2018 Lincoln Navigator overview

 

 

The Lincoln Motor Company was founded in 1917 by Henry M. Leland who had earlier created the Cadillac nameplate as his part of the reorganization of the Henry Ford Company, which was Ford’s second company. Leland sold Cadillac to the General Motors Company in 1909 but remained there as an executive until he had a dispute with W.C. Durant and left in 1917.  

Leland named his new company after the 16th President Abraham Lincoln, whom Leland claimed he voted for in the 1860 presidential election, although Leland was only 17.  Lincoln assembled Liberty V-12 aircraft engines during World War 1 as well as a luxury automobile, the V-8 powered Model L. After falling on tough times in the post war period in 1922 Lincoln entered receivership and its assets were bought by the Ford Motor Company and the Model L became the basis of Ford’s luxury line.

 

The first Lincoln logo - a greyhound dog - appeared as a radiator mascot in 1927 to symbolize speed, stamina, and grace. The 1956 and 1957 Continental Mark II are believed to be the first cars branded with the “Lincoln Star” to reflect the brand’s opulence and radiance. The Lincoln Star’s shape has been incorporated in Lincoln styling ever since Lincoln and Continental were combined after the 1957 model year.   

 

 

The 2018 Lincoln Navigator was the centerpiece of the Lincoln display at the 2018 Silicon Valley Auto Show, in a separate area delineated by screens that incorporated the Lincoln star design.

 

The 17-1/2 foot long Navigator is powered by a 3.5 liter (214 cubic inch) V-6 twin-turbocharged engine that develops 450 horsepower and 500 foot/pounds of torque on 93 octane fuel connected to a 10-speed automatic gearbox and an all-wheel-drive system with an electronically locking rear differential. According to the manufacturer that power will propel the nearly three-ton Navigator from a dead stop to 60 miles per hour in 6.0 seconds.

note the multiple incorporation of the Lincoln Star

in the 2018 Lincoln Navigator's grille

The manufacturer’s suggested base price for the 2-wheel drive Premiere edition is $72,055, while the Select edition is $4,000 more.  The next step up at $81,400 is the Reserve edition which includes 22-inch wheels and a Panoramic Vista Roof® and finally there is the top of the line Black Label® (which brings together premium level service and a unique collection of interior themes and membership privileges) for $93,705 before options and destination charges.   

Check out the 2018 Lincoln Navigator online at https://www.lincoln.com/luxury-suvs/navigator/

all photos by the author

A 1930 Model A in the

heart of the Silicon Valley

 

 

The most unusual car on display at the Silicon Valley Auto Show which was populated by the latest offering from manufacturers was this 1930 Ford Model A built in the “rat rod” style. Owner and builder James Sneed started with a four-door sedan body and converted it to a two-door body before he chopped the top 3 inches.

 

 

 

The car rides down on the ground thanks to a custom frame and air ride suspension system. The car which Sneed calls “Pist’N Broke” is powered by an unusual (but welcome) choice for a hot rodder over the ubiquitous small-block Chevrolet. The car is powered by a Chrysler 440-cubic inch engine connected to a Chrysler 727 automatic transmission.

 

All photos by the author

 

First one ever seen- Noble M400

 

 

The Club Sportiva booth at the 2018 Silicon Valley Auto Show featured a Noble M400 a mid-mounted transverse engine sports car built from 2004 to 2007 in South Africa and sold by Noble Automotive Limited a low-production British sports car company. Only about 220 Noble M400s were imported into the United States and sold for $95,000 each. Noble M400s were classified as kit cars, as the cars were imported less the engine which was then installed by 1G Racing in Hamilton Ohio

 

 

 

The power plant is an aluminum 3-liter DOHC Ford Duratec V6 (as used in the Contour) with four valves per cylinders. Roush Engineering modified the engine with hotter camshafts, revised fuel injection, and twin turbochargers to develop 425 horsepower.

 

 

 

Contemporary road tests found the 2320-pound car accelerated from rest to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and covered the ¼-mile dragstrip in 12 seconds. With a steel space frame with an integral roll cage fitted with double wishbone suspension front and rear the Noble M400 could achieve 1.01 G of lateral acceleration on the skid pad.

 

 

Club Sportiva is an exotic car rental company with clubhouses in Menlo Park, Los Angeles, Monterey, and San Jose with rentals available for special occasions, such weddings, anniversaries or birthdays There are a variety of cars and programs to choose from – check them out at   https://www.clubsportiva.com/

 

All photos by the author

A quick look at the
2019 Corvette ZR1 Convertible

 

The Chevrolet display area at the 2018 Silicon Valley Auto Show featured this “Sebring Orange” 2019 Corvette ZR1, the first Corvette convertible available since 1970 with the ZR1 designation. Powered by an Eaton twin-scroll supercharged LT5 V-8 engine with a SAE-certified output of 755 horsepower and 715 pound-feet of torque, the ZR1 convertible carries a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $123,995, which makes the ZR1 convertible the most expensive Chevrolet passenger car in history.

The engine has a couple of interesting construction details - such as a dual fuel injection system, with a primary direct injection system supplemented with port injection at higher output situations. The two-stage exhaust system uses active and passive elements with what Chevrolet describes as the "loudest and aggressive sounding Corvette in history."  Due the high power output, the Corvette ZR1 utilizes thirteen (13) heat exchangers and a hood cutout.      

 

 

 

Chevrolet promises zero-to-60-mph times of less than three seconds and a quarter-mile time “under 11.0 seconds” and a top speed of “over 200 miles per hour.” Those who desire more on-track performance can specify the $2,995 ZTK Performance package which includes a higher profile adjustable carbon fiber rear wing, and carbon fiber front splitter.

 

Order yours at http://www.chevrolet.com/performance/corvette-stingray-sports-car

Photos by the author  

The WILD
Jeep Quicksand concept
 

 

While at the 2018 Silicon Valley Auto Show in San Jose, the author spotted the wild Jeep “Quicksand” concept that debuted at the 2017 Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah which blends both off-road and gasser dragster styling cues to create an  “X-rated” 4 x 4.   

The Wrangler-based concept features a longer wheelbase, trimmed front and rear body, a flip-forward hood and a chopped hardtop.

Each corner is supported by coil-over shock absorbers. What looks like a drag racing parachute is actually a recovery rope pack complete a “Secure before Flight” tag.

 

 

The Quicksand rides on 18-inch “kidney bean” simulated mag wheels, up front wrapped in 32-inch diameter BF Goodrich® Mud-Terrain T/A KM2 tires. To in order to achieve a ‘hot rod rake’ the rear tires are 37 inches in diameter.

 

 

What looks like a classic hot rod detail the Moon tank is actually a Warn winch.

 

 

 

The power plant is a fuel injected 392-cubic-inch ‘Hemi’  V-8 crate engine with  gasser style fender headers mated to a Getrag six-speed manual transmission connected to a two-speed, part-time transfer case that sends power to the front Dana 44 axle

 

 

The interior features a roll bar, two leather seats and matching sprayed in bedliner.

 

This shot shows the fuel cell

 

Note the tilt-out windshield glass.

 

 

The Quicksand concept is based on the new JL-generation 2018 Wrangler which uses aluminum, composites, and magnesium to save nearly 200 pounds over the previous JK-generation Wrangler. The new JL-generation also has a new "sport bar" structure and offers an optional 270-horsepower all-aluminum 2.0-liter direct fuel injected with a twin-scroll turbocharger and electronic wastegate. 

Check it out https://www.jeep.com/wrangler.html


Photos by the author