A redesigned MKC is coming for 2020, only it won't be called an MKC as Lincoln has ditched its confusing three-letter naming strategy in favor of proper names that just so happen to feature a nautical theme.
Look for the MKC replacement to debut later this year as the Corsair, an old French term for a pirate but also the name of an American fighter plane from World War II.
The compact crossover SUV will be twinned with a redesigned Ford Escape that is also due for 2020, just as the current generations of the MKC and Escape are related. Underpinning them should be Ford's new platform for compact cars that debuted in the 2019 Ford Focus sold overseas.
Known as the C2, the platform is a modular design that ups rigidity and torsion compared to the platform it replaces. The platform also supports alternative powertrains, and one should feature in the Corsair.
2020 Ford Escape (Kuga) spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
The Truth About Cars has obtained a 2020 model year VIN decoder document sent from Ford to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The document allegedly mentions a Corsair and lists three powertrains, one of which is a plug-in hybrid setup combining a 2.5-liter inline-4 with a single electric motor.
The powertrain will likely feature in a model carrying the Grand Touring designation, just like the hybrid version of the recently revealed 2020 Aviator.
The other alleged powertrains include a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 and a 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-4. For these powertrains, the document allegedly lists outputs of 237 and 275 horsepower, respectively.
It isn't clear when the 2020 Corsair will set sail but a good bet is the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Stay tuned.
