Lincoln Aviator

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Lincoln Aviator
Manufacturer	Ford Motor Company
Production	2003–2005
Assembly	Hazelwood, Missouri
Successor	Lincoln MKX
Class	Mid-size sport utility vehicle
Body style(s)	4-door SUV
Layout	Front engine, rear-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Platform	Ford U platform
Engine(s)	4.6 L DOHC Modular V8
Transmission(s)	5-speed automatic
Wheelbase	113.7 in (2888 mm)
Length	193.3 in (4910 mm)
Width	73.9 in (1877 mm)
Height	71.9 in (1826 mm)
Fuel capacity	22.5 US gallons (85.2 L/18.7 imp gal)
Related	Ford Explorer Ford Explorer Sport Trac Land Rover Discovery Land Rover LR3 Mercury Mountaineer

The Lincoln Aviator was a mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) produced by the Ford Motor Company's Lincoln luxury division. It was introduced in 2003, and production ended in 2005. The Aviator was built exclusively at Ford's St. Louis Assembly plant in Hazelwood, Missouri. Its competitors included the Cadillac SRX, Lexus GX (launched at the same time as the Aviator), and Infiniti FX.

Prices for the Aviator ranged from US$39,940 for the base RWD model to US$ 42,890 for the AWD model. It was available only with a 4.6 L DOHC V8, 302 hp (225 kW) gasoline engine.

While the Aviator's styling borrowed styling cues from its big brother, the Navigator, it didn't look much different from the Ford Explorer it was based on. Lincoln played up the similarity to the Navigator with magazine ads that read, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Especially when it's yourself you're imitating." The Aviator seemed to have been met with relatively positive press coverage.^[1] Indeed, Car and Driver magazine said in a comparison test, in which the Aviator tied for fifth place, that only the car's high price and lack of certain features held it out of contention for the top spots.^[2]

Despite the initial praise, the Aviator was a poor seller for Lincoln—with many hypothesizing that its all-too-familiar looks were to blame—and was quickly discontinued in August 2005. Originally, the Aviator was supposed to be on hiatus for the 2006 model year and reappear based on the CD3 platform the next year. However, Ford scrapped the Aviator name, and the car has been replaced by the mid/compact-based Lincoln MKX crossover SUV, which was unveiled at the 2006 North American International Auto Show. The MKX went on sale in December 2006 as a 2007 model. Even though the Aviator only had a V8 engine, the MKX only has a V6, and the MKX doesn't properly replace the Aviator. It is believed the new Ford Flex-based Lincoln crossover SUV would eventually be a proper Aviator replacement.

v • d • e Lincoln, a luxury division of Ford Motor Company – road car timeline, 1970s–present
Type	1970s										1980s										1990s										2000s
	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Mid-size																																					Zephyr/MKZ
								Versailles																							LS									MKS
													Continental						Continental							Continental			Continental
Personal	Mark III		Mark IV					Mark V			Mark VI				Mark VII									Mark VIII
Full-size	Continental					Continental					Continental		Town Car								Town Car								Town Car
SUV																																		Aviator
																													Navigator					Navigator				Navigator
Crossover																																						MKX
Pickup																																	Black­wood				Mark LT

[edit] References