Lincoln's Neiman Marcus Edition Blackwood Sells Out
Designed to exemplify the versatility in design of the '02 Lincoln Blackwood, available early fall 2001, all fifty of the Neiman Marcus Edition Blackwoods sold out in less than eight hours. The Neiman Marcus Edition is essentially the same vehicle as the standard model available in the fall with the addition of a Neiman Marcus logo stitched into the headrests and an assortment of interior amenities, such as the leather-wrapped rear console lid, featuring a 7-inch Panasonic LCD Wide Screen DVD/Video-CD/CD player with game center hookup and two wireless headphones.
Offered with a $58,800 window sticker price, the '02 Lincoln Blackwood uses a 5.4L DOHC 32-valve InTech V-8 mated to a four-speed electronic automatic Overdrive transmission with an Overdrive lockout. A limited-slip rear diff with 3.73:1 gearing puts power to the ground via P275/55R18SL BSW all-season tires wrapped around 18-inch aluminum wheels. An independent short- and long-arm front suspension design with a stabilizer bar and coil springs handles the bumps up front, while a five-link load-leveling setup with leaf and air springs smooth out the rear. Innovative steering improvements derived from the Blackwood effort will also grace '01 Lincoln Navigators. The Blackwood will also feature every interior and exterior enhancement indicative of luxury cars along with a payload capacity of 1,200 pounds.
Land Rover Newbies
Marking its first all-new model for North America since 1994, the Land Rover Freelander will roll into U.S. showrooms in December 2001. The Freelander will feature a permanent all-wheel-drive system and four-wheel, viscous-coupling electronic traction control, all in a more compact package based on the same British lineage of the Range Rover and Discovery. With its 2.5L 24-valve DOHC V-6 engine, capable of producing 175 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque, and its five-speed automatic transmission, the Freelander is well positioned in the small SUV segment. Long wheel travel is achieved through the use of an independent suspension and MacPherson struts, offering excellent articulation off the road and European-style handling on the road.
The other new kid on the block is the '02 Land Rover Discovery Series II Kalahari. It's the first in a series of limited-edition Land Rovers featuring heavier-duty components and an extreme look. Only 150 Kalahari models will be produced for the '02 model-year, however, so coming across one might prove to be rather difficult. For the whole deal, check out the Land Rover Web sites at www.best4x4.landrover. com and www.freelander.com.