Large. Imposing. Square-rigged. Bold. All apt descriptions of the totally redesigned 2018 Lincoln Navigator. After withering on the vine for years as it weathered refresh after refresh, Lincoln’s full-size SUV flagship was finally given the architecture and hardware it needs to battle its chief rival, Cadillac.
However, as impressive a redesign as it was, the new Navigator (unlike its predecessor) lacked one thing compared to Cadillac’s Escalade: a choice of body lengths and the ability to haul more cargo. Not anymore, it seems.
Earlier today, brand executives revealed the 2018 Navigator will appear in showrooms this fall with two body lengths. Yes, you can have your new Navigator and stretch it, too.
According to Automotive News, the extended-length version will go on sale at the same time as the stock Navigator, giving the Escalade ESV a run for its money. There’s no word on whether the new model will adopt the “L” moniker.
Measuring 221.9 inches from stem to stern, the longer Navigator gains about a foot in length. Buyers will notice longer rear doors, as the wheelbase has been stretched by 10 inches, while grocery-laden owners can easily access an extra 15 cubic feet of cargo space below the third-row seats.
“The extended-length Navigator reinforces our commitment to exceeding our client’s expectations,” said Kumar Galhotra, Lincoln’s president, in a statement.
Each bodystyle receives the same beefy powertrain — a 450-horsepower variant of Ford’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, generating a solid 500 lb-ft of torque. Managing all of that power is a 10-speed automatic transmission.
It’s important to note that extra length isn’t the only perk Lincoln has in store for buyers. In a brougham-esque throwback to the Disco Era land yachts of yesteryear, the Navigator’s interior seems ready for a sexy party. The automaker will offer a Black Label trim with the theme “Destination.” What does that mean for your eyes and rump? Well, Destination, which is inspired by everyone’s favorite thing — vintage luggage — will feature red Venetian leather and laser-etched khaya wood applique.
David Woodhouse, Lincoln’s design director, conjured up images of fine cigars and brandy in his description of the “rich and indulgent” Destination theme. If that sound too much like a fancy drawing room with books and meerschaum pipes and such, there’s two other Black Label choices sure to please the tennis-whites crowd.
Oh, this is great. The two themes are: “Chalet” and “Yacht Club.”
Your imagination is already running wild, admit it. While we know what to expect inside the new Navigator, the price affixed to the side window still remains a mystery. Pricing will be revealed closer to the model’s fall launch.
[Images: Ford Motor Company]
Brougham is back!
Gas prices are low, pickup sales are high, which means the extra large Navigator should be a big sales and profit winner for Ford.
The best interior I’ve seen in a new car in years. Full color-keyed burgundy leather, chrome, and wood? Yessss!
This is really going to give the Escalade a run for the money.
This.
Going by looks and specs alone, it sure should. The sound of the EB is sad, sad, sad compared to GMs V8s, but I doubt most customers in this class care. Length wise, it’s like the shortest, extended cab Raptor, so still shorter than most non reg cab F150s. And speaking of Raptor…. A Raptorized version of this, would be sick!!
That would be the expedition fx4 they just announced. Though it’s not going to out raptor the raptor.
Obviously the marketing types at “Lincoln motor company” have never heard of carling black label, a beer with all the prestige of PBR.
it would be hard to parody this brand, with such sophomoric names as chalet, destination, and yacht club.
There are many Black Label things.
Black Label things ranked:
1) Black Label Society
2) Armani Black Label
3) Johnny Walker Black Label
4) Navigator Black Label
5) Browning Black Label Knife
6) Hormel Black Label Bacon
7) Jim Beam Black Label
8) Black Label Coffee
9) Black Label Gun Holster
10) Carling Black Label Beer
11) Mountain Dew Black Label
1043) Cambozola Black Label Cheese
1044) Complaining about the name of the Black Label trim
Mmmm…bacon.
You forgot Armani Black Label….. Which probably resonates more with leather interior shoppers than all but Johnny Walker.
fixed.
The mere fact that you can assert there are 1043 black labeled things suggest that the label has lost any illusion of rarity or ability to command a premium.
Well I think Black Label Society first. Lincoln probably doesn’t want me associating Zakk Wylde with their products. Although, I think there should be a Lincoln Navigator Black Label Society Edition. Needs skulls, guitars, metal, and awesomeness.
Who?
Edit: n/m founder of the heavy metal band Black Label Society.
Hey what’s this URL box?
I could really dig a MKSDMF.
Dan gets it
No matter what name it has, you’d no doubt look for reasons to hate it.
First its a skanky beer, and that’s all you can think of. Now its just too common.
Wow.
Lincoln embraces what it is. Cadillac is ashamed of itself.
I guess embracing gussied up Fords is what folks want these days…at least when it comes to CUVs.
Beats gussied up handbags and ditto joe cups….
“Lincoln embraces what it is. Cadillac is ashamed of itself.”
Well said.
Hopefully the Escalade can keep the lights on for Cadillac while it pretends it’s BMW with the other way more important sedans that nobody wants.
Tell me, do you come with length?
A lot of SUV’s are based on car platforms. Take this platform and do a Town Car! Drop all the other Lincoln cars. It would be a good first step. Rebadge the Lincoln cars as Mercury’s. Oh, too late for that. You can’t make a too big SUV.
The floors end up too high for a sedan, no matter what you do, if you start with a truck frame.
