2006 Lincoln Mark LT Review

Big Rigging in a Lincoln

The Mark LT concept truck, soon to become a 2006 model when it goes into production next year, is Fords second attempt to launch a full-size pickup truck in its Lincoln Mercury division. The poor-selling Lincoln Blackwood, which was based on the old F-150 pickup, was discontinued after two years of production. Still, it didnt deter the company from trying again, this time off of the new F-150.

The Mark LT will combine Lincolns luxury features and the usefulness of the new F-150, OConnor said.

“The Mark LT has functionality which, for whatever reason, (the Blackwood) was designed with little functionality–it wasnt offered as a 4×4,” he noted. “Pickup drivers want functionality. So, its got a full bed and a full interior. Nothing is compromised in it and weve learned from experience.”

The pickup will be called a “Mark” because thats the name that Lincoln has traditionally reserved for vehicles that offer the ultimate in personal luxury transportation to its customers, added Lincoln Mercury President Darrel Hazel.

At the front of the Atlantic Pearl colored Mark LT concept is a chrome waterfall grille, with a Lincoln star that gets illuminated at night. It also has other touches of chrome on the exterior, from the shiny bumpers, to bright body side cladding that looks like “shining armor,” to the 20-inch spokes wheels, door handles and mirror caps. Even the trucks box has chrome rail moldings, a styling enhancement that is carried over to the twin exhaust tips.

The use of chrome gives the LT a look of “rugged elegance,” said J Mays, Ford Vice President, Design.

Based on the all-new F-150 architecture–meaning that it has a fully-boxed, hydro-formed frame that greatly stiffens the pickups ride while vastly improving its occupant crash protection, the Mark LT has the strength to act like a truck. Added to that will be a 5.4-liter, 3-valve Triton V8 engine offered in 4×2 and 4×4 configurations. With 300 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 365 foot-pounds of torque at 3,750 rpm, it has a towing capacity of 8,900 pounds, equivalent to a horse trailer or a small yacht, plus a payload capacity of 1,620 pounds.

With a 46-foot turning radius, the Mark LT makes a tighter turning circle than a Dodge Ram Quad Cab, though a Chevy Silverado with Quadrasteer would run circles around it (or should I say within its turning radius).

The Lincoln pickup will be equipped with standard four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, and standard electronic brake force distribution (EBD), which manages the brake force between the front and rear wheels to reduce braking distances, especially handy when towing.

The truck has a double wishbone front suspension to handle bumps with ease and a Hotchkiss-design rear suspension with outboard shocks for a softer ride without compromising its towing and hauling capabilities.

“It will a go anywhere, carry just about anything and fit in just about any garage,” commented Hazel. “So who will buy a luxury vehicle that can work as hard as this? People who own land, have big toys, and know how to work, travel, and play in style.”

And what about traditional Lincoln luxury? The LT prototype lavishly uses light color, anti-scratch premium leather on the headliner, steering wheel, seats, center console and door panel, while the flooring has plush sheepskin mats.

Textured aluminum accents divide the door panels and surround the climate control and audio controls on the center stack. Plus, to compliment the metal inside, the Mark LT uses Spinell, a highly translucent material as an accent material, to create a dark chrome-colored effect on the air vents, door handles, base of the floor-mounted shifter, the seat controls, and the Lincoln stars.

“White instrument lighting and classy detailing are everywhere you look inside,” said Hazel. The instrument panel gauges are black with white lighting and white numerals.

The front and rear seats use a French styled quilted pattern insert for the cushions and the head restraints, helping the passengers to feel like they are sitting in a comfortable chair rather than a truck.

But despite its many attributes Ford doesnt expect F-150 sales volumes, with a forecast of about 15,000 or so Mark LTs annually, OConnor said.

“Its not a huge volume, but its a nice increase in traffic to build a Lincoln Mercury showroom,” he said. “The market now is 50 percent car and 50 percent truck–granted a lot of different versions of truck. When you have 8 million units, out of which are 2.3 million pickups, the Mark LT is a nice addition to the Lincoln Mercury line.”

The likely candidates will be luxury buyers who want to make a statement, with big sales expected in Texas, California, and even Kansas City. It is probably not going to be used as a work truck, OConnor said.

For heavier duties Ford does offer the Lariat version of the F-150, which has been the upscale version to date. OConnor said that while there might be a minimum of “product substitution” (i.e. cannibalizing F-150 sales for the Mark LT) it will probably be at small levels because the Lincoln and Ford pickups will be in far different dealer showrooms.

Lincoln Mercury executives undoubtedly have their collective fingers crossed that the latest Lincoln pickup truck proves more popular than the ill-fated Blackwood. It should, but will it be a match for Cadillacs highly functional, mid-gate equipped Escalade EXT? That remains to be seen. It is entirely possible, that Lincolns more conventional approach will be even more acceptable in the luxury market. If the luxury brand is successful, expect top-tier full-size pickup copycats to join the fray.