Automotive

Sumptuous new Navigator continues American luxury revival

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The new Lincoln Navigator on show in New York 
Angus MacKenzie/New Atlas
Behind the wheel of the Lincoln Navigator 
The gull-wing doors from the Navigator Concept are gone in the production car
The gaudy grille on the Navigator won't be to everyone's taste
The Navigator is a six-seater
Why so sad? Front-on isn't the Navigator's most flattering angle 
Lincoln projects its logo on the ground in the Navigator
The cabin of the Navigator is all about laid-back luxury 
Even third-row passengers are treated to a comfy ride in the Navigator 
Second row passengers are treated to their own climate controls in the Navigator 
Lincoln wants its Black Badge cars to act like a flagship in future 
Ford is trying to revive Lincoln as a true luxury brand 
The seats in the Navigator are adjustable 30 ways
The name can't match Burmeister or Bang & Olufsen, but the sound was good enough for Lincoln 
The materials in the Navigator have all been chosen to feel like quality items 
A look at the audio controls and climate controls in the second row of the Navigator 
That big touchscreen is in charge of infotainment in the Navigator 
The 30-way adjustable seats in the new Navigator 
The Lincoln Navigator stays true to the concept from New York last year 
The chromed-up Navigator isn't subtle 
The Navigator has launched ahead of the New York Auto Show 
Lincoln is on the comeback trail, and the Navigator is another step in the right direction 
Lincoln is offering a twin-turbo V6 with the Navigator 
The Navigator is bold, brash and unapologetically American 
The new Navigator doesn't get gullwing doors, but it does look mean 
The Lincoln badge is undergoing a renaissance
The Navigator drawing a crowd in New York
Angus MacKenzie/New Atlas
The new Lincoln Navigator on show in New York 
Angus MacKenzie/New Atlas
The Navigator has 30-way adjustable front seats
Angus MacKenzie/New Atlas
The Navigator doesn't take a backwards step 
Angus MacKenzie/New Atlas
The new Navigator does without the gullwing doors of its concept precursor 
Angus MacKenzie/New Atlas
Can the Navigator continue the luxury revolution at Lincoln?
Angus MacKenzie/New Atlas
View gallery - 31 images

Ford is desperate to revive Lincoln as a genuine luxury brand. The resurrection started with the Continental in Detroit last year, and continues in New York with the Navigator. Like the Continental, the new Navigator is focused on delivering a unique brand of luxury in a sea of similar European offerings, with a high-tech cabin and showy good looks.

Chasing lightning Nurburgring lap times has become a favourite past-time for brands like BMW and Range Rover, but Lincoln hasn't been sucked into the pissing contest. Instead, the Navigator has been designed to coddle its occupants with cushy seats and comfy suspension.

Seats are arguably the most important part of any interior – they're where you spend most of your time, after all – but they're often overlooked as an important luxury feature. Not in the Navigator, which can be specced with a set of thirty-way adjustable front seats. They're the same as those in the Continental, and offer heating and cooling functions to go with the endless range of adjustments.

Things aren't quite as nice down back, but the rear seats are far from cheap and nasty. Passengers in the second row are treated to their own audio and climate controls, and a set of optional 10-inch screens on the headrests can play content from Android devices, or through HDMI, USB and SD card inputs. If that doesn't keep the kids quiet on a long road trip, nothing will. The cabin Wi-Fi can handle up to 10 devices, and USB charge ports scattered around the interior mean no phone or tablet should go flat.

The cabin of the Navigator is all about laid-back luxury 

Beyond the technology, the basic interior design of the Navigator looks much nicer than anything we've seen from Lincoln in a long time. The new Continental still struggles with some sub-par materials, and there are a few areas where its Ford roots shine a little brightly, but the Navigator doesn't seem to suffer the same problems.

The sloping center console looks like it's been lifted from a Range Rover and, if you ask us, the free-standing touchscreen is better incorporated than the aftermarket-looking ones you get on modern Mercedes cars. With that said, we'll need to reserve final judgement until having a proper poke and prod.

"When designing the Navigator, we put an emphasis on ultra-luxury touch points," says David Woodhouse, Lincoln design director. "We took everything the client would see and touch, and made sure it would look and feel a little more exuberant, a little more indulgent and incredibly beautiful."

Of course, none of this matters if the Navigator doesn't have the right engine. Luxury is all about excess, and nothing shatters that illusion faster than an underpowered engine. There isn't a V8 option here, and that might disappoint some people, but the twin-turbo V6 on offer seems more than adequate. It pumps out 450 hp (336 kW) through a 10-speed automatic gearbox, and the use of lightweight materials in the body and chassis mean it has to shift 200 pounds (91 kg) less than before. Sure, it won't be giving the Jeep Trackhawk any nightmares, but that isn't really the point here.

The Navigator is bold, brash and unapologetically American 

As for the exterior styling, well, that's going to come down to personal taste. We're impressed the design team has managed to make so few changes to the concept car, although it would have been cool to see those gaudy gull-wing doors make it to showrooms. If you're the shy, retiring type then it's probably worth looking elsewhere, but anyone keen to make a statement is likely to love the chrome brashness on offer.

There's no word on how much the Navigator will cost when it lands, but the car will be on show at the New York Auto Show. The show is already underway with the launch of the long-awaited Dodge Demon, and New Atlas will be on the ground covering all the action. In the meantime, check out the Navigator in the video below.

Source: Lincoln

View gallery - 31 images
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2 comments
MK23666
Sadly, Lincoln is circling the drain. They are trying too hard to look to the future and the past at the same time. This doesn't move me to trade up my MKX in fact I'm shopping cross brands and specifically at the 2015 Acura MDX.
Alex Stelling
No Honda or Acura even comes close to that. Nor does the MKX for that matter. This is leagues ahead of any of those cars. Heck even the Mercedes GLS looks ordinary compared to that.