HI, I'M JOHN DAVIS AND THIS IS MOTORWEEK !

JOIN US AND SEE IF THE NEW MKZ CAN JUMPSTART A LINCOLN REVOLUTION.

PAT GOSS HAS SOME TWO-WHEELIN' TIPS TO KEEP YOUR FAVORITE BIKE ON THE ROAD.

WE'LL CHECK OUT SOME BIGDEAS FOR AMERICA'S BIG RIDS.

AND WE'LL SEE IF A NEW LOOK DRIVES THE MAZDA6 AHEAD OF FAMLY SEDANS' BEST.

SO COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION Announcer: MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE.

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John Davis: FORD'S LUXURY BRAND LINCOLN HAS BEEN IN A SAD PLACE FOR SOME TIME NOW.

SALES SAGGED BADLY, AND ITS IMAGE WAS NOT WHAT IT ONCE WAS.

BUT THERE'S HOPE.

THIS LINCOLN MKZ IS THE FIRST VEHICLE IN A TOTAL REVAMPING OF THE LINCOLN LINEUP DUE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.

AND SO FAR IT HAS BEEN MOVING OUT OF DEALERS AT A GOOD PACE.

SO LET'S SEE IF THE MKZ IS A TRUE SIGN OF GREAT THINGS TO COME FOR LINCOLN.

IT TOOK LINCOLN QUITE A WHILE TO DELIVER A 2013 MKZ TO US FOR A COMPLETE ROAD TEST.

SO WE HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO REMEMBER ALL OF THE GUSSIED UP FORDS THAT LINCOLN HAS TRIED TO PASS ON AS LUXURY CARS IN RECENT YEARS, AND WE WERE QUITE PREPARED FOR MORE OF THE SAME WITH THE ALL NEW LINCOLN MKZ.

BUT NOT SO FAST.

THIS MKZ IS QUITE DIFFERENT FROM THE FORD FUSION THAT IT'S BASED ON.

THOUGH IT RIDES ON A CHASSIS WITH THE SAME MID-SIZE 122.2 INCH WHEELBASE, OVERALL LENGTH IS MORE THAN TWO INCHES LONGER.

MORE NOTABLY, ALL BODY PANELS ARE UNIQUE, AND LINCOLN WEARS ITS OWN FACE WITH THE BEST REWORK OF THEIR CLASSIC DUAL SPLIT-WING GRILLE YET.

AND IN AN EFFORT TO FURTHER DISTINGUISH IT FROM THE FUSION, THE MKZ OFFERS A HUGE, RETRACTABLE GLASS ROOF NOT AVAILABLE AT THE FORD STORE.

LIKE MOST BRANDS THAT ARE OUT TO REINVENT THEMSELVES, LINCOLN IS ATTEMPTING TO ATTRACT YOUNGER BUYERS, AND THIS THOROUGHLY MODERN TAKE SHOULD HELP.

HOWEVER, TO US, THE MKZ'S SMOOTH FRONT DOESN'T SEEM TO JIVE WITH THE VERY ANGULAR REAR, WHICH STILL LOOKS LIKE "OLD MONEY."

BUT ALL IN ALL, IT IS THE MOST ORIGINAL LINCOLN SINCE THE JAGUAR-BASED LS ARRIVED IN 1999.

THAT IMPRESSION IS FURTHER REINFORCED INSIDE.

IT'S A VERY PROGRESSIVE DESIGN WITH FEATURES LIKE PUSH BUTTON SHIFT FOR THE TRANSMISSION, AND, OF COURSE, MYLINCOLN TOUCH.

THERE'S ALSO DECENT MATERIALS, A MUCH MORE FLOWING DESIGN WITH ARTISTIC USE OF WOOD TONES, RICHER LOOKING GAUGES, AND FRONT SEATS WITH A CUSTOM FEEL THAT ARE ALSO MORE COMFORTABLE THAN FUSION.

OVERALL, THE ENVIRONMENT IS LUXURIOUS IN A NON-SHOWY WAY.

EXCEPT FOR ONE THING...

THE CHEAP FEELING STEERING WHEEL PADDLE SHIFTERS.

WE COULD LIVE WITHOUT THEM.

THE REAR SEAT IS ROOMY FOR THREE.

