Another shot in Mercury's arm will be the Montego that will be officially revealed at the upcoming Chicago Auto Show. It's a large, all-wheel drive sedan based on the new Ford Five Hundred.
 |
| Lincoln Mercury President Darryl Hazel explains the features of the 2005 Lincoln Mark LT full-size pickup truck. This is Lincoln's second attempt to launch a luxury pickup following the sales failure of the Blackwood. (Photo: Joe Cabadas, Canadian Auto Press) |
"At the end of 2003 with the new Aviator, the new Navigator and redesigned LS and Town Car, Lincoln had its first year-over-year sales increase since 2000," O'Connor said.
Adding to Lincoln's excitement, the Mark LT will move from concept to production in 2005 at the new Dearborn Truck Plant, and the Aviator will be revised from a sport-ute based off of the Explorer/Mountaineer platform to a crossover sharing architecture with the new Ford Freestyle, while an entry-level, front-wheel drive car will be introduced within a year.
 |
| "By the end of '05, we will have seven Mercury products in our showrooms--the most in the Mercury lineup in the past 36 years." (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada) |
"During the next four years, we will introduce 11 new Lincoln Mercury products and we're not done yet," O'Connor said. "By the end of '05, we will have seven Mercury products in our showrooms--the most in the Mercury lineup in the past 36 years. These products will allow Lincoln Mercury to connect with a much, much broader audience than they have before. Our new Mercurys will be special because they will give you more design and more comfort but all within reach."
Ford Group Vice President for Product Creations Phil Martens added that later this year, the Navigator be upgraded with a 5.3-liter, 3-valve V8 and 6-speed automatic transmission, which will give the SUV the feeling of "bottomless torque."
Return tomorrow to take a closer look at the new Mark LT, Lincoln's first real pickup truck.