Kev-Mo Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 C'mon guys, give it a chance. The current Navigator is not exactly tearing up the sales charts, so it is time for a BIG change. Folks complain when the changes are not so drastic, like the Explorer, and now complaints that there is too much change. I think that all of us on this message board are all out of touch with the majority of the buying public. I'm if Ford fan, but the average consumer thinks current Fords (including the Navigator) are ALL uninspiring. Ford designers would be crazy to listen to us if they want to gain market share. They should be listening to the people who by the ugly ass Tacoma and ugly ass 4Runner. Those vehicles are running away with the market, not anything Ford currently has to offer. The new Navigator is not exactly my style, but it is Big, Bold and American... By the way FUD...I would like it better if it looked like your concept...but what do I know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 (edited) Ford designers would be crazy to listen to us if they want to gain market share. Buy that man a beer. I mean, look at us. A high school education and a keyboard, and suddenly we're all genius designers? We, and I very much include myself in this, take ourselves too seriously around here. Heck, what do we know anyway? :rolleyes: ... Edited February 9, 2006 by RichardJensen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev-Mo Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 (edited) Richard, You are sensible regarding this issue, and others. Think about it, are we the majority? Hell no! If everyone was like us, Ford would have 80%of the market. This new Navigator may just shake things up. After all, it is not intended for guys like us. It is for Rappers, NBA, NFL players, and perhaps some Rock Stars. So, why would we like it? I doubt anyone spending their life on this message board has $50- 60K to drop on an SUV that gets 12 mpg. When it comes to Ford, we are like Cubs fans! Their team finishes near the bottom year after year, we still show up at the park and care. Edited February 9, 2006 by Kev-Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarBear Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Richard,You are sensible regarding this issue, and others. Think about it, are we the majority? Hell no! If everyone was like us, Ford would have 80%of the market. This new Navigator may just shake things up. After all, it is not intended for guys like us. It is for Rappers, NBA, NFL players, and perhaps some Rock Stars. So, why would we like it? I doubt anyone spending their life on this message board has $50- 60K to drop on an SUV that gets 12 mpg. When it comes to Ford, we are like Cubs fans! Their team finishes near the bottom year after year, we still show up at the park and care. Well, I guess you're right. I dropped that kind of money on a King Ranch pickup. :rolleyes: The other day I was dropping the daughters off at school, and counted eight Escalades lined up in about a 1/2 mile distance. Throw in the obligatory Japanese and Euro SUV's, and you've got a pretty fair representation of what affluent mom's are driving these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorfolkBuilt Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 They say you have already decided within the first 5 seconds of meeting someone if you will like them or not.In 1.5 seconds I decided that I HATED that ugly ass grill.The interior is stellar.And that back is clean. :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J2D Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I just don't get it. Everyone likes the Chrysler Imperial concept because it has a big bold grille, and I don't know if anyone has been paying attention to the Caddy owners that customize their trucks with big bold grills either. Both having thick chrome bars at the top. Now I for one was against the look of the new Navigator when I first saw it and I don't know why. Maybe it's because it didn't look the way I thought it would look in my head. or maybe it's because I feel the lower grill part of the design is overkill. Like it or not I feel that this Truck wil prove everyone wrong in the end. Chrome sells, Bold sells, and something that appears different and newer than the model it replaces sells. Now I have to admit the Caddy looks good, but it doesn't stand out like this new Gator will. At first glance you can't really tell that the Caddy is new and that will bother the hell out me if I just dropped $70K. on one. Now the look on the new "Gator" that will draw that needed attention with all that chrome and glittering bling from the front end. So that said, I thing Lincoln did a great job of updating the "Gator "even if I keep changing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTP WORKER Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Last night on WXYZ Detroit they had a story on the Chicago autoshow. They showed Magic Johnson unveiling two navigators one was in white the other in blue. The chrome front end looked great on the blue amd I like the new rear lights. I think that alot of times people will find faults in things because they want to. Kinda like a girlfriend that your sick of. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fllcobra Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 (edited) Considering most of us here would never buy a Navigator, our opinions to its style is irrelevant. I have to say though I love it. The new Nav has bling and that is what Lincoln customers want. Modern looks, unique styling and chrome.... lots of shiny chrome. If I had the money... and a gas refinery, I would buy it. Edited February 9, 2006 by fllcobra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarBear Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 WHAT WERE THEY THINKING? It should have looked more like this: :D I really like that. Nice werk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maranellolt7 Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 At first glance, I thought I was going to throw up, but i'm starting to come to like it, everybody I shown it to liked it. :D I would buy one. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Kolman Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 (edited) After a couple nights of sleep on it and seeing it in a real situation (vs. glamor shots) I'm begining to turn around. It's not as bad as my first impressions. I still think the bottom air intake is too much, and the crome strip on the side not being on the bottom is really bugging me. But it's looking a little better now than it did two nights ago when I sat down in front of the computer. One thing I've noticed is that in real life the front grill curves around far more than I orginal imagined: Apocalypse is right in that the real challenge is comparing the new 'Gator against the 'Slade: Edited February 9, 2006 by Kris Kolman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev-Mo Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Well, I guess you're right. I dropped that kind of money on a King Ranch pickup. :rolleyes: The other day I was dropping the daughters off at school, and counted eight Escalades lined up in about a 1/2 mile distance. Throw in the obligatory Japanese and Euro SUV's, and you've got a pretty fair representation of what affluent mom's are driving these days. Spend it if you got it! Thanks for buying American and helping to keep the rest of the country employed as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarBear Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Thanks for buying American and helping to keep the rest of the country employed as well. There was a choice? :o The only decision I have to make is whether to Blue-Oval or Bowtie the front grill- we're an equal-opportunity garage. :rolleyes: I personally hope both the Navi and the Escalade sell well- I'm concerned about the number of Lexi (is that the pl of Lexus?), Acura, BMW, and Mercedes SUV's running around my neighborhood. The pickup just tells my neighbors that, although I may share their income levels, no neighborhood is immune from the random Redneck moving in. