MKZ

Make
Lincoln
Segment
Sedan

Lincoln has fallen on some hard times as of late. It's a lot easier to notice the luxury brand's shortcomings with Mercury no longer around (and the increasing quality from the latest Ford models). Bottom line: Lincoln is in dire need of some new and exciting models. The answer may lie in a new MKZ, or it may lie in one of these lifesaving Lincoln concepts. Most of the concepts here have already been put on the shelf, but it's never too late to dust off the cobwebs and bring 'em back.

Automotive design student Brian Malczewski is the person the Lincoln MKF concept. This design has the big body of Lincolns gone by, but its smooth, sharp lines and low roof are indicative of a design a few years ahead of its time. Lincoln most likely won't build the MKF, but hopefully they take some styling cues from Malczewski's concept.

Ford's luxury arm is said to be working on a compact car for 2013. Could the Concept C be it? Lincoln's funky hatchback was first shown at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. The concept is powered by a 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine good for 180hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. The concept may look small, but it's actually as wide as a 2010 MKZ.

Here's hoping Lincoln can survive long enough to even consider putting the Continental 2025 concept into production. Lawrence Tech students Jeeho Cha and Colin Banathan designed this conceptual Continental. The exterior of the concept is meant to be as aerodynamic as possible while the interior is all about luxury. Let's hope that it doesn't take until 2025 for beverage dispensers and bonsai trees to become standard on all Lincoln models.

It may not be too late for Lincoln to take the MKR from concept to reality. The four-door sedan debuted over five years ago and still looks as good now as it did then. The Lincoln MKR was built on a stretched Mustang platform and was designed to compete in the mid-level luxury sedan market. Lincoln may not have put the MKR into production, but it looks like they took some styling cues from it.

The Mark X is one concept car that Lincoln would love to forget. A Thunderbird-inspired roadster couldn't help Lincoln back in 2004, and it certainly won't be able to help the fading luxury brand now. Not even an electric motor and rooftop solar panels could make the Mark X appealing to today's consumers.