2006 Lincoln Navigator on 2040-cars

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Lincoln recycling tree fibers into new MKX armrest

Want to hug a tree, or at least a really small part of one. Then set your arm down on one of those armrests in the 2014 Lincoln MKX crossover. The US automaker is working with Weyerhaeuser and Johnson Controls on a tree-based, cellulose-reinforced polypropylene material used in the component that connects the armrest to the floor console, Wards Auto says. With properties similar to plastic, the tree-based material replaces fiberglass and is about six percent lighter. No big deal for now, but if the material starts getting used for things like battery trays and interior storage covers, that loss in weight may eventually start adding up enough to boost fuel economy a bit, providing a green double bonus. Lincoln parent Ford, which isn't saying how much more (or less?) it costs to use the new material, established its Biomaterials and Plastics Research team in 2001. In 2007, the company began using soy-based foam in car seats used for models such as the Lincoln Navigator and Ford Mustang and has since broadened biomaterials use to components like floormats and cupholder inserts. Ford also used recycled plastic bottles from the 2012 North America International Auto Show for seats in the Focus Electric.

2020 Lincoln Corsair will be revealed at the New York Auto Show

It's official, the 2020 Lincoln Corsair will be revealed at the New York Auto Show this April. To go along with the announcement is a teaser video that, well, doesn't reveal much of anything except the crossover's name prominently displayed on the front fender. But we know a fair bit about the crossover from spy shots and prior announcements. The Corsair is the successor to the MKC, Lincoln's smallest crossover, which is also based on the Ford Escape. We expect that it will continue to be based on the Escape, albeit the completely redesigned one that hasn't yet been revealed. That also means powertrains will probably be shared, but the Lincoln might get one or two model-specific powertrains like with the Lincoln Aviator. Reportedly, the new Corsair will feature turbocharged 2.0-liter and 2.3-liter four-cylinder engines along with a plug-in hybrid. Spy shots have revealed that the Corsair will have styling closely related to that of the larger Aviator. That means a floating roof, more broad-shouldered nose, and large amounts of glass. The inside is also inspired by the Aviator and Navigator and features piano-key shift buttons, a low, wide dash and a healthy amount of chrome. 2020 Lincoln Corsair spied View 16 Photos

Lincoln Navigator facelift only has to last until 2016 replacement

The Navigator is not only Lincoln's longest-serving nameplate - dating back to 1998 when the final Town Car was introduced - but it's also the oldest model still in the brand's portfolio. The current Navigator arrived on the market in 2007, and underwent a refresh just a few months ago for the 2015 model year. The updates were subtle, but if you're waiting for an all-new model, it's just a couple of years down the road.
According to Automotive News, Lincoln is already working on an all-new replacement for the current, long-serving Navigator, which will be revealed two years from now in the middle of 2016 as a 2017 model. At that point, we're expecting it could switch (alongside the Expedition) to the new aluminum architecture introduced on the Ford F-150, seeing as how the current model is based on the old F-150.
In the meantime, the refreshed Navigator ditches the big 5.4-liter Triton V8 in favor of a more economical 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, and wages war in two wheelbase lengths against the V8-powered competition in the form of the Cadillac Escalade (and Escalade ESV), the Land Cruiser-based Lexus LX and the Infiniti QX80, which is based on the overseas Nissan Patrol.