My Bimmer has a name, it's M-K-Z

In a spirit that may not entirely befit this month's Germanic tradition of "Oktoberfest", I realized yesterday that, had I the money to buy a compact Saxon sport sedan, I would buy a Lincoln MKZ. I came to this realization after ascertaining that I wasn't particularly caught up on the styling of the latest C-Class, 3-Series, or Audi A4. The Lincoln has been re-worked for 2010, and now has an elegant, classic appearance both on the road and at a standstill.

The Lincoln's engineering certainly wouldn't be on part with that of the Germans, but it's nonetheless based on the Mazda 6 and thus would still be a fairly well thought out car. Equipped with AWD, the handling should be reasonable, and Ford's 3.5L Duratec V6 no doubt provides the car with more than ample power. Fully loaded ($43,700), the MKZ would be more comfortable than a similarly priced 3-Series. My only concern would be with depreciation.

To make the Lincoln MKZ really competitive, however, Ford would need to tweak it a little more. First order of business, I say, would be to make the Ford Fusion's 6-speed manual gearbox an option on every trim level. The 2.5L turbocharged I-5 Volvo engine used in the Ford Mondeo XR5 Turbo could become an option, and a sport adjustable suspension package and Brembos would be offered. The addition of these key mechanical components would transform the AWD MKZ from an attractively styled car for old people into a brilliant, high-performing sport sedan. Sure, it may not be an M5 competitor, or even an M3 competitor, but it sure could give the Saab Aero cars a run for their money. Ford has a great looking car, and the parts for a fine performance sedan. Now, they just need to put the two together and give Lincoln a little spice for the 21st century.