PLUS, FOR UPLEVEL SAFETY, IT INCLUDES FORD'S INFLATABLE REAR SEAT BELTS.

THE SPLIT SEATBACKS FOLD FOR CARGO FLEXIBILITY.

THE TRUNK IS ALSO WELL APPOINTED AND HOLDS AN ADEQUATE 15.4 CUBIC FEET OF LUGGAGE.

ALSO UNLIKE THE FUSION, A V6 IS STILL AVAILABLE; A 300-HORSEPOWER 3.7-LITER USED IN THE MKX CROSSOVER.

IT'S A GOOD MOVE THAT SHOULD ATTRACT LUXURY BUYERS.

BUT THE V6 IS ONLY ONE OF THREE CHOICES.

MOST MKZs WILL COME POWERED BY FORD'S 2.0-LITER ECOBOOST I4 WITH 240-HORSEPOWER AND 270 POUND-FFET OF TORQUE.

IT'S PLENTY POWERFUL, BUT MAKES A BIT TOO MUCH NOISE FOR A LUXURY CAR.

THERE'S ALSO AN MKZ HYBRID, SHARING THE 2.0-LITER I4 SYSTEM FROM THE FUSION HYBRID.

NON-HYBRIDS SHIFT WITH A 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC, AND THERE'S LINCOLN DRIVE CONTROL, WHICH ADJUSTS ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, AND CHASSIS SETTINGS WITH SPORT, NORMAL, AND COMFORT MODES.

ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE IS AN OPTION.

AS FOR HIGH-TECH "KEEP UP WITH THE JONES'" TYPE OF THINGS, THERE'S SELF-PARKING, AND A HIDDEN REAR DOME LIGHT THAT SENSES WHEN YOU WANT IT TO COME ON WITHOUT ACTUALLY TOUCHING IT.

ALSO, A WHOLE SUITE OF CAMERA AND RADAR BASED SAFETY AIDES ARE AVAILABLE, INCLUDING LANE KEEPING, COLLISION WARNING, AND BLIND SPOT MONITORING.

MONITORING OUR PROGRESS DOWN THE TRACK, WE OBSERVED A 0 TO 60 TIME OF 7.7-SECONDS WITH GOOD, INITIAL POWER OFF THE LINE.

TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ARE SMOOTH AND BRISK; AND IN 15.9-SECONDS WE TRIPPED THE LIGHTS AT THE END OF THE QUARTER MILE AT 89 MILES-PER-HOUR.

OUR HANDLING PORTION OF TRACK ACTIVITIES WAS EQUALLY INSPIRING WITH A SURPRISINGLY DELIGHTFUL TOUCH OF OVERSTEER... ...AND THE BRAKES RESPONDED RESPECTABLY AS WELL, WITH STOPS AVERAGING ONLY 119-FEET FROM 60.

EVEN WITH ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE, GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE PRETTY GOOD IF YOU OPT FOR THE 2.0 LITER ECOBOOST; 22-CITY, 31-HIGHWAY, AND 25-COMBINED, AND WE AVERAGED A GOOD 27.5 MILES-PER-GALLON OF REGULAR IN MIXED DRIVING.

SO THE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE IS ALSO DECENT WITH ANNUAL OIL CONSUMPTION OF 13.2-BARRELS OF OIL AND CO2 EMISSIONS OF 5.9-TONS.

HAVING A LOW BASE PRICE MIGHT NOT GIVE IT STATUS IN THE LUXURY COMMUNITY, BUT IT DOES JUST FINE FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR A BARGAIN, AND AT $36,820 THE LINCOLN MKZ IS JUST THAT.

CLEARLY, THE 2013 LINCOLN MKZ IS NOT THE LINCOLN WE WERE EXPECTING.

IT'S MUCH BETTER, AND MORE IN LINE WITH OTHER PREMIUM BRANDS FROM MASS MARKET AUTOMAKERS.

IT IS A STRONG STATEMENT THAT FORD IS COMMITTED TO MAKING LINCOLN RELEVANT AGAIN.

NOW WE'LL FIND OUT IF LUXURY CAR BUYERS ARE STILL LISTENING?

OUR SUCCESS STORY THIS WEEK TAKES US TO MOTORWEEK'S HOMETOWN, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, WHERE CHARM CITY IS NOW IN THE PROPANE TAXI GAME.

