Lincoln just revealed its new Aviator crossover that will take on luxury SUVs from Cadillac, Audi, and Lexus
- Lincoln revealed its new three-row Aviator SUV at the LA Auto Show.
- The crossover SUV will slot between the smaller Nautilus and the full-size Navigator in Lincoln's lineup.
- A robust, 400-horsepower V6 and an even more powerful 450-horsepower hybrid are on order.
The great American four-door luxury car is vanishing, but it's being replaced by SUVs.
That's an industry-wide trend, and Lincoln, Ford's revived luxury brand, is right in the middle of it. Lincoln launched a new Navigator full-size SUV for the 2018 model year, and it has a five-passenger midsize in the Nautilus, also now on sale.
Joining that lineup is the Aviator, a three-row midsize crossover to be revealed on Wednesday at the LA Auto Show. The name echoes an SUV that Lincoln sold in the mid-2000s.
"Aviator represents the very best of our brand DNA and signals the direction for Lincoln vehicles going forward," Joy Falotico, Lincoln's president, said in a statement. "It offers elegance, effortless performance and unparalleled comfort - a true representation of Lincoln's vision for the future."
The crossover will be available with either a 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 and a ten-speed automatic transmission or a gas-electric hybrid powertrain in the Grand Touring trim level; the former will serve up 400 horsepower, and the latter will bump that to 450 horsepower.
According to Lincoln, the Aviator's digital instrument cluster will combine the minimalist design that Lincoln has deployed across its new models with the ability to monitor various drive modes.
"In addition to Lincoln's five signature settings - Normal, Conserve, Excite, Slippery and Deep Conditions - two new modes are engineered specifically for Aviator Grand Touring," the carmaker said in a statement. "These modes, Pure EV and Preserve EV, allow clients to choose when and how to best use their electric energy, while an enhanced Excite mode maximizes performance."
Lincoln has combined nautical and aviation themes in its new crossovers, with the Aviator focusing on the airborne side of the equation.
"The connotations of flight are intrinsic in the lines of the vehicle," David Woodhouse, the brand's design director, said in a statement.
Several available design themes have been combined with a suite of in-vehicle technologies that strive to be more unobtrusive and elegant than what consumers might find in other luxury brands. The Aviator is also outfitted with advanced driver-safety-and-assist features, collectively known as Lincoln Co-Pilot360. Owners could enjoy adaptive cruise control for stop-and-go traffic, as well as collision-avoidance tech and parking assist features.
In another trend that coming to the industry, the Aviator also permits drivers to dispense with their key fob and use a smartphone to operate the SUV.
The Aviator will go on sale for the 2020 model year; Lincoln didn't announce pricing, but it will slot between the Nautilus and the Navigator, replacing the current MKT crossover, which stickers at about $50,000.