Lincoln MKS

The American buyer's disappointment in the Ford Five Hundred full-size sedan is a tragedy. It's a very complete car, and possibly one of the best-packaged sedans in history. There's tons of interior space and, famously, room enough in the trunk for eight or nine golf bags. All this in a car that's shorter from bumper to bumper than stalwarts such as the Ford Crown Victoria and Lincoln Town Car. Now the Five Hundred (and thus its Mercury Montego sister vehicle) has earned the top rating in its class in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's stringent crash tests. So what's everyone's beef? That it's too bland looking (a reasonable complaint) and underpowered (asinine). But you can't always change people's minds.

Enter the Lincoln MKS concept, Lincoln's version of the Five Hundred. It has sharper styling and a V-8 engine. Lincoln says the car "strongly hints at the design direction for Lincoln and its upcoming new flagship sedan." Translation: You're looking at it. Only the expensive exotic materials, inside and out, and some of the more ambitious features are likely to change. Maybe some styling touches, too.

Lincoln would be foolish to do away with the vents on the front fenders, which are among its more interesting design elements. They appear immediately in front of each front door and are dressed up with a Lincoln ornament. The gray and white suede on the seats, dashboard and door panels probably wouldn't be affordable or age well. Like the new 2007 MKX crossover vehicle, the MKS has a glass roof.

The drivetrain starts with a 4.4-liter V-8 that puts out 315 horsepower at 4,500 rpm and 3,000 pounds-feet of torque at 3,000 rpm. If the engine seems unfamiliar for a Ford vehicle, it's the same Yamaha-built V-8 that's an option in the Volvo XC90 sport utility vehicle, with which the MKS shares a platform. The six-speed-automatic transmission in both the concept and the MKX is the long-awaited product of a partnership with General Motors. The MKS has all-wheel drive; the platform also supports front-wheel drive.

One of the niftier high-tech experimental features is a type of active headlights that don't require motorized, sweeping lights. The halogen projector-beam lights are fixed and conventional. A series of high-intensity LED lamps outboard of each wraps around the fender. When the driver turns, the lights illuminate as far outward as is needed based on the sharpness of the turn. It's not unlike the turning lights that have appeared on luxury cars for many years — just smarter and brighter. Compared to the common active headlights, there are no moving parts or expensive repairs.