VEOLIA TRANSPORTATION OPERATES 350 CHECKER AND YELLOW CAB PROPANE TAXIS BOTH HERE AND NATIONWIDE.

MOREOVER, THE GASOLINE TO PROPANE CONVERSIONS ARE DONE IN-HOUSE.

THE TWO 12-GALLON TANKS EASILY FIT IN THE TRUNK, WHILE A NEW DASH GAUGE INDICATES THE SWITCH FROM PETROL TO PROPANE.

BY PARTNERING WITH CLEAN CITIES COALITION STAKEHOLDERS IN VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND, VEOLIA WAS ABLE TO ACCESS FEDERAL RECOVERY ACT FUNDING TO HELP CONVERT 300 OF THEIR TAXIS.

USING THEIR OWN PROPANE FUELING STATION.

VEOLIA IS SAVING UP TO $1.50 PER GALLON OVER REGULAR GAS AND CUTTING MAINTENANCE COSTS.

Stuart Weidie: WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS EXPONENTIAL GROWTH IN TERMS OF THE ADOPTION OF PROPANE AUTO GAS IN FLEETS.

THEY REALIZED THAT IT'S GOT THOSE POSITIVE BENEFITS.

John: VEOLIA'S LAUNCH OF BALTIMORE'S FIRST PROPANE TAXI FLEET IS A LONG CRAWL IN MAKING THE WORLD'S CRAB CAKE CAPITAL A CLEANER AND GREENER CITY.

THE NEW CAR AUTO SHOW SEASON IS WINDING DOWN, BUT WE'VE ADDED A BIG NEW STOP TO OUR TOUR THIS YEAR.

INDIANAPOLIS RECENTLY PLAYED HOST TO THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST WORK TRUCK SHOW, AND GAVE US A FIRSTHAND LOOK AT HOW THIS VITAL INDUSTRY IS GOING GREEN ON A GRAND SCALE!

WHILE OUR ATTENTION IS USUALLY FOCUSED ON THE PERSONAL-USE VEHICLE MARKET, AND THE PROLIFERATION OF HYBRID AND PLUG-IN VEHICLES DRIVING THE GREEN MOVEMENT THERE, THE WORK TRUCK INDUSTRY HAS BEEN QUIETLY STAGING A GREEN REVOLUTION OF ITS OWN, AND CAN NOW BOAST A WIDE RANGING PORTFOLIO OF PRACTICAL CLEAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS THAT RIVALS AND EVEN EXCEEDS THAT OF LIGHT DUTY CARS AND TRUCKS.

IT SHOULD BE NO SURPRISE SINCE LOCAL COMMERCIAL AND BUS FLEETS, AND LONG-HAUL TRUCKING, HAVE BEEN A DRIVING FORCE IN DEVELOPING THE NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CLEAN ALTERNATIVE FUELS.

BUILDING STATIONS TO SERVE CAPTIVE FLEET CUSTOMERS MAKES THE INVESTMENT FEASIBLE AND EXPANDS THE AVAILABILITY OF THESE FUELS FOR LIGHT DUTY CARS AND TRUCKS AS PART OF THE BARGAIN.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, ELECTRIC HYBRIDS, HYDRAULIC HYBRIDS, AND IDLE REDUCTION SYSTEMS HAVE ENJOYED GREAT SUCCESS IN CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT IN THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY.

PACKING THE HALLS OF THE INDIANA CONVENTION CENTER, FROM FLOOR TO CEILING, ARE 500,000 SQUARE FEET OF WORK TRUCKS AND EQUIPMENT.

EVERY MAJOR TRUCK MAKER AND EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER IS REPRESENTED HERE, AND EVERY ONE HAS A CLEAN-POWER STORY TO TELL.

PATRICK DAVIS, DIRECTOR OF THE VEHICLE TECHNOLOGIES OFFICE AT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, WAS ONE OF THOSE LISTENING.

Pat Davis: WHAT IMPRESSED ME TODAY WAS JUST THE TREMENDOUS GROWTH AND THE BREADTH OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE SEEN TWO YEARS AGO.

THERE'S JUST MANY MORE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECHNOLOGIES.

EVERYTHING FROM NATURAL GAS, COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS, LNG, PROPANE VEHICLES, ELECTRIFICATION.

