The vehicle that was the most discussed at the Detroit Auto Show is the 2013 Ford Fusion. The exterior styling is what would catch people’s attention first and even upon closer inspection, it doesn’t have a bad line anywhere. On the other hand, the MKZ concept sedan from Lincoln is said to be its fraternal twin as they share Ford's new mid-sized, front-wheel drive, global platform. This MKZ was supposed to be a reinvention but there was no hint of that. The problem it is that its front and rear overhangs seem to be identical and the wheelbase also seems to be the same.
There is a marked difference from General Motors’ vehicles such as the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, 2012 Buick LaCrosse and the 2013 Cadillac XTS that are all built on GM's front-wheel-drive Epsilon vehicle platform but have different dimensions. The overall length differs among the sedans, even the wheelbase. There are various lengths for the front and rear overhangs. This is why the silhouette on each car is unique.
There’s also a question on whether the Fusion or the MKZ first had this sloping roofline. They also both have a three-window side treatment. While it is an appealing roofline, this won’t be distinctive when the MKX comes out. The opinion is divided on the revised split-wing grille. There are those who like but it will probably be replaced with a new approach since this design feature had disappointed many. Ford has to be aggressive for it to make a comeback in the luxury segment. In fact, BMW and Mercedes outperform Lincoln by 3-to-1 on Lincoln's own turf. Meanwhile, Cadillac does better than its domestic rival by a 2-to-1 margin.
