Darn!  I was hoping there was some dark conspiracy to all this.  And a new $15,000 F-150 painted in some oddball color...

I guarantee loaded super duties are more profitable.  As for the engine who gives a shit if expy gets it.  It has 450 hp and 510 lb/ft - more than the regular escalade.  Ride quality is the only significant shortfall.     And you don't spend money improving something that won't give you ROI when there are bigger fish to fry.

While I agree with most of what you say, Ford put themselves in a box by only having three plants to make F Series and the SUVs and that also comes from prioritising crew cab pickups as premium products long  before GM did and even to this day, GM pushes much harder with those BOF SUV sales  than Ford….shoots and ladders  or is Ford missing truly missing out against Cadillac and Tahoe/ Yukon Denali?   It’s also the reason why Ford could not manage Performance Auto Group, chasing after those premium customers with regular and expensive upgrades is hard to justify when your primary sales market is the level below…   In the past Ford has spent a ton of money on Lincoln variants but criticised for less differentiation for the money spent. Ford is getting better at this, the current versions seem to be much better.

Maybe different engines, also some difference in tech like GM does with Cadillac and the other brands.   agree!  also agree. They should pay attention to the competition to make the Lincoln products better, a true competitor to its rival. To give and example: we have read some greats reviews about the Expedition, even winning some comparisons,  but that hasn't been the case about the Navi.....why? because aside from the different exterior/interior, it is the same and that is not enough to compete in a different segment (lack of tech, ride quality, etc.). Now the Expy even has the same engine output that the Navi. The Navigator been the highest priced FMC product should be the best of the best and it isn't.  yeah, but considering Lincoln is about that mantra, ride quality shouldn't been a shortcoming! Also I have a doubt, a Super Duty or an Expedition generate more profit than a Navigator? I mean the Navi shares a lot with the Expy and F-150 and cost a lot more.......I've read somewhere that the Escalade generates a lot of profit to GM, why the Navi can't?

don't know if it is lack of commitment, the fact that they don't know how to do it, or just can't

I can’t go along with you there. He was fired for doing something that he verifiably did not do, then found another job. Dunno about you, but if a company calls me a thief and a liar then fires me without proof, there’s not a chance in hell I’m going back to work for them, especially if I’m already working for someone else.    The company deserves to get smacked hard for this. 

Well it does show us that the 2.0L can be boosted to 300HP.  Would work well in the Corsair and Nautilus...

The only real shortcoming I see is ride quality.  Very few care that the side sheetmetal is the same as expy - the front and rear make it unique enough.  It's definitely not underpowered and the interior is very fresh and modern.     More investment can easily change the side sheetmetal and ride quality.  And they can easily add more engine choices.  But you guys keep forgetting that the factory is close to maxed out so in order to sell more Navigators they have to sell less super duties or expys right now.  When oakville is up and running that will change the equation and make the added investment easier to justify.     In short none of the Navigator's shortcomings are because it shares a platform with F150 and Expy.  It's a business decision.

This afternoon's updated gas prices in Hamden, CT 06514 (Greater New Haven)