In the Autoblog Garage: 2007 Lincoln Mark LT
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Its first attempt at a luxury truck failed miserably with the Blackwood, but Lincoln is making a much better effort with the 2007 Lincoln Mark LT. Though outselling its only real competition, the Cadillac Escalade EXT, nearly 2 to 1 this year, the question of "why" still remains. Does Lincoln really need a rebadged F-150? Does it even warrant having a pickup truck in its lineup at all? Regardless of what anyone else thinks, Lincoln obviously believes that's the case, so here we are.
While Ford offers the "King Ranch " version of the F-150, it is targeted at the rancher (or rancher wannabe) who is looking for something a little more luxurious. The Mark LT is clearly aimed at the Polo Club crowd, hoping to wow them with that Lincoln chrome and glitter, while still offering all the utility of a real truck. One thing the Mark LT excels at is grabbing attention, as evidenced by the number of people who stopped us to ask what it was. Living in a rural area where trucks are king, onlookers were very impressed with its looks both inside and out, but enthusiasm waned slightly when they inquired about its price.
Exclusivity doesn't come cheap, and the base price for the 2007 Lincoln Mark LT 4x4 is $42,395 including $900 in destination and delivery charges. One of the truck's selling points is the availability of a traditional 6.5-foot bed -- an option not available on the Escalade EXT costing nearly $14,000 more (base price). The truck we drove included $6,545 worth of options, which elevated the total sticker price to $48,940. You can see a copy of the sticker after the jump for the complete options list, but this truck was almost fully loaded, lacking only the $1,295 rear entertainment system, bed extender and chrome bed rails.
Read complete review with pics after the jump!
Our first impression of the Mark LT was quite good. The black clearcoat paint provides an excellent backdrop for the signature chrome Lincoln grille, which is changed along with the headlights for '07 and unique to the Mark LT. The truck we drove had the Monochrome Appearance and Elite Packages, which adds a body-color grille surround, mirror caps, and bumpers on the outside. Furthering the luxury inside, these packages also add a power rear sliding window, chrome-plated running boards, Class IV trailer towing, power 1-touch open/close moonroof, reverse sensing system, the award winning corporate navigation system with an incredible sounding Audiophile AM/FM CD6 stereo and Sirius satellite radio. Unfortunately, all of the options in the world can't cover up the fact that this is still a dressed-up F-150.
Although better than most pickups, the Mark LT still just doesn't exactly exude luxury in the ride category. We're sure that some of the degradation in comfort comes from the 275/55R20 Pirelli Scorpion tires mounted to the optional 20-inch chrome aluminum wheels costing $1,495. Apparently adding the bling incurs costs that aren't just monetary. One benefit of the wheel/tire combination, though, is very predictable handling; it feels like the truck spent some development time on a road course dialing in the chassis dynamics. During a run through our favorite twisties, the Mark LT exhibited excellent turn-in with very little body roll in relatively high-speed maneuvers -- extremely unexpected in a luxo-truck with a live rear axle. The power rack-and-pinion steering features a 17.2:1 ratio and is very communicative, providing a reassuring experience behind the wheel. Still, it's a body-on-frame pickup truck and feels it every step of the way.
Being a real truck under the snazzy threads does have its advantages, however. With the Class IV towing package, it can pull an 8,600 lb. trailer and haul 1,580 lbs. in the bed, which features a liner with the Lincoln logo in the headwall. Although it gives up a full 103 horsepower to the 6.2-liter V8 in the Cadillac, the Linc's 5.4-liter makes a respectable 300 horsepower and 365 lb/ft of torque, yet even with the 3.73 gear isn't built for drag racing. The four-speed automatic transmission is a couple of cogs short of the EXT's six-speed, and the fuel economy appears to suffer because of it. Fortunately, it doesn't require premium fuel, but at an as tested 12.3 mpg (according to the trip computer in the truck) it drank regular unleaded at a rate akin to beer consumption on Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras. For the record, the EPA rates the Mark LT at 14 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway.
