Chicago: 2007 Lincoln Navigator

[Variance]

LINCOLN NAVIGATOR: ELEGANT AMERICAN LUXURY

Dramatic, distinctive design: Lincoln Navigator’s fresh look combines power and refinement for the American luxury-SUV customer

Comfortable, capable interior: All-new seating offers exceptional comfort, craftsmanship and convenience. PowerFold™ third-row seat provides segment-exclusive flexibility and ease of cargo storage

Quiet, confident driving experience: All-new frame and independent suspension deliver superior ride and handling. Acoustic windshield, thicker glass and tuned mirrors contribute to Navigator’s "whisper quiet" interior

New Lincoln Navigator L: Provides an additional 25 cubic feet of cargo space

The 2007 Lincoln Navigator’s distinctive new design delivers American elegance.

DISTINCTIVE AMERICAN ELEGANCE

The new Lincoln Navigator, America’s original full-size luxury SUV, will offer uncompromising levels of luxury, capability, functionality.

The Lincoln Navigator L extends luxury even further with an additional 25 cu. ft. cargo room behind the third-row seat.

The Lincoln Navigator’s expressive design brings a unique elegance and an unrivaled presence to the full-size luxury-utility segment. Lincoln Navigator charts its own path, offering confident ride and handling, outstanding comfort and craftsmanship, and class-leading capability.

"Lincoln Navigator has always been in a unique class," says Al Giombetti, president, Ford, Lincoln Mercury Marketing and Sales. "It offers a great blend of style and functionality, but more than that, it’s got street appeal."

Lincoln extends luxury SUV capability even further with a new addition to the lineup. The Lincoln Navigator L is 14.7 inches longer than the regular model and offers luxury buyers an additional 25 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the third-row seat.

EXPRESSIVE DESIGN MAKES A DRAMATIC STATEMENT

The 2007 Lincoln Navigator’s distinctive design combines power and refinement to deliver Lincoln luxury. Lincoln Navigator looks powerful and capable without looking pretentious.

The precision-detailed grille extends into the HID headlamps, creating a cohesive design.

"Lincoln Navigator features refined power, grand style with modern and elegant execution," says Chelsia Lau, Lincoln Navigator chief designer. "The dramatic design conveys power, both from under the hood and from the feeling behind the wheel."

That statement of power begins with the bold chrome grille. The horizontal and vertical lines are inspired by the Lincoln star, detailed with sharp, organized surfaces. The precision detailing of the grille extends into the high-intensity-discharge (HID) projector headlamps. The lower grille carries through the theme, housing the integrated fog lamps.

"We wanted to integrate every aspect of the front-end design," says Lau. "By continuing the grille into the optics, they are no longer just headlights, but industrial jewelry that completes the overall design."

The upper grille is carried into the chiseled chamfers that define the prominent "powerdome" hood, reinforcing Lincoln Navigator’s imposing presence.

Lincoln Navigator is finely crafted, from the fit and finish of the chrome body molding to the elegant available 20-inch aluminum wheels.

The Lincoln Navigator profile is defined by clean, sheer, tapered surfaces. That design language is consistent throughout the vehicle, from the smooth quarter panels to the chiseled side mirror shells. A Lincoln-signature chrome strip highlights the beltline, while chrome body-side trim extends from the front wheel well to the back for a tailored appearance. A proud, stable stance on 18-inch machined aluminum wheels – or available 20-inch chrome wheels – plants the vehicle to the road.

For 2007, Lincoln Navigator again offers power-folding running boards, improved for more seamless integration. With the doors closed, the running boards fold out of sight and are perfectly integrated into the lower body wrap. When one of the side doors is opened, the running boards fold out in presentation, offering a step bar for easy ingress and egress.

The new taillamps give a nod to the 2007 Lincoln MKZ luxury mid-size sedan, with wing-shaped lamps that cut into the liftgate and wrap around the vehicle. A bold chrome outline and white inserts in the red optic areas complete the exterior.

