Are better times coming? Ford seems to think so, based on the design and features of the new Lincoln MKT.

When you want to take the psychic temperature of the Ford Motor Co., all you have to do is look at the latest offerings from Lincoln.

When times are tough, the company makes little effort to distinguish luxury-pretender Lincoln from its homelier Ford origins. A new grille here, redesigned tail lamps there, and you have summarized the major differences between, say, the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX.

But when better times are coming, Ford digs deeper into its product development budget to more fully differentiate Lincoln and add more luxury features.

Cue the 2010 MKT. While it’s based on the utilitarian Ford Flex people-mover, the MKT looks nothing like it, with a new body panels and unique design flourishes like the upswept kink in the rear fenders. For proof, park the MKT in your driveway and you won’t find anybody whispering “poor relation.” At 17 ¼ feet long and weighing nearly 5,000 pounds, MKT is an imposing piece of automotive iron — half a foot longer and 350 pounds heavier than the Flex.

Evaluating design is a subjective matter. I like the MKT’s split waterfall grille, but found the tailgate-wide rear insignia/taillight treatment a bit extravagant.

Inside, the interior is a masterful combination of luxury and utility, marred only by retro-styled instruments that are hard to read. And watch out for the Collision Warning with Brake Support system. Pull up too close to the car in front of you and a dozen LED lights start flashing in the windshield while the radio signal is damped and alarms blare. You’d think you were at Three Mile Island during a meltdown.

Reviewers have praised the performance of the MKT — and with good reason. The optional EcoBoost V-6 engine with twin turbochargers lights up quickly with the push of a button and gets the car underway so smoothly you would swear you are driving a V-8. Another plus: There is no turbo lag and no turbo whine. An additional EcoBoost payoff comes from fuel economy: The MKT with all-wheel-drive gets 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway, about the same as a Flex AWD with a standard V-6 that produces only 265 hp. I confirmed the highway figure during a 100-mile run.

All that technology, performance, and carrying capacity for seven carries a significant price tag. The MKT’s base price is $49,995 (including delivery), making it the second most expensive vehicle in the Lincoln lineup after the Navigator. My optioned-up test vehicle was listed at a stiff $57,180.

At least you likely won’t see yourself coming and going. Lincoln is still a low-volume brand and Edmund’s reports that MKT sales are off to a slow start.

Yet it is good to see Lincoln acting like a real luxury car contender, and better still to know that Ford sees bluer skies ahead.

BMW 128i

Sometimes the obvious needs to be re-examined. That became clear to me the other day when I looked at the sticker prices of two vehicles I was driving. The two were radically different in size, function, performance, and status. Yet their as-tested prices came within $1,000 of each other.

For the enthusiast, the price similarity is irrelevant. He buys cars that turn him on, and the monetary value they represent is secondary. Not so the average consumer. Image and performance are important buying considerations, but function and cost are probably top his concerns.

So warning: I’m comparing apples and oranges here, but the analysis may be informative –- and entertaining.

2009 Ford Flex

In this corner is the 2008 BMW 128i Coupe, BMW’s new “entry level” model that sneaks into the lineup below the 3 series. Except for Mercedes (DAI), probably no other manufacturer in the world would consider the 128 entry level. The coupe seats two adults comfortably, four in a pinch, and is styled to resemble its larger BMW cousins. It is powered by the same dual overhead cam, 24-valve, 6-cylinder engine as the 3 series, and is available with a load of exotic equipment — iPod adapter, HD radio, rain sensor. The standard features contributed to a base price of $28,600 and the additional goodies push the as-tested price to $42,396.

In the other corner is the 2009 Ford Flex which, depending on your viewpoint, reinterprets the station wagon, minivan or sport utility vehicle. Some two-and-a-half feet longer than the 1-series, it seats seven people in three rows of seats. Its most notable styling feature is a flat roof, available in a contrasting color that makes the Flex look even longer than it is. Although a Ford, the base price on the all-wheel-drive Flex is a not-insubstantial $36,555 and adding some gotta-have extras -– rear back-up camera, dual-aperture sun roof -– jacked the sticker on my test vehicle up to $43,250.

The Flex is more maneuverable than it looks. Its 3.5L DuratecV-6, introduced in 2006, puts out 265 horsepower; the steering is responsive; and maneuverability is adequate.  But this is still a big vehicle that nobody is going to take joyriding. I got nearly 21 miles per gallon in highway driving with a couple of passengers on board, but more aggressive drivers report in at a less-admirable 15 mpg.

Not surprisingly, the BMW was the favorite for short, single-driver trips. Quick and agile, it was highly entertaining and encouraged recreational driving. The EPA estimates fuel economy at 19 mpg city, 28 highway. But its size limits its utility and its stiff price may make you wish you had popped for the larger 3 series instead. (The four-door 328i’s start at $32,700).  Quite visibly, the Flex offered more car for the money, and I liked its bright, well-tailored interior –- one of the nicest I’ve seen. Still, the Flex is too much car most of the time, except for big families or those with heavy car-pooling duties. I’d find a five-seat Flex easier to live with.

So what does my analysis prove? One, there is a big universe of vehicles out there. Two, they don’t come priced by the yard –- or by the pound. And three, they probably cost more than you think. Luckily, with sales in a recession, it is a buyer’s market for whatever size you are shopping for.