• Detroit Free Press, Forbes CMO Network, Friday, October 9, 2009 10:37 AM

A high-altitude hill-climb showdown between a Lincoln MKS sedan with a twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine against four V8-powered European luxury cars is the subject of five webisodes, and a half-hour special that will run at 9:30 p.m. Monday on the Speed channel, reports columnist Tom Walsh.

Jean Jennings, editor-in-chief of Automobile, came up with the idea and car testing experts from Automobile and Motor Trend magazines conducted the event, lending it credibility.

Although MKS didn't win -- finishing second -- it did perform admirably against a Jaguar XF, Mercedes-Benz E550, BMW 550i and a Maserati Quattroporte, writes Walsh. It achieved the highest maximum speed, 110 m.p.h., on the steep grade; but the BMW made up time with better handling on the turns.

A Ford marketing exec says the risk was worth the gain in credibility. Says editor Jennings: "It's nice to see Ford Motor doing something with the Lincoln brand after so many years of neglect and re-badging Ford."

Meanwhile, Helen Coster reports that Ford has enlisted 100 agents to drum up enthusiasm online http://fiestamovement.com for the Ford Fiesta before it goes on sale in the U.S. in June. The car is targeted to 14- to 30-year-olds, she writes. Fourteen year olds?

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