MODERN-LUXURY INTERIOR SETS THE BAR

The Lincoln Navigator engineering team carefully looked at the needs and desires of Navigator buyers, then collaborated on the all-new luxurious interior to answer those needs.

Lincoln Navigator is awash in fine details, like the elegant chrome trim on the shifter.

"The typical Lincoln Navigator owner is a check-every-box buyer," says Raj Nair, executive director, Body-on-frame Vehicles. "If there’s an option, they want it. We set out to offer these demanding buyers more luxury, more features and a greater level of craftsmanship."

The Navigator’s interior features a flowthrough center console that sweeps up into the rectangular "eyebrows" that frame the dash panel. The strong graphic presentation is echoed in the shape of the instrument bezels, a design inspired by popular rectangular fashion eyewear.

Lincoln Navigator offers the elegance of genuine Dark Ebony or Anigre wood trim on the console and upper door panels. The wood trim is bookmatched so the grains are precisely aligned. For example, the coin-tray cover is laser cut from the center console wood trim for perfectly matched wood grain.

"Today’s luxury buyer isn’t satisfied with just leather seats and wood trim," says Lau. "What modern luxury buyers are looking for – and what we delivered in Lincoln Navigator – are superior craftsmanship and exquisite details. Details such as bookmatched wood grain, soft white lighting and butter-soft leather are what make Lincoln Navigator truly luxurious."

Details like satin-nickel accents on the center stack, binnacle inserts and door trim and chrome accents on cup-holder rings, steering wheel and door releases speak to Lincoln Navigator’s fine craftsmanship. A touch of black on the center stack and instrument panel provides further emphasis of refinement. At night, the interior is bathed in Lincoln’s signature cool-white lighting, creating a soothing atmosphere.

LINCOLN SIGNATURE SEATING

Premium leather contributes to the overall comfort, further improving Lincoln’s signature seating.

Lincoln Navigator’s seating offers premium luxury comfort in all three rows.

According to Lowell Lampen, manager of SUV Seats, a key to seating comfort is providing a soft cushion as soon as customers sit down. It's important to balance that initial feel with firm support making seats comfortable for long trips. The standard 10-way power driver and front passenger seats are designed to comfortably accommodate a diverse group of occupants, from 4-foot-10 to 6-foot-5, from 90 pounds to 300 pounds. Power-adjustable pedals and memory functions enable drivers to fine-tune their positions. The front seats also offer next-generation heating and cooling for the ultimate in comfort – another Lincoln hallmark.

Even Lincoln Navigator's seat frames were refined to improve comfort by eliminating the vibration from the floor.

This premium seating extends to the available 40/20/40-split second row seat and 60/40-split third row, which effortlessly tumble to create a flat load floor. With seating for eight, the Lincoln Navigator offers 18.2 cubic feet of cargo space, while Navigator L offers 42.7 cubic feet.

With both the second- and third-row seats folded, the Lincoln Navigator can accommodate 103.5 cubic feet, while Navigator L offers a cavernous 128.2 cubic feet.

The second-row seats feature new mechanisms that enable one-hand fold-and-tumble operation to access the third row. For increased visibility, the second-row head restraints fold forward 90 degrees to improve driver rear view.

Lincoln Navigator's third-row seat folds flat into the floor for added cargo space. The available PowerFold™ third row offers 54.5 cubic feet of cargo space at the touch of a button.

The available power liftgate provides even more convenience. For 2007, the system has been redesigned to use side-mounted pistons for improved rear visibility.

STATE-OF-THE-ART ENTERTAINMENT

Lincoln Navigator has an available 14-speaker THX® II Certified audio and DVD-based navigation system.

Lincoln Navigator offers a host of features and options that provide a high level of convenience. The voice-activated DVD-based navigation system features a 6.5-inch touch screen designed for improved clarity and incorporates text-to-speech technology that reads and communicates directions and street names in three languages. The efficiency of the dual-zone climate control has been improved, bringing the cabin to a comfortable temperature in a third of the previous time.

