The 2013 Lincoln MKS has never been a great seller (like most Lincolns->ke48 these days), as it’s seen sales drop by 19.1 percent so far this year to just 3,304 units. Apparently, Lincoln has had enough and it’s just announced that it will officially discontinue the fledgling sedan->ke142 in 2016.

Ford->ke31 Motor Company manufactures the MKS in its Chicago plant and it shares its platform with the 2014 Ford Taurus. According to Ford, however, the elimination of the MKS will not affect the Taurus.->ke2299

Most rumors point toward the Continental,->ke1176 which Lincoln showed off in concept->ke169 form at the 2015 New York Auto Show,->ke226 replacing the MKS in the near future. The 2017 Lincoln Continental will likely feature a potent 3.0-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine that puts down around 350 horsepower. There may also be an EcBoost four-cylinder available.

Until the day the Continental finally takes that flagship position that the MKS occupies now, look for Lincoln to do what it can to rid itself of the remaining MKS units. This may prove difficult, given its recent sales slump, but Ford will likely offer plenty of discounts to help keep the inventory moving.

It’s doubtful anyone will miss the MKS, nor is this much of a shock. In fact, this is pretty good news, as it will open the door for the debut of the production-version Continental.

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Why it matters

The MKS has been dead car walking for quite some time. In fact, much of Lincoln's existing lineup is. The time is now for Lincoln to change or die, and I highly doubt that Ford is ready to give up on its luxury brand just yet. A new Aviator->ke1173 is supposedly already in the works, and chances are we’ll see other new Lincolns debuting in the next few years. The elimination of the MKS is just the tip of the iceberg for Lincoln in my opinion. But it's a start.

2013 Lincoln MKS

Read our full review here.