau roof sitting on a dealer lot…..
I remember when Cadillac released their first cleanly styled car in decades, the 1992 Seville. It was sort of nauseating to visit somewhere that people still bought Cadillacs, like Florida or New Jersey, and see them all with padded roofs, fake wire wheels, and glued-on giant fake radiator shells. I thought that the people who went for that sort of thing had moved onto other ways of announcing their presence.
I can’t speak for Florida but New Jerseyans stopped buying American cars in the early ’80’s. And those that did were of an older generation, not prone to tricked out accoutrement.
If that could cheer you up a little bit. Here a picture of a Toyota Camry with a vinyl roof http://www.flickr.com/photos/45538799@N04/4498757231/
And one more picture http://www.flickr.com/photos/8058098@N07/6740672489/
Now that is strange. I did a quick check on the Swedish Toyota site, they don’t offer a Camry there. This appears to be a North American market Camry (my guess) with a glue-on vinyl roof, but the cheapo LE grade plastic wheel covers.
This car would have an interesting story, for sure…
I bet that new Lincoln would look great with a nice Continental kit hung off the back bumper!
The worst thing for me is the people who get a “mock” top put on a car with a sunroof. Mr. Lincoln owner, you are getting the mock top to imitate a look of a convertible…a sunroof on a convertible?
Having it all baby!
I own a 1991 Sedan deVille with the Phaeton package and rear wheel skirts and burgundy body color, in and out. I think that the 91-93 models were the last ones to look “right” with the padded roof, due to the squarish shape and vertical rear window. It still atracts lots of views from pedestrians and other drivers, but I think because these models are now so rare in our streets, and no more than a handful are still on the roads in my city of Chihuahua. These cars were a nice sight back then, after almost 30 years of senior cars as these, and Lincoln, and Imperial, Buicks, Olds and the like. In México there was a protectionist policy as to the car markets and we starved for these. Well, now mine is always garaged, pampered and cared; it has 293,540 kilometres and drives as the first day it came off the dealers’ showroom.
In my neck of the woods (Pittsburgh), the Phaeton Sedan deVilles were called Spring Editions. My 93 was white, dark blue top and dark blue leather interior. Mine also had the gold package. All in all, a good car. Traded it on a 2002 Deville, in 2005, on the spur of the moment.
Wish I had it back. It was striking. Take good care of yours.
Jeez – they could have at least done the roof in navy blue.
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,Have you seen the new cadillac xts,in profile especially at the wide chrome ” c ” pillar, and the rear view it looks alot like this lincoln .the vinal top does look terrible !
To this generation, the 1980s were “a few years ago” and they want a ’85 Town Car look. But, there are fewer dealer installed ‘carriage roof’ cars each passing year.
That’s the ugliest car I’ve seen in ages.
I remember when the LX platform hit the streets and people started putting Canvas tops on them. Chrysler designers went nuts!
As far as aftermarket vinyl roofs on modern cars go this doesn’t look too bad. I think it would have looked much worse if they went the Laundau (half vinyl) or imitation convertible route.
Why even bother? It’s not like the MKS is an American* car, everything is global now.
It’s not more tacky than some of the stuff people put on trucks, but trucks are still distinctly American.
*American in the traditional “American car” sense, of which the padded tops meant to simulate the fold-up landaus of the early days is derivative.
It is American, designed for America, built in America, Lincoln is only for America……….and profits stay in America. I’m not sure what the content is but I’d bet it’s more than 75%.
Damn right its a Merican car nobody else wants them
Ugh… the automotive equivalent of a bad toupee.
Isn’t this car’s platform still based off of the original Volvo S80’s? Which is ironic as the current Volvo S80 is based off of the outgoing Mondeo.
What? No diamond on the back?
Im all for the freedom to customize your car – as long as it doesn’t create a hazard, of course – but it boggles the mind to think that someone, somewhere thought that this enhances this car’s appearance.
The parking lot of Landau Bros Inc. was usually pretty empty after 5pm…….
You knew it was just a matter of time before one of these would be spotted like this.
When I first saw the concept version of the MKS at NAIAS I thought it was a handsome car, not Town Car handsome, but nice. Something told me back then that this would most likely replace the TC, and I was kind of okay with it. But finding out that Lincoln considers the MKT the Town Car replacement gives me shivers.
I thought the MKS was okay at first, but it hasn’t aged well. It certainly isn’t one of Ford’s “better ideas,” if you’ll pardon the expression. The upcoming 2013 MKZ looks MUCH better.
