Lincoln makes driving more engaging

By Bill McLauchlan

Luxury in a car can mean many things to different people. Supple leather interior? Exotic wood trim? A smooth, silent ride? Superb sound system? High performance?

Any or all of the above make sense to most people but, to Ford's luxury Lincoln division it isn't just about making luxury cars; it's about creating unique driving experiences too. And with the debut of its all-new 2015 MKC small premium utility vehicle in New York it was interesting to look beyond its looks and mechanical appeal to something the company calls the Lincoln Experience – a suite of customer-focused comforts designed to enhance life with an MKC in your driveway.

What that means in this case is "creating a warm, personal driving experience every time an owner approaches their vehicle," says Matt VanDyke, Director, Global Lincoln. "Today's premium car buyer is more demanding than ever. Our goal is to create vehicles that not only meet those evolving demands but exceed them and redefine what the luxury car-buying and driving experience should be."

Well, I thought, luxury cars and crossovers are no strangers to high-tech offerings, so how can Lincoln come up with a fresh point of view?

For starters, the tech staff created something called Approach Detection and state-of-the-art features like the all-new embedded modem and MYLincoln Mobile app, technology that plays a lead role in helping an MKC owner interact with the vehicle.

Lincoln's MKC gets some thoughtful technology to create a more personalized ownership experience.

Approach Detection senses an approaching owner from up to three metres away and the MKC responds by lighting up a large "welcome mat" on the ground next to both front doors. At the same time, signature lighting in the headlamps activates and the door-handle pockets glow with soft lighting tuned to the MKC's exterior colour.

But wait, there's more! The driver can interact with the MKC remotely using the smartphone-enabled MyLincoln Mobile app. An embedded modem communicates with the app to let you start, lock, unlock and locate the vehicle, and set interior temperature levels. It's also possible to use the app for a variety of other functions such as call for road-side assistance, monitor the fuel level, check tire and battery status, and program engine start times.

If that ain't enough to create a feeling of warm, comfort and enjoyable luxury it's hard to imagine what else Lincoln can create to make driving an MKC more engaging.

Production of the 2015 MKC is slated to begin in the second quarter of '14 with first arrivals in dealerships by next summer.