2019 Lincoln Nautilus

[fredluke]

Have some updates regarding the 2019 MKX.

 

Again, this is from my friend (supervisor) at the Oakville plant. He told me the same things as he did prior except for a few additional.

 

- Front end similar to continental

- Lower DRLs replaced with air dam

- Hood modification to accommodate new front end

- DRLs solid lighting not LED dot matrix

- Rear deck tail light modification (still full width)

- Modifications to 22 position seats

- Slight interior trim changes including instrument cluster

- Transmission (9 speed)

- Modification to suspension (driver ability to raise/lower vehicle stance) rumored air bags

- More HP options

- Sync upgrade

 

Will update as I hear anything else. 

[Cosmos36]

Thanks for the updates. Any confirmation of rumored 2.3EB engine replacing the 3.7NA?

[fredluke]

Yes he was told the 3.7 is done and will no longer be avail after 2018.

[Dumby]

Any chance the instrument cluster changes will include the HUD like the Continental has now?

[fredluke]

I'll ask and try and get more details.

[akirby]

Any chance the instrument cluster changes will include the HUD like the Continental has now?

I'd say it's likely but maybe only on BL models.

[fredluke]

I asked about HUD and I think akirby is correct. He did not hear anything about HUD... just that there will be an instrument cluster upgrade.

 

He did find out the MKX is getting an upgrade to the suspension dampening. According to him the upgrade in HP has also added the ability for the driver to adjust vehicle height and stance with the addition of air shocks. He was told that the vehicle will now have more flexibility to obtain much more control of the vehicles handling.

 

I am more curious about the change in the 22 seats. What could they change? There will be no changes to any belt line or body sides or rear deck.

 

Usually, they bring in a vehicle from Detroit once a finished model is done so the supervisors can become familiar with the new changes in assembly. 

[Cosmos36]

If Lincoln messes around with air assisted suspension, let's hope they do a better job than Ram has done with their trucks...generally condemned by the auto media as a gimmick for load control that is ineffective.

[Dumby]

  If they don't add HUD or only add HUD to Black Label models they will be way behind the competition - BMW, Audi, MB.  Why have it only for the Continental and not the whole line?   I could understand if it was part of one of the Reserve packages but forcing a Black Label would be a stretch for me.  I am currently torn between an Audi Prestige Q5 and the MKX. One of the features I really like in the Audi is the HUD having both the speed limit and actual speed posted way out in front of me.  I currently have an Escape and like the MKX, the speedometer is on the right side of the cluster and my right hand covers it up the way I hold the steering wheel.  The MKX also has a very low position for the navigation screen.  If simple navigation directions are displayed through the HUD, then it won't cause drivers to have to look down and away from the road.  

  Besides storage area, the other factor that to me gives the MKX a huge benefit over the Audi are the 22 way seats with both passenger and driver memory positions.  Maybe Lincoln is just working on getting the cooling to work better since the seat bladders seem to be a problem for the air flow for some owners.

  Any ideas on what effect a 9 speed transmission would have on better gas mileage for the 2.7 AWD from the current 19 rating?

[Cosmos36]

Re: fuel economy increase with 9-speed transmission. Reviews of currently available media & manufacturer estimates appear to focus on 2% improvement or less. That translates to ~ 0.5 mpg to 1.0 mpg in vehicles of MKX dimensions.

[akirby]

I would only expect 1-2 mpg max.

[enigma-2]

Maybe Lincoln is just working on getting the cooling to work better since the seat bladders seem to be a problem for the air flow for some owners.

Do they use air bladders in the 22 position seats? (I know there are no bladders in the 9 pos.).

[Dumby]

I may have used the incorrect term when I stated the air bladders may be cutting the air flow.  I picked up the idea from this forum under a topic heading discussing the cooling of the 22 way seats. Someone stated the following  "I have the 22 way seats and the ventilation works great on the bottom cushion, not so much on the seat back. I wonder if all the air bladders in the 22 way back get in the way... ".  Having re-watched the Lincoln 22 way seat video, it does not mention air bladders.  It just shows 4 seat bolsters and 3 larger back bolsters.  No mention is made of "air".  At any rate, it seems a possibility that the change to the 22 way seats could deal with making the cooling function more effective.

