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Lincoln Navigator wagon in new format acts nimble and strong
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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FRAZIER PARK, Calif. -- Cut the steering wheel to the left, then ease it back toward center through the apex of a tight turn for a smooth exit before swinging to the right into the next of a long series of switchbacks running up Lockwood Valley Road, a two-lane trace carved in the Sierra Madre Range of California west of Frazier Park.
Through curvy twists and bends we're prodding our vehicle to run this convoluted course at a quick clip in order to see how nimble it can be due to the new menu of facile mechanical features that include a rigid chassis, fast-response rack and pinion steering plus a fully independent suspension system.
And it shows us in wiggles through right-left-right chicanes on a deserted mountain road that it can dance like a sporty machine reinforced with powerful V8 muscle.
Obvious incongruity of this tango on a twisty route is that the vehicle we're steering is not some cat-clawed sports car but a rather tall and long sport-utility vehicle of full-size proportions and a capacity for multiple passengers and a load of gear.
The wagon -- fresh generational updated design for the 2003 Navigator, a luxuriously equipped sport-utility wagon for the Lincoln line -- executes each bend in the curvy mountain road with a pavement-hugging poise rarely found on such a big vehicle, much less one whose roots trace directly to a big pickup truck.
It feels almost sporty, so agile the posture and smooth the ride, yet Navigator has a nine-foot wheelbase and stretches for 17 feet and its vast passenger compartment carries three tiers of seats for as many as eight riders.
Launched in 1997 as a 1998 product, Navigator originated the class of luxury full-size SUVs. In original treatment, it dominated the segment with a 5.4-liter V8 engine and modes for rear-wheel and all-wheel traction.
A redesigned Navigator for 2003 looks vaguely similar to the original and extends the 5.4-liter V8 powertrain but in a revamped version with more power and torque applied.
Navigator's exterior body has been reworked with a new face dominated by a signature grille in chrome. Bold quad-beam halogen headlamps shielded by clear lenses flank the grille and high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps are an optional feature. Below, round fog lamps and tow hooks etch into the fascia.
Running boards at the bottom of the four side doors show a wider step surface. An air suspension system operates to drop the wagon by an inch in height with engine off to make entry and exit easier for riders.
Further, optional power running boards extend or retract with the opening or closing of doors.
In back, the aluminum liftgate offers optional power controls to raise or drop the slab quickly.
Peel away Navigator's massive chrome grille and crisp bodywork and you'll discover a new platform supporting the wagon with responsive new mechanical systems applied, plus a host of new features in a revamped cabin designed for luxurious motoring.
There's more room inside for as many as eight riders on three tiers of seats which include a third-row bench that folds down into the flat cargo floor for a slick disappearing act with push-button power controls.
New safety systems have been installed to guard the human cargo, including Ford's computer-controlled Personal Safety System that can instantly analyze the type and intensity of a frontal crash at the onset and react by deploying different safety devices in a manner appropriate for circumstances of the particular collision.
In addition, a new side curtain air bag system dubbed the Safety Canopy is standard for any Navigator, while those with four-wheel-drive stock as standard the sophisticated multi-phase Control Trac system that channels engine torque to whichever wheels need it most plus an AdvanceTrac anti-skid gizmo.
A new rendition of the truck frame underpinning Navigator measures far more rigid than the previous frame and forges a core element in the new version.
The platform is composed of single-piece hydroformed boxed rails in the rear for extra strength to support a suspension system rarely found on a truck-based wagon -- there are independent components suspending the rear wheels as well as the front ones.
Width between wheels was expanded to create a broader platform for increased stability, and the steering mechanism was switched to a rack and pinion device that provides more precise control and better feedback to the driver.
For brakes, a big disc mounts on every wheel and all tie to an anti-lock system, plus computer-controlled electronic brake force distribution and a new brake assist device that automatically applies full brake force during emergency braking to abbreviate the stopping distance by as much as 20 percent.
These structural and mechanical changes to Navigator revolutionize ride and handling traits.
Sole powertrain for Navigator is an aluminum-block 5.4-liter Triton V8 rebuilt with a new cast iron engine block designed for quieter operation.
It musters 300 hp at 5000 rpm, with the torque extending to 355 lb-ft at 2750 rpm and 90 percent available in the range between 1700 and 4700 rpm.
The V8 connects to a four-speed automatic transmission that shifts with quiet and unobtrusive manners. It has a high-gear lockout switch set as a button on the aft side of the console shifter stick so a driver may downshift with only the tap of a thumb.
Optional Control Trac four-wheel-drive traction system adds a control knob on the dashboard for dialing up a driving mode, from rear two-wheel traction to four-wheel high and low or automatic all-wheel-drive. For pavement ventures the system seamlessly distributes traction to wheels that grip, but when heading off-road the 4WD high and low modes lock the differential and apply torque evenly to all wheels.
Navigator comes with an extensive array of standard features in three variations labeled Luxury, Premium and Ultimate. Trimmings include glossy hardwoods, supple leathers and highlights in satin-finish nickel metal.
The second row of seats may be either two buckets divided by a console or a bench split 40/20/40 in sections with a smaller center seat that slides forward for a child to sit closer to the front row. Seatbacks of the third-row bench split 60/40 and fold separately, with the push-button power controls optional.
Expect the base price for a new Navigator in two-wheel-drive Luxury series to tally to $48,775 including a $740 delivery fee, with Navigator Ultimate and four-wheel-drive Control Trac pegged at $54,950.
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR Specs |
| Description: |
Full-size luxury SUV
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| Model Options: |
Full-size luxury SUV
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| Wheelbase: |
118.8 inches
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| Overall Length: |
206.0 inches
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| Engine Size: |
DOHC 5.4-L V8
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| Transmission: |
Auto/4
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| Drive: |
2WD (rear)
4WD Control Trac
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| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/ABS/EBD/BA/
AdvanceTrac
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| Airbags: |
2 (front)
+ 4 (side curtain) |
| Gross Weight: |
2WD: 7300 pounds
4WD: 7450 pounds |
| Towing Capacity: |
2WD: 8500 pounds, 4WD: 8300 pounds
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| Gas Mileage: |
2WD: 12/17 mpg
4WD: 11/16 mpg
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| Price: |
$ 48,775 to $ 54,950 |
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