Lincoln MKT Spied

New spy shots suggest Lincoln MKT is still under a green light for production in 2009. As TopSpeed reported in January, the Ford Flex based MKT will be a full-sized crossover with an eye for fuel efficiency. Powering the MKT will be a V-6 version of Ford’s new line of direct-injected turbocharged engines known as EcoBoost, which can run on regular gas or E85 ethanol. In this Lincoln, Ford says it should produce 415 horsepower while getting 20% better gas mileage than a comparable engine.

Lincoln has to get this one right to stay competitive. The luxury SUV/Crossover market already is flooded with top-notch talent (like the Acura MDX) and more are on the way (like the Audi Q5.) The original concept for the MKT included a panoramic sunroof and the use of lightweight and recyclable materials. No word yet on how much of this will make it in to production. From a design standpoint, current reports indicate that the testing vehicle’s shape still closely follows the concept MKT that was unveiled earlier this year.