It’s the same with the Cadillac XTS. The new ATS looks like a much more compelling car, even it is supposedly the “lesser” car.
Why stop with the vinyl roof treatment? How ’bout adding a big ol’ plastic spoiler to the trunklid, too. If you’re gonna dress the car in a clown outfit, don’t do it half-baked.
My wife’s comment on any year of Town Car: “Looks like a mob car.” (not that she’s saying that’s a bad thing in her book.)
Her comment on the first MKS… really, they’re trying to pass that off as a Lincoln?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DirhlMJpaw
How tough is a Town Car really? 😛
I’ve actually seen a fair number (maybe 5 or so) Landau-roofed MKS’ here in the Houston area. Takes all kinds, I guess…
Not surprised at all been in Orlando this week and have seen several of these as well as recent CTS’s with the same tops. Back home in CT over the summer in some retirement communities on the shore I saw several new buicks with the tops on as well as a Lexus ES (really should have taken a pic of that one)
Worst part about these tops is there’s no easy way to undo the damage. Typically there’s holes punched(yes punched) straight into the sheet metal to secure the pot metal trim pieces. So if you managed to get the canvas cap off without damaging the roof you’ll still need filler and paint. That’s how it was with all the awful landau top Cougars and Mark VIIIs, although those were especially irritating because they drilled into the window trim/seals for the trim pieces!
It must be my NJ upbringing. Vinyl Top Makes It look more like a Lincoln to me. Whitewalls would too… OMG can you imagine? And let’s not leave off the Continental Trunk Bump and rename her Continental.
I suppose a Mark 9 Made from The Mustang is Too much to Wish For? Convertible , or Hardtop
Just this morning, I saw a new (pearl?) white Buick LeCrosse with a black vinyl roof. Did a double take on that. It certainly looked different.
Long live the great American Brougham.
After I read this article I saw a black Corolla with a tan fake convertible top on the road when I was out for lunch. Gotta love SoFLA.
That nasty beige Saturn is blocking the view of my ’85 Cadillac’s twin brother! My car has a similar post-factory top/front grille conversion. Remarkably, those aftermarket pieces are the only things falling off the car…Hmm…where’d my rear Cadillac script go?
Now that I’m home (finally..) and on the “big” screen I caught that too.
Brougham: Generations
There’s a Documentary I can get on board with.
What exactly is it about simulated canvas-covered roofs that makes octogenarians all weak and lovesick?
And on four-door sedans, no less. There’s not even a passing acquaintance with reality there. Sheesh.
“The Lincoln MKS was supposed to replace the Town Car as the top-of-the-line Lincoln”…and therein lies a neat, succinct summary of What’s Wrong At Ford Today (WWAFT). At this end of the globe, we don’t get Lincolns, so I’m perhaps not really qualified to pass judgement. But the MKS looks like a gussied-up Taurus to me, and isn’t the Taurus a gussied up (or down?) Volvo S80 platform? I like both Volvos and the current Taurus, but do I want my Lincoln to be one? No Mr Mullaly, I do not, and your continued passing up of tarted-up Taurii or modified Mazda 6s as Lincolns is an insult to all of us who love Lincoln from afar. You’ve got an excellent RWD platform in the Australian Falcon, why not use that and bring a bit of prestige back to the Lincoln name?
Okay, I’m getting down from my hobby horse now 😉
This maneuver is so retro. Anyone that remembers the tarted up Granada called the Versailles will understand. Would be interesting to look at the buyer demographics. I wonder if the 60-on-up crowd still views this as a statement of success, or more of a longing for the good old days of bland cream colors (looks good and pure in the church or country club parking lot) and knockoff coach treatments?
“Longing for the good old days” You bet!
Yesterday I followed a 2nd gen Lexus LS sedan configured exactly the same as this MKS, paint color and vinyl top color/style. Although it had California plates, the license plate frame was from Lexus of Palm Beach and it had a deck lid badge proudly proclaiming (in gold letters, of course) “Palm Beach Edition”. It didn’t quite fit in here in Santa Cruz.
Lincoln Super Cab (w/ Vinyl Roof):
What is it about vinyl roofs that draws the ire of so many car enthusiasts? I never thought they looked bad, at least the factory-installed tops. The aftermarket jobs were usually atrocious.
Also, what’s the last car sold in the US that was available with a vinyl roof?