Lincoln Navigator offers a first-in-class 600-watt THX® II Certified premium audio system with six-disc CD changer and 14 speakers. A power amplifier is mounted behind the center stack, and a center speaker array is mounted above the center stack for optimum sound clarity and quality. For even more sound choices, SIRIUS satellite radio is available, as is an integrated MP3 audio jack.

If rear passenger entertainment is in order, Lincoln Navigator has an available entertainment system with a larger 8-inch screen and two wireless headphones to keep the sound contained.

'WHISPER QUIET' REFINED RIDE

Navigator’s cabin is impressively quiet so passengers can enjoy better conversations, music or movies.

Enjoying the Lincoln Navigator's entertainment offerings is even easier, as engineers "soundly" beat their initial targets for interior quietness.

"Our initial targets were a significant improvement over the already stringent levels we set with the previous Lincoln Navigator," says John Viera, Navigator chief nameplate engineer. "But as the program progressed, we made such dramatic improvements in quietness we had to set new targets. The result is a vehicle that will provide our customers with a truly unexpected quality of quietness on the road."

Additional noise-dampening insulation was added to the headliner and dash to help decrease wind and powertrain noise. Noise-absorbing padding was added to the carpeting to further reduce tire and road noise. Thicker side glass and new cut-line seals were added for decreased wind noise.

Additional structure was added to the roof to reduce body boom, and a stiffer chassis and new body mounts further isolate road noise and vibration. Side mirrors were "tuned" to reduce wind noise in the cabin, and tire tread designs were optimized to minimize road noise.

IMPROVED RIDE AND HANDLING FOR LUXURY DRIVING EXPERIENCE

An all-new, stiffer chassis and refined independent rear suspension contribute to Lincoln Navigator’s impressive, confident ride and handling.

Lincoln Navigator also offers a confident, refined driving experience commensurate with a luxury vehicle.

The vehicle features a stiffer frame for improved handling and decreased susceptibility to squeaks and rattles. The frame features a tube-through-tube design, creating one of the stiffest frames in the industry.

The 2007 Lincoln Navigator has an all-new independent rear suspension (IRS). The new IRS features a five-link design, with the fifth link controlling fore/aft movements while the short and long arms control lateral forces. This allows for greater control of wheel movement, as well as enabling lighter suspension components for improved response.

Power is provided by Lincoln Navigator's 5.4-liter, three-valve Triton™ V-8, mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, that generates 300 horsepower and 365 foot pounds of torque. A wide-ratio, 6-speed transmission has smaller steps between gears than a typical 4-speed automatic and offers improved shift quality and faster acceleration. With a wide 6.02:1 gear ratio and two overdrive gears (fifth and sixth), the Lincoln Navigator’s 6-speed offers up to a 7 percent increase in fuel economy on the highway over a typical 4-speed automatic.

STANDARD ADVANCETRAC® WITH RSC®(Roll Stability Control)

Lincoln Navigator’s confident handling helps prevent accidents from occurring. And Lincoln Navigator’s safety system features a comprehensive package of features.

The 2007 Lincoln Navigator is equipped with dual-stage driver and front passenger air bags, seat-mounted side air bags and three-row side curtain air bags with rollfold technology.

Lincoln’s safety package includes standard AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control), which utilizes a gyroscopic roll rate sensor to enhance the vehicle’s rollover resistance.

Additional standard safety features include:

Dual-stage second-generation driver and front-passenger air bags that tailor deployment based on crash severity, safety belt usage and occupant size.

Three-row Safety Canopy™ side curtain air bags designed to activate in rollovers and side impacts for enhanced head protection.

Seat-mounted side air bags for the first row and energy-absorbing knee bolsters and glove box for the front passenger.

New frame design meets the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers vehicle-to-vehicle frontal crash compatibility voluntary agreement.

QUICK SPECS

POWERTRAIN

5.4-liter, 3-valve Triton™ V-8

• 300 hp @ 5000 rpm, 365 ft. lbs. @ 3750 rpm

• Standard 6-speed automatic overdrive

CHASSIS

• 4-wheel ABS and Advance Trac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control)

• Wheelbase (Navigator/Navigator L): 119/131 in.

