2003 Lincoln Aviator Overview

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Features - Design Information - Specifications - Safety - Driving Dynamics - Photos

Source: Ford Motor Company Press Release

OVERVIEW

2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR OFFERS BEST SEATING, ROOMINESS, TOWING

The all-new 2003 Lincoln Aviator, the first mid-size luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV) from the brand that effectively created the full-size luxury SUV market, will offer consumers distinctive design and athletic performance, along with the most flexible seating, roomiest cabin and best towing capability in its class.

Aviator, which arrives in Lincoln showrooms in late summer 2002, is an important part of Lincoln’s growth strategy. It is one of four new Lincolns debuting in 2002 – and one of 20 new vehicles Ford Motor Company will introduce each year on average in North America through 2005.

“The mid-size luxury SUV segment is red hot. Aviator defines a new niche between car-based and full-size luxury SUVs,” says Lincoln Mercury President Brian Kelley.

“Lincoln’s near-term strategy is clear: Invest in the Town Car to retain our loyal customers, refine the Navigator and LS to sustain momentum with our new customers, and nourish the brand with new products, such as Aviator, for growth,” adds Richard Beattie, Lincoln Mercury vice president of Marketing, Sales and Service.

Aviator Brings the Luxury of Space to a “Crowded” Segment
Since 1996, SUVs have accounted for more than half of the total growth of the luxury vehicle market. The Lincoln Navigator – which also is all new for 2003 – has a solid 40 percent share of the luxury full-size SUV segment. The new growth is in the mid-size luxury-SUV market – where three-quarters of all luxury SUV sales take place.

Compared with its competition, the new Aviator has several distinct advantages:

Front-seat headroom and legroom are best in class, and no other mid-size luxury SUV offers a choice of bucket or bench seats in the second row.
Aviator’s standard third-row seat folds flat to the floor. Third-row legroom also is five inches better than the Acura MDX, the next closest competitor. Headroom is almost three inches greater.
An optional second-row 40/20/40 split bench seat combined with the standard third-row seat offers seating for up to seven adult passengers.
Aviator’s cargo capacity of 77 cubic feet is nearly identical to the segment leader, which is based on a minivan platform. The Aviator’s cargo space comes with no compromise to the class-leading passenger roominess.

Unmistakably a Lincoln SUV
The 2003 Lincoln Aviator was designed from the onset to complement the Lincoln Navigator, with its commanding presence and stance. The Aviator’s interior also takes its design direction from Navigator and embraces the same distinctive blend of Lincoln design cues – satin nickel, American walnut burl wood, premium leather and white light-emitting diode (LED) instrument lighting.

Highlights of the bodywork include:

A chromed signature Lincoln grille with dark argent vanes and large clear-lens, quad-beam halogen headlamps. A high-intensity-discharge (HID) headlamp system is optional
A secondary latch “presenter” slides out from between the grille vanes to show clearly how to open the hood after the driver pulls the release inside the cabin
Circular fog lamps are built into the front bumper fascia. The bumper beam itself is designed to align with passenger car frames to improve crash compatibility
The large, heated, power-adjustable side mirrors are portrait-shaped. They also feature a memory system, integrated turn signal repeaters and approach lamps
The liftgate is a two-piece design with flip-up rear glass that provides a shopping-cart-height liftover for small items, such as grocery bags

Interior color choices include a two-tone Light Parchment/Espresso or two-tone Medium Ash/Dark Ash. Exterior color choices include Gold Ash Metallic, Ceramic White Tricoat, Vivid Red Metallic (late availability), Silver Birch Metallic, Medium Wedgewood Blue Metallic, Aspen Green Metallic, Mineral Grey Metallic and Ebony.

Luxury and Convenience
Aviator will be offered in both two- and all-wheel drive configurations and two series: Luxury and Premium. All-wheel drive models are expected to account for 70 percent of total volume.

