Valvoline.com

The Great Escape

Giving Lincoln's Aviator a fresh set of wings

Even a failed attempt by a vehicle manufacturer can present some benefits to the automotive enthusiast. Take the Aviator for instance. Its cloudy introduction ultimately had a silver lining.

9/10ths Nav

The concept seemed clear enough at first, though. Following suit with the successful transformation of the Expedition into the Navigator, Lincoln planned to take the Explorer to new heights with its mid-sized Aviator model. It would not only be plusher inside than the Ford and Mercury versions of the platform, but also ride smoother with a tuned suspension and lighter components.

The Aviator's mission was to deliver the style of the Lincoln Navigator in a smaller, more manageable, and less expensive package. In addition, it would be not only less expensive than its larger corporate sibling, but also priced lower than most V8-powered luxury sport-utilities.

Although more affordable, the Lincoln Aviator was deliberately designed to look like a 9/10ths-scale Lincoln Navigator, which it basically is. The Aviator is more than a foot shorter than the Navigator, four inches narrower, and about 6 1/2 inches lower. The Aviator seats six or seven, depending on the seating configuration ordered, while the Navigator has room for eight.

The Aviator managed to get off the ground with all these elements on board, but unfortunately it turned into a fairly short flight. Next year's model has been completely redesigned, more in keeping with the competition from Acura, Lexus, BMW, Infiniti, and Cadillac, and featuring a Murano-style body on a Mazda6 platform.

The reasons are many for the grounding of the Explorer-based Aviator, ranging from pricing issues to brand competition to model redundancy, but there's some good news here for SUV enthusiasts. Yesterday's overlooked luxury ride is often today's screaming deal. Lincoln dealers are probably somewhat anxious to see the lame-duck Aviator fly off their lots.

Custom Candidate

Which leads us to our next point: it's a cool candidate for a buildup project. After all, if you can grab an Aviator for a decent price, you've already got the makings of a great SUV with an exclusive nameplate and all the luxury touches. All it needs is a few more bells and some bling-bling.

That's exactly what Al Manes, president and founder, Colorado Custom did with his Aviator. Rather than getting bogged down on its marketing issues, he outfitted the Aviator with 20- and 22-inch Folsom billet aluminum wheels from its new Lock-Down Series.

Inspired by a prison theme, these rims are just the thing for making a great escape from a mass-production style. For plenty of grip to climb over those prison walls, CC wrapped its wheels with BFGoodrich G-Force tires, measuring 265/50ZR20 at the front and 295/45ZR22 in the rear. The company also developed interior and under-hood billet aluminum dress-up pieces, including fluid caps, switches, knobs and pedals.

Also glittering under the custom-painted hood is a cold-air intake tube from C.G.S. Motorsports. Its new high-performance CGS Intake Systems are manufactured with mandrel-bent steel, allowing maximum airflow for greater engine efficiency. The intake is double powder-coated as well, first with ceramic silver, then with clear to ensure a bright finish and long durability. Not only does it look good under the hood of this Aviator, but is claimed to add up to 18 horses to the Ford 4.6-liter V8 engine, factory-rated at 302 hp and 300 lb.-ft. of torque. MBRP provided a cat-back exhaust system as well for even more takeoff velocity.

Upon landing after some high-flying maneuvers, you'll have to bring the Aviator to a sudden stop at the end of the runway. For that, CC fitted it Stainless Steel Brakes, even though the stock stoppers are larger than the binders on the Ford Explorer or Mercury Mountaineer. True to the company's name, Stainless Steel's massive calipers feature stainless steel fittings for rigid and rust-resistant construction.

Like the Navigator, the Aviator sports a generous application of chrome trim, from the grille to the roof rack to the rear license plate holder. Aviator wears the same chrome-framed waterfall grille as the Navigator, though it looks somewhat less imposing in the Aviator's smaller size. Taking that treatment a step further, CC added a custom grille from J&J Enterprises.

Style Cues

The stock Lincoln Aviator's interior is impressive, and one of the best on the market for luxury SUVs. The most distinctive touch in the interior is the pewter-colored satin-nickel finish used on the center dashboard and shifter surround. Another distinguishing feature is a small panel that pulls down to hide the audio system.

Audiovox Electronics supplied an upgraded head unit with nav system and extra monitors. Arc Audio's amps boost the signal to the tweeters, speakers and subwoofers through Monster Cable wiring and fuse blocks. Dave Ayers of Luxury Auto Sound handled the entire installation of the ICE.

The console cover won't let you forget what you're driving when you close it, as its cover spells out Lincoln with understated elegance. The clock in the center of the dash, with finely crafted gold hands and numbers, resembles an expensive watch. This clock design is becoming a signature feature in Lincolns.

The 1961 Lincoln Continental was the inspiration for the Aviator's symmetrical instrument panel. Switches and controls, either rectangular toggles or rotary dials, are backlit with white LED lighting. The steering wheel trimmed in wood and leather includes controls for audio and climate. To enhance this first-cabin interior even more, Benevento Corp. graced the interior with additional wood trim on the dash. Every surface throughout the Aviator is attractive to the eye and inviting to the touch.

To complete the Aviator's enhanced looks, Poor Boy Kustomx applied a rich finish of DuPont two-tone custom paint. Considering the impending replacement of the Aviator and this attractive upgrade from Colorado Custom, we came away with one clear conclusion: Lame duck never tasted so good.

Resource

Colorado Custom, 363 Jefferson St., Ste. 101, Fort Collins, CO 80524, (970) 224-5750, www.coloradocustom.com