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With its massive torque, the Grand Touring model came out of stoplights like a steam locomotive. Indeed, the hybrid\u2019s general character differed little from its standard little brother, except that it sucked the world\u2019s oil reserves through a smaller straw.<\/p>\n
Flying low through the California wilderness, Aviator struck fear in slower traffic just like the chrome-caked grilles of Motor City yore. Of course, this being a Ford product, the grille these days looks more Bentley than Continental Cabriolet. Blue Oval designers have fallen in love with Brit designs of late. Fusions look like Astons, Mustangs like Mondeos, Explorers like Range Rovers \u2014 but it could be worse;\u00a0they could look like a Lexus.<\/p>\n
Besides, Lincoln is trying to inspire brand cred, so borrowing from gold-standard Bentley is shrewd.<\/p>\n
Design is just one part of a long journey by Lincoln that has culminated in the Aviator. Like the brand-redefining Acura RDX that was the spawn of the Acura NSX supercar and two design concepts, the Aviator is the most important Lincoln this century. On its back it carries the hopes of a new Lincoln generation.<\/p>\n
I like to call it \u201cBaby Navigator\u201d because the similarities to Lincoln\u2019s flagship are unmistakable: bling-tastic grille, tablet infotainment screen, luxurious graphics.<\/p>\n
But the significance of Aviator is more than skin deep.<\/p>\n
Along with the Ford Explorer, Aviator debuts a state-of-the-art\u00a0rear-wheel drive based architecture. The platform allowed Explorer to introduce the apex-carving ST model that I raved about in July. But Lincoln chief engineer John Davis makes clear that Aviator was the impetus for the new platform.<\/p>\n
The longitudinal engine layout takes Lincoln back to its rear-wheel drive glory days when land yacht sedans ruled Woodward. This being the 21st century, of course, SUVs are the new land yachts. But rear-wheel drive brings luxury cred \u2014 just ask European hits like BMW and Rover.<\/p>\n
Next to Bentley, Range Rover is Lincoln\u2019s (and just about everybody else\u2019s) favorite Brit with its saucy proportions, short front overhangs and loooooong roofline. The Aviator (and Navigator) has been to Rover school and has the sculpted bod to prove it.<\/p>\n
But unlike the truck-based Navigator, the Aviator sits on a more athletic unibody made of aluminum and high-strength steel that can cut some rug on the dance floor. It\u2019s not as athletic as the lighter, tighter Cadillac XT6 I recently flogged \u2014 but the Aviator is a far more comprehensive vehicle. I love the Cadillac’s design and handling, but it\u2019s just another ute in Caddy\u2019s lineup. The Aviator is Lincoln\u2019s masterpiece.<\/p>\n
The Cadillac raids the GMC\/Chevy toolbox for the workhorse\u00a0310-horse, 3.5-liter V-6. The Aviator starts with the aforementioned 400-horse twin-turbo V-6, and\u00a0\u00a0then goes to a different level with a hybrid asphalt pounder.<\/p>\n
Inside, Aviator brings in the Vanderbilt\u2019s interior designers.<\/p>\n
Ditching the old Lincoln\u2019s nice-if-dated vertical dash, Aviator\u2019s horizontal interior has more layers than a wedding cake. Acres of wood laid over stitched leather are\u00a0set off by delicious color combos like mocha and ebony.<\/p>\n
Class-leading 30-way adjustable thrones will massage you to jelly. Second-row seats are hardly second-class with their own climate screen and available console island. Roomy third-row seats are accessed as easily as pulling a tab, and \u2014 with the rear rows folded \u2014 you can\u00a0gaze up at the stars through the yawning panoramic roof.<\/p>\n
Which reminds me of my biggest Aviator complaint, the lack of a wow standard feature. The panoramic roof isn\u2019t standard. Why not? It is on a $38,000\u00a0Acura RDX. Lincoln\u2019s answer is,\u00a0you have to climb the price ladder to $60,000\u00a0before Audi or Volvo will offer you a 300-horse engine option.<\/p>\n
At $52,000. Lincoln gives you 400 horses standard mated to a class-exclusive 10-speed tranny. It’s good ol\u2019 American power at a good ol\u2019 American value.<\/p>\n
Lincoln has its own personality again. Open the driver\u2019s door and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra welcomes you with a chime. Dealers provide red carpet, door-to-door service.<\/p>\n
Will it work? Stay tuned. For this year\u2019s Dream Cruise, the\u00a01993 Lincoln Mark VIII coupe\u00a0qualified for its antique plates. When it debuted that year, the Mark VIII claimed dramatic proportions and a daring, wraparound interior. It died five years later.<\/p>\n
Now comes Aviator. It\u2019s not a coupe. It\u2019s a three-row ute aimed at the meat of the market. Motor City luxury is back, baby.<\/p>\n
2020 Lincoln Aviator<\/strong><\/h3>\nVehicle type: Front-engine, rear- and all-wheel drive, 6- or 7-passenger\u00a0SUV<\/p>\n
Price: Base price for standard V-6 model $52,195, including $1,095 destination charge ($83,540 Black Label AWD as tested); hybrid model $69,895 including $1,095 destination charge ($83,670 Grand Touring Hybrid AWD as tested)<\/p>\n
Powerplant: Twin-turbo, 3.0-liter V-6; twin-turbo V-6 hybrid mated to DC electric motor\/lithium-ion battery<\/p>\n
Power: 400\u00a0horsepower, 415\u00a0pound-feet of torque (V-6);\u00a0494\u00a0horsepower, 630\u00a0pound-feet of torque (hybrid)<\/p>\n
Transmission: 10-speed automatic<\/p>\n
Performance: 0-60 mph, 5.3 seconds (V-6); maximum towing, 6,700 pounds (V-6)<\/p>\n
Weight: 4,892\u00a0pounds (AWD V-6 as tested); 5,673 pounds (AWD hybrid\u00a0as tested)<\/p>\n
Fuel economy: EPA: 17 city\/24 highway\/20 combined (AWD V-6); Hybrid \u2014 400-mile-plus range<\/p>\n
Report card<\/strong><\/p>\nHighs: All-American value, power; good looks<\/p>\n
Lows: Pricey hybrid; standard adaptive cruise, please<\/p>\n
Overall: 4\u00a0stars<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Another Dream Cruise is in the books, and it was a glorious indulgence of 1940-1970 muscle cars and land-yacht nostalgia. For American muscle, the nostalgia is sweet because Detroit continues to lead into the 21st century with updated versions of the Corvette, Camaro, Challenger\u00a0and Mustang. But land yachts have always left me wistful because U.S.\u00a0luxury […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24120"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24120"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24120\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24120"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24120"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24120"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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