Power Boost Punches Up ’17 Lincoln MKZ Refresh

LOS ANGELES – Lincoln introduces its refreshed ’17 MKZ midsize luxury sedan at the Los Angeles auto show, with a Lincoln-exclusive 3.0L twin-turbo V-6 behind an all-new brand insignia grille.

The uplevel engine produces 400 hp and 400 lb.-ft. (542 Nm) of torque. The engine is mated to an automatic transmission and Lincoln’s intelligent all-wheel drive, now with torque vectoring.

Refreshed MKZ interior reverts to simple hard knobs for many functions.

The 3.0L gasoline turbo direct-injection engine is limited to 350 hp and 400 lb.-ft. (542 Nm) of the torque in front-wheel drive models. Additional powertrains include a hybrid and a 2.0L GTDI I-4 engine producing 245 hp.

The new Lincoln grille, introduced on the Continental sedan concept at the New York show in April, is framed by distinctive LED headlights, but otherwise the exterior of the MKZ remains unchanged in this mid-cycle refresh.

Driver assistance features added for 2017 include pre-collision assist with automatic braking, adaptive cruise control with full stop-and-go capability, and advanced parking assistance that handles both parallel and perpendicular parking.

Special exterior lighting, an auto-hold feature that permits the driver to release the brake pedal when stopped, smart USB charging and Harmon Kardon Revel audio complete the new options.

Built in Hermisillo, Mexico, the ’17 MKZ goes on sale in early summer 2016. It will be joined the Lincoln showroom by the all-new Continental, while the MKS full-size sedan will be phased out. The MKZ is Lincoln’s highest volume product, selling about 32,000 units annually.

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