A clear departure from standard F-150 fare can be found when you climb into LT's cab, which is unmistakably Lincoln. The branding folks make sure you don't forget by affixing Lincoln badges to the seatbacks and center armrest while spelling out L-I-N-C-O-L-N in bold chrome letters on the ashtray door. The seats are covered in black leather with contrasting gray piping, but we were very surprised to find manual seat-back adjusters and lumbar controls given the Lincoln's lofty price range. That aside, the seats were comfortable, easily adjustable, and offered greater lateral support than any Ford truck short of the now-defunct SVT F-150 Lightning. Contrast-stitched leather covers the center armrest and instrument cluster hood, and while that's all very nice, the interior materials are still lacking at this price point. This is one area where the Cadillac EXT is superior. The Lincoln's simulated-wood inserts, dashboard and door panel materials are too hard and look/feel too much like cheap plastic yearning for some tactile improvements. The interior quality you find in a $35K Audi is remarkably better than this.
After a week behind the wheel, we came away relatively impressed with the overall driving experience provided by the 2007 Lincoln Mark LT. It's arguably pleasing to look at (we think), is comfortable to drive, and reveals a surprisingly sporty side when pushed a bit. The near-$50K price is an issue, but it appears that Ford has done exactly what it set out to do with the Mark LT: give truck buyers a luxury alternative to the everyday pickup truck without resorting to the rather ostentatious and pricey extremes of the Cadillac Escalade EXT.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
jesus garay 7:11PM (11/26/2008)
THIS TRUCK MIGHT BE A DRESSED UP F-150 BUT WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING IT THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE, WHEN YOU ARE IN A MARK LT, EVERYBODY ON THE ROAD TURNS AROUND AND LOOK AT YOUR LT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T GET WITH A F-150.
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laserwizard 11:12AM (12/14/2006)
Perhaps since Lincoln has a significant cost advantage over the ugly Escalator from Cadillac, Ford could have spent a thousand dollars extra on the inside for materials which would have really made a difference. The 2007 front end redo is superb but this vehicle does beg for real wood, better leather, and a unique to Lincoln (why not the Navigator's dash?) pickup dashboard.
Let's hope Lincoln continues to improve this truck.
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Fred Turner 6:02PM (12/14/2006)
At least the Cadillac looks more different than the Avalanche. This Mark LT has the exact same sheet metal as the F150. And the interior isn't near as nice looking as the Escalade in my opinion. It may be more of a Truck than the Cadillac, but how many people in this price class are going to haul dirt etc?
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doug 11:20AM (12/14/2006)
The Mark LT needs more differentiation from the F150 - different dash, styling. But at least the price premium is small - only about $2000
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Tool 11:21AM (12/14/2006)
The Mark LT is one of the grossest examples of Badge Engineering in existence today. It is basically a trim package on the F-150.
While Lincoln may be outselling Cadillac 2 to 1 in the short-term, it does nothing for the Lincoln brand in the long-term.
Another great BOLD MOVE from Ford Motor Company.
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MARK LT IS LAME!!! 11:31AM (12/14/2006)
Lincoln sucks now. The brand has turned into an poor attempt to chrome up Fords and then charge more. At least the Cadillac is different enough from it's other GMT900 sibling, the Avalanche to justify a price increase. If Cadillac lowered the EXT price, no doubt it would beat this baby like it did with the last model. This truck is a joke. The only reason why it's so cheap is because it's just a higher trim level of the F-150 and has nothing that would make people consider it Luxury that isn't already offered in the F-150 with the exception of a NAV screen and darker colors. OOOOH!!! NAV screen in a truck??? It must be luxury now. I better go pop a nav screen in a Focus and get someone to trade their G35 for it because it's soooo luxurious.
Stop the rebadging Ford. You're becoming worse then GM.
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Chris Goldrick 11:41AM (12/14/2006)
If I see even one at Home Depot with sheets of plywood being loaded into the back or towing a horse trailer, then I know it will have been worth it. Eh, who am I kidding, it's a Ford F-150. How much better is the leather interior? Probably not all that.
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KT 3:05PM (12/14/2006)
I've never understood this vehicle. Why does Lincoln need a truck? They don't.
I was surprised it is outselling the EXT. If that's really the case, the EXT must only be selling a couple of thousand a year!
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JMa 11:55AM (12/14/2006)
My favourite part of the truck is the way the glued on reflectors really set off the tailgate. I remember doing the same thing to my bmx bike when I was 5.
