Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged Lincoln
2003 Lincoln Aviator
Jul 21st
One glance and it’s obvious that the Lincoln Navigator shares a lot of its genes (and most of its letters) with the new Aviator. Based on the Ford Explorer, Lincoln’s new mid-size SUV represents an almost perfect distillation of its super-size, super-luxurious sport-ute into a smaller package.
That smaller size makes the Aviator somewhat easier to like, too. Since it’s uncommon to see full-size luxury sport-utes going off-road or even hauling soccer teams about, the Navigator’s tendency to serve as six-thousand pound, 11-mpg transport for just one or two people makes it kind of hard to approve of. The Aviator can do almost everything the Navigator does without consuming quite so many natural resources.
It’s almost indistinguishable from the Navigator at a glance. Considering that it’s over a foot shorter and half a foot narrower, that’s downright creepy. Lincoln’s stylists have done an excellent job. If you really must be able to tell the Navigator and Aviator apart, the Aviator has upright, flag-style mirrors while the Navigator’s got larger, more trailer-friendly units. That’s about it. The trademark Lincoln grille is there, and the nicely contoured hood and aggressively flared fenders as well. From the rear, the Aviator’s four-unit taillamps and chromy license plate surround are a dead ringer for those of the Navigator. 17″ wheels are standard.
Inside, it’s much more Navigator than Explorer. Walnut and nickel trim abound, and the more subtle but equally elegant use of white LEDs instead of conventional bulbs to light the instruments gives he Aviator a show-car feel. The wide, flat console that graces the Navigator is replicated in the Aviator with slight differences. The stereo is covered by a satin-finished nickel plate which gives the dash a clean look when it’s closed, but was reluctant to open on our test truck. Quad seats are standard, and the rear seats fold flat for easy cargo loading,. All of the standard luxury-car (or truck) features are available: high-intensity discharge headlamps, heated side mirrors, a rear parking assist, in-dash CD player. Rear-seat passengers can be distracted by the optional DVD entertainment system. Like the Explorer, the Aviator features adjustable pedals, as well. Hidden out of sight, a side-canopy airbag offers increased rollover protection for first and second-row passengers.
The suspension is fully independent, giving the Aviator a distinctly carlike ride. That’s a good thing. Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS are standard, and AdvanceTrac traction control is also available on all-wheel drive Aviators. Ford says this system can shift torque side to side and front to back, enabling the Aviator to drive if only one wheel has traction. We didn’t get the chance to test it out (or even a puddle to drive through, really) but the Aviator feels more comfortable and stable on the road than the twitchy BMW X5 or waddly Lexus RX300. Thanks to sound-deadening laminate on the windows, it’s quieter, too.
The Aviator is powered by a 32-valve DOHC V8 making 302 horsepower. This 4.6 liter engine is all aluminum, and it’s not shared with any of Ford’s other mid-size SUVs. With almost 100 more horsepower than the plebian Explorer V8, the Aviator moves out with authority. The engine is nicely understressed, giving Lincoln’s little SUV a relaxed feeling on the road. A five-speed automatic transmission handles shifting duties. Thanks to the more powerful engine, the Aviator can tow up to 7300 pounds in two-wheel drive form. It’ll handily out-work the competition. Naturally, two- and four-wheel drive models are available. The only downside is questionable fuel economy. For its smaller size, the Aviator doesn’t get much better gas mileage than its big brother: 14/18 in four-wheel drive models.
So by now you’re probably thinking, “What about the Mountaineer?” If not, you should be. Just like the Aviator, Mercury’s handsome SUV is also a Ford Explorer clone under the skin. Until now, it was the “luxury” mid-size from the Ford conglomerate. The Aviator slots into the lineup a big step above the Mountaineer, however, and commands a price premium over even the priciest Mountaineer.