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 J2D...love that chop. Hardly changed a thing (just the foglamp bezels from what I can tell), but it somehow just looks totally different: The grille is bold and in your face. Suits the market. I don't LOVE it, but I definitely don't hate it. LOVE the interior though, even the funky gauges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 no neighborhood is immune from the random Redneck moving in. :D What happens when they pass covenants mandating the purchase of "furrin" luxury cars? ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Kolman Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 For those that says the 'Gator doesn't use the MKX-style grill take a second look. It's does use the same grill... just reproportioned for the much larger vehicle. Even the headlights are a take off of the concept. The differences are: (a) thick crome strip on top of the grill vs. a thiner strip across the whole front, and (B) the bright work on the bottom air intake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkoesel Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 The grill would not look bad if it weren't for the lower strip between the fog lights. It makes the eggcrate pattern look as if its wall-papered on instead of being ornamental. The grill on the new Esccalade is bold and brash too, but its allowed to sit by itself instead of being trivialized to just another region of textured of blingness. I'm almost surprised they didn't just continue that all the way down the rocker panels. I just saw this: Holy crap, I was only kidding! Ok, its not the eggcrate pattern, but still that is taking things just a bit too far now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2b2 Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Haven't seen anyone do this yet so... one more chop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2005Explorer Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 That new Navigator is SWEET! I thought it was ugly until I saw the high res. pictures and I love it. Sure it is in your face bling, but so is the new Escalade. The headlights look like small projection units. Sweet. A Lincoln is suppose to be gaudy. If it does not look like you spent a lot of money for it, why spend it? The people that pay this much money want the thing to be noticed otherwise they would have just saved money and got an Expedition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarBear Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 What happens when they pass covenants mandating the purchase of "furrin" luxury cars? ... They probably figured peer pressure would handle it. :D To be honest, if we knew everything now we knew when we signed for this house, we would've never bought the place. Not our kind of crowd, know what I mean? An object lesson in what happens when you sell you house for more than you thought you'd get for it, have a buyer waving cash, and needs a speedy close. Welcome to the Left-Coast Real-Estate realities. I did get a shock when we were out walking the dogs tonight- saw a new Tahoe LTZ with a temp in the window a few block down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueblood Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 It's not just the grill that looks terrible, it's the headlights, the taillights, the same old evrything else including carry over powertrain. You have to ask, what does this do better then the Escalade? From what I see... nothing. Someone said people complained about Ford making things not bold enough, and now when they make a supposed bold design, people complain it's too bold. Well that isn't he case, I don't see anything "bold" about this thing, I see lipstick on a pig, from any angle besides the front it looks just like the old one, but uglier. The greenhouse and the rear look just like the 1997 Navigator with some hideous and out of place unproportional taillights. What they did was just try to tart up the front and rear since ford is too cheap to actually completely overhaul the thing. It's sad. And it has a real blue hair look to it too, the young rappers and celebs are going to be buying 400 horsepower Escalades, not ridiculously underpowered Navigators which look like they were styled by Liberace. Thank God I'm not hooked on that Kool-aid Ford has sdo many of you on. It's gonna be a painful awakening for you guys when Lincoln can't sell these beasts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Welcome to the Left-Coast Real-Estate realities. Hey, at least you guys stayed on the coast. Buddy of mine in Ft. Collins, CO, was going nuts, because California emigrants have destroyed the real estate market there for anyone who hasn't just sold a 2000 square foot ranch for $450,000. Moved to the Western Slope where he got a lower paying job, but actually could afford a house. ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel_leavitt2000 Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 I think it will hold its own against the Escalade. I actually think the front end is bolder and a bit more in touch with the rest of the truck then Caddy's. The escalade has this bulbus wedge shape to it that just dosen't seem right. One of the things that never really got me interested in the Nav was the 03 redesign. When on the road, I could never tell the fifference between the 03 and a 00. Well that has changed. I really like the new interior, and think its gauges are much nicer, though i'm not sure i like the boxed cluster look. It is certainly an improvment over the the 03. The wood accents bend and twist like a peice of furnature from Ikea, not a bad design que in my opinion. The rear is very nice as is the headlights. I think I would have moved the side chrome kick panels down a bit if this was my design. I also would have created a lower grill with two horizontal bars and fog lamps that mimic the main headlights with the U shaped reflective area connecting to the horizontal bars. I think that would have pulled the lower part of the truck togeather more gacefully. But this is a navigator and it has never been gracefull. I like the new look. It is a new direction, long over due. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 From certain angles, you can see a 'kickout' under the chrome trim, this was done to pull the two fender flares together. Ironically, it's reminiscent of the 'vestigial' running boards seen on cars from the '40s. IMO, the chrome would look better going down to the running boards, but the 'vestigial' running boards do add some visual weight to the bottom of the Navi and keep it from floating away (a problem with the GMT900 SUVs). The Expy/Navi have more awkward rear ends than the GMs, but have--since 2003--looked far more planted because of little tricks like this. ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUMBLE TRUCK Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 I'm not fond of the front end - but I'll have to wait to see it in person before I'm sure of it. My wife, who has wanted a Nav since the '03's came out, does not like it, but said it probabally looks better in person. I'm more concerned of the power issue - especially in the "L" model. The Escalade having over 100 more hp will be a problem for Lincoln. Knowing Ford, the more powerful engine will appear 2-3 years in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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