We’ve been waiting for an official production announcement of the Lincoln MKT since the concept was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January, and according to Automotive News and the Wall Street Journal, that confirmation comes today. The Ford Flex-based crossover will give Lincoln a seven-seat CUV to compete with the Acura MDX and the Audi Q7, while providing customers a more fuel efficient alternative to the Navigator. The production MKT will share none of the Flex’s boxy sheet metal, but the mechanicals will be very similar. The MKT will launch with either the 3.5L V6 from the Flex or the bored-out 3.7L version from the MKS sedan. It’s almost assured the MKT will get Ecoboost soon after launch, but Ford hasn’t announced anything yet. Ford plans to build approximately 25k Lincoln MKTs annually, and production is slated to begin next year.

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Ford has made safety one of its top priorities, and its efforts have paid off. Not only does the Blue Oval have more five-star crash rated vehicles than any other automaker, but it’s added another notch to its safety belt with NHTSA giving the Flex five stars for both front and side impact tests. A front crash impact score of five stars means that there is a 10% or less chance of serious injury at 35 mph, and the five star side impact score indicates a 5% chance of serious injury at 38.5 mph. The Flex comes standard with dual front air bags, headliner mounted side curtain air bags, traction and stability control, and tire pressure monitoring, which helps with NHTSA scoring. The Flex also received four stars for rollover protection, tying the CUV for best in class in the crossover segment.

With a Volvo-derived platform and plenty of heft, we’re not surprised the Flex achieved a five-star score in NHTSA testing. Then again, it doesn’t hurt that just about every automaker engineers all new cars and trucks specifically to score well on the Fed’s tests. Continued

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On one end, General Motors is announcing its intention to wind down SUV and truck production, while at the other, Ford is just gearing up production of a vehicle that’s plenty large in its own right. Ford Flexes are now beginning to roll off the line in Oakville, Ontario, and the plant even has plans to bring on new hires in order to meet production demands. Considering the current rise of gas prices, one might think Ford’s boxy people carrier will quickly meet its demise. However, despite its full size stature, room for seven humans and a few cold drinks, the Flex doesn’t attack your gas budget like Cookie Monster on a binge. Its 3.5L V6 engine gets a respectable 24 mph on the highway, assisted by a high-tech six-speed automatic transmission. Down the road, when the Flex is available with a turbocharged direct injection Ecoboost option, its fuel economy should raise a bit more.

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