We like the Aviator a lot better than the gargantuan Navigator; it offers the same luxury in a less bulky package. The lack of bulk makes it a serious contender against European luxury ‘utes like the BMW X5 and Mercedes M-Class, as well as offerings from Lexus and Acura. It’s a bit more elegant than any of them, too. The Aviator makes its appearance in Lincoln dealerships this December. Pricing starts at $42,205.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Lincoln Aviator AWD, which we tested.
Length: 193.3 in.
Width: 73.96 in.
Height: 70.9 in.
Wheelbase: 113.7 in.
Curb weight: 5002 lb.
Cargo space: 12.4 cu.ft. (seats up)/77.3 cu.ft. (all seats folded)
Towing capacity (if app.): 7300 lb.
Base price: $42,205
Price as tested: $48,970
Engine: 4.6 liter 32-valve DOHC V8
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Horsepower: 302 @ 5750
Torque: 300 @ 3250
Fuel capacity: 22.5 gal.
Est. mileage: 14/18
2002 Lincoln Blackwood
Jun 27th
The naysayers are sharpening their tongues already: Lincoln is building a pickup truck. A fifty-thousand dollar pickup truck. It’s absurd. It’s foolish. It’s nothing but an attempt to make more money.
The only problem, really, is that they’re trying to call the 2002 Lincoln Blackwood a pickup truck at all. Actually, Lincoln is calling it an Ultimate Utility Vehicle, like the Chevrolet Avalanche. But that’s not what it is. Yes, it’s got the underpinnings of a Ford F-Series under there, and it’s got a bed instead of a trunk, but the Blackwood is more automotive haute couture like the Chrysler Prowler and Volkswagen New Beetle than it is a pickup truck, or a Ultimate Utility Vehicle. No, it doesn’t make any sense. It’s not supposed to. It’s a fashion statement. And as a curbside badge of individuality, it’s pretty good. Lincoln plans to build less than ten thousand of them, so if the big, black beast that the wags are calling the “Town Truck” appeals to you, you’d better act fast.
Like the Prowler and New Beetle, the Blackwood was born from an auto show concept vehicle. Essentially it’s the mating of a Lincoln Navigator SUV and a crew cab pickup truck. A black woodgrain applique with chrome accents lines the sides of the short bed, faintly reminiscent of an antique powerboat. The show-truck styling looks good on the street, too. It has less visual bulk than the Navigator, with whom it shares front-end sheetmetal and 18″ wheels. A raised ridge starts where the hood meets the Lincoln logo at the top of the grille, and the line is carried handsomely through to the tonneau cover at the rear. The chopped-off rear end adds to the Blackwood’s low stance.
The rounded-off bed has a permanently attached rigid tonneau cover, power operated by a switch on the key fob or the console. Instead of a tailgate, it has side-hinged Dutch doors which allow users to get closer to the cargo area, which is lined in carpet and stainless steel with street-rod style recessed lighting. Small storage boxes line the sides, and a slide-in luggage carrier is also available. Think of it as more of a 26.5 cubic-foot trunk than a pickup bed. It looks gorgeous; the only downside is that fifth-wheel trailer towers won’t be able to take advantage of the 8700-lb towing capacity. The Blackwood looks best in black, and that’s the only color it’s offered in.
Inside, four passengers ride on tall, comfortable chairs swathed in black Connolly leather and, naturally, black wood. Similar to that of the Harley-Davidson F-150, the interior features deep, leather-topped consoles for front and rear seat passengers. It’s loaded to the gills, as befits its luxury nature; heated and coole front seats, adjustable pedals, a comprehensive overhead console, and a seven-speaker Alpine sound system with a subwoofer and six-CD changer help to make the Blackwood less of a truck. The available navigation system’s five-inch screen is too small and mounted too low to be of much help, though. Okay, so it’s not tremendously practical (the interior can’t be reconfigured to carry more passengers or cargo) but it’s not supposed to be.
The Blackwood shares the Navigator’s 5.4 liter 32-valve V8. 300 horsepower is plenty for the big truck, which despite its size feels more eager on the road than the portly Navigator does. There’s just a hint of burble from the exhaust pipes; the Blackwood is subtle about its show-off status. The four-speed automatic transmission is the only one offered, and the Blackwood features a built-in Class III/IV trailer hitch.
