After an overwhelmingly positive reception at auto shows in Los Angeles
and Detroit in December and January, Lincoln will put the Blackwood
luxury sport utility concept vehicle into production."Blackwood takes Lincoln and our sport utility lineup a significant step
forward," said Jac Nasser, Ford Motor Company president and chief
executive officer.Details of the production vehicle and manufacturing plans will be announced
later, but initial plans suggest a 2000 model year launch.The Lincoln Blackwood concept vehicle is the ultimate utility vehicle, with
all the comfort of a luxury sedan and the convenience and versatility of a
sport utility vehicle. The four-door, four-passenger luxury utility is an
extension of the extremely successful Lincoln Navigator, with one important
difference: an enclosed 4-foot, 8-inch box that serves as a trunk.The concept Lincoln Blackwood has a covered exterior trunk area. The
trunk sides are finished in 20 square feet of Wenge wood – a dark, dense,
striated wood from central Africa – with a brushed aluminum strip defining
each band of wood. It's a modern twist on the "woody," which traditionally
used different-colored wood strips between large wood bands.The hard top of the closed box in the rear, which is operated by a key fob,
opens hydraulically to a 45-degree angle to reveal an aluminum finished
trunk interior.The interior of the Blackwood concept vehicle is based on the Lincoln
Navigator's, with the addition of a global positioning system integrated into
the floor-mounted center console and four bucket seats trimmed in black
Connolly leather.Blackwood is built on a 4x2 chassis that's lowered 3 inches to give the
utility vehicle a more stately stance. It's powered by a 5.4-liter DOHC V-8
and fits into the Class III trailer tow group – allowing enough towing
capacity for a boat or horse trailer. Some reports have suggested that the
Blackwood would share the Supercharged powerplant of Ford's 1999
SVT Lightning, but that fact remains to be seen.The four-door configuration of the passenger area coupled with the
extended trunk area give the Lincoln Blackwood concept vehicle the look
and feel of a touring coach from the 1930s with a distinctly modern flair.
