Lincoln Navigator to get fuel economy bump for 2009
Click above for a gallery of the 2008 Lincoln Navigator
The window sticker on a 2008 Navigator shows a mighty low 12 mpg in the city and only 18 on the highway, so Ford went back to the drawing board to improve on that number for this year. The Blue Oval's blinged-up luxury sled boasts a fuel friendlier average of 14/20 for 2009, a marginal improvement, but an improvement nonetheless. Ford says those numbers are good enough to put the Blue Oval at the head of the luxury SUV space that includes the Cadillac Escalade, Lexus LX570 and Nissan QX56. Ford was able to increase fuel economy by almost 15% on the big SUV by implementing some of the same engineering tricks employed on the 2009 F-150, which itself gets up to 15/21 in SFE trim. Changes were made to the idle speed and the transmission, as well as some fancy software engineering that regulates gas consumption by using aggressive deceleration fuel shut-off.
Ford also made standard several items that were previously only available as options, including a power lift gate, heated and cooled front seats, PowerFold third-row seats, cap-less fuel filler, Rear View Camera, flexible fuel-capable V-8 engine, SYNC and the stunning 14-speaker THX II-Certified audio system. The 2009 Navigator will also be available with Ford's new and improved navigation system with Travel Link. Ford hasn't announced any improvements for the Expedition, but we'd expect Ford's blue collar version of the Navigator will receive similar fuel economy enhancements. Hit the jump to view Ford's press release, which includes the full list of now standard features.
[Source: Ford]
PRESS RELEASE:
NAVIGATOR DELIVERS CLASS-LEADING FUEL ECONOMY
DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 24, 2008 – The 2009 Lincoln Navigator offers more than impressive levels of luxury and functionality – it also boasts a significant improvement in fuel economy that puts it ahead of the other full-size luxury sport utility vehicles in the segment.
The Navigator, thanks to a combination of architectural changes and systems engineering enhancements, has increased its fuel efficiency to an EPA-estimated 14 mpg city and 20 mpg highway on 4X2 models.
Combined with overall setup changes that offer lower idling speeds and transmission enhancements, the additional fuel economy makes the Navigator an even more appealing choice in the full-size luxury-utility segment.
"You'll notice the difference," said John Rich, powertrain integration and program manager for Ford Trucks. "We've improved the attributes and performance significantly."
The Navigator is powered by a 5.4 liter, three-valve Triton V-8, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, which generates 300 horsepower and 365 foot-pounds of torque. A wide-ratio, six-speed transmission has smaller steps between gears than a typical four-speed automatic, offering improved shift quality and faster acceleration.
Unique software has been engineered to regulate gas consumption by using aggressive deceleration fuel shut-off delivering considerable fuel savings with no extra effort from the driver. This complex fuel strategy is being added to many Ford products to help improve fuel economy across the board – including the new 2009 Ford F-150, which offers unsurpassed fuel economy and capability in the light duty truck segment.
"Deceleration is when you take your foot off the accelerator and you're coasting and the system very aggressively shuts fuel off," says Rich. "It sounds simple, but it's not at all simple. To make this work, we had to carefully manage the complex and constantly changing air-fuel mixture caused by aggressively shutting off fuel flow."
"It's so sophisticated, it's imperceptible to the customer," Rich added. "There's no bump, no hesitation. The catalyst systems come back to life without taking an emissions hit."
New for 2009
For 2009, Lincoln continues to simplify the packaging of Navigator and Navigator L, making standard many previously-optional features.
Standard items now include: Power lift gate; heated and cooled front seats; heated second-row seats; PowerFold™ third-row seats; front park assist sensors; EasyFuel™ capless fuel filler; rain-sensing wipers; perimeter anti-theft alarm; integrated four-button key fob; Rear View Camera; flexible fuel-capable V-8 engine; Lincoln SYNC™ and a 14-speaker THX® II-Certified audio system with SIRIUS® Satellite Radio.
The standard Rear View Camera System in the rear lift gate handle activates when the vehicle is shifted into reverse, giving the driver a clear view behind the vehicle or for ease of hooking up trailers. The video image is displayed in the self-dimming rearview mirror on the standard Navigator or through the instrument panel next generation navigation system on the Elite package.
