Detroit Auto Show: Lincoln Navicross Concept Unveiled

DETROIT, Jan. 6, 2003; The Lincoln Navicross concept vehicle is a breakthrough all-conditions sport sedan that shatters the accepted car, crossover and sport utility vehicle paradigms. Designed to be visually striking, dynamically engaging and uniquely practical, Navicross creates an all new, yet unnamed industry niche.

The Lincoln Navicross represents the next step in applying the Lincoln design DNA -- a process that began with the Lincoln MK9 concept in 2001 and, a year later, the Lincoln Continental show car.

By developing the design DNA through concepts, Lincoln is transforming its products, first by applying their influence in new Lincoln interior designs. Beginning with new 2002 and 2003 products, Lincoln has tripled its investment in interior design. Elements of the show cars are found in today's world- class interiors of the Lincoln Aviator and Navigator.

"Navicross demonstrates that the Lincoln vision can be both restrained and dramatic, providing an emotional and compelling outlook on the future of Lincoln's product range," says Gerry McGovern, design director, Lincoln Mercury. "We've shown how our interior designs translate into production. Through our concepts, our design DNA will continue to redefine the Lincoln brand inside and out."

Lincoln Showroom

The Navicross design exercise is intended to further develop the Lincoln design DNA and to explore what a uniquely Lincoln crossover vehicle could look like, while testing consumer reaction to a potentially groundbreaking new luxury market sector.

Navicross is a modern product that suits the demands and desires of today's consumers and their active lifestyles.

Lincoln has completely revamped its lineup with the all-new 2003 Navigator, redesigned 2003 Town Car sedan and LS sports sedan, and the all-new 2003 Aviator. Navicross is a signal of a near future vision for the brand. Lincoln will expand its lineup and further explore its design DNA as it introduces more new products later in the decade.

New Segment

Defining Navicross with traditional vehicle segment descriptions is difficult because it is designed neither as a sport coupe, sport sedan, nor a sport utility, yet serves many of the purposes of all three. The Navicross is based on a modified Lincoln LS platform and deploys a full-time all-wheel- drive system with an adaptive traction control system. The sedan has coupe looks with center opening B-pillarless rear doors.

"We started with an advanced vehicle architecture that delivers the 'sport' that we were looking for in dynamics," says McGovern. "Then we sectioned to achieve the right proportions and gave it the stance that defines it as indefinable. We're not only testing the industry's definitions, we're stretching the luxury envelope."

Navicross has a similar size and shape to that of a sport sedan combined with a sport wagon with the ground clearance and breakover angles of a sport utility vehicle. It defies classification as a typical crossover vehicle because of sportier proportions and a unique "three-box" silhouette shaped like none of the people-hauler-purposed crossovers currently on the market.

Navicross Design

The Navicross has a strong, solid, elegant, enduring exterior design that is unmistakably Lincoln. Dramatic proportions and overall architecture convey the strong stance and poise of the Navicross. Elegantly defined wheel arches balance subtle body side surface features. Large 20-inch wheels clad with all-terrain tires fill the wheel wells, giving Navicross increased ride height and functionality.

Form and function coexist and complement each other throughout the design. While remaining all-terrain ready, the Navicross design is meant to be sensual and emotional in its surface language. Elegant and graceful upper bodylines make the Navicross look lively yet sophisticated. The pillarless center- opening doors provide exceptional ingress and egress to the interior, allowing the car to have a dramatic and sporting profile and still provide superior access. The horizontal indentation with inlay which runs through the front and rear fenders further defines the body side's strength and muscularity.

The full-length body side brightwork frames the car's proportions and enhances its dynamic stance, as well as concealing the vehicle door handles.

"The brightwork is a modern interpretation of the near decadent levels of chrome that adorned the designs of the great luxury marques of the past," says McGovern. "This design pays homage to the sumptuous automobile art of another era in a distinctly contemporary fashion."

The Navicross further evolves Lincoln's signature front-end identity with its horizontal accent and the one-piece grille, incorporating a complex headlamp array using fiber optic ribbon and a remote "light engine." This innovation allows the package efficiency of the front end to be maximized, reducing overhangs to a minimum and keeping down the overall vehicle length.

Lincoln has a heritage going back 85 years, with a distinct product DNA.

"For Lincoln, overall exterior DNA is optimized proportion and stance, combined with elements of restraint and formality," says McGovern. "The interior DNA provides optimization of space, while being inviting and indulgent. Intuitive functionality is another key element. All of these attributes can be seen in the Navicross."

The Interior

Like the exterior, the interior is a characteristic evolution of the Lincoln design DNA.

Opening the doors reveals a ring frame made of high-strength composite materials, encircling the door opening to provide a visual cue to the integral strength and rigidity of the body structure. The door hinges are fully integrated into the frame, and move 90 degrees to provide maximum ease of vehicle ingress and egress. The interlocking center-opening doors provide integral side impact protection, and an integral rollover cage is designed into the vehicle supported by the door ring frame.

"Fully opening both doors provides a huge opening into the car's interior," says McGovern. "What one sees when looking into that opening is an interior that is both intriguing and inviting."

The interior theme is one of cleanliness and simplicity. A symmetrical instrument panel and doors are an important part of Lincoln's heritage. The overall form emphasizes the strength and power of the vehicle and its all- terrain capability. Its attitude is both sporty and rugged.

"A luxury interior must be comfortable, precisely executed and sophisticated, " says McGovern. "The Navicross achieves this balance through sumptuous aniline leather seating, exquisite hair-on-hide door panels and an exploration of the latest technologies in materials, screens, voice-activated systems, solar roof panels and fiber optic lighting."

Navicross will deliver a superior sensory experience. Switchgear is kept to an absolute minimum in the cockpit. Two large interactive, organic light- emitting diode (LED) reconfigurable viewing screens are featured on the instrument panel, an evolution of the Continental concept car's high-tech organic LED approach seen in 2002.

Both screens have delicate graphics and utilize jewel-like details for bezels and needles. The screen in front of the driver displays vehicle instrumentation including speedometer, tachometer and fuel level. The passenger side panel is designed to provide telematics and Internet access for such things as weather and stock exchange updates and concierge functions such as making hotel and restaurant reservations. The passenger-side panel doubles as the display for the vehicle navigation system. Functions are accessible by mouse or by voice.

Other vehicle information, including settings of the THX-certified audio system and the climate control system, is easily accessed and viewed by a third, smaller screen on the center console.

The Navicross' hard-shelled seats appear to float above the vehicle's hardwood finished floor with the aid of a lateral structure which slots into the doorsill and tunnel, giving the rear passengers increased foot space. The interior gives the impression of fantastic interior space, as well as providing innovative stowage solutions.

The rear is outfitted with two individual seats with the option of the center section housing either a fifth passenger, a central armrest, a child seat, or an open space for more trunk-loading capacity. A sumptuous leather and hardwood lined trunk has various stowage options, including multi- functional attachment points for cargo.

Powertrain

Under the hood of the Navicross concept is a supercharged 32-valve 4.2- liter aluminum V-8. The engine powers a full-time all-wheel-drive system with adaptive traction control. The 5-speed automatic transmission has a manual sequential function, so a driver can manually shift through the gears by moving the shift lever up or down. The gearbox automatically senses driving style and road conditions for optimal gear shifting and performance.