The TACH Report: Lincoln and Mercury Offer More Power and High-Tech Features
24 November 1998
THE TACH REPORT; New Lincoln's and Mercury's Have More Power and High Tech Features. When the $44,000 Lincoln Navigator luxury SUV was first introduced eighteen months ago it was powered by a V8 motor putting out 230 hp but starting December 7 the segment sales leader gets a 5.4 liter Intech 300 horsepower increase to a needed and impressive 300 ponies.This engine will achieve LEV (low emission vehicle) status for 1999. According to Jim O'Sullivan, Group Brand Manager for Lincoln their customers are high energy achievers who want unique styling and definitely want top performance and power. The hp increase makes Navigator the most powerful SUV is the luxo group which includes Land Rover and Lexus. Driving this big boat through the hills and dales of Northern California gave one a feeling of complete confidence and invincibility. The vehicle is impressive inside and out what with every control imaginable including Homelink, cellphone, dual weather controls and airbags all ‘round. The newest gadget in Lincoln's Navigator arsenal is the power adjustable brake and gas pedal unit. Now everyone can fit into the drivers seat of this big Sport Ute. Adjust 16 way seats to your liking (with memory) adjust the steering wheel and THEN adjust both pedals up to three inches up or down via pushing a button on the instrument panel. It really works. You can get a 4X2 Navigator for a sticker of $39,150 and the 4X4 starts at $43,160. Is this a hot seller ? LM has three shifts a day turning out Nav's and the line is down only for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Mercury Villager remains basically is unchanged on the outside except for the addition of some attractive paint treatments and styling cues/badges .Overall length has been increased by five inches. The minivan comes in three flavors;. Villager, Sport and Villager Estate. There is more room inside than last year and some controls have been repositioned to improve convenience plus two new dual cupholders have been added. The cargo area has been redesigned with picnics and tail gate parties in mind as an adjustable shelf/table has been added for lunching convenience. One of the features we found to be really attractive for 1999 is the addition of ``Travelnote'' and ``HomeLink'' Travelnote is a voice recorder built into the driver side sun visor that can record three minutes of messages at the touch of a button...street addresses, phone numbers, directions, whatever. Homelink operates three remote transmitters. Mercury Villager prices start at $22,295. The Mercury Mountaineer has been around since 1996 and while some think it may be just an upscale iteration of the Ford Explorer it has taken on a personality of its own and for 1999 this sport ute sports the ``Travelnote'' feature that we think will surely catch on with the aftermarket crowd. Montaineer has another FIRST tech-wise in that it has an optional ``reverse sensing'' system. Put the vehicle in reverse and you will hear a series of beeps that can increases in frequency as the Montaineer gets closer to another car in the parking lot, shopping cart, bicycle, tree...until the obstacle is 10 inches from the rear bumper. Mountaineer's standard engine is a 4.0 liter, 210 hp V8 and has an optional five-liter. Not much else is new styling-wise for 1999 but some new colors do make this SUV stand out. It rides like...a truck. It IS a truck and as such does truck things. Rugged and dependable things.And yet its main appeal is to women drivers. Bill Maloney -- The Auto Channel