The redesigned 2013 Lincoln MKZ sedan, which debuts this week in production form at the New York auto show, has a big assignment: Restore Lincoln's tattered credibility as a competitive luxury brand.
The small-luxury segment is where many customers enter the luxury world, trading Toyotas, Hondas, Chevrolets and Fords for brands with more panache.
But since it was introduced as the 2006 Zephyr, the now-renamed MKZ has lagged its sedan competitors in that segment, which is dominated by the BMW 3 series, Mercedes-Benz C class, Infiniti G and Cadillac CTS.
The redesign of the MKZ, with the addition of new technologies, aims to close the gap. Moreover, the MKZ is just a step for Lincoln. The MKZ, plus the refreshed MKS sedan and MKT crossover that are arriving in showrooms now, are among seven new or revamped Lincoln products to be introduced by the end of 2014. The MKZ is the first to showcase the brand's new design identity.
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