I do wish someone would do a large BOF passenger car chassis again, though. Especially for the leeway it gives, for making a genuinely parade sized cruisin’ ‘vert, without worry about the lack of rigidity from cutting off the top. The world needs a version of those, for less money than what RR/Bent charges. Nowadays, the “wasted space” the frame entails, can just be stuffed full of battery for plug in hybrid use, hence shouldn’t be that big a deal.
Those front seats look extremely comfortable.
Uh, there has been a “Navigator L” on a 131-inch wheelbase for many years now. Look it up.
http://www.lincoln.com/services/assets/Brochure?make=Lincoln&model=Navigator&year=2017
Despite the brochure, the extended Navigator is still available.
Well, yes, the extended-wheelbase Navigator L has been around since the debut of gen-3 (itself a rehash of gen-2), or MY2007. The point the author is trying to make is that, up to now, FoMoCo hadn’t officially announced that the new one would have a longer version. However…Ford definitely showed around the new Expedition EL, so I figured at that point, there would certainly be an extended Navigator counterpart.
*Expedition Maxx
EL is dead
What a stupid name.
IMO the bones of the F 150 just seem to be better than the bones of the GMT base for the ‘Sclade. Look for the new hip thing to be dropped off at the private school, get groceries at Whole Amazon, or be taken from Vail to Denver Int. with Uber Black will be the Navi.
Sorry, Cadillac but better look for cheaper office space in Hoboken, you about to lose the market share for your only money-making product. Not sold on eco boost yet, but this market will not care. It would be great if the 6.2L was an option.
Are these even the “bones” of the F-150? Expedition and Navigator have had a unique frame with independent rear suspension for a long time now.
I had the current navigator as a loaner for a couple days and i gotta say, the 3.5 eb is a lot of fun in it. I’m not big on turbos either, not sure i really want to own one yet, but i didn’t miss the v8 rumble in the navigator while i had it. It’s quicker and smoother than something that size had a right to be through town. It was also as wide as most lanes, but that’s no biggie when I can just scoot by real quick.
An extended Navigator L has been available for a while, and if you go on Lincoln’s website and build a 2018 Navigator, it appears that the L moniker will continue.
Well, yes, the extended-wheelbase Navigator L has been around since the debut of gen-3 (itself a rehash of gen-2), or MY2007. The point the author is trying to make is that, up to now, FoMoCo hadn’t officially announced that the new one would have a longer version. However…Ford definitely showed around the new Expedition EL, so I figured at that point, there would certainly be an extended Navigator counterpart.
Ooooh…I want one. And I swore after the truck was paid off, never again a payment, but this might be an exception.
Agreed that this Navigator is a winner.
I was searching for “Lincoln Black Label” – which we have none of here in Denver, by the way – and found this site, which is headlined by a far better class of “stock photo of sales guy giving keys to guy and his girlfriend.” At least the salesman’s suit fits. That’s a start.
http://www.lincoln.com/blacklabel/
Only certain dealers that have gone so far as to improve their facilities and client experience get to carry the Black Label vehicles. We have only one of them here in Washington, but they are plentiful in Texas.
I like those retro-mod seats. Very Dr. Evil.
Wait, there’s still a Lincoln Navigator? I’m dead serious. I honestly didn’t know it was still in production.
I thought it faded away and succumbed to a handful of CUVs incorporating Lincoln’s creepy/ugly Darth Vader-esque look.
Of course its still in production, they refreshed it and replaced the old 5.4 with the EcoBoost a few years ago. Brand new ones can be most reliably spotted in a major city with livery plates, outnumbering MKT Town Cars. As far as I know the only 2000’s era full size SUV that has been discontinued would be the Hummer H2.
Nahh, you’re thinking of the Chrysler ASSpen being replaced with a whole lotta nothin’.
Hey, the Green Mile is on T.V…
“Dead man walking, got a dead man walking here, dead man, dead man walking…”
Just wait till they figure out how to sell the Pacifica as a Jeep.
CAFE compliance move. Lincoln needs to sell Navigators with a longer wheelbase to reduce the strain CAFE will take on the Navigator.
Yet another reason to repeal and replace the awful CAFE 2025 regime
A longer, roomier version of a large SUV is a bad thing? So much so that its a reason to repeal regulations to avoid it?
Is CAFE why we have a Subruban, too?
I’m all for pushing Obama-era regs to the side…like so far to the side they will fall out the window and hit Nancy Pelosi. But its hard to b¡tch about a big American SUV offering a bigger, American-er version.
So, still nowhere near the size of the old Excursion. A shame.
So I just configured one on Lincoln’s site and holy crap, I’m up to $103k! Navigator L, black label, 4×4, destination theme, rear seat entertainment (I have two kids), and coastal blue venetian leather.
I have a Yukon XL Denali with all options that I paid in the mid 60’s for. I’m not sure I’d spend another $40k for what amounts to a nicer interior and a little more power from an engine that sounds like a vacuum. For context, I’ve owned an EB F-150 and I currently own a Taurus SHO. So I’m all too familiar with the EB and compared to the 6.2L in the Yukon Denali, I prefer the soundtrack and linear power of the V8.
These will have to be lease specials because I doubt people are going to drop $100k on them. The Escalade can command those prices for a Platinum ESV, but Lincoln is just getting back into the game. I wish them luck.
Cadillac has not really been “in the game” for a long time either… they’re just better at “fake it ’till you make it”. Sadly, they’ve never really made it. I surely thought I’d see a LOT more XT6’s than I do. Nope.