YOU'RE REALLY SEEING IT ALL, AND YOU'RE SEEING IT IN A LOT MORE NUMBERS THAN WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN JUST TWO YEARS AGO.

John: ONE KEY APPLICATION ON DISPLAY AT THIS SHOW IS RETROFITABLE HYBRID POWER SYSTEMS, ALLOWING CONVERSION OF EXISTING LIGHT AND MEDIUM DUTY PLATFORMS TO RECHARGEABLE HYBRID BATTERY POWER TO ASSIST IN LAUNCHING OR DRIVING THE VEHICLE.

ALONG WITH THAT, HYBRID BATTERY SYSTEMS ARE BEING USED TO RUN TRUCK ACCESSORIES, LIKE BOOM LIFTS, WITHOUT IDLING THE ENGINE, INCREASING FUEL EFFICIENCY, REDUCING EMISSIONS, AND PROMOTING A SAFER, QUIETER JOBSITE.

IN THE COMMERCIAL WORLD, DOLLARS AND CENTS DRIVE EVERY PURCHASE DECISION, SO CLEAN FUELS AND TECHNOLOGIES THAT CAN DELIVER INCREASED EFFICIENCY, WHILE REDUCING OPERATING OR MAINTENANCE COSTS WILL FIND A VERY RECEPTIVE AUDIENCE HERE.

AND THIS SPIRIT OF INNOVATION HAS DRAWN NEW PLAYERS INTO THE FIELD.

Doyle Sumrall: IT'S REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAME IN WITH ALTERNATE FUELS, AND THE TECHNOLOGIES AROUND THOSE THINGS, WEREN'T FOR THE WORK TRUCK INDUSTRY.

THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN FROM THE BUS INDUSTRY, OR SOME OTHER AREAS.

AND SO, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS, AS THEY'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER AND SEE THE OPPORTUNITIES, THE TECHNOLOGY GUYS ARE EXPLAINING THE TECHNOLOGY TO THE WORK TRUCK CORE PEOPLE, THEY'RE BRINGING THE RELATIONSHIPS AND BUILDING NEW BUSINESSES.

John: THE LEARNING CURVE FOR FLEET OPERATORS EXPLORING THIS GREEN NEW WORLD CAN BE DAUNTING.

SO ORGANIZERS OF THE WORK TRUCK SHOW HAVE ADDED AN INTENSIVE SERIES OF EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS HELD IN ADVANCE OF THE SHOW OPENING.

THE GREEN TRUCK SUMMIT BRINGS TOGETHER TOP INDUSTRY EXECUTIVES, TRUCK MANUFACTURERS AND FLEET OPERATORS TO SHARE INSIGHTS AND SOLUTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES INTO COMMERCIAL VEHICLES.

AND DESPITE A LITTLE LATE SPRING SNOW IN INDY, A RIDE AND DRIVE EVENT HELD OUTSIDE THE CONVENTION CENTER PROVED QUITE POPULAR.

ATTENDEES HAD THE CHANCE TO TAKE THE WHEEL AND EXPERIENCE THE LATEST GREEN RIGS IN REAL-WORLD CONDITIONS.

THE RATE AT WHICH THE TRUCK INDUSTRY HAS EMBRACED CLEAN ALTERNATIVE FUELS AND TECHNOLOGIES IS AMAZING, AND HOLDS GREAT PROMISE TO KEEP ON TRUCKIN' TOWARDS A CLEAN DRIVING FUTURE.

WITH THE WEATHER GETTING WARMER, THERE'S NO BETTER TIME TO GET YOUR TWO-WHEELIN' FIX.

WELL, LET'S CHECK IN WITH PAT GOSS TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE READY TO RIDE.

Pat: THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A REALLY NEGLECTED PART OF MOST MOTORCYCLES, AND THAT IS THE FRONT FORKS.

AND HERE TO GIVE US SOME POINTS, LYNDON ABEL, GENERAL MANAGER OF PATRIOT HARLEY-DAVIDSON IN FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA.

LYNDON, WELCOME BACK.

Lyndon: THANKS, PAT.

Pat: ALRIGHT, NOW, THE FORKS ON THE FRONT OF A MOTORCYCLE, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLEX THAN WE THINK.

