The
Lincoln Blackwood, catching some rays near the Pacific Ocean, really
caught the attention of beachgoers.
The
Blackwood perpetuates Lincoln's heritage of providing the automotive
world with luxurious design.
True
to its name and Ford parentage you can buy a Blackwood in any color
as long as it's black. The front of the truck wears the handsomely
regal Lincoln grille that is also shared with the Navigator. Behind
the cab, the bed of the truck can almost be considered a work of
art.
While
it was originally envisioned on the concept truck that exotic African
Wenge wood would decorate the bed's exterior, extreme difficulty
working with that wood resulted in Lincoln instead using a plastic
laminate that amply captures the textures and appearance of the
real stuff. Each strip of the simulated wood is separated by brushed
aluminum striping. Overall the effect of the wood and striping very
nicely emphasizes the bed of the Blackwood and states that it's
a pickup truck and proud of it. The back of the bed is enclosed
by two side-hinged Dutch doors with the Blackwood name prominently
labeled and the Lincoln star insignia resting perfectly on top at
the edge of a power-operated tonneau cover.
Driving
around the Monterey Peninsula during the week of the Concours and
Historics is a surreal experience. Classic cars of all makes and
models are on the highways and surface streets as auto enthusiasts
seek to show off their best metal to the world. Touring around the
Monterey Peninsula, the Lincoln Blackwood, with its unique looks
and appearance, turned many heads. At stops people would come up
to the truck to check it out up close and a phrase commonly heard
was, "I didn't know Lincoln made a pickup truck."
Next
to the Cadillac EXT, the Blackwood is probably the only pickup truck
in the world that causes Ferrari and Porsche owners to jockey with
other traffic to get a better view of the truck.
Specifications:
2002 Lincoln Blackwood
4 door, 4 passenger
Engine:
5.4-Liter DOHC InTech™ V-8 Horsepower:
300 hp @ 5,000 rpm Torque:
355 lb.-ft. @ 2,750 rpm Performance:
Top speed 105 mph Fuel economy:
Highway - 17 mpg
City - 12 mpg
Fuel tank size 25.0 Gallons
Range 400 miles Transmission:
4-speed automatic Tires & Wheels:
P275/55R-18 BSW A/S Bright machined aluminum,18 in. x 8 in. (457
mm x 203 mm) Suspension:
Front suspension
Independent short- and long-arm, coil springs
Rear suspension
Leaf/air spring with automatic ride-height adjustment Brakes:
Four-wheel power disc brakes with three-channel ABS Safety and Security:
Dual driver and passenger front and side air bags
Safety belts
Childproof rear door locks and rear child seat tethers
Two auto-reversing obstacle detection systems and emergency release
handle inside trunk
SecuriLock™ passive anti-theft system, remote keyless entry
with approach lamps, built-in perimeter alarm Towing:
Maximum towing capacity 8,700 pounds Payload capacity:
1,200 pounds / 544.3 kilos
EXT
owners can choose two other colors besides black including this stunning
pearlescent white.
The
Cadillac EXT's exterior is all-together different from the Blackwood
yet immediately recognizable as American design. Where the Blackwood
has organic lines, the EXT carries Cadillac's new edgy design aesthetic
to near extreme.
Like
the Lincoln, the EXT shares its front fascia with its full size
SUV sibling, in this case the Cadillac Escalade, but from the A-pillar
back design cues are more in common with the Chevrolet Avalanche.
The
EXT might not have the elegant panache of the Blackwood's exterior
but its fit and finish are second to none. The EXT does away with
the Avalanche's prominent plastic cladding in favor of stamped sheetmetal.
It keeps the unibody construction between bed and cab, a superior
option reducing noise, vibration and harshness when driving.
Initially
three colors will be available for the EXT, black, pewter and a
stunning pearlescent white shared with the Cadillac Deville. To
further differentiate the EXT from its Chevrolet sibling, the Cadillac's
rocker panels and fender flares are body color along with the truck's
'flying buttress' sail located just aft of the cabin - nice touches.
We
suspect that the owners of these vehicles will choose their truck
based upon the exterior that best represents their personality and
place in the society. Go-getter 'Type A' personalities, out to prove
to the world, and themselves, that they are king of the hill, will
probably opt for the more aggressive Escalade EXT. Successful 'Type
B' personalities who have climbed the corporate ladder to the top
and are secure with their place in history will probably choose
the Lincoln Blackwood because of its more laid-back style. It's
somewhat funny that Lincoln picked retired tennis pro John McEnroe
to pitch the Blackwood in television commercials because he seems
more the EXT type.
