Lincoln reveals the posh and powerful 2018 Navigator

Wed, Apr 12 2017

If you were a fan of the Navigator concept from last year's New York show, we've got good news. The production Navigator looks just like it. Sure there are subtle changes. The gullwing doors are gone, but no one should be surprised by that. A side effect is that it has conventional chrome door handles, too. The lower grille in the front bumper is a tad different, and the rear taillights are a bit thicker, but the overall look has stayed the same. That includes the tall, regal grille with a mesh consisting of Lincoln badge outlines, the side vents on the fenders, and those beautiful, intricate turbine wheels. On the top-of-the-line Black Label models, the Navigator gets an illuminated badge that lights up with the puddle lights when the driver approaches.

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Since the Navigator is based on the Ford Expedition, it's unsurprising that they're very similar mechanically. The Navigator has aluminum construction, and it's propelled by a version of the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 found in so many Ford products. However, the Navigator's engine makes an impressive 450 horsepower compared with the expected 375 horsepower from the Expedition. Those plush ponies goes through a 10-speed automatic transmission.

Inside, the Navigator stays true to the concept, and most important, shares essentially nothing with the plebeian Expedition. Like in the concept, the dashboard is low and wide and features plenty of wood and leather. The instrument panel is a configurable 12-inch display, and to its right is an upright, floating touch screen for infotainment. The buttons for shifting hang off the trailing edge of the dashboard, where a gap opens between it and the center console. The console houses the climate control buttons, and rises to meet the dash. Aside from the luxurious dash, occupants are treated to the Continental's 30-way adjustable front seats, which are heated and cooled. The interior should be whisper quiet as well, thanks to laminated front and side glass. This should allow passengers to better enjoy the available 20-speaker Revel II sound system even more.

Plenty of gizmos and tech are at the fingertips of Navigator drivers, too. One of the more unique tidbits of technology are the adaptive headlights. At low speeds, the headlight beam is very wide to illuminate objects or pedestrians on the sides of the road. However, at high speeds, the beam narrows to reduce glare from street signs. Ford's trailer back-up assistance camera and a heads-up-display further assist with driving the Navigator in a variety of situations. As for comfort and convenience, the Navigator also features not just memory settings for seats, but for the mirror, pedals, climate control, and entertainment with a feature called Personal Profile. Passengers will have plenty of access to power thanks to an array of USB and 12-volt outlets, and access to data thanks to the same 4G LTE hotspot found in the Expedition. It will allow up to 10 devices to connect. The Expedition's Slingbox compatibility will also be included.

Despite all of this information, Lincoln still has yet to announce availability or pricing for the Navigator. We know that the new Expedition will go on sale this fall, so we would expect the Navigator to follow closely behind, possibly this winter. Of course, the Navigator will likely have a substantial price premium compared with the Expedition.

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By Joel Stocksdale