2006 Lincoln Mark LT: If you like it big
The good news about the 2006 Lincoln Mark LT pick-up truck is that it exceeded my expectations. The bad news is that those expectations were based on Lincoln’s previous brief but spectacularly unsuccessful foray into full-size luxury pick-up-truck-dom, the late, unlamented Lincoln Blackwood.That truck looked good, and if looking good were more important than being good, would have done well in the marketplace. As it was, the only thing that kept the Blackwood from being a bigger disaster than New Coke was that people at least cared about Coke.
Looking at the Mark LT, it’s evident that Ford learned something from the Blackwood calamity. Unlike the all show and no go Blackwood, the Mark LT is a real pick-up truck, really usable, based on Ford’s bread and butter, the F-150.
The impetus behind the Blackwood was clear. Lincoln dealers could use some of the cash that’s long been flowing into the pockets of Ford dealers selling the F-150, but buyers looking for a full-size pick-up with a luxury brand name had no choice but to move to the SUV-based Cadillac EXT. So, following the Blackwood’s flameout, Lincoln execs evidently had no choice but to rush this F-150 variant into production. I use “rushed” advisedly, because while not a failure, the Mark LT seemed to me much like a term paper put off and written during an all-nighter by a bleary-eyed student. It has its good points, but there are simple errors that a professor might circle with a nasty remark about carelessness noted in large letters.
Case in point: Lincoln says, “The Lincoln Mark LT is designed for customers who want equal amount of luxury and truck capability.” In that case, why is the driver’s power seat only half power? You can move it backwards and forwards or up and down, but the back must be adjusted manually. That’s not my definition of luxury.
Or take a look at the pick-up bed. If you want truck capability, including the ability to transport all kinds of stuff in back, that bed has to have a protective liner. My LT did not, and the scratches in the shiny black paint gave testimony to what happens when that liner is missing. I don’t know if the 2007 model will be different, but a liner was not listed as an available option in the press packet Ford gave me.
However, in the LT’s favor is that competition is lacking and this Lincoln is not priced outrageously in this marketplace. As uber-pick-up’s go, the LT is more likely to draw looks than the almost ubiquitous EXT (around here anyway) and comparably equipped, the price premium over the basic Ford product seems to be somewhere in the three- to four-thousand dollar range.
Who’d buy it? Don’t ask me. I can’t figure out who the people buying EXTs are either? Lincoln says the LT’s target customers are men in their mid-40’s to mid-50’s, but “great interest is expected among younger buyers who view their vehicle as a status symbol and spend their money on vehicles, vehicle accessories and sound systems.”
It sounds to me that Ford is hoping (wishing?) that the bling fairy that made its Navigator a status symbol with the hip hop generation will wave its magic wand again and the LT will ride a wave of music video-derived popularity up the sales charts. Of course, MTV rarely plays music any more and Snoop got the 300C, but like I said, what do I know? Lincoln Mercury President Darryl Hazel said, “This Mark LT is for customers who appreciate recognition and look for new ways to express their personal style. The Mark LT is their reward and it tells everyone that one self-assured person has arrived.”
Make that one self-assured person who likes chrome. I’d describe the LT’s look as exuberant. I’m sure there are others who would come up with another, less flattering word. But I actually like that. I think a part of Lincoln’s appeal is that big American brashness the brand exudes, and with Cadillac having gone sleek, angular Euro-chic, there could be a place for that brashness.
And all that chrome.
“Chrome provides the unifying sophisticated theme for the Mark LT with a hefty chrome band that wraps around the vehicle.” That’s the way Lincoln describes the LT’s exterior design, and your reaction to that sentence probably foreshadows your reaction to the LT. If hearing “chrome provides the unifying sophisticated theme” either leaves you rolling on the floor laughing or writhing in pain and desperate for a Garrison Keilor fix to heal you, this is probably not the vehicle for you. This Lincoln is straight ahead bold and dominating, it’s shock and awe, with us or against us. The LT does not traffic in irony.
From the Lincoln star anchoring the trademark waterfall grille in front to the chrome-enhanced rolled tip of the tail pipe, the LT has the coverage of its convictions. I could go on about the various Lincoln styling cues, but the overwhelming impression is that this is a big truck that looks big and intimidating and if that’s what you’re looking for that’s what it’s got and if it’s not what you want then go next door this is America and you’ve got choices and thank God for that.
Inside the LT is interesting, and I’m still not sure how I feel about it. It took me a while to get comfortable in the driver’s seat, but once I finally got it right, I had no problems. The LT has four full-size doors, and seats three in the back row. I wasn’t thrilled about the rear seats, never could get them comfortable for me, but space is good.
If you are using this as a family vehicle, remember the fact that it’s a real truck with high ground clearance so you’ll never get stuck in a storm on the wilds of Martha’s Vineyard means that getting up into the LT, even with the platform running boards, may not be the easiest thing for Grandma.
The interior cabin features what Lincoln calls “a modern design interpretation of the brand’s heritage with luxury enhancements such as real ebony wood accents, soft Nudo leather seating surfaces and an indulgent level of standard equipment.” I got very different reactions to the interior. Some people loved it, others found it cheesy. I kinda liked it myself.
The cabin was quiet. Your reaction to the ride may well depend on your expectations. Even though the ride seemed softer than the F-150’s, it was still a truck, still transmitted road imperfections, and as a high rider, certainly not a vehicle I’d associate with wild abandon in corners. For a truck, the handling was good and the ride comfortable, but you do need to remember this is still a truck.
My LT was the four-wheel-drive version, and though the 5.4-liter Triton V8’s engine puts out a measly (by comparison to the EXT) 300 horsepower, it felt powerful and certainly gave me all the power I wanted. Towing capacity is 8,600 lbs. (add 300 lbs. for the two-wheel-drive version). With the 4-speed automatic (room for improvement here) in my Mark LT, EPA mileage ratings are 14 highway, 18 city. You can fill the 30-gallon tank with regular unleaded.
The price for my LT was $47,110, including the $795 destination charge, up from the $42,700 base. Options included the platform running boards (a $250 must), side plates ($160), power moonroof ($995), 18-inch chrome (what did you expect?) wheels, a reverse sensing system and a few other items. Front air bags were standard, but side airbags were not listed in the available options.
If you wanted to spend more, you could add a rear seat entertainment system. If you planned on hauling large items, a bed extender is available to add to the capacity of the five and a half foot bed. Standard, by the way, is Tailgate Assist, making it easy to use the bed for Fourth of July tailgate picnics.
posted by Andy Mais @ 12:10 PM
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