The Tesla Model X has it “Falcon” doors, but Lincoln may have just gone one better. The Navigator concept debuting this week at the 2016 New York Auto Show has many interesting features but, really, it’s all about those gullwing doors.
Of course, those doors, which span the front and second rows of what is a very large vehicle, almost certainly won’t make it to the production Navigator this concept previews. Lincoln may have helped invent the giant luxury SUV segment, but the current Navigator is a bit long in the tooth, so it could use a dose of style and tech from this concept.
On the outside, the Navigator concept adopts the new Lincoln front end first shown on the Continental. It’s also got the now-obligatory side vents, which are integrated with a nice crisp line running from the headlights to the taillights. Those taillights wrap around, just like on most recent Lincolns. And instead of running boards, the Navigator concept has steps that descend for easier access to the cavernous cabin.
That interior is more spacious than any production Navigator ever, Lincoln says. Some of the highlights include 30-way adjustable seats, and a “wardrobe management system that keeps items nice and neat. The driver gets a digital gauge cluster and center-stack display screens, and there are monitors for each of the rear-seat passengers. This land yacht has onboard Wi-Fi as well.
The engine charged with moving the Navigator’s considerable bulk is a 3.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V6, which produces “more than” 400 horsepower. It’s likely the same engine already used on the production Continental and MKZ. The current Navigator already uses one of parent Ford’s turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engines, the previous V8 engine having disappeared in the name of fuel economy.
The Navigator concept won’t go into production as is, but it likely previews a next-generation Navigator that will probably arrive in the next few years. The styling, twin-turbo V6, and infotainment setup all seem like items that could make it to production, even if those gullwing doors don’t.