• Length (Navigator/Navigator L): 208.4/223.3 in.

• Max width: 78.8 in.

SUSPENSION

• Front - Independent, double-wishbone, short- and long-arm, (SLA) design with coil-over shocks, 36-mm stabilizer bar

• Rear - Independent, multilink design with coil-over shocks, 18-mm, 19-mm or 21-mm stabilizer bar

WHEELS / TIRES

Machined aluminum wheels: P255/70R18 A/S BSW tires/18 in.; P255/70R18 A/S OWL tires/18 in.

Chrome-clad aluminum wheels: P275/50R20 A/S BSW tires/20 in.

CAPACITIES (Navigator: Navigator L)

Cargo volume behind 2nd row: 54.5/86.3 cu. ft.

Cargo volume behind 3rd row: 18.2/42.7 cu. ft.

Payload 4x2/4x4: 1766/1637 lbs.; 1837/1683 lbs.

Towing 4x2/4x4: 9100/8900 lbs.; 9030/8680 lbs.

These specifications are preliminary and subject to change.

Lincoln Navigator goes on sale in summer 2006.

Source: Ford Media Room

[CSpec]

Upon closer inspection, the interior is pretty much just the old one but with a slightly different center stack (wood, radio isn't under a door).

[Sixty8panther]

Ouch! It burns.... it burns my eyes. Someone put this thing out of its misery!

Why God, why?

Edited February 8, 2006 by Sixty8panther

[caddycruiser]

I'm getting more used to it the more I look at it, but I still like the current gen better as far as looks. It's still a terrific truck and could probably do well against a new '07 GM truck (since they were so far behind for so long), so that's not all bad I guess.

I *hope* it's one of those cases where all the marketing photos look absolutely horrible, but it actually is pretty cool in person. It definately will have a presence about it, that's for sure...

[2b2]

...I *hope* it's one of those cases where all the marketing photos look absolutely horrible, but it actually is pretty cool in person.  It definately will have a presence about it, that's for sure...

That sure was the case with the Zephyr for me - still hate the rear in photos but in RL I like it (all of it) a lot.

The new Navi I already like when the bottom grille is body color like in the chops. LOVE the main grille/headlites - would just prefer a chrome band on top like the Aviator-concept

( http://car-reviews.automobile.com/images/c...20765/alt01.jpg )

but with a heavily sculpted hood.

The other thing I noticed at the autoshow was that interiors are totally different in person - one in particular I thought was fantastic in photos did NOTHING for me in person.

[!!!TED!!!]

Edmunds has some pictures from the debut:

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Autos...rticleId=109248

[Dsuupr]

Wow is that ugly. And the inside looks like they where trying to save some money to avoid cutting wages.

[OCcarnut]

it looks worse everytime that I look at it...

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

OMG!!!!

WTF were they smoking???

The interior is gorgeuos though (as usual)

[Northstar]

The interior looks better in the Edmunds pics with the exception of the unfinished-looking vents above the stack, but the Escalade's interior is more flowing and a step above, IMO.

The front still looks like crap, the taillights are way too big, and the huge chrome slab combined with the dated sides (same as the old one) makes the exterior look terrible.

Oh, and the Escalade has 103 extra HP.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Holy 'effin $h!!

If anyone here thinks that the Escalade is junk compaired to this, you'll go down with the ship when Ford goes bankrupt due to a lack of decent design.

Man, that truck knows how to offend the senses... and not in a good way, either.

[titan]

Oh, and the Escalade has 103 extra HP.

Very true. But lets not forget, the Escalade not only kills the Navi, but the entire class... The Range Rover, LX, QX56, etc., can't touch the Escalade in the power department now.

[Northstar]

Very true. But lets not forget, the Escalade not only kills the Navi, but the entire class... The Range Rover, LX, QX56, etc., can't touch the Escalade in the power department now.

That's true, but at least all of those are other vehicles haven't been redesigned in the last year. Since this Navigator is supposed to be "all-new" I would expect an increase in power... I bet that when those others are redesigned they receive a significant boost in power, like the Escalade received.