WHAT DO THEY DO?

Lyndon: ABSOLUTELY.

THE FRONT FORK IS BASICALLY YOUR FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER.

SO, MUCH LIKE THE REAR SHOCK ABSORBER, IT BOTH SUSPENDS THE BIKE ON TOP OF THE FRONT WHEEL, ALLOWS THE FRONT WHEEL TO MOVE UP AND DOWN, BUT ALSO CONTROLS THAT MOVEMENT, BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT WOULD JUST BE A POGO STICK BOUNCING DOWN THE ROAD.

IT IS, AS YOU SAY, MUCH OVERLOOKED BECAUSE LIKE A LOT OF PARTS THAT ARE OUT OF SIGHT, THEY ARE OFTEN OUT OF MIND.

SO ESSENTIALLY, THIS FORK TUBE IS SLIDING UP AND DOWN INSIDE THIS LOWER LEG, SUSPENDED WITH A SPRING AND CONTROLLED BY FORK OIL, THAT NOT ONLY LUBRICATES ALL THE PARTS, BUT ALSO AS IT FLOWS THROUGH THE HOLES IN THE DAMPER ROD THAT CONTROLS THE MOVEMENT UP AND DOWN.

SO HERE WE HAVE THE COMPONENTS SEPARATED A LITTLE BIT.

THIS IS THE DAMPER ROD AND FORK SPRING, SOMETHING YOU DON'T GET A CHANCE TO SEE VERY OFTEN.

AND HERE WE HAVE THIS THING PULLED APART, WITH THE LOWER LEG AND THIS FORK SEAL.

THIS FORK SEAL RESIDES IN THIS LOWER LEG, AND AS THIS IS SLIDING UP AND DOWN, THE DIRT AND DEBRIS THAT CAN CATCH HERE, AS WELL AS MOISTURE, CANNOT ONLY ABRADE THE FORK SEAL AS THEY DO GO THROUGH IT.

I MEAN, IT KEEPS MOST OF THAT STUFF OUT, BUT SOME OF IT DOES MAKE ITS WAY THROUGH.

IT NOT ONLY ABRADES THAT FORK SEAL, BUT ALSO DOES TRANSFER INTO THE FORK OIL.

AND WHILE A LOT OF PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK THAT THIS IS A "SEALED" SYSTEM, AND THEREFORE DOESN'T NEED TO BE LUBRICATED, YOU AND I HAVE BOTH SEEN FORK OIL COMING OUT THE OTHER END AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS, OR, YOU KNOW, 10K, 20K MILES, AND IT DOESN'T LOOK THAT CLEAN.

Pat: YEAH, THAT'S FOR DARN SURE.

SO ANOTHER THING THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE HERE IS TO KEEP THE TUBES CLEAN.

Lyndon: ABSOLUTELY.

ONE OF THE GREAT TIPS, IF YOU HAVE A FRONT END LIKE THIS, IS TO TAKE SOME LUBRICANT -- WD-40 WORKS JUST FINE -- CLEAN THESE FORK LEGS NICELY, THEN GRAB YOUR BRAKE AND PUSH THE FRONT END UP AND DOWN A FEW TIMES, YOU'LL SEE SOME DIRT WILL COLLECT IN SORT OF A RING, WIPE THAT OFF.

IF YOU DO THAT EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS, YOU'LL REALLY EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR FORK SEALS.

Pat: OKAY.

LYNDON, THANK YOU.

Lyndon: THANK YOU, PAT.

Pat: AND IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT, DROP ME A LINE RIGHT HERE AT MOTORWEEK .

John: AMERICANS LIKE TO VACATION LARGE, SO IT'S NO WONDER THAT THE REDESIGNED AND THOROUGHLY MODERN 7-PASSENGER NISSAN PATHFINDER CROSSOVER IS SELLING SO WELL.

OUR DRIVERS' CHOICE WINNER FOR BEST LARGE UTILITY HAS LOGGED OVER 6,000 MILES AFTER ONLY TWO MONTHS.

AND THAT TIME HAS BEEN PRETTY GRATIFYING AS THE STRONG 3.5-LITER V6 CVT COMBO RETURNS 24.5 MILES PER GALLON OF REGULAR.

