Autoblog

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May was apparently a tough month for Ford's big SUVs. With consumer demand understandably cold for the gargantuan utes and their hard-to-swallow 12 mpg city ratings, Lincoln Navigator sales slid 37 percent while Ford Expedition sales were down 43 percent. As a result, Ford Motor Company has announced that its Wayne, Michigan, plant that assembles these vehicles will close down for nine weeks starting on Monday. While the plant sits idle, Ford will increase production of its passenger cars to better meet market demand for smaller and much more fuel efficient vehicles. Like we didn't see this coming...

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]

When Ford launched its new SYNC in-car communications system in the Ford Focus, the crew in Dearborn may not have known just how popular the option would prove to be. While the SYNC system has started to infiltrate the rest of the Blue Oval line, its integration is apparently not moving fast enough for many consumers. Doug White, Vehicle Personalization Marketing & Planning manager at Ford says, "Customers and dealers were telling us that we needed SYNC on our flagship SUV and we felt we needed to respond to those concerns as quickly as we could. They essentially said, 'If you have it on Focus, why not Navigator.'" Sounds pretty reasonable to us. Considering that the Lincoln Navigator is the flagship product for Ford's up-market brand, it should be available with all the best techno-goodies available in the Ford arsenal.

The retrofit kit is now a dealer-installed option for all 2008 model year Navigator and Navigator L models built after December 4, 2007. According to the press release, pasted after the break, the vehicle must have been factory equipped with the voice-activated navigation system and DVD entertainment system, included with the Elite Package. The integration is reportedly rather straightforward and uses the steering wheel buttons and works the same as other SYNC systems. The price? Just $550, making it seem a rather no-brainer as far as we're concerned. Next in line for a SYNC accessory kit will be the Mustang.

[Source: Lincoln]

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Ford has made some welcome changes to the Lincoln Navigator for 2008, mostly centered around equipment levels. Former options such as the Power Liftgate, the PowerFold 3rd row seats, THX audio, SIRIUS satellite radio and heated and cooled front seats are now standard equipment. More importantly, a new Monochrome Limited Trim Package (shown above) is available on the '08, and it looks pretty great, actually. Body-color accents are used for the lower grille (yes!), lower cladding (double yes!), and rearview mirrors (trifecta!). The main grille is still an enormous chrome grid, but it looks better now that the additional shine up front has been muted. This package also leaves out the available chrome hood trim that makes some other Navigators excessively garish. Lastly, a rearview camera is available as an option for the first time.

The 2007 Navigator, though derided by many for its clearly over-the-top looks, was a very competent (the fold-flat 3rd row is a huge plus over the Escalade/Denali seating arrangement), quiet, and comfortable luxotruck. For 2008, Ford's changes address many of the complaints while leaving the maximum-bling edition available for those who want it. We'll take a black '08 with the Monochrome Limited package, thanks. Follow the jump for the full (read: very long) press release from Ford.

[Source: Ford]

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Galpin Auto Sports is known for its custom tuning packages that transform all sorts of Fords into limited edition rides that would make Xzibit proud. Their latest offering is the Navigator LUX, which ups the luxury quotient of Lincoln's largest offering. The model it's based on is a Navigator 4x4, which is only available with a 300-hp 5.4L V8 and six-speed auto. To become a LUX, the Navi gets 27-inch Lexani wheels with accents that match the new Oxblood Red paint job. Much of the chrome trim has been muted by the rich red color, which makes the one-off Custom Strut grille stand out that much more.

The real deal is on the inside where a $10,000 5.5 carat Lex Diamond clock is embedded in the dash, a classy touch that should help this big SUV retain its resale value just fine. What are diamonds without champagne, though, so Galpin modified the rear center console with auto-rising champagne and flutes. Most of the interior trim has been replaced with finer leather, better wood and a custom fiberglass enclosure in the rear. In-car entertainment is more than taken care of by a custom-installed laptop, 10.4-inch touchscreen LCD, another 23-inch screen in the rear and an Xbox 360. The press release after the jump doesn't give up the goods on price, but we imagine the Galpin Auto Sports Lincoln Navigator LUX lives up to its name in every way, including its pricetag.

[Source: Galpin Auto Sports]

Voting is open for The Truth About Cars' first ever Ten Worst Automobiles Today (or TWAT) award that we told you about earlier in the month. The initial list of more than 120 reader nominations contained predictable TWAT-eligible autos like GM's ancient minivans, uh, sorry, Crossover Sport Van, a couple of Saturns, several DaimlerChryslers, and a few Korean models. Some vehicles that were nominated but didn't make the list included highly-respected vehicles like the Toyota Camry, Pontiac Solstice, Ford Focus and Honda Fit.

Using a highly refined proprietary system, TTAC staffers trimmed the candidates to 20. Voting for the Ten Worst Automobiles Today is now open until Wednesday. See the 20 TWAT candidates after the jump.