The Lincoln Motor Company, in late 2017, announced it was discontinuing its ‘MK’ model naming strategy in favour of actual names – a move that sent tremors through the motoring world but one that has since imbued the Lincoln brand with a sharp focus on customer experience. While other manufacturers continue to use alphanumeric nomenclature to identify their individual models, Lincoln has set its own course with names that perfectly summarise the individual attributes that make each of its models stand out as truly special and unique.
Lincoln’s compact premium crossover, Corsair, for instance, has high seas adventure coursing through its veins. Youthful, dynamic and exciting, Corsair appeals to a new kind of Lincoln customer, one with an unbridled appetite for exploring the unknown from the comfort of a supremely well-designed and engineered mobile fortress that protects its occupants with a vast array of safety equipment fitted as standard.
The company’s most recently introduced refreshed model, the mid-sized Nautilus, arrived in 2019 and its name is one of the most inspirational in adventure storytelling. In his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island, Jules Verne described in graphic, thrilling detail, a fictitious underwater craft called Nautilus that belonged to Captain Nemo. It was named after Robert Fulton’s real-life submarine, which had been unveiled in the year 1800, and its design was inspired by the French Navy submarine, Plongeur, a model of which Verne had seen at the 1867 Exposition Universelle in Paris (otherwise known as Expo) three years before writing ‘Leagues’.
Nautilus is aptly monikered, a word inextricably linked with relentless, fearless exploration of foreign lands where anything could happen. However, this is no rough-and-tumble utility vehicle – rather it is a beautifully designed and executed mode of transport supplied with an enviable arsenal of no-cost features.
Aviator, the three-row, seven-seat Lincoln that entered the Middle East market in late 2019, is a name that needs no explanation. Immediately associated with exploration of uncharted territory, this is a vehicle designed with contemporary family life in mind, turning every journey into an adventure for anyone lucky enough to be along for the ride. Mature yet irreverent and imbued with an overwhelming sense of fun and derring-do, this is a Lincoln that cannot fail to impress with its twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, providing a best-in-class 400hp and 563Nm of torque as standard, mated to a 10-speed adaptable SelectShift® automatic transmission.
For Aviator, Lincoln’s designers even worked with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, which was founded in 1887, to compose 25 unique sound effects to be used for the door chime and other alerts – exactly the kind of attention to detail any explorer would appreciate.
Lincoln’s full-sized SUV, Navigator, is a truly iconic automotive name that was introduced in 1997 and one that resonates with exacting motorists the world over. Packed with intuitive features and luxury appointments, the latest Navigator is designed to make each journey effortless, enabling its occupants to soak up every brilliant, wonderful moment along the way. From epic road trips to everyday errands, the Navigator lives up to its name, providing an oasis of calm and protection, guiding its owner through the turbulent waters of modern life.
Navigator can seat up to eight occupants in resplendent luxury, its cabin upholstered entirely in the highest quality leather hides and other natural, sustainably sourced materials. Lincoln’s Play Rear-Seat Entertainment System features two vibrant 10-inch screens and everyone can take advantage of no fewer than six USB ports, four 12V powerpoints and a 230V power outlet for recharging all manner of devices. Pressing the PowerFold 2nd- and 3rd-row seat buttons creates a flat load floor in just a few seconds and the Tiered Cargo Area Management System can be configured in one of four ways: as a partition, a shelf, a flat load surface or positioned to help keep items securely inside as the liftgate opens. As if all that wasn’t enough the Navigator is blessed with an incredible towing capacity of 3,765kg and its engine develops 450hp and 691Nm of torque, both of which are best-in-class figures. A truly capable, desirable SUV, Navigator tells the world you’ve arrived without having to shout about it.
Sami Malkawi, Managing Director, Lincoln Middle East explains the company’s model naming strategy, saying: “Any parent will know the difficulty and importance of choosing a suitable name for their child. Some opt for names with family history and heritage, others are chosen to portray impressions of strength, wisdom, peace or kindness – qualities they perhaps hope their children will demonstrate throughout their lives. It is no different when Lincoln names one of its models, for these are individual vehicles with distinct characters or personalities, and their names add a sense of occasion, reflecting the very values built into them by the teams that put their hearts and minds into developing these fascinating products.”
He adds that “the core values of this iconic brand are warm, human and personally crafted – any new Lincoln is an incredibly special vehicle. And who among us would prefer to reference a loved one using a series of seemingly random letters or numbers? A meaningful name brings added joy to the ownership experience and, in this and many other regards, Lincoln is a globally recognized leader. Lincoln has a long and distinguished history, with truly unforgettable nameplates in its repertoire, including the Zephyr, Continental and, of course, Navigator. Each Lincoln model name conveys an exciting sense of adventure across vast earthly terrain, the air or the high seas. The only way to properly experience these unique characteristics is to drive these incredible vehicles, and I extend an open invitation for everyone to visit one of our dealerships, where the uniqueness of Lincoln will immediately become apparent. We’re proud to be different.”
