The Lincoln Navigator is a full-size luxury SUV built by the Ford Motor Company for its luxury division, Lincoln. Introduced as a 1998 model, production began May 14, 1997 with sales beginning in August. The Navigator was Lincoln's first SUV as well as its first four-wheel drive capable vehicle. The Navigator shares a platform, mechanical features, and other equipment with the Ford Expedition, which was introduced one year before it. Unique and upscale styling, interior materials, and other features differ the Navigator from the Expedition. Given its platform mate, the Navigator is the largest vehicle Lincoln currently offers, having the greatest cargo capacity and seating for seven to eight people, depending on the model. For 2007, a longer, extended wheelbase version of the Navigator called the Navigator L was introduced, increasing cargo capacity further. Since its introduction, Lincoln has offered only one engine choice at a time in the Navigator in any model year; all are variations of Ford's 5.4 L Modular V8.
In spite of a base manufacturer's suggested retail price of over $42,000 in 1998, the Navigator proved to be popular with nearly 44,000 sold in its first year. Competitors from General Motors like the Cadillac Escalade and the GMC Denali Series quickly followed to cash in on Lincoln's success with the Navigator. Much like the Cadillac Escalade would do, the Navigator found a niche with celebrities and the customized SUV scene.
The 1998 Navigator was introduced in August 1997 as Lincoln's first sport utility vehicle (SUV) with seating for up to eight people. The Navigator was based directly on the Ford Expedition, which was introduced the year before, but was positioned to be a new luxury choice in the then-growing full-size SUV market segment, with more features and an upscale design. Though the Navigator's exterior bears resemblance to its Expedition cousin at a glance, it differs in a number of ways, including different front and rear fascias with unique headlights and taillights, a chrome "waterfall" style grille, a unique hood, different style wheels, unique wheel arches, a different roof rack, and different door handles. Inside, the Navigator's humble truck roots could be more easily spotted as it had the same dashboard layout as the Expedition and F-150. However, the Navigator's interior featured upscale additions including standard leather seating surfaces, fine wood inserts, extensive carpeting, and greater sound deadening. Navigator was also developed under the program code name UN173, with the Expedition developed under the UN93 program code name.
In terms of other features, Navigators were equipped with things such as dual front-side airbags, four wheel anti-lock disc brakes, a four-speaker premium audio system with AM/FM-cassette radio, automatic climate control, a wood- and leather-trimmed steering wheel with redundant audio and climate controls, "captain's chair" front bucket seating, power driver and passenger seats, first- and second-row floor consoles, an overhead console (with map lighting and electronic information displays), power windows, power door locks, power heated mirrors, remote keyless entry, illuminated running boards, automatic headlights, foglights, and 16-inch alloy wheels. Upscale options included a power moonroof, a universal garage door opener, an electrochromic rearview mirror (which filters out headlight glare from other vehicles behind the Navigator), a seven speaker, 290-Watt audio system with a six-disc front console-mounted CD-changer, rear seat audio controls, and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Underneath its luxury appointments, the Navigator was mechanically similar to the Expedition. Both were full-size, rear-wheel drive body-on-frame SUVs with a short-long arm (SLA) independent front suspension and live axle rear suspension. The Navigator differed slightly compared to the Expedition featuring a load-leveling air suspension with tuning for enhanced ride comfort. Two-wheel drive was standard on the Navigator with the available ControlTrac 4-wheel drive system offered as an option. ControlTrac initially included four modes: 2 High, Auto, 4 High (lock) and 4 Low (lock). The 2 High mode was dropped for the 1999 model year. The Navigator initially shared the same 5.4 L SOHC V8 as the Expedition, which made 230 hp (170 kW) at 4250 rpm and 325 lb·ft (441 N·m) of torque at 3000 rpm. Likewise, the Navigator shared the same 4R100 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive as the Expedition. The rear axle ratio of the Navigator, whether it was two-wheel or four-wheel drive, was 3.73:1. With a base curb weight of well over 5,000 lb (2,300 kg), the Navigator wasn't particularly fast off the line. A four-wheel drive model tested by Motor Trend magazine that weighed in at 5,557 lb (2,521 kg) could accelerate from zero to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 10.3 seconds and complete a quarter mile (~400 m) in 17.7 seconds at 78.7 mph (126.7 km/h). However, the same Navigator came with a useful towing capacity of 7,700 pounds (3,500 kg).
No comments:
Post a Comment