[ronshock]

A friend in the know with Ford/Lincoln sent me a couple of pics of this flyer/brochure that was sent to Lincoln Dealerships to help their salesman know how to differentiate the MKZ's advantages over the Q-50.

Of course they don't compare Hybrid to Hybrid at all (although it is said in this that that will come later). I wonder if they will since they'll have to spin it even more of greater amenities and just pure greater MPG. That said, there's no comparison in power and handling (and looks) - why I ended up buying a Hybrid S Q-50 over the MKZ. Though the text on this says "Performance at a price" is accurate. I paid $4-5K more for the Q-50 over a loaded-up MKZ. But I think it is totally worth it! Still I would have loved to have had things like the AC seats and power trunk and panoramic roof and....!

In this flyer they compare just the 3.7 gas engine Q-50 to the MKZ 2.0L Ecoboost and 3.7L V6. Yet they leave out several amenity advantages the MKZ has over the Q-50. They should have read my review from several weeks back here on the forum - http://www.infinitiq50.org/forum/in.../9482-infiniti-q50-vs-lincoln-mkz-photos.html.

Did learn something new though. I didn't know that the MKZ had "knee airbags for the front driver & front passenger" over the Q-50. Though my legs are so long, I don't know if that would really help me in a crash! Lol.

 

[SimpsonTide985]

I'd take it as a compliment!

 

[boone]

I just cannot get over how the front and back of the MKZ seem to come from two different cars. The Q50 has continuity from front to back. The MKZ has none.

 

[Sinecure]

I drove that car a couple weeks ago. The hybrid. If I wanted that car, I'd go buy the plug-in hybrid Ford Fusion Energi. Better mileage, same amenities and a way better looking front end. The only thing I could find in the Lincoln that was cool was the pano roof. I expected it to be quieter than the Ford - it wasn't. And the sales experience was sub-par at best. IMO, the MKZ is a competitor on paper only.

Thanks for posting that. It is helpful for my job.

 

[SimpsonTide985]

I just cannot get over how the front and back of the MKZ seem to come from two different cars. The Q50 has continuity from front to back. The MKZ has none.

Ironically I've heard people say the reverse about the Q50.

It's all in the eye of the beholder

 

[Klamalama]

Ironically I've heard people say the reverse about the Q50.

It's all in the eye of the beholder

It's my observation that some beholders don't have an eye.

IMHO, the Q50S is a very good design. A couple of nits that I will pick are:
1- the side character line break above the rear wheels. It should have been one continuous line, keeping the muscular bulge.
2- the trunk lip edge should have been edgier.

 

[ronshock]

It's my observation that some beholders don't have an eye.

IMHO, the Q50S is a very good design. A couple of nits that I will pick are:
1- the side character line break above the rear wheels. It should have been one continuous line, keeping the muscular bulge.
2- the trunk lip edge should have been edgier.

Agreed - especially on the rear lip edge. I wish they had designed it sharper like the Tesla S rear edge.

 

[maddsiick]

2- the trunk lip edge should have been edgier.

Like how it looks on a Q50 with the rear spoiler? I love how the spoiler complimented trunk lid and completed the flow on mine.

 

[Klamalama]

Like how it looks on a Q50 with the rear spoiler? I love how the spoiler complimented trunk lid and completed the flow on mine.

I haven't seen one in person, but the rear spoiler looks a little bloated, in photos.

 

[CarolinaQ50]

I haven't seen one in person, but the rear spoiler looks a little bloated, in photos.

Bloated?

 

[Slurm!]

So Lincoln made that flyer to help its sales people sell the MKZ over the Q50?

I can definitely see how the two cars compete directly against each other. While it isn't clearly cut which vehicle is better, I think the overall package of the Q50 is better. Though there are aspects of the MKZ that win out. The back end of the MKZ, I think, looks better than the back of the Q50.

 

[ronshock]

Like how it looks on a Q50 with the rear spoiler? I love how the spoiler complimented trunk lid and completed the flow on mine.

