First Drive Review
For U.S. dealers, the announcement that the slow-selling Lincoln Mark LT pickup would be discontinued for 2009 was no big deal. However, the reaction was very different south of the border. For Lincoln dealers in Mexico, the Mark LT had represented 40 percent of sales. Thus, a historical decision: As of September, the 2010 Mark LT will be the first Lincoln model in history not available in the U.S.
Serious determination was needed for the truck to see the light of day, especially from Lincoln’s general director in Mexico, Fernando Avila. Curiously enough, he tells us that convincing Mexican executives proved more challenging than convincing the suits in Dearborn, who embraced with unusual enthusiasm the task of developing a vehicle of which only 2000 would be built annually. Indeed, producing a 2010 Mark LT made several departments, such as the design team, reopen their file cabinets and pull out ideas they had set aside when Lincoln initially canceled the second generation of the luxury pickup.
Naturally, the 2010 LT is based on the Ford F-150, and in particular the top-level Platinum model, which essentially took the place of the Lincoln truck in the U.S. Imbuing the Mark LT with Lincoln-ness required aesthetic changes as well as the addition of more upscale standard equipment. Among the former is Lincoln’s split-waterfall grille, which became the brand’s hallmark beginning with the arrival of the MKS. Another design cue is found in the rear, with the tailgate carrying the broad metallic stripe as found on the F-150 Platinum, and the Mark LT gets that truck’s retractable running boards. Chromed mirror caps, wheels, and trim add more flair, too.
Inside, the seats are swathed in brown leather exclusive to this vehicle, and the instrument cluster cowl is lined with leather that has stitching aimed to give the vehicle a rustic look. Other items, such as the Sync infotainment system, place this pickup above even the most highly equipped Ford trucks sold in Mexico (the F-150 Platinum is not sold there).
Drives Like a Lamborghini, If Said Lambo Were an F-150 and Drove Nothing Like a Lamborghini At All
All the characteristics of the latest F-150 are here. The cabin is spacious, and there is a choice of two bed lengths and two- or four-wheel drive. The only available engine is the Triton 5.4-liter V-8, good for 310 hp and paired with Ford’s six-speed automatic transmission. No chassis changes were made for the 2010 Mark LT, so the super-smooth ride of other Lincolns is conspicuously absent. But the Mark rolls down the road as comfortably and quietly as the F-150, and the steering is good for the segment.
A price has not yet been set for the 2010 Mark LT in Mexico, but it should be similar to that of the F-150 Platinum in the States, so figure between $40,000 and $45,000. If the 16th president of the United States were still alive, who knows how he’d feel about a product bearing his last name not being available for his countrymen? (Our best guess? Honest Abe wouldn’t care much.) But Lincoln dealers in Mexico are pretty happy that the blue oval decided to put a sombrero on its pickup. The reality is that the Mark LT means the difference between survival and death for some of those dealers, as they would have been forced to try to sell sedans to those who don’t want one but still desire a similar level of luxury. After all, given the rugged terrain that covers much of Mexico, sometimes an MKZ just isn’t going to cut it.