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Eriq 12:36PM (12/14/2006)
I don't understand/get these type trucks. Why in the world would you drive a truck with a bed this elegant/classy? My friends would get a kick if they saw me pull up to a job/construction site in this. What's the point? You don't really wanna haul dirt & junk in it, and it just screams "you're paying me too much" if you're a contractor pulling up to a clients place lol.
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Andrew 12:01PM (12/14/2006)
I kinda like it. The new grill and headlights are nice. Really like that you can get a long bed now. It's not that much more than a comparably equipped King Ranch or Harley Davidson, just a couple thousand bucks. And as noted, much less than the "Escalavalanche". I do agree though that the Navigator dash would really set it apart more. I'm sure it has to do with lower sales volume.
Overall, I think it's cool, and if I was an old rich guy I'd love to tow my Bayliner with it. I'd probably prefer the new Sierra Denali, but for Ford guys, it's a nice truck.
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Dave T. 12:01PM (12/14/2006)
http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/17/blogging-the-lincoln-mark-lt/
http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/17/blogging-the-lincoln-mark-lt-part-2/
http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/17/blogging-the-lincoln-mark-lt-part-3/
for more pics
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Professor Porsche 12:21PM (12/14/2006)
More retarded "Lincolns"
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Spalind 12:21PM (12/14/2006)
Junk, junk, and more junk from Ford...When will the rebadging end?? Oh, yeah, thats right...when Mercury and Lincoln both go belly up and fold...
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Andrew 12:22PM (12/14/2006)
And, to those who thinks it looks too much like an F150, I agree that more distinct looks would be nice. But trust me, speaking as a Texan, there are pickups everywhere around here, and truck guys easily spot and know the differences between trim levels in their trucks (XLS, XLT, Lariat, and King Ranch). The people you're trying to impress when you buy this thing will definitely know what you've got.
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Bruce Lee 12:23PM (12/14/2006)
What a joke! Anyone one stupid enough to spend thousands extra for an F-150 with a differant grille should be slapped. The minute you drive this peice of junk off the lot the value drops by thousands. Big f*#@in deal if it offers a 6.5 foot bed, most real ranchers use trucks with 8 foot beds anyway. This truck was clearly designed for people that want to think that they are in a higher class, the only class that they will prove to be higher in will the class of complete moron
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jstand6 12:56PM (12/14/2006)
We have a lot of large contractor headquarters around here, and I see these quite often--with racks installed, carrying equipment and sometimes material. The general contractors seem to like these trucks. It can still be used as a regular truck to help out with the project, but it can also host and impress customers. You can whine about badge engineering all you want, but Lincoln has found a niche that has demand, and there are no other competitors. Good job, Ford!
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JJ 1:38PM (12/14/2006)
Well all cars depreciate greatly after leaving the lot, so thats not anything new.
I was mad at Lincoln when the Mark LT originally since the headlights were the exact same as those on the F150. I am extremely happy that they changed them, because some people notice that kinda stuff. It would be perfect if they put the interior of the new Navigator in it.
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jim 5:13PM (12/15/2006)
"The Mark LT is clearly aimed at the Polo Club crowd"
ROTFLMAO
Ok, that accounts for 10 sales. That is the stoopidist thing I've read here in a long time.
Are these Scott's words or Fords? Why the hyperbole?
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drolds1 1:14PM (12/14/2006)
#5. If Bentley lowered the price of the Continental GT by $100K, I might buy one.
Why do so many posters here feel they must make disparaging remarks about every topic?
Let's have a reality check here. This isn't your fantasy baseball league. This is a business, and one that's trying to survive. Lincoln's sales goal for the Mark LT was a modest 10K units a year. They exceeded their goal with this truck in 2006. There's probably $10G profit for Ford/Lincoln in each one of these. Anything that adds to their bottom line right now is a good thing.
Next, there are considerable discounts on this truck. In the end, the price difference between the Mark LT and the F-150 is not as great as it appears on paper.
My son has an 06 Mark LT. He is neither old nor rich, but is 6'5" and large all over. This is the first vehicle he's ever owned that he can sit up straight in and has sufficient elbow room and leg room as well.
Lastly, the wood trim in the Mark LT is genuine ebony.
http://www.lincoln.com/marklt/interiorfeatures.asp
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