The sleek lines of the David Woodhouse-penned Lincoln Aviator lend themselves favorably toward Lincoln’s newly clarified design language and line-up.
Lincoln is in the midst of important phase of transition and, have no doubt, it’s been a process that has moved slowly and responsibly. With Lincoln’s new Chief Marketing Officer Joy Falotico taking the reigns in March of this year, she is carrying and building upon a position that has shifted a good deal of Lincoln’s weight on the side of branding and design.
The true mark of a luxury brand is its commitment to the experience and product, and the 2018 Lincoln Aviator concept serves as a flexible canvas for those two things to manifest.
For Lincoln, this means simplifying the experience and product line-up first. No more alphabet soup: Lincoln has been returning to signature naming such as Continental, Aviator, and Navigator, as well as the new Nautilus.
Lincoln Aviator Concept 2019
The Aviator Concept is a refined design that features a slightly more toned-down visual than the hulking new Navigator. That’s not to say its weak looking. It’s detailed and special, incorporating thoughtful elements like sculptural “S” lines a high beltline, as well as application of Lincoln’s signature grille and infinity taillight.
The preview media saw was a plug-in hybrid edition, indicating Lincoln’s real commitment toward environmentally conscious vehicles. It visually takes cues from aeronautics, almost appearing to have wings.
It looks and feels fast as much as it feels like a proper SUV. It features Lincoln’s new interior design and debuts with three rows of seating. Wireless charging for devices, full cameras, and sensors plus a new Phone-as-a-key feature which may, paired with Lincoln’s iconic number-code unlock, finally mean no more key fobs. Perfect Position seats offering 30-way adjustability and massage capability, while flexible second-row seats can recline and slide forward for easy access to the spacious third row.
Of course, being a true luxury SUV, the Aviator is the model to come with Lincoln Co-Pilot360™, an advanced suite of standard driver-assist technologies including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot information system with cross-traffic alert, lane keeping system, reverse camera and auto high-beam lighting.
So, what does all of this mean for the longer Lincoln story? Well, Lincoln isn’t giving up on its cars. With the debut of several SUVs, Lincoln is not abandoning its car segment. I couldn’t get a straight answer on whether Lincoln would be getting an estate car.
