Body style: SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle)
Segment: Large SUV
Production years: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
27 Photos
In 1999, Ford built the first generation of the Lincoln Navigator to impress, and besides the Greyhound buses and semis, it was the most commanding vehicle on the road.
Ford thought that a luxurious SUV would attract new customers, and it was right. All of a sudden, all the other limos and expensive German cars looked caught off-guard and humiliated by the insane big Navigator. Lincoln's designers were not completely satisfied with the size. They had to make it look like a fortress on wheels.
The impressive chromed grille with vertical slats stood proud above the already tall-mounted front bumper. Maybe it was a plastic one, but nobody wanted to found out if it was hard or soft plastic. Under the car, a shield with a pair of "fangs" made the situation even more complicated for the humble, regular sedans on the road. On the sides, the carmaker installed a set of steps to ease the ingress and egress from the car.
Inside, the seven-seat premium SUV featured captain seats in the middle row. A pair of wide seats separated by a massive center console left a lot of space between the front occupants. The driver could see a full instrument cluster with six dials and gauges. The gear selector found its place behind the steering wheel.
Under the hood, Ford installed two versions of the same 5.4-liter V-8 engine paired to a standard four-speed automatic transmission. Lincoln built the Navigator with either a rear-wheel-drive or a 4x4 on-demand system.