Lincoln Aviator

The Lincoln Aviator is a mid-size luxury sport-utility vehicle (SUV) that was produced by Lincoln. It was marketed in North America from the 2003 to the 2005 model years. As a rebadged variant of the Mercury Mountaineer and Ford Explorer four-door SUVs, the Aviator was manufactured at St. Louis Assembly in Hazelwood, Missouri, along with the Explorer and Mountaineer.

Due to lower than expected sales, the Lincoln Aviator was not continued when the Explorer and Mountaineer were redesigned for 2006. In the Aviator's price range, Lincoln shifted to a crossover SUV, introducing the five-passenger Lincoln MKX (initially intended to wear the Aviator nameplate) as a 2007 model. Along with the Blackwood and Mark LT pickup trucks, the Aviator is one of the shortest-produced vehicles sold by Lincoln.

Model history

To differentiate it from the Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer, with which it shared nearly all exterior body panels, the Lincoln Aviator was given its own grille, headlights, taillights, and tailgate. Additionally, the Aviator was equipped with model-specific running boards and sideview mirrors. On the interior, the styling was derived heavily from the redesigned 2003 Lincoln Navigator; the rectangular dashboard was styled similar to Lincolns of the 1960s, featuring an instrument cluster with electroluminescent gauges and needles. The only major change between the Navigator and Aviator was the lettering on the radio cover panel; the panel on the latter was changed to spell out "AVIATOR" instead of "LINCOLN". Aviators were given model-specific seats with upscale leather and American walnut wood trim on the doors and steering wheel. In contrast to the Explorer and Mountaineer, bucket seats with a center console were standard in the second row (a bench seat configuration was available as a no-cost option).