All Aviators include an impressive list of standard comfort and convenience features, including:

Dual-zone electronic climate control and an auxiliary climate control system for second- and third-row passengers
Heated, power-adjustable side mirrors with built-in approach lamps and turn signal repeaters
Standard power-adjustable brake and accelerator pedals and the Rear Park Assist system that triggers in-cabin audio warnings if an obstacle is detected when reversing
Six-way power-adjustable driver and front-passenger seats with power lumbar support and two memory settings for the driver’s seat, side mirrors, brake and accelerator pedals
AM/FM premium sound system with in-dash compact disc player, cassette player and secondary controls mounted on the steering wheel
Sound-blocking laminated front door glass and privacy glass for the rear doors, quarter windows and liftgate

Additional equipment on Premium models includes HID headlamps, heated and cooled seats, an in-dash six-disc compact disc changer and 17-inch machined aluminum wheels. Options include a power moonroof, a DVD rear-seat entertainment system and a Class III towing package.

A DVD-based navigation system, telematics, second generation AdvanceTrac (late availability) and a five-spoke chrome wheel will be available later in the model year.

Lincoln Driving Experience
Aviator builds on Lincoln’s new driving DNA, a series of dynamic and performance attributes common to the 2003 Navigator, Town Car and LS. Designed to give all new Lincolns a consistent, brand-specific “addictive driving experience,” the driving DNA is the result of a dedicated engineering team with rigorous methodology and fanatical attention to detail. Key dynamic and performance features include:

An all-aluminum, 4.6-liter V-8 engine that uses dual overhead cams, four valves per cylinder and variable-length intake runners to produce 302 horsepower and 300 lbs. - ft. of torque, while still qualifying as an Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV) under California rules
A maximum towing capacity of 7,300 pounds – 46 percent better than the V-8 powered Mercedes-Benz ML500 and 22 percent better than the BMW X5 4.4. Aviator can even out-tow some full-size luxury SUVs, including the Lexus LX470, which is rated for a maximum of 6,500 pounds
A five-speed automatic transmission that incorporates a high stall-speed torque converter and 3.73:1 axle ratio on all-wheel drive models for strong performance feel, particularly at launch. Two-wheel drive models use a slightly taller 3:55:1 gear
Four-wheel independent suspension with coil springs and monotube dampers, 17-inch wheels and tires and speed-sensitive, variable assist ZF Servotronic II rack-and-pinion steering
Braking is handled by four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock control and electronic brakeforce distribution. Large 13-inch (330 millimeter) ventilated front rotors are teamed with twin-piston calipers, while the 12.6-inch (320 millimeter) rear rotors have single-piston calipers

Aviators with all-wheel drive that are paired with the optional AdvanceTrac™ traction and stability enhancement system need only one wheel with traction to get under way because the two systems combined allow torque to be shifted side-to-side and front-to-rear.

Comprehensive Safety Features
Aviator provides the first measure of defense in emergencies: controlability. If a collision is unavoidable, a robust frame and a comprehensive portfolio of safety features help protect the driver and passengers, including:

The Personal Safety System^™, which includes dual-stage front air bags, safety belt pretensioners and load-limiting retractors
The Safety Canopy^™ side curtain air-bag system, which provides enhanced occupant protection in side impacts and rollovers
The new optional AdvanceTrac system, which provides drivers with an interactive vehicle dynamics aid that can help correct oversteer and understeer skids (late availability). This system also will add a new industry-leading technology that can reduce the likelihood of untripped vehicle rollovers

Another feature that will appear on Aviator later in the model year is a tire pressure monitoring system that will alert the driver when any of the vehicle’s tires – including the spare – becomes severely under- or over-inflated.

A Sense of Security
Numerous security features protect Aviator and its contents:

The SecuriLock^™ passive anti-theft system requires the use of a coded key to start the vehicle
A battery-saver feature automatically turns off courtesy lights if the vehicle is left unattended for a pre-set time
Laminated front-door glass, which reduces the transmission of wind and road noise into the cabin, also helps protect against smash-and-grab robberies

The Lincoln Commitment
All Lincoln customers receive the Lincoln Commitment, a comprehensive customer care and warranty package, which includes:

Four-year/50,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty
Three-year/36,000 mile complimentary maintenance (including wear and tear items)
Transportation and 24-hour roadside assistance
Emergency travel expense reimbursement
Destination assistance and trip planning services
A customer assistance center dedicated to Lincoln owners

Product information is available on Lincoln’s recently redesigned Web site, at www.lincoln.com/aviator. Closer to launch, visitors to the Web site will be able to build their own Aviator and submit their specifications to dealers in their area for a price quote.