Ford dropped a bomb on the hybrid car market earlier this year with the introduction of the 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. Just to enlarge the size of the crater, they’ve announced that its base MSRP will be the same as the gasoline version of the MKZ, at $35,180. While not an insubstantial amount of money, it’s the first time a hybrid variant of a car hasn’t carried with it a multi-thousand dollar price hike.
Probably the MKZ Hybrid’s best competitor, the Lexus HS250h, the MKZ is exactly $80 more expensive, at least before adding any options. While the Lexus HS250h starts at $35,100, to get some of the more popular features the Lincoln has standard, you’re going to be looking at $37,870, plus a couple of options. Oh, and don’t forget the 6mpg advantage the MKZ Hybrid gets over the HS250h.
This move is one I see as a direct attack against Lexus by Lincoln. While Cadillac goes after BMW and Mercedes with sportier rides, Lincoln is aiming squarely at Lexus, with the quiet comfort of the MKS and now the hybrid version of its fairly popular MKZ model. Paired with Ford’s SYNC technology and its EcoGuide hybrid displays, the MKZ Hybrid looks hot, and I can’t wait to get my hands on one!
by John Suit
Source: Ford