When Lincoln dropped the massive (and massively opulent), gull-winged Navigator concept last year, nobody really expected Ford's fancy side to keep most of those styling elements for the production version. But the 2018 Navigator is upon us, and Lincoln clearly went with the "shock and awe" route.

The front end is nearly a shot-for-shot remake of the concept, with very pronounced headlights and a nose that looks like it lost a fight with a brick wall. That grille is incredibly imposing, which makes sense, since the Navigator has always been Lincoln's biggest and baddest brute.

The rear end makes a few more changes, with a clear delineation between reverse and brake lights (silly government regulations), but it retains the cute little spoiler coming off the roof. Nearly everything else is the same, as well, from its wraparound window design to the wavy wheels, albeit wrapped in slightly larger tires.

Stylistically, the Navigator's interior is pretty close to the concept, as well. There's a massive screen in place of a gauge cluster, and another massive screen taking up infotainment duties. There's plenty of physical switchgear, which older buyers (and I) will undoubtedly enjoy. It's actually quite pleasant, and a bit more conservative than the exterior.

Under the hood lies a 3.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 good for 450 horsepower. It's mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive is likely standard, but Lincoln did not say. There's a chance the base model could be rear-wheel drive, since it's based on the new F-150 frame, which can handle either drivetrain configuration. As before, it will be offered with two different wheelbases, but the long-wheelbase Navigator L won't be out for a little while longer.

Exterior tech includes LED puddle lamps, laminated front and side glass, as well as speed-dependent adaptive lighting, which narrows the light beam as the car accelerates to reduce glare, offering increased visibility at low speeds around town. There are also inclination and intrusion sensors, for a bit of extra safety when away from the vehicle.

It's much fancier than the Expedition with which it shares a frame. There's a far great split between the two this time around.


Since the Navigator shares its platform with the 2018 Ford Expedition, it carries much of the Expedition's in-car tech, too. Sync 3 is standard, and it includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There are six USB ports across all three rows, along with four 12-volt outlets and a 110-volt plug, as well as a wireless phone charger up front. There's also a head-up display available.

An optional rear-seat entertainment system offers streaming from Android devices. For internet junkies, an embedded 4G LTE modem begets a Wi-Fi hotspot capable of handling up to 10 mobile devices at once.

Don't worry -- there are plenty of fancy Lincoln-only touches in here, too. The front seats are Lincoln's Perfect Position Seats, which debuted on the Continental and offer 30-way adjustability. There's also an optional 20-speaker Revel II sound system, which can mimic the experience of being in the audience at a concert hall.

And, because it's Lincoln, expect there to be several super-posh upgrades from its in-house Black Label department. The Navigator you see here features several of those touches.

The 2018 Lincoln Navigator will bow at the 2017 New York Auto Show, but pricing and availability are still TBD.

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