Concept model navigates growing premium sector

Kumar Galhotra (left), president of Lincoln, and Amy Marentic, president of Lincoln Asia Pacific, attend the launch of the all-new Navigator Concept in Shanghai on Wednesday. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Lincoln displayed its full-size SUV Navigator Concept on April 19 at Auto Shanghai 2017, revealing the automaker's vision to bring what it describes as "Quiet Luxury" to full-size SUV customers.

Drawing from customer demands for more effortless ownership, each feature of the Navigator Concept has been crafted around the driver and passenger experience.

The carmaker said the concept draws inspiration from luxury sailboats and yachts, influencing everything from the clean, modern lines and paint that reflect the hues of the sea and sky, to the teak finishes, custom gear and wardrobe management system found inside.

Lincoln invented the full-size SUV in 1997 and introduced the Navigator to China in 2015. Now, it is reimagining the Navigator for China's new generation of luxury customers who are interested in better performance, more space and further refinement. The production model will be launched later this year.

The concept is engineered to provide drivers with peace of mind. It features the capability customers demand from the segment with a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 engine delivering more than 400 horsepower and smart new technologies to make this SUV run even more smoothly in different road and weather conditions.

Drivers can enjoy enhanced control with Lincoln Drive Control, through which they can select different modes to improve the ride and handling and find the drive experiences that best suit their mood－including steering, suspension and noise levels.

The car provides the nameplate's most spacious interior ever－something large SUV buyers desire－in a refined way.

Passenger comfort has been put at the forefront of the interior design, wrapped in light blue leather. Comfort is also customized for rear passengers with patented Perfect Position Seats that adjust 30 ways to best support different body types and preferences.

Support for the upper and lower back can be customized separately to better reduce muscle fatigue. The driver's seat also includes independent deployable thigh supports for maximum comfort.

A custom wardrobe management system holds gear chosen for a day of adventure, while the Lincoln-exclusive Revel® audiovisual system has been specifically tuned to create the highest level audio, video and visual quality.

All of this is accessed through gull-wing doors and deployable concertina steps. To welcome passengers to the vehicle, a special lighting sequence lights up for every journey－a signature Lincoln feature.

The all-new Navigator Concept is equipped with Lincoln's latest technology to provide drivers with a safer, easier and more connected drive. It features Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection, which uses radar and camera technology to scan the road ahead.

If a risk of collision with a vehicle or pedestrian is detected, the system warns the driver. If the driver does not respond in time, it will automatically apply the brakes to help reduce the severity or even eliminate frontal collisions.

A 360-degree camera system and enhanced park assist features take the stress out of parking, leaving a parking spot and maneuvering. The system integrates views from four cameras－creating an overhead image that allows drivers to see all around the vehicle.

On the road, a lane-keeping system will alert drivers if they are straying from their lane and help them to steer back toward its center.

Rear passengers now have a more entertaining ride with Wi-Fi connectivity inside the car to link media from their own devices to monitors. For drivers, a large panel screen displays key information which can be customized from a digital touch screen housed in the center stack.