Ford has been uncharacteristically mum about what its going to unveil at this week's New York Auto Show. Well, information wants — nay, demands — to be free.

And so, despite the efforts of Ford, word is leaking out that the company will unveil a hybrid version of the Lincoln MKZ midsize sedan at the Javits Center in a few days. It certainly makes sense that the Lincoln would get the hybrid treatment. Its platform mates, the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, are already acquirable with a hybrid powertrain — and a particularly nice one at that. So intrigued were we by our primeval tests of the Fusion Hybrid, in fact, that we bought one for our long-term fleet.

We don't know any other details at this point. But we'd be surprised if the Lincoln's powertrain differed greatly from those of the Ford and Mercury versions. The MKZ will be Lincoln's first hybrid and one that is likely to be a better-driving thing than the Lexus HS 250h, not that that would take much. (Note: the above picture is of a standard 2010 Lincoln MKZ).

Rumor has it that Ford will also reveal the Explorer, which our spies recently caught undressed.

The Detroit News