PLUS, TOPPING 30 ON THE HIGHWAY IS NOT UNCOMMON.

WHILE WE'RE NOT IN LOVE WITH THE COMPLEX OPERATION OF OUR PREMIUM'S NAV UNIT, WE LOVE THE 360 DEGREE AROUND VIEW CAMERA SYSTEM.

IT GOES WELL BEYOND NORMAL BACKUP CAMERAS AND WE'D LIKE TO SEE IT ON ALL CROSSOVERS AND TRUCKS.

AND MAYBE CARS, TOO.

ALTHOUGH OUR 2013 HONDA ACCORD EX-L NAV SEDAN HAS ANOTHER UNIQUE CAMERA FEATURE.

FLIP THE TURN SIGNAL ON TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AND THE NAV SCREEN DISPLAYS A SIDE BLIND SPOT CAMERA.

CALLED LANE WATCH, IT HAS ALREADY HELPED US AVOID ACCIDENTS.

OUR ACCORD LOGGED ABOUT 1,200 MILES ITS FIRST MONTH, AND IT IS SIMPLY ONE OF THE MOST COMPETENT MID-SIZE FAMILY SEDANS ON THE ROAD TODAY.

AND DESPITE HAVING A 4-CYLINDER WITH A CVT TRANNY, VERY RESPONSIVE, AS WELL AS VERY FUEL EFFICIENT.

34.8 MPG ON REGULAR SO FAR.

AS ONE OF OUR STAFF PUT IT... " I LOVE VANILLA."

AND IN THE CASE OF THE ACCORD, IT IS A FLAVOR YOU CAN DEPEND UPON.

BEING EXCELLENT WITHOUT BEING FLASHY IS ALSO THE SECRET BEHIND THE POPULARITY OF THE SUBARU FORESTER COMPACT CROSSOVER.

WE JUST TOOK DELIVERY OF THE ALL-NEW 2014 EDITION, AS ARE A RECORD NUMBER OF BUYERS.

RV'S ARE ATTRACTING BUYERS AGAIN AND WE'LL HAVE A REPORT ON OUR WINNEBAGO SIGHTSEER 33C ON THE NEXT MOTORWEEK LONG-TERM ROAD TEST UPDATE.

LET'S GO FOR A QUICK SPIN FOR SOME FIRST DRIVING IMPRESSIONS AS WE GRAB A NEW SET OF CAR KEYS.

TOP DRAWER LUXURY SEDAN BUYERS NOW EXPECT EQUAL PARTS OPULENCE AND CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY, AND THE 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS DELIVERS ON BOTH COUNTS.

THE FIRST RE-DESIGN SINCE THE DEMISE OF THE UBER-UPSCALE MAYBACH BRAND, THIS S-CLASS STEPS UP IN CLASS TO FILL THAT VOID WHILE REMAINING A VERY DRIVER ORIENTED EXECUTIVE EXPRESS.

OUR FIRST DRIVE CAME IN EURO-SPEC CARS NEAR TORONTO, CANADA, WHERE WE FOUND THE S TO BE MORE ENGAGING AND DYNAMIC THAN EVER.

STYLING IS SLEEK AND MORE MUSCULAR OVERALL.

AND ALL INITIAL U.S.CARS WILL BE REAR-DRIVE AND LONG-WHEELBASE.

THE S550 WILL ARRIVE FIRST WITH A MOSTLY CARRYOVER TWIN-TURBO 4.7 LITER V8, GOOD FOR 455 HORSEPOWER, FEEDING THROUGH A 7-SPEED AUTOMATIC.

PLUG-IN HYBRID, DIESEL, AND 4MATIC MODELS ARE PLANNED.

A NEW SUITE OF ACTIVE SAFETY AND COMFORT SYSTEMS ARE COLLECTIVELY CALLED MERCEDES INTELLIGENT DRIVE AND COMPRISE MORE THAN 20 ASSISTED FEATURES.

THE CAR USES STEREO CAMERAS, RADAR AND ULTRASOUND SENSORS TO ACHIEVE 360-DEGREE VISION, AND IT CAN BRAKE, ACCELERATE OR STEER ITSELF TO AVOID ACCIDENTS.

THE SYSTEM ALSO SCANS THE ROAD AHEAD AND ADJUSTS THE SUSPENSION IN MILLISECONDS, AND DIFFERENTIATES BETWEEN HUMANS OR ANIMALS ON THE ROADSIDE AT NIGHT.

EVERY LIGHT SOURCE IS NOW L.E.D., THE FIRST CAR TO DO SO.

EXTREME LUXURY TOUCHES INCLUDE AN AVAILABLE IN-CABIN AROMATHERAPY DIFFUSER WITH FOUR SCENTS, A REAR SEAT HOT-STONE MASSAGE FUNCTION, AND DIAMOND-QUILTED LEATHER THROUGHOUT.

AN INTEGRATED WORK TABLE, INTERNET HOTSPOT, AND VOICE DELIVERY OF TEXTS AND EMAILS MAKES THE S-CLASS A MOBILE BOARDROOM AS WELL.

WE EXPECT S550 BASE PRICES TO CLIMB SLIGHTLY TO AROUND $95,000, BUT DON'T EXPECT THAT TO AFFECT SALES.

MERCEDES HAS ALREADY TAKEN 20,000 PRE-ORDERS, WITH FIRST DELIVERIES SET FOR SEPTEMBER.

AND WE'LL DISH UP MORE FIRST DRIVING IMPRESSIONS SOON.

MAZDA'S SKYACTIV GAS SAVING APPROACH HAS CLEARLY FUELED SALES OF THE COMPACT CX-5 CROSSOVER.

WELL, NOW MAZDA IS FOCUSING THEIR NEW THINKING AT THE MID-SIZE SEDAN REALM WITH AN ALL-NEW MAZDA6.

BUT NO MATTER HOW INNOVATIVE, IT WON'T BE EASY TO GET TRACTION IN A SEGMENT DOMINATED BY CAMRY AND ACCORD.

BUT AS THE HYUNDAI SONATA, FORD FUSION, AND NISSAN ALTIMA HAVE RECENTLY SHOWN, NOTEWORTHY DESIGNS CAN MAKE A DENT.

SO IS IT THE MAZDA6'S TURN?

LET'S FIND OUT.

THE 2014 MAZDA6 IS THE 3RD GENERATION OF MAZDA'S MID-SIZER.

AND WHILE SALES HAVE NEVER BEEN HUGE, THAT'S MOSTLY BECAUSE THE 6 STRIVED TO OFFER SOMETHING UNIQUE.

THIS ALSO MARKS THE SECOND VEHICLE TO GET THE FULL SKYACTIV TREATMENT, WHICH EMPHASIZES LIGHTWEIGHT AND INCREASED POWERTRAIN EFFICIENCY OVER ELECTRIC-ASSIST OR ALTERNATIVE FUELS TO RAISE FUEL ECONOMY.

AND IT INTRODUCES FURTHER NEW TECHNOLOGY DUBBED I-ELOOP, WHICH IS A CAPACITOR-BASED REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM THAT FEEDS POWER TO ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS DURING NORMAL BRAKING.

FEEDING POWER TO THE 6'S FRONT WHEELS IS THE CX-5'S NEW SKYACTIV-G 2.5-LITER I4 WITH FUEL SIPPING GOODIES, SUPER-HIGH 13:1 COMPRESSION RATIO, DIRECT INJECTION, VARIABLE TIMING, AND REDUCED FRICTION, ALL HELPING TO PRODUCE 184-HORSEPOWER AND 185 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

BOTH A 6-SPEED MANUAL AND A 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC ARE AVAILABLE.

STILL TO COME IS THE PROMISED SKYACTIV-D DIESEL, MAKING ITS WAY TO OUR SHORES LATER THIS YEAR.

THE DESIGN AND SIZE OF THE INTERIOR USUALLY MAKES OR BREAKS A FAMILY SEDAN.

IT CLEARLY HURT THE PREVIOUS MAZDA6.

THIS NEW CAR IS CLEARLY ROOMIER, WITH A DRIVER FOCUSED LAYOUT THAT LOOKS HANDSOME AND ORDERLY.

THE THREE POD GAUGE CLUSTER HAS A LARGE TACH LEFT, SPEEDOMETER CENTER, AND AN INFO DISPLAY ON THE RIGHT.

BUT WITH ONLY A COOLANT LIGHT IT'S NOT AS SPORTY AS IT APPEARS.

