Lincoln Pulls Back the Covers on '07 Aviator

[BMWDave]

REVEALED: Lincoln Pulls Back the Covers on '07 Aviator
Date Posted 10-27-2005

DEARBORN ? Lincoln has released the first official photo of its all-new 2007 Aviator. The next-generation Aviator, which makes its debut in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, has a passenger-car base, unlike the current Aviator, which shares its underpinnings with the Ford Explorer.

The new Aviator was first seen earlier this year in concept form at the New York show. It will continue to be positioned below the Navigator in size and price.

A companion to the new Ford Edge, the '07 Aviator borrows heavily from the basic architecture of the Mazda 6 and will share some components with the new 2006 Lincoln Zephyr sedan. Power will come from a new twin-cam 3.5-liter V6 tuned to deliver about 250 horsepower. It will be mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Front-wheel drive will be standard, with all-wheel drive available as an option. Both the Edge and the Aviator will be assembled in Oakville, Ontario.

What this means to you: Lincoln's Lexus fighter will rely heavily on Mazda underpinnings.

[TBR]

Don't care for the design of the back anyway. And, 250hp seems a little weak.

[Secret Chimp]

Don't care for the design of the back anyway. And, 250hp seems a little weak.

Probably didn't want to nail fuel economy in the ass by using more-than-adequate power.

[giant_mtb]

It's too cute.  

[ifcar]

250 is fine with a good engine behind it. An RX330 makes only 223, and you don't see complaints about its power, and I'm looking at the RX as the biggest competitor in the 5-passenger upscale SUV market.  

[giant_mtb]

250 HP is more than enough for daily driving, even in an SUV.  At least in my experience...and that's considering there's two SUV's in my family with less than 250 HP, and they do perfectly fine on the roads.

[ifcar]

But they're not priced well over $30,000, where standards are higher.  

[TBR]

My concern is that the Rav4 has more, which means the RX will be getting 260-270hp when it is redesigned. Same with the MDX.

[cozmik]

The pic there is fugly. It's like an odd cross between a B9, an XC90, and a beetle (like a real beetle, not the car).

[ifcar]

My concern is that the Rav4 has more, which means the RX will be getting 260-270hp when it is redesigned. Same with the MDX.

250 should be sufficient if the engine is as good as the hype suggests. The RX330 will undoubtedly soon become the 268-hp RX350, but performance figures still up in the air.

[TBR]

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens. But, I do know this much, the 3.5l had better be a better engine than the 3.0l is or Ford is in a pickle.  

[ifcar]

It would be hard for it not to improve. Another half-liter of displacement, another 47 horsepower, and a newer design couldn't make it anything but better.  

[Catman]

Actually, it's not too bad at all. B)  

[JYODER240]

I admire the design, its a little ackward, but at least it isn't bland like a RX330 or MDX.

[Colonel Cadillac]

Looks fine to me, and 250HP seems perfectly adequate. I wouldn't be too surprised if it handled decently too.  

[Catman]

The shape is far more attractive than the Lexus IMO.

[thewizard16]

The shape is far more attractive than the Lexus IMO.

Really? I thought the opposite, but I rather like the side profile of the RX.

[ifcar]

I like the RX's front end, but the hatchback-on-steroids profile and the giant Altezza taillights ruin the overall look IMO.  

[Raza]

I get a lot of Tribeca in the shape.  Anyone else?  

[ifcar]

Not seeing any Tribeca.

[Catman]

Not seeing any Tribeca.

The silouette and wheel well arches are very similiar.  As is the lower blacked out sills and lower bumpers.  

[ifcar]

It doesn't look as though the Aviator will have the same downward slope of the roofline near the back of the car. The rear is also cleaner, has a taller bumper, and a shorter overhang.

[Catman]

Of course there's differences but there is also alot of general similarities.

[ifcar]

I don't even see similarities in the basic shape. The windowline is entirely different, the rooflines are different, and the profile seems to be quite different towards the rear. Not to mention slab-sided vs. edgy.  

[Catman]

I don't even see similarities in the basic shape. The windowline is entirely different, the rooflines are different, and the profile seems to be quite different towards the rear. Not to mention slab-sided vs. edgy.

That's fine iffy, you're allowed to feel that way.  

[giant_mtb]

I agree with Catman...I see quite a bit of resemblance between the two.

[crv16]

I like the RX's front end, but the hatchback-on-steroids profile and the giant Altezza taillights ruin the overall look IMO.

I agree.

The new Aviator has a much better appearance.

[ifcar]

New spy shots:



http://www.thecarconnection.com/Enthusiast...S178.A9431.html

[ichi_ban1]

I'll be interested to see how this one does and Ford's further plans to help Lincoln out.

[TBR]

The interior looks pretty nice.