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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.

Matthew McConaughey dusts off his Lincoln Lawyer jacket [w/videos]

Alright, alright, alright. Easygoing Texan Matthew McConaughey has enjoyed a career renaissance recently with critically acclaimed roles in Dallas Buyers Club and True Detective, and the actor has just signed a multi-year deal with Lincoln to become the luxury brand's spokesperson. The first ads starring McConaughey should hit televisions and the internet soon.
McConaughey's campaign has his pitching starting out with the company's pivotal new 2015 Lincoln MKC compact crossover. "Lincoln is an iconic, American brand and I like where they are heading with their transformation," he said in the announcement of the deal. The appears to be really throwing some money into these ads, too. Not only has it hired A-list talent in front of the camera, Nicolas Winding Refn, best known for Drive, is directing the spots.
Of course, this won't be McConaughey's first noteworthy ride in a Lincoln. Back in 2011, he starred in The Lincoln Lawyer, a legal thriller about at attorney would did business out of a 1980s Town Car. The MKC should certainly prove to be a much better driver than that.

High-tech, remote-controlled Golden Sahara II custom car going for auction

Imagine a vehicle with automatic braking, remote operation, self-opening doors and a big screen on the dash. You're probably imaging a Tesla Model X, but we're actually talking about a car called the Golden Sahara II, a custom car originally built in the 1950s, and it's going for auction at Mecum's event in Indianapolis. According to Mecum, this custom car started out as a 1953 Lincoln Capri owned by George Barris, the man who created the original Batmobile. He didn't have it long before it ended up in a crash that led him to use it for a major custom project. He teamed up James Skonzakes, known as Jim Street, to create and pay for the build. In 1954, the car was finished with wild body work, actual 24-karat gold-plated exterior trim and a pearlescent gold paint created from fish scales. It carried the name of Golden Sahara, and it cost $25,000 to build. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. In 1956, Street decided to invest a whole lot more into the car. He sent it to a shop in Dayton, Ohio where it was fitted with a myriad of high-tech features. These included a central control stick that could operate the throttle, steering and braking, push-button steering controls on the dashboard for both the driver and the passenger, a remote control for moving it slowly and for opening the doors. It had sonar antennae at the front for automatic braking, a TV in the center stack, a radio, a phone, and even a cocktail cabinet in the back and mink carpeting. All of these features were on display when Street appeared with the car on the TV show I've Got a Secret, seen above, as well as in a period news story in which Street's wife demonstrated the features including the light-up wheels and tires for turn signals. That clip is visible below. The total cost of the car, now called Golden Sahara II, was $75,000. Adjusted for inflation, that's nearly $700,000. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Eventually, Street stopped showing the Golden Sahara II, but he never got rid of it. It was recently found in his garage, and the car will finally go for auction in May at Mecum's Indianapolis auction. The car will be sold in unrestored condition, which looks to be fairly rough, but savable. It appears the remotes are still there, too. The car will be auctioned with no reserve, so it will have a new owner.