Trendy Lincolns show luxury zest

06 January 2004: Detroit Auto Show - The luxury division of Ford's US operations, Lincoln, unveiled a number of new cars at the Detroit Auto Show, which indicate a fairly radical view of the future of the luxury marketplace.

Lincoln’s next-generation Aviator SUV will "crossover" to a car-based platform. The medium-size utility vehicle segment is one of the fastest-growing premium segments in the industry.

"It’s our first-ever, car-based SUV," said Phil Martens, Ford Motor Company group vice president, Product Creation. "Aviator is evolving to meet customer demand."

Meanwhile, combining the functionality of a full-size pickup truck with the luxury automotive brand, the Mark LT will go on sale in early 2005. The car is derived from Ford’s latest F-150, America’s best-selling pickup for 27 years. It is powered by a 5.4-litre V-8 engine that produces 300 horsepower.

During the past decade, the traditional pickup truck segment has grown from 1.1 million to 2.3 million units annually.

The other showcar on the Lincoln stand is the Mark X, the brand’s first convertible with a power-folding, retractable, glass-roofed hard top.

Based on the rear-wheel-drive Ford Thunderbird architecture, Mark X features a 3.9-litre, 4-valve DOHC V-8 aluminum engine mated to a five-speed automatic transmission delivering 280 horsepower.

The focal point of Mark X’s exterior is a new Lincoln grille, while to ease ingress and egress, one-piece hinges on the inside driver and passenger doors move the doors forward and out to give increased foot clearance at the front compared with conventional hinges.

The fully powered two-piece glass roof is choreographed to stow smartly into the rear deck in less than 30 seconds without interfering with trunk space.

©2004 irishcar.com