2009 Lincoln MKS

Dating exactly when Lincoln fell out of the luxury-car category is difficult – but fun.

You could start with the 1977 Versailles, a version of the Ford Grenada that was started up with a vinyl roof and bumper-mounted spare tire. Or maybe it was those short-lived pickup trucks, the Blackwood and the Mark LT, that staggered under the Lincoln star and excessive sticker prices.

My personal answer to the question ‘”What killed Lincoln?” is the corporate reorganization in the 1990s under CEO Jac Nasser that led to the Premier Automotive Group. A slug of money was allotted to Lincoln so that it could develop an exclusive large sedan, known internally as “The Flagship,” to relaunch the brand. But a recession arrived before “The Flagshp” did, and Lincoln was reduced to marketing knockoffs of Ford (F) division models like the Fusion and Edge. Their heritage was little disguised by Lincoln’s decision to adopt Euro-style nameplates like MKZ and MKX.

All that zigging and zagging has produced a predictable effect on sales. Today rival Cadillac (GM) is outselling Lincoln handily, with about three Caddys sold for every two Lincolns.

While Ford shows no interest in trying to hoist Lincoln up to luxury status again with exclusive models or pioneering technology, it is becoming more clever at “badge engineering:” spinning Lincolns out of Fords.

Case in point: the 2009 MKS, which bears almost no resemblance to the homely Ford Taurus (nee Five Hundred) from which it sprung. The high rear-deck, sleek profile and in-your-face front grille on my Sangria Red test car drew a surprising number of thumbs-up from passersby during a drive from New York City to the Massachusetts Berkshires. The interior was just as handsome,  with its finely-detailed instrument panel, sophisticated graphics, and leather and wood steering wheel.

The MKS can’t completely escape its humble origins. It is powered by a 3.7 liter version of the V6 Duratec that resides in the Taurus (and produces a mediocre 17 miles per gallon city, 24 mpg highway). But the test car came loaded with standard equipment, and even with special wheels, a rear-view camera, and a navigation system, it stickered out at just $42,605 – a good value in my eyes.

Lincoln’s future direction became clearer recently with the announcement that the Mercury brand would be shifted to smaller cars. That will allow Lincoln to occupy Mercury’s old price point: above popular-priced Fords, but below true luxury levels.

Lincoln, in other words, is becoming Ford’s equivalent of Buick, albeit with glitzier pretensions.

A two-seat convertible like the 911 Turbo Cabrio that accelerates to 60 miles per hour in four seconds and carries a sticker price of $154,050 would seem like an irrelevance in these days of $4 gasoline and difficult economic times.

Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet

It is – except to two important constituencies: Porsche and its customers. Against all logic, the 911 line of rear-engine sports cars continue to be the most popular Porsches, outselling the less-expensive Boxster two-to-one. As the most expensive 911, the Turbo Cabrio thus becomes the flagship of the Porsche brand and an aspirational target for its buyers. If you are dying to have a Porsche, you might as well pop for the top of the line.

The “arctic silver metallic” car I drove recently effortlessly satisfield both parties. It is one of the most strikingly handsome cars on the road, with a tailored front-end, bulging rear flanks, and tasteful spoiler far more refined than those on earlier turbo models. The descriptive “whale tail” no longer applies. Inside, the black full-leather interior was purposeful, rather than indulgent, and Porsche is making strides by improving the appearance and utility of its interior controls (though you would never mistake them for a Lexus). The one-touch convertible top, which stows neatly in the rear deck, operates efficiently and unobtrusively.

The big surprise comes when you get behind the wheel, because the Turbo Cabrio is as comfortable as a well-worn leather glove. It is one of those rare super cars that is equally at home running errands as it is accelerating through the gears. The pedals operate easily, the shifter on the manual gearbox is a model of balance and performance, and the steering wheel responds to the most subtle of inputs. Once you get used to finding the ignition switch on the left hand side of the steering wheel (for those running Le Mans starts), it functions effortlessly as a daily driver. And at 15 miles per gallon city, 24 mph highway, the mileage isn’t horrible.

With its 480-horsepower engine revving at full throttle, the Turbo Cabrio is capable of scary high speeds, but you won’t find an analysis of its top-gun handling characteristics here. Absent hot laps on a race course or avoiding the police on some deserted highway, the Turbo Cabrio possesses performance capabilities that will be infrequently accessed by its owners. But that doesn’t prevent Porsche from charging top dollar for the car – or from its owners paying it. Both parties can feel they have exchanged fair value.