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Mustang parts under the new Lincoln Aviator mean good things for Ford

NEW YORK — As we mentioned last night, underneath the new Lincoln Aviator "concept" there appears to be an independent rear suspension lifted right from the Ford Mustang parts bin. And while it's pretty cool on its face that Mustang rear-drive platform bits are being reused in the broader Ford universe, what this means for the next Explorer could be really cool. A quick caveat: The Aviator here in New York is very close to the production version, but it's not technically a production car. It looks hand-built, with temporary exhaust and some show-car touches. The suspension underneath looks exactly like a Mustang's, but the actual production Aviator will almost certainly use beefier components with the same basic design and geometry, since the Aviator will be much heavier than the smaller Mustang. That being said, we're fairly confident that even at this early stage, the Mustang-derived suspension seen in New York is a preview of what'll be under the production Aviator. Furthermore, Ford won't say it, but based on what we're seeing on Aviator, it's a safe bet that Ford will utilize the Aviator platform for the next Explorer. That would enable the economies of scale necessary to produce a brand new rear-drive-based SUV platform in the first place. It also means that the Explorer should be available without AWD — and given the stable of powerful EcoBoost engines, and the competent 10-speed automatic in the parts bin, a rear-drive Explorer has a shot at being a decent driver. Aviator wouldn't go rear-drive-based if driving dynamics weren't important; Explorer should inherit these priorities. More evidence: The Explorer spy shots we saw back in February sure share the Aviator's general proportions. Even back then, before Aviator was revealed, we were hypothesizing that an EcoBoost 3.5-liter-powered version could boast as much as 400 horsepower, if the Expedition's tune were adopted. Suddenly, the Explorer seems very interesting. So, an EcoBoost, rear-drive Explorer sure sounds like something Ford Performance would be interested in, right? We knew an Explorer ST is coming, but with 365-400 horsepower potential and a chassis designed with dynamics in mind, it doesn't seem like as much of a stretch as the Edge ST. And a performance-oriented AWD system is a possibility, too. That's an area where Ford has been gathering experience at a rapid pace. What do we not expect from a new Explorer? A V8.

Junkyard Gem: 1995 Lincoln Mark VIII

Except for a pause during the 1960s, the Lincoln Mark Series of personal luxury cars stayed in production from the 1956 through 1998 model years. These were big, swanky machines loaded with the latest in gadgetry and — other than the handful of 1984-1985 Mark VIIs with BMW diesel linline-sixes — they cruised with great opulence on American highways courtesy of powerful V8 engines. The very last generation of the series, the Mark VIII, boasted a spaceship-style interior, slick body lines, and a sophisticated dual-overhead-cam version of Ford's Modular V8 engine. Here's a 1995 in Deep Jewel Green Metallic paint, photographed in a Colorado self-service yard. I've documented examples of the Lincoln Mark II through Mark VI while performing my car-graveyard studies, and the Mark VIII's distinctive wraparound cockpit makes most of its predecessors look cheap and stodgy by comparison.  The four-valves-per-cylinder version of Ford's rugged 4.6-liter Modular V8 made 280 horsepower in the Mark VIII, just two fewer horses than the V8 in BMW's 840Ci coupe that year. The Mercedes-Benz S500 coupe had a 315-hp V8 that year, while the Lexus SC 400's V8 made a mere 250 horsepower. The BMW cost $69,900, the Mercedes-Benz had a $91,900 price tag, and the SC 400 went for $47,500 — the Mark VIII could be purchased for just $38,800 that year. That's about $66,300 in 2019 dollars. Of course, the Cadillac Eldorado coupe was the real competition for the Mark VIII in 1995, and the unfortunately-named ETC (Eldorado Touring Coupe) came with a 300-horse DOHC Northstar V8 (admittedly, driving the front wheels) and a dignified wood-trimmed interior. At $41,535, though, the Cadillac had a higher base price than the Lincoln. I think this one was pretty clean, prior to getting banged up in the junkyard, and 140,905 miles seems low for a flagship Ford of the era. Perhaps it got too many unpaid parking tickets, or maybe that complex DOHC engine developed some expensive problem. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Tempted? Featured Gallery Junked 1995 Lincoln Mark VIII View 17 Photos Auto News Lincoln Automotive History

Cadillac Escalade gets $5,000 discount to ward off Lincoln Navigator

General Motors apparently isn't going to let early good reception for the redesigned Lincoln Navigator steal thunder from its own luxury SUV without a fight. It's offering a $5,000 discount on the purchase or lease of the Cadillac Escalade this month to any buyer who trades in a 1999 or newer Lincoln model, Bloomberg reports. GM spokesman Jim Cain told Bloomberg the incentive is being offered to keep prices competitive for the Escalade. The 2018 Navigator starts at $72,055, compared to $73,995 for the Escalade, but the outgoing version of the Navigator is selling for an average of around $53,000, compared with more than $80,000 on average for the Escalade, he said. The Escalade was the top-selling domestic luxury SUV in October and No. 4 in the segment, according to Motor Intelligence. It far outsold the Navigator, which last saw a refresh in 2015 and a full redesign in 2007. But Ford is hoping to gain back some ground with the new Navigator and updated Expedition, which also trails the Chevrolet Tahoe and Chevy Suburban in its segment. Bloomberg notes that one Morgan Stanley analyst estimates that GM owns a $2 billion annual pretax profit edge in the lucrative luxury sport utility segment. Our recent First Drive review called the new Navigator "far superior to its primary competitor, the Cadillac Escalade."Related Video: