The 2007 Lincoln MKZ and Lincoln Navigator were awarded "Interiors of the Year" in their respective categories at the 8th annual Automotive "Interior of the Year" awards conducted by Ward's Auto World magazine. These awards came on the same day as Lincoln received impressive recognition by J.D. Power and Associates in the latest Initial Quality Study (IQS).
For the second year in a row, industry voters recognized the Lincoln MKZ with the "Premium-Priced Car Interior of the Year" award beating other luxury car nominees including the Infiniti G35, Lexus LS 460, Jaguar XK and Volvo S80.
Also, the 2007 Lincoln Navigator was awarded as having the "Premium-Priced Truck Interior of the Year" by the Ward's editorial staff excelling above tough competition including the Cadillac Escalade, Chrysler Aspen, Nissan Quest and Land Rover LR3.
" Lincoln is distinguishing itself from the competition with exceptional interior design as evidenced by winning two of the three premium vehicle categories for best interiors," said Peter Horbury, Ford's executive director of Design, The Americas. "These awards showcase our commitment to the design and quality that we're executing across all of our vehicle lines."
Lincoln Success on Several Fronts
The "Interior of the Year" award wins are just the latest in a wave of good news that Lincoln has been experiencing this year. Lincoln ranked third among all vehicle brand nameplates in initial quality according to J.D. Power IQS. With one all-new and three significantly updated products in the showroom, Lincoln has achieved eight months in a row of higher retail sales.
The all-new Lincoln MKX is the brand's first crossover and has scored well in the IQS report placing second in the premium multi-activity vehicle (MAV) segment, and already has been recognized with a "Top Safety Pick" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Sales of the Lincoln MKX hit a record level in May, up 20-percent over April. According to the Power Information Network, the Lincoln MKX is "Hot Off the Lot" leading its key competitors with the lowest number of days sitting on dealer lots before sale to a customer.
The Lincoln MKZ received top honors in its segment in the J.D. Power IQS report, and has also received awards for its navigation system (ranked #1 by J.D. Power in the 2006 Navigation Usage and Satisfaction Study) and THX-II audio system (voted "Best Audio" by PC Magazine in their 2007 Digital Drive Awards and "Best Stereo System" by CNET.com in their 2006 Car Tech Awards).
The Lincoln Navigator received a redesign inside and out for 2007 and ranked second in the IQS report in the large premium MAV segment.
Via: Ford Motor Company