RADAR CRUISE, BLIND SPOT MONITORING, AND FORWARD OBSTRUCTION WARNING ARE NEW OPTIONS.

WE SPENT TIME IN BOTH THE QUITE LUXURIOUS GRAND TOURING MODEL AND THE BASE SPORT AND FOUND THEM TO EACH HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSONALITY.

THE SPORT WITH ITS MANUAL TRANS WAS CLEARLY THE MOST FUN.

THE SHIFTER IS ALMOST MIATA-LIKE, AND GIVES THE CAR A MORE ENGAGING AND ENTERTAINING PERSONALITY.

NOT THAT THE GRAND TOURER IS A SNOOZER.

ITS AUTOMATIC IS MUCH IMPROVED, THOUGH THE SKYACTIV-DRIVE TRANSMISSION IS IN A REAL HURRY TO SHIFT UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO MAXIMIZE FUEL ECONOMY.

LIKE JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER UPDATED CHASSIS, THE NEW 6 GETS STIFFER AND LIGHTER, AND LIKE MOST MAZDA'S WHEN DRIVEN AT A SLIGHTLY AGGRESSIVE PACE IT FEELS VERY WILLING-AND-ABLE, WITH SHARP TURN-INS AND RESPONSIVE STEERING.

IT'S ONLY WHEN YOU KEEP PUSHING THAT YOU'RE REMINDED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE SUSPENSION FEELS FIRMER THAN CAMRY AND ACCORD, THIS REALLY IS A FAMILY SEDAN.

FURTHER REMINDERS COME FROM DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL THAT WAS A LITTLE TOO EAGER TO ENGAGE.

GOING SKYACTIV ON THE QUARTER MILE IN OUR GRAND TOURING AUTO-EQUIPPED MAZDA6 WAS NOT EXACTLY THRILLING, BUT NOT EXACTLY SLOW EITHER; 0 TO 60 IS DISPATCHED IN 8.2-SECONDS, WITH 16.4-SECONDS AND 87 MILES-PER-HOUR TO FINISH THE ENTIRE QUARTER MILE.

WHILE IT WON'T SUPPLANT THE FORD FUSION AS BEST LOOKING IN THE SEGMENT, WE ARE FANS OF THE 6'S SLICK LOOKING, SWOOPY SHEET METAL.

19-INCH WHEELS ARE STANDARD ON TOURING AND GRAND TOURING MODELS, AND EVEN THE BASE SPORT MODEL FEATURES 17s.

THE SKYACTIV APPROACH DOES INDEED PAYOFF IN GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS; 26-CITY, 38-HIGHWAY, AND 30-COMBINED FOR THE AUTOMATIC.

THAT'S TWO MPG HIGHWAY BETTER THAN A SIMILAR CAMRY I4, AND THE SAME AS ACCORD.

WE AVERAGED A FINE 33.9 ON REGULAR GRADE.

THE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE IS THUS BETTER THAN AVERAGE; 11.0-BARRELS OF ANNUAL OIL USE AND YEARLY CO2 EMISSIONS OF 4.8-TONS.

PRICES FOR THE MAZDA6 ARE UP JUST SLIGHTLY OVER LAST YEAR, STARTING AT $21,675.

THE 2014 MAZDA6 HAS STAYED TRUE TO ITS ROOTS OF DRIVING ENJOYMENT, WHILE TAKING CARE OF MOST SIZE AND EQUIPMENT ISSUES.

WE SEE SKYACTIV ECONOMY GAINS ALSO AS A PLUS.

STILL, IT WON'T TOPPLE CAMRY OR ACCORD.

BUT IS THE NEW "6" NOW A MORE DESIRABLE ALTERNATIVE TO THE BROWN PAPER BAG FAMILY SEDAN?

YOU BET YOUR SWEET "ZOOM-ZOOM" IT IS.

WELL, I HOPE YOU JOIN US AGAIN FOR MORE MOTORWEEK , AS WE LEARN TO LIVE LARGE WITH THE SLEEK JAQUAR XJL.

AND WE'LL DO A LITTLE LATE SUMMER CRUISING IN THE VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, I'M JOHN DAVIS.

WE'LL SEE YOU RIGHT HERE ON MOTORWEEK .

Announcer: TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE, VISIT PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

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