Back-to-back drives show that the Blackwood rides much better than the Navigator. It’s less ponderous over the road; the pickup truck DNA is buried well with variable-rate shocks and low-profile tires designed specifically for the Blackwood. A load-leveling rear suspension seems superfluous, considering the unlikeliehood of a Blackwood ever carrying a seriously heavy load, but a combination of leaf and air springs in the back does keep truckish behavior to a minimum. The Blackwood will serve very well as a four-person road trip truck. Four-wheel ABS with brake force distribution (a system common on luxury cars, which electronically monitors traction and modulates braking power from the front to the rear) is standard, as is a limited-slip rear differential.
Naturally, the real earth-shattering kaboom comes with the sticker price. Although it’s a bit less dear than the average boutique car, $52,500 is nothing to sneeze at. Of course, everything is standard; the heated/cooled seats, moonroof, leather interior, upgraded sound system, and all the other great stuff you’ve come to expect from a Lincoln. The only available option is the navigation system, which tacks another two grand onto the baseline. The good news is that the Blackwood has the spirit and presence to justify its price. The Lincoln Navigator has a soulless, almost cynical feel to it, as if its existence can be traced to a marketing manager’s decision to make some money off of this “truck thing.” Somehow, the almost identical Blackwood doesn’t leave that impression. Useless pickup truck or not, it’s cool.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2002 Lincoln Blackwood, which we tested.
Length: 220 in.
Width: 78 in.
Height: 72,8 in.
Wheelbase: 138.5 in.
Curb weight: 5580 lb.
Cargo space: 26.5 cu.ft.
Base price: $52,500
Price as tested: $55,000 (est.)
Engine: 5.4 liter DOHC 32-valve V8
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower: 300 @ 5000
Torque: 355 @ 2750
Fuel capacity: 25 gal.
2000 Lincoln LS
Jun 19th
The elderly, bearded gentleman in overalls watches as the 2000 Lincoln LS pulls up in front of a little antique store somewhere in rural Texas. Eyeing the slim red badge in the center of the grille, he asks, “That the new Lincoln?” When we tell him that it certainly is, he nods slowly. “They sure changed ‘em,” he says with a note of approval in his voice. “They sure changed ‘em.”
You can still get old-school Lincoln chrome and gadgets if you want them–but not in the new LS. This is a Lincoln? It’s easy to forget. The LS is a huge break from the traditional somnabulent Lincoln sedan. Seeking a new, younger audience, Lincoln has taken steps during the past few years to ensure that its name is associated with more than just your typical flabby luxury sedan. The Navigator luxury SUV was introduced in late 1997, and hot on its heels is the LS, Lincoln’s first performance-oriented sedan since the early 1950s, if the old Mexican road race Lincolns were considered such. The LS is aimed at the luxury end of the sport sedan market traditionally occupied by BMW and Mercedes, and more recently by Lexus and the similarly-aimed Cadillac Catera. The LS is rear-drive, in keeping with its performance bent, and it’s available in V6 and V8 models.
At first glance, the LS’ design comes off as bland, but the numerous careful details make it quite striking upon a closer look. It’s a handsome, conservative design, but far from indifferent. Up front, quad round headlamps are hidden behind glass covers, a la BMW, and the units flank a rounded trapezoidal Lincoln family grille. The hood is character-lined, a departure from the typically flat and featureless hood seen on many cars these days. The LS is nicely proportioned, forgoing the popular cab-forward look for a more traditional three-box (distinct hood, cabin, trunk) design. Character lines at the C-pillar and front corners are sharply creased. The large taillamps have clear red, crystalline cover and flank a large chrome license plate surround as an elegant reminder that this sporting vehicle is, in fact an Lincoln. The wheel-tire combination is an aggressive one, especially on our 16″-wheel equipped V8 test model. Apart from the grille, there’s not much immediate family resemblance to the other cars and trucks in the Lincoln stable. The design bears some resemblance to the new Mitsubishi Diamante, but the LS has more personality.
