The current Lincoln Navigator is one of the many choices available to those looking for a full-sized SUV. So far, its top-spec engine option has been a 5.4-liter V8 engine, which makes 310hp and 365 lb-ft (495 Nm), but for the next generation model, the eight-cylinder unit will be dropped in favor of a smaller and more powerful V6 EcoBoost unit, according to a Motortrend magazine report.
If the V6 is carried over from the F150 pick-up, the 3.5-liter twin-turbo unit will make 365 hp and 410 lb-ft (555 Nm) of torque. MotorTrend suggests that if Lincoln doesn’t make the new Navigator significantly lighter (which they probably will, given current fuel prices), then a 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time of around 6.5 seconds is to be expected.
All of the above numbers, combined with the promise of better fuel efficiency mean the Navigator will still be a relevant vehicle, on a US market share where diesels are gaining more and more acceptance (BMW and Mercedes-Benz already offer diesel versions).
Worth noting is the fact that while the next Navigator will be sharing many of its mechanical components with the next Ford Expedition, the latter will still get a V8 option, which will almost match the power and torque figures of the smaller V6 (around 360hp). Still, both the Expedition and the Navigator will most likely share the same base engine, a 3.7-liter V6 with 302 hp.
By Andrei Nedelea
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