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Guests gathered around the all-new Lincoln Navigator, which was on display at Ford World Headquarters this week, to learn about the brand’s flagship SUV directly from key team members.
Fresh off of its reveal, the all-new Lincoln Navigator made its Dearborn debut at World Headquarters, where a pair of the SUVs were on display in the building’s lobby the week of Aug. 16. Several members of the Lincoln team were on hand to chat with visitors about the all-new model of the brand’s flagship SUV.
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Charles Spencer from the Body Construction team (left) and Musheer Elhaddi from Troy Design Manufacturing (middle) were among the first to visit the Navigator display at World Headquarters.
Navigator is earning positive reception among automotive, tech and consumer media for its visual cues, as well as the new Lincoln Digital Experience and its 48-inch panoramic display. Ford team members had similar compliments as they examined the vehicle during lunch hours.
Charles Spencer from the Body Construction team was excited to see the Navigator in its completed state after working on the all-new model in its early stages. He appreciated the SUV’s more streamlined, cleaner lines – especially in the rear end – and the way the new taillights come together. He also liked the new Black Label Themes, Enlighten and Atmospheric, and colors. Navigator’s reimagined interior and the use of colors and materials, as well as the integration of contextual buttons and screens, also piqued Spencer’s interest.
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Several key members of the Lincoln team were on hand to talk about the SUV’s new features and other highlights.
“We get to see the raw sheet metal product, so to see it on wheels and finished out, it’s pretty satisfying,” he said. “I’m proud of the team and everything that they’ve accomplished. To see it all come together is the most rewarding part of the job.”
Spencer was joined by Musheer Elhaddi from Troy Design Manufacturing who works with Ford’s Dimensional Control team. He was part of an early build for the Navigator at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant, where the SUV is assembled.
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Ford team members had the opportunity to get inside the all-new Navigator and see the 48-inch panoramic display paired with the new Lincoln Digital Experience.
Elhaddi has long been a fan of Lincoln’s family-friendly SUV, which debuted in 1996, but admitted he is typically not fond of updates. But the all-new Navigator quickly grew on him, particularly the wheels and the color of the Black Label Crystal White Navigator he had been circling.
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Employees were wowed by Navigator’s new features, but they also appreciated its understated elegance.
“Every time I walked around the car and kept on looking at it, I kept getting that wow feeling,” Elhaddi said, adding that he noticed how the SUV retained its Lincoln heritage. “And then hearing the story of the color and the trim level – the story behind it is amazing and the ambiance about it is great.”
Nathan Mainka, Lincoln Group Marketing Manager for Family Vehicles, said visitors were impressed by the 48-inch panoramic display paired with the new Lincoln Digital Experience.
“That’s the biggest ‘wow’ factor that we’re hearing about today,” he said. You get in and it’s just beautiful. It’s that coast-to-coast screen.”
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Nathan Mainka, Lincoln Group Marketing Manager for Family Vehicles, shows employees Navigator’s new Split Gate tailgate.
They were also excited about the system’s voice activation, which can be helpful for tasks such as changing the vehicle temperature. With Navigator, Lincoln Digital Experience adds Pano Mode, which allows passengers to play video and gaming apps on either side of the display while the vehicle is in park.
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Navigator’s visual cues in the rear end are as eye-catching as the all-new front-end design.
Mainka spent a good deal of time showing attendees Navigator’s new Split Gate, a class-exclusive new feature which allows the top three-quarters of the gate to rise like a traditional liftgate while the bottom quarter lowers, similar to a traditional tailgate. It is capable of supporting up to 500 pounds, and it automatically initiates through Open on Approach when the key fob or Phone as a Key enters a designated space behind the vehicle.
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The all-new Navigator brings with it the introduction of two new Black Label Themes, Enlighten and Atmospheric.
“If you’re watching your kid’s soccer game or any number of activities, this gives you a lot of added functionality to take your family time to the next level,” he said, noting that the tailgate plays into Navigator’s updated visual cues in the rear end, which he predicted will turn as many heads as the all-new front-end design.
Anne Jelenic, from Lincoln’s Customer Knowledge and Insights team, noted updates made to Navigator based on customer feedback, such as an improvement in the ingress of the vehicle. The SUV now has an automated button which pushes the second-row seating forward, called Power Pitch and Slide, allowing passengers easier access to the third row. She also pointed to a Cargo Tailgate Manager which can make the rear cargo area a more versatile space for Lincoln’s clients by acting as a shelf for multi-level cargo storage or as a table in tailgate gatherings.
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Navigator created the luxury SUV segment with its introduction in 1996.
Jelenic also highlighted little touches that bring the Navigator to life, such as redesigned headlamps which give the appearance of wings opening in flight, while the design of the vehicle’s taillamps resemble wings closing.
“We pride ourselves on being understated luxury,” she said. “We are a luxury brand that isn’t in your face. It is this elegance and sophistication that Lincoln brings that has been a part of our heritage for so long.”
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