If the old fellow at the antique store had taken a look inside, he would have found an interior geared more toward sporty driving than commuting. The LS is light on gadgets and buttons inside, electing instead to go for a purposeful cockpit. The view outside the car is great in all directions, even to the left and right flanks, which are a common sport-sedan blind spot. The twin creases in the hood seem to be pulling the car eagerly toward the horizon. Unfortunately there’s a lack of storage space. The cubby on the console is barely large enough for a few CDs, and the fold-out cupholder is almost aggressively difficult to use, as if the car would rather you not be distracted by a cup of coffee. The optional CD changer lives in the glovebox, eating up a majority of the storage space there, as well. That’s not to say the LS is a bad place to conduct the business of driving, of course. The leather seats are soft and supportive, although the front cushion may be too low for some drivers’ tastes. Over the steering wheel, a white-on-black instrument panel keeps track of the mechanical doings, and the ubiquitous computerized message center takes up space in the lower right corner. The system informs the driver of fuel range, economy, and other system status information. Its placement is a vast improvement over its traditional location in Ford products–usually it’s in the center console, forcing the driver to look away from the road. The wood in the console and dash looks fake. The driver’s seat has a dual memory function so that positions can be programmed for two different drivers. Not visible but still cool is a moisture-sensing windshield, which wipes itself clean when it starts to drizzle.
Lincoln’s got the look and the equipment right but the true test of a sport sedan is its performance on the road. Happily, the LS enjoys driving. The 3.9 liter, 32-valve V8-equipped Lincoln sports 252 horsepower and enjoys the chance to run. The V8 makes for a nervous gas pedal in stop and go traffic, but when it’s time to get up and go, it delivers in a way that competitors like the V6-powered Acura 3.2 TL can’t match. Our test vehicle was equipped with the optional sport suspension package, which includes big, meaty 17″ wheels, and a five-speed selectable automatic transmission. The transmission can be shifted like a clutchless manual, but isn’t particularly user-friendly, with a tendency to drop two gears for one click, or vice versa. The car prefers to do the shifting itself, which is only frustrating when the transmission is reluctant to kick down for passing. The LS is also available with an 210-hp V6 engine, and for the shift-it-yourself diehards a manual transmission is offered, but only on the V6.
During our test period, the optional “Advance Trac” traction control system was never triggered. The LS grips the road surprisingly well for such a large car. It’s got a wide stance, and the good visibility enhances driver confidence while carving up a new road. The sport suspension is acceptably quiet around town, although less plush than other Lincolns. It’s very clear that the LS would much rather be driving for pleasure than commuting.
Pricing on the LS is in line with the competition, starting at $32,250 for a manual transmission-equipped V6 car. V8 models start at $35,225. Our test vehicle was optioned out with Advance Trac traction control, the sport suspension package, the 6-disc CD changer, and a moonroof. It stickered for $39,105. Motor Trend magazine was impressed enough with the LS to name it Car of the Year for 2000. Not a bad recommendation for an all-new car in an all-new market for an old company.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2000 Lincoln LS V8, which we tested.
Length: 193.9 inches
Width: 73.2 inches
Height: 56.1 inches
Wheelbase: 114.5 inches
Curb weight: 3671 lbs
Cargo space: 13.5 cu. ft
Base price: $35,225
Price as tested: $39,105
Engine/Drivetrain: 3.9 liter, DOHC V8. Rear-wheel drive
Horsepower: 252 hp
Torque: 267 lb/ft @ 4300 rpm
Fuel capacity: 18.3 gallons
Est. mileage: 17/23 mpg
6/2009 update: Oh, Lincoln, what did you do? The promising LS went largely untouched for almost a decade, then dropped quietly out of the lineup when the competition got too stiff. Oh, well. They make nice, comfortable, entertaining used cars, and they tend to be inexpensive, so that’s something.