Lincoln is in the
process of comprehensively revitalizing its lineup. And just as it did with the
new Continental and Navigator, the American luxury marque is previewing the
next addition to the lineup with the teaser vehicle you see here.
Presented at the New York Auto Show is the new Lincoln Aviator, forecasting a new
SUV to revive a nameplate we last saw a baker’s dozen years ago.
The three-row sport-ute would
slot in underneath the larger Navigator. Only this time, the Aviator is far
more than a gussied-up Explorer. In fact it’s not even based on the same
platform. As few technical details as Ford’s premium division has released on
the sport-ute concept, it emphatically notes the rear-drive setup, where the
current Explorer is built atop a front-drive platform.
In a first for the brand, the Aviator incorporates a
plug-in hybrid powertrain – albeit of unspecified parameters. All we know is
that the internal-combustion part is twin-turbocharged, so our best guess is a
V6. And Ford doesn’t currently offer a V6-based PHEV.
Atop those rear-drive, plug-in hybrid building
blocks, Lincoln has adapted the Navigator’s clean and elegant design to the
smaller form. The show car is painted an iridescent shade of Flight Blue, with
glossy black and chrome trim. And the luxurious interior is done up in
Shearling Beige and Lunar Gray, with digital instruments and machine-turned
aluminum trim drive home the aeronautical theme.
Dearborn has taken the opportunity to pack the show
car with all its latest electronic gizmos, from a 12-inch
infotainment display running the latest Sync system and a smartphone-based key
to the Co-Pilot 360 suite of driver-assist technologies and a suspension that
scans the road ahead and adjusts the ride accordingly.
