2003 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR -- MORE LUXURIOUS, CAPABLE, REFINED

The Navigator, Lincoln’s first sport utility vehicle (SUV), effectively created the luxury full-size SUV market after its launch in 1997. The segment has grown to more than 80,000 units, and at the end of 2001, Navigator led the market with a 40 percent share. Lincoln’s strategy for the 2003 model year, which marks the Navigator’s first major redesign, is “more of everything.” Better ride and handling, thanks to a new four-wheel independent suspension, rack-and-pinion steering and a new frame.

New luxury and convenience features, including optional power- deployable running boards, power-folding seats in the third row and a power liftgate.

A refined new exterior and a new interior that mixes design cues from the 1961 Lincoln Continental with modern finishes and white LED lighting technology.

“The Navigator has significantly broadened Lincoln’s customer appeal and paved the way for new models such as the LS, Blackwood and Aviator by introducing us to a new generation of customers,” says Lincoln Mercury President Brian Kelley. “The new Navigator delivers more of everything that made the vehicle successful in the first place. It is more luxurious, more refined and more capable on and off-road.”

Design
Navigator’s design is distinctive and refined, both inside and out, and it includes a number of industry-first features and options that improve comfort, convenience and utility:

• An all-new interior mixes walnut burl, premium leather trim, satin nickel finishes and white light-emitting diode (LED) lighting to create a luxurious and contemporary cabin environment
• First-in-the-industry power running boards that quietly deploy a full four inches from the rocker panel when a door is opened, then retract automatically when the door is closed
• A power liftgate that can raise or lower the door in about 10 seconds
• All-new bodywork, except for the roof panel and front doors, that embraces the design of the first generation Navigator but with better aerodynamics, cleaner surfaces and a more dramatic stance

Ride and Handling
The Navigator team was able to balance ride comfort and very good isolation from noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) with precise steering and body control thanks to a host of major chassis upgrades:

• A fully boxed, hydroformed frame that is 70 percent stiffer torsionally and 67 percent stiffer in vertical bending for reduced NVH, particularly on rough and broken road surfaces, and improved steering response
• Four-wheel independent suspension, rack-and-pinion steering and 18-inch wheels and tires for improved ride, handling and steering precision
• Larger front and rear anti-lock disc brakes
• Powertrain refinements that reduce NVH, combined with better body sealing and the extensive use of sound absorbing materials, lower cabin noise levels to only 42 decibels at idle

Navigator will be certified to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s stringent Tier II rules one year earlier than required and it will qualify as an Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV) under California rules.

Package
Navigator’s combination of generous interior space, abundant storage and cargo room and innovative seating options surpass anything offered by Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Acura and Cadillac in their SUVs. Consider:

• No other full-size luxury SUV offers customers a choice of bench seats or buckets for second-row passengers
• Navigator’s standard 60/40-split third row seat offers a natural seating position with best-in-class head and legroom. The seats fold flat to the floor, and power-folding seats are optional
• Cargo capacity is best-in-class (eight-passenger models), and the 4x4 model can tow up to 8,300 pounds

Safety
Navigator’s well-balanced chassis, precise steering and powerful brakes provide the first measure of defense in emergencies: controlability. If a collision is unavoidable, a robust frame and a comprehensive portfolio of safety features help protect the driver and passengers:

• The Personal Safety System™, which includes dual-stage front air bags
• The Safety Canopy™ side curtain air bag system, which provides enhanced occupant protection in side impacts and rollovers
• A tire pressure monitoring system that will alert the driver when any of the vehicle’s tires – including the spare – becomes severely under- or over-inflated (late availability)

The new optional AdvanceTrac™ system provides drivers with an interactive vehicle dynamics aid that can help correct over- and understeer skids. During the 2003 model year, it will add a new industry-leading technology that can reduce the risk of untripped vehicle rollovers.

Security
Numerous security features help protect Navigator from fender benders, lockouts, dead batteries and theft. A major innovation is a new extended rear park-assist system that uses both ultrasonic sensors and radar, and is the first to take into account vehicle speed – rather than distance alone.

When reversing, it judges how quickly the vehicle is approaching an obstacle and bases its warning tones on the time remaining until the point of contact. A combination of two ultrasonic sensors and a hidden radar sensor improve accuracy and provide an effective range of up to 20 feet (6.1 meters).

Incomparable Luxury
For 2003, Navigator will be offered in both two- and four-wheel drive configurations and three series: Luxury, Premium and Ultimate.

All include an impressive list of standard comfort and convenience features, including:

• Dual-zone electronic climate control and an auxiliary climate control system for second- and third-row passengers
• Heated, power-adjustable, power-folding side mirrors with reverse tilt, built-in approach lamps and turn signals
• Two memory settings for the driver’s seat, side mirrors, brake and accelerator pedals
• AM/FM premium sound system with in-dash, six-disc compact disc changer and secondary controls mounted on the steering wheel
• Sound-blocking laminated front door glass and privacy glass for the rear doors, quarter windows and liftgate

Additional equipment on Premium models includes AdvanceTrac and heated/cooled seats. Options include 18-inch chrome wheels, a power moonroof, a DVD rear seat entertainment system, tire pressure monitoring (available later in the model year) and a navigation system.

Ultimate models include the power liftgate, power-fold third row seat and HID headlamps as standard equipment. All Premium-model options also are available. The power-deployable running boards are exclusive to the Ultimate model.

Half of all Navigator customers are expected to purchase an Ultimate model and a quarter of customers a Premium model. As many as 60 percent of customers are expected to purchase a four-wheel drive model.

The Customer
The first-generation Navigator not only fueled the tremendous growth of the full-size luxury SUV segment, it also succeeded in bringing new customers to Lincoln – customers who stay with the brand.

“Navigator customers tend to be very image-oriented, and want what is new today,” says Richard Beattie, Lincoln Mercury vice president of Marketing, Sales and Service.

• Some 60 percent of Navigator customers have been new to the Lincoln brand
• The median customer age is 50 years (48 years for 4x4 customers) – the youngest for any Lincoln and the youngest for any full-size luxury sport utility vehicle
• Half of sales are to couples and a quarter of sales are to families with children
• For 2001, 55 percent of Navigator purchases and leases were to repeat Navigator customers

The Lincoln Commitment
All Lincoln customers receive the Lincoln Commitment, one of the most comprehensive customer care and warranty packages available, which includes:

• Four-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty
• Complimentary maintenance for three years or 36,000 miles (including wear and tear items)
• Transportation and 24-hour roadside assistance
• Emergency travel expense reimbursement
• Destination assistance and trip planning services
• A customer assistance center dedicated to Lincoln owners

Product information is available on Lincoln’s recently redesigned Web site, www.lincoln.com. Closer to launch, visitors to the Web site will be able to build their own Navigator and submit their specifications to dealers in their area for price quotes.

Navigator will be built at Ford Motor Company’s Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne, Mich., and will arrive in Lincoln Mercury showrooms this summer.