First Look: 2006 Lincoln Mark LT

In the archives of truck history, the Lincoln Blackwood will be a perfect example of what happens when the wrong people let their pride and misunderstanding ruin a perfectly adequate idea. Not that the world is desperate for another $40,000 pickup truck, but when Lincoln announced its new Lincoln Mark LT, we couldn't help but be more optimistic.

The all-new 2006 Mark LT is based off the F-150 SuperCrew and will come in either two- or four-wheel-drive configurations. Mark LTs will only be offered with the 300-horsepower, three-valve per cylinder 5.4-liter Triton V-8, sharing just about every top-level trim piece that can be ordered on a fully optioned SuperCrew. Unlike the previous Lincoln pickup, the Mark LT has all the function, utility, and truck-ness of any other Ford truck. If you remember, the Blackwood only came in two-wheel drive, had limited towing capability, the cargo bed was reduced to a dysfunctional trunk, and the rear airbag suspension caused more problems than it solved. To its credit, Lincoln shied away from functional compromises with the Mark LT and instead focused its attention on making the interior and exterior styling more elegant. Translated, that means a lot of chrome on the outside (we actually like the rims) and a good deal of attention to interior materials. Although that doesn't sound like much, it's enough to change the look. In certain ways, Lincoln has taken a half-ton pickup truck from Ford and run it through the "Pimp My Ride" meat grinder. Unfortunately, there aren't any 28-inch plasma TV screens popping out of the bed, but Lincoln will be offering its own unique bedliners, towing accessories, moonroofs, DVD options, and more. On the inside, although duplicating the Lincoln Navigator as closely as possible would've been ideal, the complexity of the change would have been too costly, especially now that Ford finds itself tight on cash.

Instead, the Mark LT uses many chrome accents on the dash and gauge cluster, real Ebony wood trim, and a velvety smooth Nudo leather on all seating surfaces, shifter, and steering wheel. Expect the Mark LT to compete with the likes of the Cadillac EXT (basically the Chevy Avalanche) at a substantially lower entry price. It's nice to see that Ford got a better truck to market the second time around.