HALF MOON BAY, Calif. — Lincoln confirmed today in a meeting of its top dealers that the next all-new product in the transformation of the brand will be the 2003 Lincoln Aviator.
"The Lincoln Aviator will bring together all of the elements we believe define American Luxury: Balance and composure on the road, indulgent comfort and distinctive design," says Lincoln Mercury President Mark Hutchins.
The 2003 Lincoln Aviator, which will go into production in the summer of 2002, will be a sport utility vehicle built on a 113.7-inch wheelbase, and it will have an advanced dual overhead cam, four-valve V-8 engine, a sophisticated four-wheel independent suspension and available all-wheel drive. It also will be an ultra-low emissions (ULEV) vehicle.
The Aviator will have flexible seating for up to seven people who will be ensconced in a comfortable and indulgently luxurious cabin that will blend traditional materials and modern finishes to create a warm, but contemporary environment.
Lincoln's newest products have been extremely successful in broadening the brand's appeal beyond its traditional stronghold in the traditional luxury segment.
Fully 70 percent of customers for the Lincoln Navigator sport utility vehicle, which was introduced as a 1998 model, and 60 percent of customers for the Lincoln LS luxury sports sedan, which was introduced as a 2000 model, had never owned a Lincoln before. In addition, the median age for these customers is in the mid-50s — substantially lower than the median age of Lincoln's customers in the traditional luxury segment, which is in the mid-60s.