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<p> <strong>&rsquo;13 MKZ flaws &ldquo;being remedied.&rdquo;</strong></p>

Ford Mum on Specifics of Lincoln MKZ Delay

Ford employee online forums indicate Lincoln MKZ post-production quality inspections were spurred by leaky panoramic sunroofs.

DETROIT – When Ford unveiled the Lincoln MKZ concept at the 2012 North American International Auto Show, executives said the all-new model would be the first step in re-establishing Lincoln as a viable luxury brand.

But those plans hit a snag with last week’s announcement that the launch of the ’13 MKZ is being delayed by last-minute quality inspections.

“Close evaluation of some early MKZs revealed a few elements in execution that we feel do not measure up to the standard we are setting for the new Lincoln,” says Lincoln spokesman Sam Locricchio. “We are taking steps to quickly and effectively address them.”

Locricchio declines to reveal what specific issues have been discovered, only saying they involve “fit, finish and appearance” and “are being quickly and successfully remedied.”

Although there are issues that needed to be addressed, he says the quality inspections were planned from the beginning. Inspections are being performed at the auto maker’s Flat Rock, MI, assembly plant, although the MKZ is built at Ford’s Hermosillo, Mexico, facility.

Commentators on Ford online employee forums say MKZ units were sent to Flat Rock for repairs after problems with the midsize sedan’s optional panoramic sunroof were discovered post-production in Hermosillo.

“I'm getting confirmation that the MKZ delays are related to the roof, which is leaking, and they've been trying to correct the design flaw,” says a blueovalforums.com post. “Retail MKZs with the roof problems are not to be sold to the public (due to water damage) and instead are being used in the corporate fleet.”

Locricchio declines to comment on the posts, as does Rochester Hills, MI-based Webasto Roof Systems, the supplier of the MKZ’s panoramic sunroof.

Ford says the MKZ units are being inspected at Flat Rock because Hermosillo is busy with output of the MKZ and its Ford Fusion midsize sedan platform mate.

Plans had called for MKZ units to arrive at dealers late last year, but the quality inspections have held up deliveries.

O.C. Welch III, president of OC Welch Ford Lincoln Mercury in Hardeeville, SC, tells WardsAuto he has yet to receive a single unit, calling the situation “crazy.”

In a conference call last week, Ken Czubay, Ford vice president-U.S. sales and marketing, said MKZ deliveries are trickling into showrooms, but inventory won’t reach the auto maker’s desired level until early April because of the brand’s new quality-assurance process.

“We’ve instituted a higher level of quality-check process on all MKZs that they will go through before (being) shipped,” Czubay said. “It’s slowing shipments, but it’s the right action to take for the reinvented Lincoln brand.”

Ford has a lot riding on the success of the ’13 MKZ, a model that accounts for nearly one-third of Lincoln’s overall U.S. sales. Due to the shortage of the model, Lincoln sales in January tumbled 21.4%, compared with year-ago, to just 4,191 cars, according to WardsAuto data.

David E. Cole, chairman emeritus at the Center for Automotive Research, says the MKZ is key to changing the image of Lincoln, noting “it is imperative that the execution” is excellent.

“So whatever the problem, (Ford) will not move (MKZ units) until the problem is resolved,” he tells WardsAuto.

Ford executives during the recent North American International Auto Show in Detroit stressed the importance of Lincoln, with CEO Alan Mulally saying most successful global auto makers have a volume brand as well as a luxury division.

“One of the things about Ford is we’ve always had a tremendous luxury brand in Lincoln, but we stopped investing,” he told WardsAuto. “That’s why it is where it is, so it’s neat to see new MKZs arrive in showrooms now.”

Much to the chagrin of enthusiasts, Mulally says there are no plans to offer a rear-wheel-drive Lincoln model.

“All-wheel drive does a great job and is very efficient,” he said during the NAIAS. “Right now, we don’t see RWD in the plans going forward.”

New Lincoln models, including the MKZ, won’t try to compete head-to-head with top luxury competitors such as BMW, which are known for their sporty driving characteristics, Ford executives say.

Rather, Lincoln will carve out its own niche by offering models with a balance between refinement and exciting driving dynamics.

“We’re not going to go after lap times at the Nürburgring,” Raj Nair, group vice president-global product development, tells WardsAuto. “But we’re not going to be real sloppy to get ride comfort.”

The MKZ is the first of four new Lincoln models launching over the next four years. The midsize sedan is expected to be followed by a production version of the MKC concept cross/utility vehicle shown at the NAIAS, as well as all-new versions of the MKS fullsize sedan and MKT fullsize CUV.

“We’re going to provide a fresh showroom in 80%-90% of the segments,” Nair says, “but we always will keep an eye on where the luxury market is going for some incremental opportunities.”
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