The new next generation navigation system is available for the first time ever with SIRIUS Travel Link™, which gives drivers and passengers access to up-to-the-minute information and entertainment through the vehicle's navigation system. Working through the standard feature SIRIUS satellite radio network, Travel Link offers uninterrupted, coast-to-coast coverage of real-time traffic data; weather reports (current and five day forecasts with storm information and even ski resort conditions); fuel options sorted by price or distance from more than 120,000 gas stations; major league pro and college sports as well as movie listings from more than 4,500 theaters. A six-month introductory subscription to SIRIUS is included at no cost.
The Monochrome Limited Edition Package for 2009 features unique badging, along with body-color exterior accents including lower grille, lower bodyside cladding, and power folding heated memory mirrors with puddle lamps. This package is offered in four monochromatic exterior treatments: White Platinum Tri-coat, Black Clearcoat, Vapor Silver Clearcoat Metallic and Stone Green Clearcoat Metallic. Inside, the package includes unique black carpet and floor mats, Ebony wood trim, and unique Stone or Camel seats with black leather inserts and black piping. A stitched Lincoln logo is also placed on each headrest.
The Elite Package includes the moonroof; next generation navigation system; power running boards; rear seat entertainment system and the Rear View Camera display in the navigation system.
Three new exterior colors are available for 2009: Monterey Grey Clearcoat Metallic; Sangria Clearcoat Metallic and White Platinum Tri-Coat.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 229,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit our website at www.ford.com.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Frylock350 8:06AM (9/24/2008)
Doesn't Escalade Hybrid do better than this?
Reply
Flashpoint 8:17AM (9/24/2008)
First of all, the Navigator 2007, despite being terrifyingly ugly, already had better fuel economy than the 07 Escalade for two reasons.
#1 The Navigator 2007 changed from the older models by allowing you to use REGULAR UNLEADED. which costs anywhere from 15 - 30 cents less per gallon than Escalade's REQUIRED Premium Unleaded.
#2 The Navigator has a higher towing capacity and more spacious seating and therefore is more efficient than the Escalade.
The loaded Navigator also costs around $8000 - $10,000 less than a loaded Escalade. Similar price gaps follow for similarly equipped models.
The Escalade Hybrid costs WAY more than a loaded Navigator and the Nav's fuel economy is STILL higher.
Problem I see however, is that Navigators are everything that has defined large, underperforming SUV's over the last couple years. I don't see Navigators being produced for more than one more model year. People would perfer a Lincoln based on the new Flex rather than that big ol' truck. The sales records speak to that. Lincoln is moving MKZ, MKS and MKX but those Navigators are sitting on lots. And rightfully so, they are so damn ugly.
MajorGeek 8:34AM (9/24/2008)
@ Flashpoint
Ill take the bet on the Navigator being produced one more year, name your terms. You can pay up as soon as the 2010 Navigator hits lots. It's never sold in large numbers. People want the Flex and sales figures prove it. I dont personally know anyone who wants one and have only seen one being driven. I Googled for your sales figures and can not find any on the Flex, got a link to show sales so far? Finally, I don't know anyone who call this vehicle ugly, thought that was odd as well.
"Problem I see however, is that Navigators are everything that has defined large, underperforming SUV's over the last couple years. I don't see Navigators being produced for more than one more model year. People would perfer a Lincoln based on the new Flex rather than that big ol' truck. The sales records speak to that. Lincoln is moving MKZ, MKS and MKX but those Navigators are sitting on lots. And rightfully so, they are so damn ugly."
why not the LS2LS7? 9:01AM (9/24/2008)
'The Escalade Hybrid costs WAY more than a loaded Navigator and the Nav's fuel economy is STILL higher. '
The Navigator's fuel economy is not higher than the Escalate Hybrid's. Not even close.
The Navigator's combined figure will now be 18.2 (RWD). The Escalade Hybrid's is 20.55 (RWD).
So the Navigator uses 13% more fuel.
Since 2008, all non-V Cadillacs run on 87 octane.
Virginia Wolf 9:11AM (9/24/2008)
MajorGeek, how many units a month does Flex sell?
I was under the impression that Edge and Flex are not selling well.
