Report: Next generation Lincoln Navigator to drop V8 for EcoBoost V6, Expedition to retain V8
Hey, you know Ford’s T1 SUVs? Yea, the gynormous three-ton utilitarian ‘Murikan-tastic SUVs, the Ford Expedition and sister Lincoln Navigator? Yup, they’re still around despite the market’s focus on fuel-efficient crossover SUVs.
MotorTrend reports that Lincoln’s global director, Matt VanDyke, has said that the Navigator will be getting a redesign, which means equipping it with Ford’s 3.5L EcoBoost V6—the same one seeing duty in the current Ford F150—to curtail woes over fuel efficiency and replace the V8. That unit is good for 365hp and 410 lb-ft of torque, which is more than the current 5.4L Triton V8’s 310hp and 365 lb-ft of torque.
The next generation Navigator is also said to weigh just as much as the current F150, which means the EcoBoost Navigator might be able to blast to sixty like a bulky linebacker-on-steroids in just 6.5 seconds. Additionally, the Navigator may only come with the choice of V6s, with the EcoBoost being the range topper and Ford’s naturally aspirated 3.7L V6 being the base engine.
The Navigator’s lesser cousin, the Expedition, is said to retain its V8 option by utilizing the new 5.0L “Coyote” Modular V8, which sees duty in the current F150 and was introduced on the current generation Ford Mustang, marking the return of the “5.0” moniker. That V8 will churn out 360hp and 380 lb-ft of torque to specifically appeal to lovers of the eight-cylinder.
The V6s are also slated to be offered as engine choices, with the 3.7L V6 being the base engine and a possibility with the EcoBoost V6 seeing duty in Expedition. Though MT has reason to believe that the EcoBoost V6 will be left for the Navigator only.
The current Lincoln Navigator and Ford Expedition have been with us in their current guise since 2007. That said, they are certainly becoming archaic and a bit stale and are very in need of a complete rework. So it’ll be interesting to see what Ford has in store for us for these two leviathans.
– By: Chris Chin
Source: MotorTrend
