2013 MKZ first Lincoln to get massive retractable roof?

[Andrew L]

Link below

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/12/2...ractable-roof/

[Snickers]

Maybe ?
skyvumustang.jpg

ASC Sky Vu Scenic Roof System featured on a Saleen S281 Mustang

Large roof opening, glass, polycarbonate, composite or metal

Minimal impact to vehicle BIW structure
Maintain side curtain air bags

Cost effective, quick to market alternative to a full convertible roof

Full power or manual actuation

[2b2]

I hope it's 'clean' looking open & closed

the main thing I dislike about hardvert/coupecabrios are the cutlines of the roofpanels on light colored cars - thinking the glass will be tinted, look dark, and the cutlines will blend in

[Andrew L]

I hope that short stubby antenna is only on the mule... that does not belong on a luxury car period

[TurboS40]

Hopefully the vehicle feels like being in a convertible. I still prefer a full folding cloth top but holding additional comments until I see and sit in one.

[TurboS40]

Thought of something late last night. I know the body structure could/might be an issue but has anyone ever thought of the idea of having no "B" post in the middle so the side window openings are completely open with both front and rear windows down? With the retractable top and the windows open, you could have a better feel of an open car but with the safety of airbags all around. Nobody designs a real "hardtop" design anymore. I think the CTS Coupe Concept was a "hardtop" design but the production model had fixed rear side windows.

[2b2]

Thought of something late last night. I know the body structure could/might be an issue but has anyone ever thought of the idea of having no "B" post in the middle so the side window openings are completely open with both front and rear windows down? With the retractable top and the windows open, you could have a better feel of an open car but with the safety of airbags all around. Nobody designs a real "hardtop" design anymore. I think the CTS Coupe Concept was a "hardtop" design but the production model had fixed rear side windows.

I'd be excessively happy to have flush door glass (hidden B-pillars)
don't even care about (maybe NOT prefer) frameless door glass, which iirc the CLS has

the concept fore-runner of the Volvo C30, the "SCC", had free-standing B-pillars inset a bit from the door glass

ever see that, TurboS40?
would that work at all for you?

[spudz64]

I'm glad this string has been restarted, as I'm very intriqued with this new feature on the new MKZ! So much so I searched the Google patents and sure enough I found it! Basically, its a variation of the current Vista Roof found on the MKX/MKT, with the glass top laying over the rear window rather than the rear top glass. This looks to allow a very large opening over the entire passenger compartment, front to back. Looking at the prototype pics, it looks like the roof will be all glass with no exposed black metal side panels (like the MKX/MKT), making for a very clean look, which is good since a car is lower than a crossover and the roof is more visable.

Looking at the patent pics, there needs to be a motor behind the fixed rear window glass to retract the top glass, which explains the half-moon black panel at the base of the trunk as seen on the MKZ Concept. Does this area hold the motor? If so does the trunk open around it? Or will the motor be incorporated into the lower part of the rear window glass?

Lastly, I'm thinking regular MKZ's might have a standard fixed glass roof like the MKT does....that would be a great way to further distinquish the MKZ from the Fusion as well as all other competitors!

[2b2]

^ LINK please?!?

[spudz64]

^ LINK please?!?

It looks like just the Edge/MKX roof design in the first drawings but at the end it shows the exact type of roof the new MKZ will use....fig.15, 16, & 17....lots of technical talk too if you dare to read! lol

http://www.google.com/patents/US7922...page&q&f=false