Maddsiick, yeah I've seen the pics of your trunk lid spoiler (http://www.infinitiq50.org/forum/exterior-interior/7201-spoiler-installed-7.html) and I like it. But then I don't like it. Makes perfect sense right. I guess what I mean is that I like that it does make it look sharper/edgier more so than the soft rounded lip edge of the natural trunk. But what I don't like is that the spoiler looks a little unnatural to me - like it is just stuck on there. I would have liked if Infiniti had designed the trunk to have a sharper edge - like the Tesla S photo I posted here. Still, I may come around on it eventually. I'll keep looking at your pics and see if I will eventually cave and put it on my Graphite Shadow. BTW, do you have any pics of it straight-on from the rear at low and higher heights??

 

[ronshock]

So Lincoln made that flyer to help its sales people sell the MKZ over the Q50?

I can definitely see how the two cars compete directly against each other. While it isn't clearly cut which vehicle is better, I think the overall package of the Q50 is better. Though there are aspects of the MKZ that win out. The back end of the MKZ, I think, looks better than the back of the Q50.

Slurm, Yes that's Lincoln's internal sales flyer to "educate" their people on the Q-50 vs. the MKZ.

They compete for sure since I for one was directly comparing the two against one another. I was almost dead-set on buying the MKZ mid-summer until I came away extremely disappointed with how weak in power the Hybrid felt to me after numerous test drives. That disappointment made me continue searching and try the Q-50. Once I did, it quickly became my top car and the one I eventually bought (last month). That said, it wasn't without a struggle still. Because yes you're right, there are quite a few aspects I liked better about the MKZ. But in the end it came down to power, handling, and the big in my book "most fun to drive" aspect. The MKZ is very nice and has more amenities for less money. But the Q-50 has much more raw performance (especially in the Hybrid Sport I bought) and is just plain more fun to drive. Still I wish I could combine elements of each to build the perfect car for me.

BTW, I also totally agree about the back end. While I view the Q-50 as way better looking in the front 2/3 of the car, the back of the MKZ is cooler looking than the Q-50 rear. Love the Lincoln rear solid bar tail-lights!

 

[waffleman]

Got stuck behind a MKZ today, left lane, driving erratically and kept hitting the brakes though nobody ahead of him. Pass him on right and look...guy holding Smart phone to his ear talking. So either MKZ lacks bluetooth capability or too difficult to synch...

Oh...and the rear of that car...ugly...

 

[BNB-Ryan]

Holy crap. Lincoln is still a car company? I don't think I've noticed a Lincoln on the road in ages.

 

[Mike's Q50S]

What's a push button shift the Lincoln brags about? How's that better than my paddle shift and auto manual shift?

 

[chris2k5]

Ford needs to follow GM and what they are doing with Cadillac. You need performance in this segment.

 

[Sinecure]

Push button shift doesn't shift like paddle shifters. It is instead of a gear lever for PRNDL. Calling it a "feature" is a bit of a stretch. It just means you press a button for Drive or Reverse, rather than moving a gear knob.

 

[ronshock]

Got stuck behind a MKZ today, left lane, driving erratically and kept hitting the brakes though nobody ahead of him. Pass him on right and look...guy holding Smart phone to his ear talking. So either MKZ lacks bluetooth capability or too difficult to synch...

Since the MKZ does have Bluetooth and is as easy or easier to sync than the Q-50, I would have to say that it is more likely that the driver was either too lazy to do the actual sync for whatever reason, or isn't tech savvy enough to either figure that out or buy a Bluetooth capable phone in the first place!

 

[ronshock]

Push button shift doesn't shift like paddle shifters. It is instead of a gear lever for PRNDL. Calling it a "feature" is a bit of a stretch. It just means you press a button for Drive or Reverse, rather than moving a gear knob.

You're certainly right that it is just a different way to put your car into gear and isn't anything like paddle shifters - the MKZ gas engine variations (2.0L Ecoboost & 3.7L V6) has paddle shifters on it standard in addition to the push button gear shifter. But you could say it is a "feature" if you consider that by moving the shifter to the dash, you free up room there in the center console for more storage and a more "open" design - which the MKZ certainly has over the Q-50.