MikeW 9:55AM (9/24/2008)
'07 Nav 4x2 12/17
'07 Esc 4x2 12/19
Fuel cost differential is negligible today, wow 5%
and you can put regular into the Cadd, your power is dropped to something like 380hp 400ft-lbs
So did Ford upgrade from the 1st generation ZF to the 2nd generation (6hp26 to 6hp28)?
Frylock350 11:35AM (9/24/2008)
@MikeW,
Actually that 400hp on the Vortec 6200 is tuned for 87 octane. The 380hp number was the Denali's "rating" which was under stated so as not to step on the Escalade's toes on paper. The 6200 engine is basically a LS3 tuned for 87 octane. If it was tuned for 92 octane, it would churn out 420-430hp.
Btz 8:20AM (9/24/2008)
That's hardly a marginal improvement - 17% in the city, and 11% on the highway. That's like taking a 26mpg car and pushing it to 30mpg.
Reply
jb 8:31AM (9/24/2008)
true. It's still an awful gas mileage. America will eventually wake up and realize it can't afford this anymore.
80honda 2:19PM (9/25/2008)
Lincoln can "claim" the new Navigator leads the full sized Luxury class, but educated people know it is a lie.
The Mercedes GL is rated 18mpg city, 24mpg highway.
Reply
Frylock350 9:05AM (9/24/2008)
The GL is also not a full-size SUV, its a crossover vehicle. No frame = no SUV.
compy386 9:19AM (9/24/2008)
That's also the diesel engine. Diesel doesn't sell at the same price as regular gas so you really can't compare the two.
why not the LS2LS7? 9:22AM (9/24/2008)
Then there's the 215HP. And before you say "torque", it does a significantly worse 0-60 than the cheaper, less complex, non-turbocharged Escalade, Navigator or GL 450.
Virginia Wolf 8:40AM (9/24/2008)
Hey, it's a start.
Reply
Zach G. 9:24AM (9/24/2008)
It's purely an image vehicle, and there may always be a market for that to some extent. Still, pretty abysmal economy numbers.
Reply
Talisman 9:24AM (9/24/2008)
Your best bet for something this big that has some luxury to it and respectable gas mileage would be the Yukon Hybrid. My father has one that ive driven for extended periods of time and had to fill up. Its really impressive how long you can go on a tank of gas in such a huge vehicle that still has ample power.Not to mention it uses regular.And It has the luxury features you need.
For 50k or less with current discounts, it really a good deal.
Reply
Hamud 9:26AM (9/24/2008)
Virginia Wolf, here are some numbers for the Flex and Edge:
Ford moved 2,010 units of the Flex in August and 9,962 units of the Edge in the same period, down 2% from August/07.
Year-to-date sales show 5,593 units of the Flex and 87,197 of the Edge, up 11.7% from Year-to-date/07
On the other hand, the Taurus-X had a 32.4% loss in sales this year.
More can be found here: http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=28919
Reply
Yakapo 10:06AM (9/24/2008)
If you bought a Navigator for $50k and traded it in 2 years later with about 40,000 miles on it, you'd be lucky to get $10,000 from the dealer. That's about $1670 per month in depreciation.
I think you could lease a Ferrari for that kind of money. (yes it's not a suv, i'm just comparing the cost)
Reply
Holden Miecranc 10:28AM (9/24/2008)
As of this morning, edmunds is showing a True Market Value for a 2007 Navigator AWD as follows:
Trade $25,934
Private Party Sale $33,346
Dealer Retail $39,210
And just for comparisons sake:
2007 Escalade AWD
Trade $35,837
Private Party Sale $38,947
Dealer Retail $41,756
2007 Lexus LX470
Trade $41,391
Private Party Sale $44,716
Dealer Retail $47,379
yakapo 10:41AM (9/24/2008)
@ holden
That's not 2 years old. did you put the mileage at 40k?
I worked at carmax. Even the dealers monthly NADA isn't entirely accurate. With gas this high you might get less.
kbb.com trade in is $12k
http://www.kbb.com/KBB/UsedCars/PricingReport.aspx?YearId=2006&Mileage=40000&VehicleClass=UsedCar&ManufacturerId=28&ModelId=192&PriceType=Trade-In&VehicleId=989&SelectionHistory=989|29054|75287|0|0|40038|true&Condition=Good&QuizConditions=