[akirby]

The same seatback cooling problem exists on regular seats without any air bladders or adjustments, so I don't think it's related.

[enigma-2]

Reason I commented is because my 9 pos driver's seat lumbar failed. I pulled it apart thinking it was an air bladder, instead it's a motor & gearbox that pulls a cable that's hooked to a spring steel plate that distorts when the cable retracts. (Ended up having it replaced under warranty, costed several hundred).

Anyway, appearently the 22's do have air bladder's).

[Cosmos36]

fredluke...will the 2019 MKX 2.7EB engine be the dual port-direct injected engine now available in the 2018 F-150 or will Ford carry over the 2.7EB direct injection iteration as in the current MKXs. I suspect the 2019 MKX will not be favored with the 3.0 engine as in the Conti, but the updated dual injected 2.7EB makes sense. The dual injected 2.7EB could be an enticement to me for a 2019 purchase.

[fredluke]

That is a very good question Cosmos...he did say that the HP option upgrade was 400 HP but with what engine is the question?  I spoke to him this past weekend. He had no updates except that the Ford Flex production is ending 2020. He was disappointed explaining that the vehicle was one of the most solid design vehicles they have ever worked on. He said it drove and handles great but sales are poor. I suggested that production will suffer with that product removed from Oakville. He laughed and said he has enough problem keeping up with the Edge and the increasing sales of the MKX. 

 

I will add the power train to my list of questions when I see him this Friday. 

[akirby]

Since the 3.0T is already available in both the Conti and the MKZ there is no reason to think it won't also show up in the MKX.

[Cosmos36]

IIRC, the latest 2.7EB has been upgraded with strengthening of the internals and dual port/direct injection while the 3.0TT is/remains direct injected only and is just an early 2.7 iteration with increased displacement & HP/TQ. In my view, the new 2.7EB is a better (much improved) engine, but perhaps with Lincoln trying to divorce themselves from the Ford EcoBoost engine name ID, it creates a dilemma...unless, of course, the dual induction system is added to Lincoln's 3.0TT.

Edited September 11, 2017 by Cosmos36

[Cosmos36]

Re: the above. As my spouse often says about such matters. Who cares about those things as long as the engine starts and the car goes...?

[fredluke]

To answer Cosmos query about engine changes for 2019...my friend at the plant said he was told the 2.3EB will replace the 3.7L in 2019. HP not confirmed.

 

He asked around about HUD and received nothing but rumors. Most related to BL.  He said as of right now he was told there will be interior mods and should know more in Nov. 

 

Not too much for now. Secrecy seems to be the MO!

[walkabout]

I'm probably hoping against hope but I'd love to see the changes to the seats include more room for the bottom. I'm not a particularly large guy and I'm not real heavy either. But, those bottom seat bolsters cut into my thighs. That and a few of the electronic gizmos (like the side obstacle detectors going of when I'm miles from anything) are the main issues that would keep me from leasing another.

Edited September 24, 2017 by walkabout

[Cosmos36]

Agreed...totally. When I was online shopping the specs of various vehicles of interest, I noted that one review of the 2016 MKX interior was touting the two inch increase in the width of the center console. I immediately thought to myself, 'Yeah, 2 inches may be an improvement to the console width, but not if it comes at the expense of narrower front seat width'. My apprehensions were correct...without a corresponding two inch side-to-side increase of width between the driver-passenger doors, there's bound to be a resulting scenario of cramped seat cushion width to accommodate the larger console.

 

It remains a complaint I have related to the current MKXs. For my 6' 227 pound frame, the seat cushions are too narrow...by about an inch or two.

Edited September 24, 2017 by Cosmos36

[akirby]

I agree on the seat width. It bothered me at first but not any more. I just have to wiggle around a bit to get comfy but after that it's ok.

[walkabout]

It's a shame. Because the narrow bottoms are one of the few misses (but a major one) in an otherwise wonderful vehicle.