By Tim Plouff

Lincoln, one of only two remaining luxury car nameplates left in America’s auto industry, is taking another stab at building an upscale pickup truck.

Lincoln’s first offering in this profitable and now quite popular category was the 2002 Blackwood. The four-door, two-wheel-drive Blackwood answered a question that no one asked: Would luxury car buyers opt for a pickup truck with a carpeted and covered pickup bed instead of a Lincoln Town Car to haul their golf clubs and cases of wine? After eight months and only a few thousand sold, Lincoln pulled the plug as the Blackwood turned out to be an embarrassing failure.

The latest rendition should fare better. Based on the highly successful F-150 Crew Cab model, the new Mark LT offers the same two- or four-wheel-drive setups, the same suspension settings, and the same 5.4-liter V-8 engine as the Ford. Differing from the run-of-the-mill Ford truck, Lincoln added a bold vertical chrome grille, chrome panels along the flanks, polished chrome wheels, oversize chrome mirrors, chrome bed handles, big chrome bumpers, and wood and chrome accents in the interior. Is this enough to make a luxury pickup?

In short, no. Because the Mark’s competitors, trucks such as the GMC Sierra Denali and the Cadillac Escalade EXT, offer more power, more safety gear, more amenities, and full-time all-wheel drive or two-wheel drive with traction control. With pricing starting around $40,000, the Lincoln is really no more expensive than a fully loaded F-150 Lariat with the King Ranch option package.
The main reason for this similarity is time. Lincoln rushed the Mark LT into production in just over 12 months to capitalize on the latest trend; sales data shows as full-size SUV sales slide, full-size four-door pickup sales have been increasing. Ford and Lincoln knew that they had a solid reputation and a solid truck to make the Mark’s foundation, so the Lincoln version was pushed into production ahead of the available features and amenities that Lincoln promises to offer over the next 12 months as development work continues.

The Ford foundation works well in the Lincoln. The 5.4-liter V-8 is quiet and smooth with its new three-valve head delivering 40 more horsepower this year, up to 300-hp. The four-speed automatic adroitly handles all gear changes while the ride is serene when the tarmac is, well controlled when it isn’t. Befitting all solid axle pickup trucks, the chassis can generate some big kicks when the road turns ugly. Only Honda’s new Ridgeline truck comes through with a reasonable solution: an independent rear chassis.
Path accuracy is decent for a 5,700-pound truck even while the steering feels all too uncommunicative with the driver. The cabin is hushed, plush and comfortable for five real adults. The concise instruments report timely data that is easy to see and find while the center stack conveniently places climate and audio controls close to your hand. The leather seats are big, roomy perches that support your occupants at each position more than adequately for all journeys. To these eyes the Mark’s clean, uncluttered interior is preferable to the overstated layout in the Navigator, its sister truck in the Lincoln lineup.

That said, the Mark is missing some of the features that make the Navigator so popular with big truck fans, as well as pieces apparent in the competition.

The steering wheel only tilts and with an awkward lever to boot. There is no satellite radio (Lincoln promises Sirius satellite this fall), no full-power seats with memory, no navigation system, no OnStar-like Telematics, no one-touch wipers, no anti-skid system, no full-time AWD, no side airbags, and no engine options that would really make the Lincoln stand out from the F-150. Plus, the 5.5-foot long bed comes with a slippery drop-in plastic bedliner rather than the composite panels used by GM or the spray-on liner used in Nissan’s Titan truck. 

Despite these omissions, the Lincoln offers a lot. You do get a power rear window that vents fresh air very quietly, an optional power sunroof, and heated leather seating. Visibility is quite good to all corners yet the optional reverse-sensing system makes backing around the parking lot a cinch while the optional DVD-entertainment system will keep the rear seat passengers entertained for hours on end.

The Mark can tow up to 8,600-pounds of trailer and carry 1,600 pounds of cargo. If you can discipline yourself to feather the throttle, the Lincoln can return up to 19 miles per gallon out on the open road. If you are a lead foot, in-town mileage will dip into the single digits. Hey, three tons of truck is a lot for even 300-hp to move around. A supercharged version of this engine or the PowerStroke diesel make perfect sense for this work-capable luxury pickup.

The philosophy is still sound for the Mark: luxury car and truck buyers want vehicles that are more versatile, too. The Mark LT can do work tasks that the Navigator owner can never ask of his big SUV. Try hauling a pea-pod, five bicycles or a yard of bark mulch in the back of the Navigator and you’ll see why the Mark is more practical. With gracious room for five occupants and the versatility to haul heavy and dirty loads, the Mark should appeal to the gentleman farmer/executive or upscale owner who wants the brand name of Lincoln when the Ford badge just won’t do.

If you are a Lincoln loyalist, you’ll love the bold look. You won’t be disappointed with the Mark’s operating portfolio either as it is nice enough to please all but the most jaded drivers. A patient shopper will wait for the promised advances for the Mark, yet determined buyers will find that the current edition beats the competition on price.

Even luxury buyers appreciate a good buy.