Lincoln will spend great gobs of money to the tune of billions of dollars over the next few years to completely revitalize its lineup with the goal of once again becoming competitive with the luxury nameplates of the world including the world of large body-on-frame sport utility vehicles.
While it will probably be a couple of years before the Navigator gets the full makeover treatment (last done in 2007), which may include major upgrades such as the aluminum body panels now used on the Ford F-150 and a complete styling overhaul, Lincoln has injected some worthwhile styling tweaks and improvements into the 2015 model. Designers reworked the nose with the new Lincoln “split wing” grille and the rear with a more contemporary taillight treatment—upgraded the interior—and added the latest version of the Ford infotainment interface called MyLincoln Touch.
The headline improvement for 2015, however, is the addition of Ford’s award-winning 3.5 L turbocharged V6 engine making 380 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive continues to be standard and an all-wheel drive system optional. The new engine is an immense improvement over the aging and thirsty 5.4 L V8, endowing the new Navigator with considerably more power while at the same time making it more fuel efficient.
